North Dakota Preview: Region 1 Top Forwards
It’s never too early for too-early-season. With fall sports and school underway, it’s only a matter of time before the winter sports season is upon us. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top forwards in…
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Continue ReadingIt’s never too early for too-early-season. With fall sports and school underway, it’s only a matter of time before the winter sports season is upon us.
With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top forwards in Region 1
Joe Hurlburt Joe Hurlburt 6'10" | PF Enderlin | 2022 State #147 Nation MN , Enderlin
In a region loaded with top-notch frontcourt players, Hurlburt is the best prospect and most dominant player. The 6-foot-10 junior emerged as a nationally ranked player by major scouting services while earning a nice bundle of Division I offers. He’s certainly got the production to match the hype, as he’s averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds plus 21 points and 15 rebounds over his freshman and sophomore seasons. Now he’s an upperclassman and Enderlin is drawing ‘state title favorite’ labels by some. If the Eagles are going to be that good, it’s because Hurlburt is that good.
Noah Swenson Noah Swenson 6'5" | PF Oak Grove | 2021 State ND , Oak Grove
Swenson’s been a beast for the Grovers each of the last two seasons and was the focal point of the team’s offense last year, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds. He’s not the tallest guy or the most twitchy, but he’s strong, smart and relentless. He’s an excellent area defender and utilizes solid positioning to control the paint. He’s got excellent footwork and scoring touch inside and has developed as a mid-range shooter.
Gavin Keller Gavin Keller 6'9" | PF Kindred | 2021 State ND , Kindred
Keller is one of the best prospects in North Dakota’s 2021 class and has been the anchor for a very good Kindred team the last two seasons. He averaged 16 points and eight boards while playing top-notch defense inside last year and he’s an inside-outside scoring threat. When he plays with energy and physicality, he’s got the ability to dominate games.
Josh Dixon, Central Cass
While he may not be the prospect of the three guys listed above, Dixon is arguably just as impactful as any of them right now. He’s not the tallest guy, but he plays with a tenacity and relentlessness that allows him to produce at a high level consistently. He does an excellent job at working to establish low post position where he has an array of scoring moves. He’s got a soft shooting touch and he just keeps coming at you. Expect him to put up big numbers this year for a Central Cass team that will be in the mix for a top four seed in the region.
Gus Hurlburt Gus Hurlburt 6'9" | PF Enderlin | 2022 State ND , Enderlin
Hurlburt’s been a productive player for the Eagles each of the last two seasons and averaged 13 points and eight boards last year. He’s a big, athletic, physical kid who can impact the game in a bunch of ways. He’s smart off the ball, he’s a good passer and can create his own shot off the dribble. And he’s got the strength and athleticism to be a force on the defensive end at 6-foot-8.
Carson Bartholomay Carson Bartholomay 6'6" | PF Enderlin | 2023 State ND , Enderlin
The Eagles have an abundance of talent up front and it isn’t just because of the Hurlburts. Bartholomay is one of the top sophomores in the state after a freshman season in which he averaged better than eight points while shooting 38 percent from the 3-point line. He’s an inside-outside threat, with 6-foot-6 size and with teams loading up to slow down the aforementioned Hurlburt brothers, Bartholomay is going to have a lot of room to operate and excel.
Paul Olson Paul Olson 6'3" | SF Kindred | 2022 State ND , Kindred
Olson was an ancillary piece for the Vikings last year off the bench but if there’s a breakout guy out there in Region 1, he’s it. The 6-foot-3 swingman is big, strong, athletic and skilled. He can handle the ball a little bit, he can get to the rim off the dribble and he’s a strong finisher in traffic. And he’s capable of guarding at least three positions. If Kindred is going to continue contending in Region 1, Olson developing into a high-end player is a big key.