North Dakota First Look: Bismarck St. Mary’s
Bismarck St. Mary’s was one of the more inconsistent teams in the WDA last season, showing an ability to hang with and beat some of the top teams while also proving capable of losing to anybody. With a majority of…
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Continue ReadingBismarck St. Mary’s was one of the more inconsistent teams in the WDA last season, showing an ability to hang with and beat some of the top teams while also proving capable of losing to anybody. With a majority of the core rotation back, the Saints should enter the 2019-20 season with high expectations.
GO-TO PLAYER: Maria Mann
Mann averaged 12.8 points and 11 rebounds per game as a junior, showing the ability to control the paint on both ends of the floor. She got to the free throw line nearly five times per game and averaged nearly four offensive rebounds. If she can improve as a finisher around the rim, she could average 15-18 points per game and be among the best players in the WDA.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Hallie Schweitzer
Schweitzer pairs with Mann to form one of the best one-two post punches in the state. The 6-foot senior averaged better than 10 points per game and was very efficient, needing less than eight shot attempts per game to get there. If she continues to work herself into the offense and play off of Mann’s attention, she could be one of the best players in the conference.
QUESTION: Can the Saints cut down on the turnovers?
Inconsistency robbed the Saints of a lot of success last year and perhaps the biggest issue was their inability to take care of the ball. St. Mary’s averaged almost twice as many turnovers as assists a year ago. Even if the defense is strong and they shoot the ball at a decent rate, that’s too many turnovers to overcome consistently. Can they cut that number down to 15 even?
OUTLOOK
Bismarck St. Mary’s has a lot to be excited about this winter. With Mann and Schweitzer inside and Abigail Kopp and Elizabeth Peyerl on the perimeter, this team has the talent and experience to make a jump into the top-four of the WDA this winter. The league as a whole is going to be tough as there will be a lot of competition in what looks like a fat second tier (everyone after Bismarck Century) but the Saints are right in that mix.