North Dakota Preview: Enderlin
***Photo Credit: Inforum.com*** The Enderlin Eagles went into last year with one of the youngest teams in the state and while they have no shortage of talent, things didn’t consistently come together as the team went 10-12 while losing eight…
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Continue Reading***Photo Credit: Inforum.com***
The Enderlin Eagles went into last year with one of the youngest teams in the state and while they have no shortage of talent, things didn’t consistently come together as the team went 10-12 while losing eight of the last nine. Five of the Eagles’ top seven minute-getters are back and they’ve got a frontcourt pairing few teams can contend with, so there’s plenty of cause for optimism.
KEY RETURNERS: Joe Hurlburt, Gus Hurlburt, Austin Glarum
One of the best prospects in North Dakota, Joe Hurlburt had a very good freshman season and a monster summer on the AAU circuit. The 6-foot-9 sophomore averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds last year and is on his way to becoming a dominant two-way player.
Gus Hurlburt is right up there as a prospect and is well on his way as an overall player too. The 6-foot-7 sophomore averaged 11 points and seven boards last year while connecting on 55 percent of his field goal attempts.
Glarum was the team’s top perimeter shooter last year, knocking down 37 percent of his 3-point attempts last year. The 5-foot-11 guard averaged just less than seven points per game and will continue to play a big role as an off-ball sniper this winter.
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Dawson Lemna, Carson Bartholomay, Alijah Dixson
Lemna played 20 minutes per game last year and averaged better than four points in a complementary role. He’ll take on greater ball-handling responsibilities this year with Chance Bye gone to graduation.
Carson Bartholomay was a key reserve as an eighth-grader last year and likely steps into either a starting spot or an even bigger bench role as a freshman. He averaged 3.5 points and did so in efficient fashion last year, so there’s a lot of optimism about what he could be.
Alijah Dixson played about 10 minutes per game as a freshman and should slide into a significant role this year.
QUESTION: Can the Hurlburts dominate as sophomores
It’s hard to keep things in perspective with the Hurlburts. They have the upside to be absolutely dominant players and the skill to be dominant at times right now. They’ll have a lot on their plate this year as sophomores and if they can be consistent, this Enderlin team is awfully scary.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Enderlin looks like a team on the rise. After playing a host of underclassmen last year and taking some lumps, the Eagles should be more competitive this winter. The Hurlburts are as good as anybody on the court in most games. If they can be consistent on both ends of the floor and if the backcourt players can come along and give them some help making shots, this team can compete at the top of Region 1. There’s a lot of ifs. But there’s a lot of potential too.