North Dakota Preview: Dickinson Trinity

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dickinson Trinity won 14 games last season, reached the Region 7 semifinals before ultimately finishing the season with a win over Beulah and third-place finish. The Titans won with stifling defense and an all-state forward. Both of those engineers of success are in place again this winter, setting up Trinity to potentially contend in an open Region 7.</span> <strong>Go-To Girl: [player_tooltip player_id="98711" first="Abbey" last="Kubas"]</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Kubas was an all-state forward last year, averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the field. She’s a matchup nightmare because she’s got the size and strength to take it to smaller defenders while also possessing the athleticism and skill to abuse bigger, slower defenders. Dickinson Trinity is one of several teams that should be expected to contend in Region 7 and Kubas is one of the few players who can legitimately take over a game. </span> <strong>Breakout Candidate: [player_tooltip player_id="198092" first="Kali" last="Kubas"]</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Kubas was a solid player as a sophomore for the Titans and could be one of the top guards in the region. She’s got the quickness and smoothness off the dribble to get to the paint and make plays, plus she’s a capable shooter from deep. Dickinson averaged less than 50 points per game last year - it needs someone to provide punch outside of [player_tooltip player_id="98711" first="Abbey" last="Kubas"] and Kali could be the player best equipped to do it. </span> <strong>Question: Can the Titans Score Enough Outside [player_tooltip player_id="98711" first="Abbey" last="Kubas"]?</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dickinson Trinity struggled offensively through big stretches of last season, averaging just 47 points per game. [player_tooltip player_id="98711" first="Abbey" last="Kubas"] put up better than 20 points per game and in big games, she was oftentimes the only consistent scorer. Can a couple of players emerge and provide some more consistent scoring? [player_tooltip player_id="198092" first="Kali" last="Kubas"], [player_tooltip player_id="199301" first="Amaya" last="Willer"] and [player_tooltip player_id="199219" first="Kara" last="Wanner"] are all players to watch.</span> <strong>Season Outlook</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Titans reached the region semifinals last season despite an up-and-down regular season. In what figures to be a competitive and unpredictable Region 7, Dickinson Trinity has the best individual player in Kubas. They’ve got a good amount of experience throughout the roster, good size and a strong defensive foundation. Dickinson Trinity won’t be the favorite to come out of the region, but they are good enough to win 15ish games and contend for a state tournament berth. </span>