North Dakota Preview: Wahpeton
The Wahpeton Huskies were a mostly middling team last year, at one point sitting at 8-9 before winning six of seven to reach the state tournament. State didn’t go as well given the Huskies ran into the buzzsaw that was…
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Continue ReadingThe Wahpeton Huskies were a mostly middling team last year, at one point sitting at 8-9 before winning six of seven to reach the state tournament. State didn’t go as well given the Huskies ran into the buzzsaw that was Jamestown, but the season could certainly be deemed a success. While there’s a fair amount of turnover, the Huskies return enough core players from last year, that this winter could be solid again.
KEY RETURNERS: Jared Bartels, Corbin Cornelius
Bartels is Wahpeton’s top returning scorer after averaging eight points per game as a junior and he scored in double-figures 11 times last year. He’s one of the better two-way players in the EDC, using his size and athleticism to his advantage. He’s a solid slasher and finisher inside and he’ll be counted on to produce offense consistently this winter.
Cornelius started last year and averaged 7.3 points and 5.9 rebounds. He’s another big, strong, athletic kid. He’s a potential mismatch as he’s a solid 3-point shooter but also has the size and length to get inside and score in traffic.
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Blake Matejcek, Munezero Desire, Tyler Tollefson
Matejcek is one of the returning frontcourt pieces the Huskies will rely upon as he’s a solid interior defender, rebounder and finisher. He won’t necessarily be a featured offensive piece, but he does a good job screening, rim-running, finishing and working the glass.
Desire was a backup guard last year and will be relied upon as one of the few returning perimeter players. He’s a capable shot-creator and decent outside shooter who will have a lot on his plate this winter as a primary ball-handler and facilitator.
Tollefson saw bit minutes last year and will have an opportunity to earn starter minutes as a junior. He’s got the speed and quickness to be an impact guy on the defensive end and if he can contribute in a complementary role offensively, he’ll provide a big boost.
QUESTION: Can the Huskies score enough to finish in the top half of the EDC?
The Huskies averaged just 62 points per game last year, which was one of the lowest marks in the EDC. They won with defense and timely shot-making. But the lack of scoring could be an issue again this winter as the team lost its two leading scorers and best shot-creators. Can guys like Cornelius and Bartels take the next step and up their games offensively? Can Desire be a perimeter scorer the Huskies need? It’ll require an all-hands-on-deck kind of effort on that end to break into the middle of what looks like a competitive EDC.
SEASON OUTLOOK
The Wahpeton Huskies might not have the high-octane talent to be considered the favorite or perhaps even upper-echelon in the EDC ahead of the season. But for the most part, you know what you are getting with them. They are big, strong, athletic and play disciplined basketball. They’ve got enough experience where there shouldn’t be a huge dropoff from last season even if figuring out who is going to consistently score is a challenge.