North Dakota Preview: St. John
St. John went 15-10 last year, losing to Four Winds/Minnewaukan in the Region 4 Tournament before beating Dunseith in the season finale. After reaching the state tournament the previous year, the Woodchucks went through wholesale roster changes and while the…
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Continue ReadingSt. John went 15-10 last year, losing to Four Winds/Minnewaukan in the Region 4 Tournament before beating Dunseith in the season finale. After reaching the state tournament the previous year, the Woodchucks went through wholesale roster changes and while the group was talented, consistency eluded them. With five of the top six guys back in the fold, the Woodchucks could be among the best teams in Class B.
KEY RETURNERS: Bradley Defender, Zach Anderson, Tyreece Gunville, Michael Dunn, Adam Jollie
Defender is one of the best all-around players in Class B. He averaged 14.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and more than two steals per game as a junior, while also knocking down 39 percent of his 3-pointers. He’s a solid slasher, quality rebounder and capable of guarding just about any position on the floor.
Anderson led the Woodchucks in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game while connecting on 39 percent of his 3-pointers. He’s got big-time range and can fill it up in a hurry, though there were times where his shooting came and went last year. If he can consistently play up to his ability level, he’s a potential 20 point-per-game guy.
Gunville is a terrific slasher who averaged 11.6 points and 3.4 assists last year. He knocked down 40 percent of his 3-pointers on limited attempts and led the team in free throws. He’s tough to stay in front of and does a good job applying pressure at the point of attack defensively.
Dunn averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 assists last year, knocking down 33 percent of his 3-pointers on about five attempts per game last year as a sophomore. If he takes that typical sophomore-to-junior step, he gives the Woodchucks another dynamic perimeter piece.
Jollie was a key piece last year, averaging eight points and five rebounds while supplying 3.4 assists and three steals per contest. He’s a utility guy who can make an impact in a lot of areas even if he is fourth or fifth on the team’s pecking order when it comes to scoring. He’s a really solid glue guy.
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Drayton Poitra, Ethan McGillis, Tate LaFloe
There won’t be much room for some of the younger guys to come in and fill huge roles as the five returners figure to gobble up most of the minutes and production. But it is important to build depth and in Poitra, McGillis and LaFloe, the Woodchucks have some talented, inexperienced pieces. Those guys will have opportunities to earn rotation roles and develop organically in low-wattage spots before taking on bigger roles the following year.
QUESTION: Can the Woodchucks achieve consistency?
St. John had a solid team last year, but the Woodchucks were inconsistent. They’d look like a potential top-10 team on nights. Then a team that looked discombobulated on others. They showed that they are capable of hanging with and taking down excellent teams at their best. But they also showed they can get blown out of the gym if they aren’t going right.
SEASON OUTLOOK:
St. John has a relatively high floor going into this season. The Woodchucks won 15 games last year and have the returning talent to do so again even if the road is bumpy at times. But if this group can find consistency and show up on a daily basis, it has the talent to challenge Four Winds/Minnewaukan and New Rockford-Sheyenne (along with Dunseith) in Region 4.