Way-Too-Early Preview: Bismarck
Bismarck was one of the greatest unknowns in Class A at this time last year. The Demons were replacing everybody from a team that was mid-tier in the WDA the year prior. Then they went out and unleashed havoc on…
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Continue ReadingBismarck was one of the greatest unknowns in Class A at this time last year. The Demons were replacing everybody from a team that was mid-tier in the WDA the year prior. Then they went out and unleashed havoc on people from the start, opening the year by breaking a school record for 3-pointers made and points in a game. They won 20 games, including the WDA Tournament championship and reached the state semifinals, finishing the season as one of the final four teams standing. With their four best players back, expect the Demons to be elite again in 2020-21.
Go-To Guy: Gunner Swanson
On a team that won thanks in large part to volume and depth, Swanson emerged along the way as an upper-echelon talent in the WDA. The 6-foot-5 swingman shot better than 40 percent from the 3-point line, averaging 14 points and nearly five rebounds per game. He’s big, athletic and skilled and if he can improve his 2-point efficiency, he’s got a shot to be one of the top scorers in the WDA.
Breakout Candidate: Ethan Stotz
The Demons’ strength should, once again, be in numbers next winter, but a guy who should see increased opportunity is junior forward Ethan Stotz. He averaged about four points and three rebounds as a sophomore, on a team that regularly played at least 11 guys. With four seniors gone, the rotation thins a little bit and while it’ll still be a strength, there may be more minutes there for Stotz, who provides a physical and athletic presence inside. He’s an efficient, effective finisher who can defend multiple guys.
Question: Can the Demons Continue to Win With Volume?
Bismarck brought a different style of play to the table than any team in the WDA last year, pressing and trapping the length of the court, amping up the pressure and tempo and hitting teams with a flurry of 3-pointers. Despite only shooting 32 percent from deep, the Demons averaged 83 points per game. They forced a whopping 25 turnovers per game and took more than 500 more shot attempts than the opposition. If there’s a regression with some of those numbers, will the Demons be able to compensate with improved shooting efficiency?
Outlook
Bismarck was one of the four best teams in the state throughout last season and with the sheer amount of guys coming back – not to mention four all-league caliber players in Swanson, Max Tschosik, Treysen Eaglestaff and Logan Schaubert- the Demons figure to be a giant headache for teams again next winter. They’ve got size, athleticism and now a great deal of experience. They very well could’ve won a state title a year ago and just about all the big-named guys from that outfit are back. Expect the Demons to contend for another WDA title and possibly more.