North Dakota Class A State Tournament: Players to Watch
The Class A State Tournament tips off Thursday. Here are some of the players to watch: Lauren Ware Arguably the best player in North Dakota, Ware has been a force for the Patriots for a long time now and she’s…
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Continue ReadingThe Class A State Tournament tips off Thursday.
Here are some of the players to watch:
Lauren Ware
Arguably the best player in North Dakota, Ware has been a force for the Patriots for a long time now and she’s turned in a monster senior year. The 6-foot-4 forward averages better than 18 points and 11 rebounds while setting the tone for one of the state’s best defenses.
Megan Zander
Another one of the state’s best frontcourt players, Zander had a huge year for the Braves, averaging better than 19 points and 10 rebounds. Outside of Ware, there isn’t a forward who can dominate a game the way Zander can.
Lily Keplin
One of the best scorers in the state, Keplin averages more than 20 points a night while doing so in efficient fashion. She’s tough to keep out of the paint and her ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line is a huge asset for the Patriots.
Reile Payne, Fargo Shanley
It’s hard to find a player who stuffs the stat sheet more than Payne. The junior guard averages 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals per game while powering the Deacons to a 20-win season.
Kennedy Harris
The floor general for the Braves, Harris averages 16 points and better than four assists per game. She’ll need to be at her best if Mandan is going to compete for a state title.
Jes Mertens, Devils Lake
The leading scorer for the Firebirds, Mertens is one of four double-figure scorers at Devils Lake. She’s an efficient, smooth-scoring wing who can not only hurt people from deep but also get to the paint and make plays.
Taryn Allmaras, Bismarck Legacy
Allmaras is the offensive engine for a team that has excellent balance. She’s got a strong motor and manufactures points it seems like every night. She averaged a team-high 13 points per game.
Kennedy Steffan, Grand Forks Red River
Steffan averaged right around 10 points per game for the Roughriders but led the EDC in assists at better than five per game. She sets the tone and does a great job getting to the ball to a plethora of capable scorers while also supplying steady defense.
Jalyn Helstad, Williston
The leading scorer for a team that struggled to score throughout the year. Helstad does a great job creating her own offense through hard work and positioning and her consistency was a big key in Williston’s wins this winter.
Taylor Windjue, Devils Lake
Windjue sets the table for the Firebirds, averaging 11 points and a team-high 3.4 assists per game. She’s excellent at pushing the pace and getting the rest of the team involved. She’ll go up against a number of talented guards in this tournament but she’s right there most of them.
Yasmina Dokara, West Fargo Sheyenne
Dokara was the engine for the Mustangs this season, stuffing the box score on a nightly basis. The 5-foot-9 senior averages 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 47 percent from the field.
Jadyn Sondrol, Grand Forks Red River
The leading scorer for the Roughriders, Sondrol averaged better than 13 points per game while supplying strong secondary playmaking to the tune of 3.5 assists per game. She’s the closest thing Red River has to a go-to scorer and she’ll need to be really good if the Roughriders are going to have any chance against Century.