Sports

Sioux hoping stingy defense can make up for lack of depth

By Matthew Semisch

12/09/2014

Graduation hits some teams harder than others in a given year, and it was especially unkind to the Westhope-Newburg (W-N) boys’ basketball program last spring.

After finishing last season with a solid 15-7 record, the Sioux said farewell to two of the top players in Class B basketball. Hunter Braaten and Ethan Miller were both All-District 11 and All-Region 6 selections, and Braaten was a second-team All-State pick.

Braaten, who now attends and plays football for Minnesota State University-Moorhead, was named District 11’s senior student-athlete of the year. It’s little wonder why, considering he averaged 26.5 points and just under seven rebounds per game in his final season with the Sioux.

Coming into the new campaign, W-N Bob Beaudrie is leading a team that not only lost two superstars but is also generally low on numbers. Center Chance Kitzman (8.3 points, 7.5 rebounds per game last season) is the Sioux’s lone senior this season, and the team currently only has 10 other players.

“We’re not going to have a lot of kids,” Beaudrie said, “And at this point we only have 11 that are signed up to play, and that’s grades eight through 12.” 

Kitzman and junior Chase Conway (3.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG) and Reese Schell (2.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG) will be heavily relied upon.

Their experience will be needed, too, as they’re three of only five upperclassmen on the team.

Beaudrie hopes that stingy defensive play from his whole squad can help W-N overcome its lack of depth.

“Our goal is to give up 48 points or less per game - 12 points per quarter,” Beaudrie said. “I don’t care if it’s Rugby we’re playing or Burke Central, but if we can give up that many points or fewer, we’ll be competitive.”

The Sioux will open their season at home against Glenburn on Friday in Westhope. W-N will then travel south to face Bismarck Legacy on Saturday.