Way too Early Preview: WDA Breakout Candidates
Fall sports are right around the corner. That means winter sports aren’t all that far behind. With that in mind, here are some potential breakout candidates for the 2020-21 season: Aaron Grubb, Mandan Mandan figures to have a very solid…
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Continue ReadingFall sports are right around the corner. That means winter sports aren’t all that far behind.
With that in mind, here are some potential breakout candidates for the 2020-21 season:
Aaron Grubb, Mandan
Mandan figures to have a very solid group of perimeter players next year but the Braves will need bodies up front. Grubb fits the mold of a combo-forward, as he’s got the size and strength to go along with excellent skills to excel as a faceup four man. He’s a skilled finisher around the rim and has a solid mid-range jumper on the offensive end and also does a good job defending up or down an opposing lineup.
Joe Buzalsky, Bismarck Legacy
Bismarck Legacy has the talent and depth to contend for a WDA title next winter. In order for that potential to be realized, the Sabers need guys like Buzalsky to take the next step. As a sophomore, he averaged 4.5 points and 2.3 assists. He shot better than 50 percent from 2-point range and got to the free throw line at a very good rate. If he takes that sophomore-to-junior jump you see a lot of guys take, the Sabers could have the best backcourt in the WDA.
Darik Dissette, Minot
Minot is turning over just about the entire roster aside from starting point guard Deonte Martinez Deonte Martinez 5'10" | PG Minot | 2021 State ND . Dissette started earning more and more minutes as the season went along – to the point that he was playing double-digit minutes off the bench in the postseason. He’s a big, athletic guard who can get to the paint and make plays, giving the Magicians two guys who can create their own shot. And with teams likely spending a lot of their energy slowing down Martinez, he’ll have an opportunity to shine in a co-star role.
Evan Gross, Bismarck St. Mary’s
Bismarck St. Mary’s has a nice cache of young talent coming through the pipe and Gross is perhaps the best of the bunch. The 6-foot-1 junior swingman averaged better than 11 points per game in an abbreviated sophomore season. He’ll have to take his game to another level as the Saints are graduating their other top two scorers from last year along with a significant chunk of the guys who played big minutes last year.
Anthony Doppler, Bismarck Century
Doppler played regular minutes as a freshman for the Patriots and showed flashes of impact ability down the road. He looked good in an abbreviated grassroots season with ND Phenom, showing off top-notch shooting range and multi-level scoring ability. The Patriots are losing their go-to scorer from a year ago and will need someone to provide perimeter shooting. Doppler will only be a sophomore, but he’s got the ability to be one of the best players in the league already.