BISMARCK - Newcomers need not apply.
With a profusion of returning talent, it was obvious there would be little room for new faces on the 2010 Class A boys all-state basketball team.
The team is selected annually by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Four of the five members of this year's first team - Joe Hanstad, Bryan Kielpinski, Nik Savageau and Luke Schreiner - are returnees. Jalen Finley is the only first-time all-stater in the quintet.
Hanstad of Dickinson, Kielpinski of Mandan and Schreiner of Grand Forks Red River all earned first-team all-state status last season. Savageau, from Fargo North, was named to the second team. Finley, from Bismarck, was an all-region pick last season.
All are seniors with the exception of Hanstad, a junior. Hanstad was last year's North Dakota Gatorade player of the year, an honor won by Savageau this season. Savageau and Kielpinski were Mr. Basketball finalists.
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Savageau, a 5-10 senior guard, led Fargo North to a fourth-place finish in the state tournament, scoring at a 20.5 pace with 4.5 rebounds a game. He added 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 steals a game and converted 39 of 101 3-point tries. His accuracy included 49.6 percent field goal shooting and 76.7 percent on free throws.
North coach Dan Shultis said Savageau, a three-year starter, focused on making all of his teammates better.
"He's a pass-first kind of kid," Shultis said. "He was a kid who tries to create for others ... What he solidified with his teammates was he was going to make it a team effort. He didn't want it to be just about him. ... It was so easy for him to get up for games and the other kids would just feed off that."
Shultis said Savageau's athletic skills are impressive. "He can do pretty much anything on the floor," the coach said. "He was one of our better rebounders and led the team in assists, steals and blocked shots ... He did things you don't see a 5-10 kid doing."
Kielpinski, a 6-foot-7 senior post, led Mandan to the state championship game the last two seasons. He was named the most valuable player as the Braves won the state title in 2009. Mandan finished second to Bismarck in overtime this season.
Kielpinski averaged 16.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, connecting at a 62 percent rate from the floor. He shot 60.3 percent from the free throw line and blocked 51 shots. He became just the fourth Mandan player to break 1,000 points, finishing with 1,121 points in four varsity seasons.
Hanstad, a 6-4 junior forward, topped Class A scorers with a 23.3 average. He rebounded at a 7.2 pace and made 37 of 106 3-pointers. Although he was constantly the focus of opposing defenses, he shot 48 percent from the floor. He hit 79 percent of his free throws.
Schreiner, a 5-10 senior guard, hit the 20-point mark offensively for the second straight year, averaging 20 points with 4.5 assists. He connected on 20 of 81 outside the 3-point arc. He shot 39.3 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the free-throw line.
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Red River coach Jason Gregory said Schreiner's contributions go far beyond putting the ball through the hoop.
"He's got a knack for the game. Luke is a player who just makes things happen," Gregory said. "Whether he's scoring or whether he's making an assist, he just makes the team better."
Schreiner joined the Roughrider varsity as a freshman and was a three-year starter. Gregory said his standout became a more well-rounded player as a senior.
"As a sophomore and junior he was more a scorer, but his senior year he realized if he gets everyone involved it makes the team that much better," Gregory said. "He created a lot of easy baskets for his teammates."
Finley, a 6-1 senior forward, transferred to Bismarck from Parshall as a junior with obvious offensive skills. Bismarck coach Steve Miller said it's Finley's improvement on defense that's made him a much greater asset.
Finley averaged 15.3 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists for the state champion Demons. He shot 66.7 percent from the line and 58.5 percent from the field, including 15-for-43 on
3-pointers.
The all-state second team:
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- Josh Rodenbiker, Fargo Shanley: Rodenbiker made 31 of 86 3-pointers en route to a 17.8 scoring average. The 5-10 junior pulled down an average of 4.6 rebounds and averaged 3.1 assists. He was a 41.5 percent shooter from the field and shot 80 percent on free throws.
- Nick Schultz, Fargo North: A 6-4 junior, Schultz averaged 13.4 points and 9.7 rebounds for the Spartans. He was a 49.6 percent shooter on field goals and displayed 64.8 percent efficiency at the free-throw line.
- Tyler Eiken, Williston: Eiken, a 6-3 senior, was brilliant from the perimeter, making 42 of 94 from outside the arc for 45 percent efficiency. He averaged 18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
- C.J. Vinger, Williston: Vinger, a 6-4 senior forward, averaged 16.2 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. He averaged 2 assists and made 20 of 68 3-pointers.
- Dexter Werner, Bismarck: Werner, a 6-4, 220-pound sophomore, provided the Demons an undeniable presence inside. He averaged 11.3 points and 10.4 rebounds a game.
