North Dakota Season Preview: Jamestown
Basketball season is less than two months away and with the fall seasons starting to wind down over the next few weeks, we’ll turn our attention to the winter months. Winter is apparently supposed to be brutal this year –…
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Continue ReadingBasketball season is less than two months away and with the fall seasons starting to wind down over the next few weeks, we’ll turn our attention to the winter months. Winter is apparently supposed to be brutal this year – fortunately, the gyms should be a good place to be.
Jamestown won the Class A state title last year, going undefeated and cruising through the entire year with minimal challenge. Were the Bluejays a flash-in-the-pan or was that season the start of something that could last a while? With arguably the best player in the state still around, things are looking promising for at least another year.
KEY RETURNERS: Boden Skunberg, Carson Lamp, Jacob Hilgemann
Skunberg is THE key returner as he was one of the best players in the WDA last year and the best prospect in the state. He averaged better than 23 points and seven rebounds as a junior and will be the unquestioned go-to guy this season. At 6-foot-4, he’s an elite two-way player who can control the game as well as any player in Class A.
Lamp and Hilgemann were bit guys a year ago on a senior-heavy team and had moments where they showed promise (late in the season no less). Both are among the upper-echelon of players in the 2021 class and logical candidates for big breakout seasons now as upperclassmen. The fit with Skunberg will be interesting particularly for Lamp as he’s very good with the ball in his hands but both possess the kind of athleticism and skill to excel in complementary fashion.
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Brooks Carroll, Shea Carroll, Max Anderson, Matt Anderson
Just about everyone outside Skunberg is stepping into a new role but guys like Brooks and Shea Carroll along with Max Anderson are players to watch. Brooks Carroll is a 6-foot-2 wing who can defend up and down lineups and shoot at a high level. He’s an excellent 3-point shooter and should be able to excel playing off the numerous shot-creators the Bluejays will deploy.
Shea Carroll is an undersized point guard but can really pass. He’s a solid perimeter shooter, smart with the ball and solid as a defender on the ball.
Max Anderson is another 3-point specialist type who will have a big opportunity to fill a role on the wing and Matt Anderson is one of the guys who will be expected to provide minutes up front.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Jamestown rode Skunberg and a senior-heavy class all the way to a state title last winter. With most of that core gone, it’s time for a younger group of players to step up. The junior class in Jamestown is extremely talented – perhaps more talented than the senior class that just graduated – but there will likely be some bumps in the road. The Bluejays have no shortage of capable ball-handlers and shot-creators and while they don’t have much proven size inside, they should be strong defensively. They’ll enter the year as the preseason No. 1 team despite relative inexperience and while there are some questions to answer, they have the talent to ultimately contend for a state title again.