Minnesota First Look: BOLD
The BOLD Warriors went into last season as a top-three team in Class A and while they were upset early in the Section 2A tournament, they won 22 games and were awesome most of the season. Four starters from that…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe BOLD Warriors went into last season as a top-three team in Class A and while they were upset early in the Section 2A tournament, they won 22 games and were awesome most of the season. Four starters from that group are back. Behind one of the best guard groups in the state, the Warriors have the look of a state title contender.
KEY RETURNERS: Gavin Vosika, Jordan Sagedahl, Drew Sagedahl, Matthew Moorse
A returning all-state point guard, Vosika is the driving force for BOLD’s success. The 6-foot lead guard averaged 17 points, six rebounds and seven assists a year ago and was excellent all summer playing with his high school team and MN Matrix on the AAU circuit. He showed the ability to defend at a high level, run a team effectively and pile up points. Expect him to put up massive numbers.
Jordan Sagedahl has been a consistent scorer on the wing the last few years for the Warriors and he’ll have even more on his plate this winter as a senior. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard averaged 19 points per game as a junior and is a terrific slasher, strong going to the rim and a top-notch long-range shooter.
Drew Sagedahl emerged as a rock-solid two-way player for the Warriors last year, averaging 13 points per game while providing complementary rebounding and playmaking. He’s one of the best pure shooters in Class A and has a great understanding of how to play without the ball.
Moorse is the fourth returning starter and while he doesn’t get the attention of Vosika or the Sagedahls, he’s an excellent complementary wing. He’s another excellent 3-point shooter who has great chemistry with Vosika and Sagedahl, doing a lot of his best work off the ball and in transition. He’s a tough-nosed defender and rebounder as well and he’ll be expected to step up and contribute more on the defensive end of the floor with Carter Henry gone to graduation.
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Blake Plass, Trenton Ziesmer, Andrew Sheehan
The Warriors played a tight rotation a year ago and while the four returning starters figure to gobble up most of the minutes at their respective spots, there is some room for a few guys to earn minutes either in that fifth starting spot or as a reserve. Plass and Sheehan are logical fits in the frontcourt given the team’s lack of size at the other four spots. Ziesmer and Plass saw spot minutes last year off the bench and will be relied upon in bigger (though relatively low-wattage given the rest of the roster) roles.
QUESTION: How quickly can all the football players get into basketball shape?
BOLD isn’t just good at basketball. The football team has been a powerhouse this fall and went to the state championship. Will there be any sort of fatigue from an extended football season and very little layoff between football and basketball. It never seems to affect Caledonia or Minneapolis North – two small-school football powers – but it’s silly to expect all these guys to jump right into hoops and be dominant. They may take some early-season losses because of it – or at least look a little clunky – but by March, this team should be scary.
SEASON OUTLOOK
BOLD has the look of a state title contender for the second-straight season. The Warriors were arguably the most talented team in Class A last year but were picked off in the Section 2A tournament. The section is loaded again, so getting to state is no guarantee. But the Warriors have the talent to contend for a state title.