The Rotation: Fargo Shanley
Fargo Shanley had one of its best seasons in school history a year ago, going 18-9 and taking home fifth place in the Class A State Tournament. The Deacons were led by a monster senior class headlined by Jake Kava and Cam Saville. With so many key rotation figures gone to graduation, it may be something of a rebuilding year for Shanley.
Must Be Replaced: Cam Saville, Jake Kava, Mason Thimjon, Tom Erie, Jake McKeever, Brandon Buisker, Cody Mehlisch
Kava was one of the best players in the state and stuffed the stat sheet on a regular basis, leading the Deacons in points, rebounds, assists, steals and made 3-pointers. Saville had a terrific senior season as well, averaging 17 ppg while providing great production late in the year. Tom Erie was a solid third scorer on the perimeter and Mason Thimjon and Jake McKeever were strong defenders and intangible type guys.
Key Returners: Talon Hoffer, Brayden Bares
The Deacons are going to be awfully green next year with just two rotation regulars back. Junior guard Talon Hoffer was solid a year ago, averaging eight points and four rebounds while Brayden Bares gave the team 4.3 points off the bench. Hoffer seemed to produce more as the season went along and his ability to create for himself and his teammates means he’ll likely have an opportunity to put up big numbers as a junior as the feature guy. Bares will join him in the backcourt.
Stepping Into Bigger Roles: Daniel Wanner, Brayden DeKeyser, Joe Kava
Wanner, a 6-foot-7 senior center saw fringe rotation minutes a year ago but he’ll get first crack to gobble up minutes up front this winter. He’s got the size to be a presence on the defensive end of the floor but a big key for him will be avoiding unnecessary fouls. Kava saw limited varsity minutes as well but got his feet wet in mop up duty. The junior forward will be expected to supply steady production this winter. DeKeyser saw bit minutes as a freshman and should step into a large role as a sophomore
The Future: DeKeyser, Kava, Emmet Kenney III
The Deacons will be young this year, so many of their top young prospects will get an opportunity to gain varsity experience. Many should figure prominently in the rotation and while that may lead to some growing pains, there’s definitely a talented crop of players in the Shanley pipeline worth watching.
Season Outlook
After winning 18 games and getting to the state tournament, Shanley graduates a massive senior class that was the backbone of the program. The Deacons have athletes and talented kids still even if it is unrefined and unproven. A top-four finish in the EDC may be tough to pencil in at this point but with a number of teams graduating key guys, there will be an opportunity to pick up wins and with a young team, the focus will be on steady improvement over the course of the winter.