North Dakota Preview: Mandan

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the most consistent teams in Class A in recent years, the Mandan Braves won 16 games and reached the state tournament last season. It was the end of an era though, as [player_tooltip player_id="853262" first="Elijah" last="Klein"] graduated after starting and putting up double-double type production each of the previous three seasons. With him and [player_tooltip player_id="731787" first="Jaxton" last="Wiest"] both gone, the Braves will undergo something of an identity shift centered around what should be a strong perimeter core.</span></p> <p><strong>Key Returners: [player_tooltip player_id="750176" first="Jayce" last="Lowman"], [player_tooltip player_id="1046334" first="Tyler" last="Thilmony"], Jacob Pierce</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lowman is the lead man and could be a Player-of-the-Year guy if things break right. He was an all-league guy last year, putting up 14 points per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from the 3-point line. He’s one of the best shooters in the league, defends at a high level and with more on-ball opportunity, he’ll show he’s more than capable as a playmaker. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thilmony stepped into a starting role and averaged about eight points and three assists per game while shooting 37 percent from the 3-point line. He finished the season playing his best basketball and parlayed that into a solid summer on the grassroots circuit. He’ll take on a bigger on-ball role this winter too and with his ability to set the tempo and get into the paint, expect bigger numbers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pierce came off the bench and was solid in a complementary role and like Thilmony, showed signs of even more potential over the summer. He’s a tough defender and can make plays off the bounce. </span></p> <p><strong>Stepping Into New Roles: [player_tooltip player_id="1046360" first="Aaron" last="Grubb"], Jonathan LeFluer, Seth Gangl</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Braves are replacing a big chunk of their rotation from last year, so in a technical sense, just about everybody is going to be stepping into a vastly new role. Grubb, LeFluer and Gangl are three guys who figure to earn minutes on the wing or in the frontcourt - which will be big for a Mandan team that has gotten a lot of run out of elite frontcourt talent over the last five years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grubb is a junior who looked excellent over the summer with ECI on the grassroots circuit. He’s not the tallest or most athletic guy, but he’s strong, tough and multifaceted. He’s a solid mid-range shooter, has excellent interior quickness and has great touch around the rim. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">LeFluer is the biggest guy on the roster at 6-foot-7 and will have an opportunity to play featured minutes for a team that is lacking a lot of size up front. He’s not going to be asked to do a lot on the offensive end, but with the playmakers on the perimeter, life could be good for a big who sets screens and finishes around the rim. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gangl saw mop up minutes last year and should give the Braves another rotation guard with some skill. </span></p> <p><strong>Season Outlook</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a WDA that has three legitimate contenders in the top tier, the Braves look like a team that has the pieces to either represent the top of the second tier, or potentially crack into that contending tier. It’s contingent on Lowman taking another step, and some of the newcomers developing into quality varsity regulars. The floor is there for a team that will be right in the thick of things in the WDA. The ceiling is to be decided. </span></p>