Sports

McCloud thrives as member of Mystics

By Tyler Ohmann

02/19/2013

Following a record breaking year as a senior at Bottineau High School in 2011-12, Justin McCloud decided his route in his basketball career after high school would begin at Bismarck State College.

After starting 21 of the Mystics 24 games, averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting 42.4 percent from three point range, he thinks he may have made the right choice.

“I really like college basketball,” McCloud said. “It’s a lot more physical, a lot quicker and everyone can play.”

He acclimated himself to the right style of play pretty quickly.

“To get used to it, you just have to get stronger,” McCloud said. “It’s really physical, even at the JUCO level, so I’ve just tried to get stronger, and I’ve fit into Bismarck’s style.”

“I’m just shooting the ball, and then D up, and it’s working out,” McCloud added.

It didn’t start with all strong games and happy times though, McCloud entered the season not knowing exactly what to expect.

“Early on I didn’t know really what to expect, so I was just a role player, passing the ball and trying to get Malik (Wood) and DeWayne (Liggins), the leaders from last year, the basketball.”

However, when Wood missed a few games to start out the second half in early January, the scoring role was handed over to McCloud, and he didn’t dissatisfy.

McCloud went on a tear where he scored a season-high 34 points against Northland Community Technical College, followed by 23 against Rainy River. He scored more than 20 points in three of his next five games and the Mystics won four of those five.

“When Malik went down and didn’t come to a few games, I really had to step up,” McCloud said. “Ever since then my confidence really went up and I’ve been shooting the ball a lot better, and be a little more of a leader on the floor.”

Wood is going to Division II Moorhead State University next fall to play for the Dragons in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

McCloud’s play has earned him a few offers along the way.

“I’ve gotten a few offers at DII, but I’m going to stick it out one more year at Bismarck and see what kind of offers open up,” McCloud said.

McCloud’s scoring barrage continued when Wood came back and McCloud said that he was asked to shoot from the beginning of the season.

“I earned it a little, but coming in coach told me and JR (Gunville) that we had the green light to shoot,” McCloud said. “And when one of us is on, we just try to get him the ball and set screens for them, and just keep shooting.”

Gunville is from Belcourt, about 30 miles from Bottineau, so the pair knew each other entering school, but they both have been added to the other Mystics and have become close according to McCloud.

“We’ve gotten really close, especially since we only have 10 guys,” McCloud said. “Since the beginning of the season we have built a lot of chemistry and we really know how we play and are able to find each other.”

Last Thursday McCloud made his Bottineau debut against the Jacks in a Mystics uniform. Though he did play in Bottineau in the season-opening tournament against a pair of Canadian teams.

“It’s awesome,” McCloud said. “The guys joke around about coming up here, and I kind of shot well the first time we came up here.”

“It’s kind of like my home gym, because I practiced a lot up here in the summer,” McCloud continued. “I’m really comfortable in it, and that just builds more confidence for me.”

“I really wanted to play well in front of some hometown fans, and get a win,” McCloud added.

He did just that.

McCloud was the leading scorer for all teams with 26 points in a 105-86 Mystics win over the Jacks. McCloud made a season-high six three pointers in the win.

The stands were packed on the night, and I don’t think there’s any doubt if McCloud made the right decision or not.