North Dakota Class A Preseason Top-10
Basketball season is right around the corner. Teams are firing up practice this week and games will be starting in less than two weeks. With that in mind, it’s time to unveil my preseason top-10 rankings. Jamestown The reigning state…
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Continue ReadingBasketball season is right around the corner. Teams are firing up practice this week and games will be starting in less than two weeks. With that in mind, it’s time to unveil my preseason top-10 rankings.
Jamestown
The reigning state champs, Jamestown graduates a huge senior class, so this could be a bit aggressive. Boden Skunberg is the best player in the state though and this is a bet that the junior class coming up has two or three guys emerge as all-conference caliber players. Carson Lamp and Jacob Hilgemann are guys to watch, as are Brooks Carroll, Matt Anderson and Keith Levin. The Blue Jays have a ton of talent in the program right now and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.
Fargo Davies
Fresh off a trip to the state title game, the Eagles have reloaded and look ready for another terrific season. Cole Hage and Cam Van Damm are two of the best players in the state, giving them a terrific forward combo. Grayson Haman had a great summer and looks like a breakout candidate. Nate Hensel, Ty Satter and Justice Coleman are all back after playing bench roles last year. Watch out for Owen Hektner as a breakout guy too. Figuring out who plays point guard and who generates shots in late-clock situations will be worth monitoring but this is probably the deepest and most talented team in the EDC at this point.
Minot
The Magicians never lack for talent and this is a year in which Minot has everything it needs to contend in the WDA. The league figures to be transitioning with many teams being so senior heavy a year ago and Minot has a chance to take advantage of that with six of its top seven guys back. The backcourt is as good as it gets with Jaxon Gunville and Deonte Martinez. If Easton Larson plays in the winter like he did over the summer, the Magicians could be the best team in North Dakota.
West Fargo
The Packers return three starters and four of their top six players from a year ago including an excellent point guard in Matt Miller and center in Hunter Lyman. Junior forward Carter Birrenkott is rock-solid and should assist Lyman inside. Sophomore guard Carson Hegerle is a player to watch on the wing. If he can give the Packers a go-to perimeter scorer, they could win the EDC and contend for a state title. Depth is a question mark, but that returning foursome is as good as anybody’s.
West Fargo Sheyenne
The Mustangs, like the Packers, will have to figure some things out with regards to their depth. But Tyler Terhark and Blake Berg give them two legitimate all-league guys on the wings. Zion Dettman is a solid all-around point guard, giving them a third dynamic scorer. Chuck Dubois can be valuable in an intangible way. If Jacksen Moni and Ja’Haeem Leake can be productive role players, the Mustangs are as good as anybody in the EDC.
Grand Forks Red River
The Roughriders might make this ranking look silly as they’ve got the talent to win a state title. After reaching the state tournament each of the last two years, Red River returns four starters and several key rotation guys from the bench. Brady Dvorak is one of the best two-way guards in the state. Will Obioha could be a Player-of-the-Year guy in the EDC. Bryce Enerson has been steady his whole varsity career. This group could be the best defensive team in the state.
Mandan
The Braves will need a lot of unproven kids to step into significant roles, but it’s harder to find a better starting point than a combo of Elijah Klein and Jaxton Wiest. Those two might represent the best at their respective positions. And this is a bet that the Braves will get something good out of newcomers like Jayce Lowman, Seth Gangl, Aaron Riopelle and Jacob Pierce.
Bismarck Legacy
The Sabers were a mostly middling team in a top-heavy WDA last year but peaked at the right time and got to state. Three starters are back including all-league caliber guys in Nick Kupfer and Rhett Clements and there’s a good chunk of young talent ready to move up. Lack of size is a question but the Sabers are good enough for a top-four seed in the WDA.
Bismarck Century
The Patriots have been the model of consistency at the Class A level and that won’t change this year. Despite lacking the overwhelming talent they’ve had in prior seasons, this Bismarck Century team will be competitive in a young WDA. Cade Feeney is one of the best two-way players in the league and young guys like Ian Ely and Justice Coleman will step into bigger roles as juniors.
Fargo North
The Spartans look like the best team of the rest of the EDC. Cayden Rickard is one of the best individual players in the league and should put up huge numbers as a senior. Alijah Armstrong is somebody to keep an eye on as a breakout candidate. He gives the Spartans two excellent on-ball guards. If Carson Critchley can be effective, he gives North a third solid perimeter piece. And watch out for the young talent coming up the pipe.