Winter came on like a fast break and means we're that much closer to everything that the hardwood will include! Every season has it's own flavor but with new additions to the local scene & significant turnover from last year to this one the 2022/2023 season will be a ride all it's own.
In preparation for the first games this edition comes courtesy of coach Brian Kaluza talking about North girls hoops.
Before looking ahead, what are the best memories from last season?
"We played our best basketball in February last season and we hope to continue our growth into this season. Being able to secure a berth in the EDC tournament by beating Fargo South on their home court was a big success for our girls. The experience of being able to play really competitive basketball in the SHAC during the EDC tourney is a great building block for our girls moving forward."
Did your team participate in any camps this past Summer? If so, how did your team benefit from that? Did any players surprise you with what they showed during the workouts?
Have you already had players in the gym working on their game this Fall?
"Our girls had a very busy summer with team camps, individual works, and the time we spent in the weightroom. We traveled to University of Jamestown, UND, NDSU, Bismarck Legacy Team Camp, and Northern State this summer. This allowed our girls to get competitive games against teams and programs that we would not typically see during the season. We had a pretty quiet fall for open gyms because we had so many players in a fall sport. Obviously there are great benefits to being a multi-sport athlete but it did prevent us from getting much done in open gyms because of players other commitments."
Arden Faulkner has been one of the top players in the EDC for the last couple of years. How did she improve last season and how might she continue to, as the potential focal point of the team this season?
"Arden has been a mainstay in our lineup since her freshman season. She will be a 4 year starter and is coming off an All-EDC junior season. As we continue to be able to surround Arden with more skilled players, it has taken off some of the pressure off of her to do so much on both ends of the floor. Her shooting has improved each season and she is one of the better shooters in the state. But her decision making, ball handling, and ability to see the whole floor has improved as well."
Who are some of the players you anticipate will help take some of the pressure off Faulkner? What do they bring to the roster?
"Grace Thiel is a 5’5" sophomore that was a starter as a freshman last season. Her ball handling allows us to move Arden off the point position more and it takes some of the load off of Arden’s plate. Grace, along with Olivia Hammes, another 5’8 sophomore guard, give our team some great perimeter shooting. This takes away a little bit of the defensive help that teams can give to Arden." "Grayce Anderson (5’6 sophomore), Sienna Swanson (5’8 sophomore), and Nora Fluge (5’9 sophomore) give us a deeper bench than we may have had in years past. All three players are capable scorers and shooters but also can guard multiple positions on the defensive side of the floor." "Additionally, Brooklyn Champagne (5’5 senior) and Emma Osier (6’0 senior) provide some leadership and experience to a fairly young team that will have 5 sophomores in the varsity rotation. Carrie Osier (6’0 sophomore and younger sister to Emma) will provide a stable inside presence. Emma and Carrie will hold down the interior on both ends of the floor for us."
Is there a certain aspect of the game that you think will be the strength of your team?
"We have some very capable shooters and we will look to create enough space offensively to allow our shooters to get shots up. We know we have some young kids in the varsity rotation but many of them saw the floor last year as freshman."
To boil it down, what would make the upcoming season a successful one?
"We certainly have some team goals in mind in terms of how we want to compete each and every night to put us in a position to be successful on the scoreboard. We also know that the EDC is a very talented conference this year, especially with the senior class. We want to give our program the best chance at making a state tournament and that means steady improvements that lead to us playing our best basketball in February and into March. We must approach our season with a growth mindset and take every hurdle as a chance to grow and develop as both individuals, but also as a team."
There's been a lot of talk about the proposed three-class division. Do you have a comment about that?
"I think there are two approaches to how I see the three-class system." "As a fan of the game of basketball and an advocate for opportunities for student-athletes, I think the three-class proposal is a fantastic idea. The system creates more balance and equity from the bottom up, allowing smaller (public) schools the opportunity to compete more frequently. I get that it takes away from some of the “traditions” of the 2-class system, but tradition is a terrible reason to continue to do something." "As a coach of a program (Fargo North) that would remain in the top level, but have one of the smaller school populations in the top level, the three-class proposal has some challenges for us. We would be losing the opportunity to play some schools that offer us a better chance of success. Although schools like Wahpeton and Devils Lake have been better than us over the last few years, they still offered us competitive games that would continue to be very competitive over the next few years if we stayed in a two-class system." "Ultimately, I think the three-class system is good for North Dakota basketball. High school sports are supposed to be about opportunities for kids and the three-class proposal allows those opportunities to increase in girls basketball."