North Dakota Preview: Hettinger-Scranton
The Hettinger-Scranton Night Hawks have been a solid team in recent years; but they took it to another level in 2018-19, going 24-3 while making the state tournament. The Night Hawks won a game there before dropping the final two…
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Continue ReadingThe Hettinger-Scranton Night Hawks have been a solid team in recent years; but they took it to another level in 2018-19, going 24-3 while making the state tournament. The Night Hawks won a game there before dropping the final two including the third-place game against Thompson. With two all-state forwards back in the fold, Hettinger-Scranton goes into 2019-20 with high expectations.
GO-TO PLAYER: Sam Oase
Oase earned first team all-state honors last year, averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and more than three blocks per game. Her ability to control the paint on both ends of the floor gives the Night Hawks an advantage over just about anybody. She’s got very good footwork inside and a strong finishing ability around the rim. She’s a force on the glass and on the defensive end, she’s not only a shot-blocker, but an intimidating presence.
KEY RETURNERS: Alyssa Andress, Bailey Pierce, Quinn Mellmer, Carolyn Schultz
Andress was an all-state pick last year as a junior and has developed into one of the best all-around players in Class B. She gives the Night Hawks a viable perimeter scorer who can not only knock down outside shots, but she can break down defenses, she can get to the rim, she makes her teammates better and she gets after it on the defensive end of the floor. She may ultimately lead the team in scoring
Mellmer, Schultz and Pierce all saw rotation minutes a year ago as the Night Hawks used depth to their advantage. All three are solid on the defensive end and showed flashes of being steady contributors on offense. They’ll all have to step up a bit on that end now in bigger roles, but there should be a lot of opportunity to do so given the attention Andress and Oase command.
QUESTION: How do the Night Hawks replace Abbie Kludt?
The Night Hawks return more than enough talent to win another 20-plus games and get back to state. And they aren’t the only team that will have to replace important cogs, but Abbie Kludt was an incredibly important player for them last season. She was the floor-general for a team that relied on efficient offense and stifling defense. She set the tone for all of that and even if she didn’t put up huge numbers, her presence was felt in a big way. Replacing all the stuff she brought to the table will not be easy.
OUTLOOK
Hettinger-Scranton will go into the year as a top-10 team in Class B with real state aspirations. The Night Hawks lost just three games all year and both losses in the state tournament were by six points. They are right there with the elite teams in the state. With two all-staters back plus a host of solid role players who can play both ends of the floor, this team has a high floor and a high ceiling.