Stable at the point

• Jarl Abrahamson

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Dickinson High point guard Jarl Abrahamson leads the state in assists-per-game (6.6) in his first full year as a starter. The 5-foot-8 sophomore also shoots the ball at a 63-percent clip, which is tied for fourth in the state.

Talk about it

Prior to this season, Jarl Abrahamson had never started a game for the Dickinson High boys basketball team.

Now, it’s hard to imagine him not in the starting lineup. Six games into the season, the sophomore point guard has already drawn attention from opposing coaches.

“Coaches are preparing for how their going to defend him and what they’re going to try to do against him,” Dickinson High coach John Wilson said. “Having him step in as a sophomore, he’s been an unbelievable kid for us. I can’t really say it’s been a surprise because we know how good of an athlete he is.”

Though the Midgets’ 3-3 record has come with its share of ups and downs, Abrahamson’s unwavering presence in the five games he’s played hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“He doesn’t come off the floor a lot,” Wilson said. “He’s our leader on the floor. … When Jarl’s on the floor, we’re not only better defensively, but our offense really flows.”

That flow was disrupted as Abrahamson came down with chicken pox last weekend and missed the team’s road game against Jamestown. Dickinson lost 66-63, and Abrahamson, who wasn’t able to make the trip, said he knows why.

“I watched the film … they weren’t really fast-breaking as much as they needed to be,” Abrahamson said. “They, kind of, need someone running it. I found that out after the Jamestown game.”

Wilson said the Midgets were forced to platoon sophomore Joe Hanstad and senior Cole Baker to fill the void, a recipe that clearly didn’t work as well as when Abrahamson is running the show.

“He makes great decisions, sees the floor so well and he understands the game,” Wilson said. “The kids respect him. He puts in time in the summer. He never takes time off. He’s not only a great game guy, but he’s a great practice player too.”

A lot of what Abrahamson does may not be evident in statistics, most notably his defense. However, keeping Abrahamson under the radar is going to be difficult as he leads Class A in assists-per-game at 6.6.

“It’s just fun running the team,” Abrahamson said. “I like getting assists instead of being the scorer.”

Scoring isn’t Abrahamson’s strength, but Wilson pointed out Abrahamson’s ability to drive to the hoop and shoot the 3-pointer. He’s shooting 63 percent from the field this season, good enough for third in the West Region and tied for fourth in the state.

“Probably what he’s been best at is getting to the basket,” Wilson said. “He does have a great first step. He’s quick and he does get his feet set and spaced on the perimeter … he’s always shot ready. That’s what’s allowing him to hit that outside shot as well.”

Friday’s game against defending state champion Bismarck High could prove to be a difficult one for Dickinson if Abrahamson isn’t close to full strength. On Wednesday – his first full day back – Wilson estimated that Abrahamson was about 60 or 70 percent.

“We’ve told him to step out (of practice) when he needs to,” Wilson said. “We just know that, with his heart, it’ll be us dragging him out of the drills because he wants to be in there for his teammates and for himself.”

Abrahamson said he looks forward to playing a good portion of minutes against Bismarck High, which starts at 7:30 p.m.

“I’ll just play as much as I can,” Abrahamson said. “When I have to come out, I will. Hopefully, they’re just short breaks.”

Wilson said he’s not sure how much Abrahamson will play, but acknowledged one of the main ingredients to any success Dickinson High will achieve this season.

“It’s with Jarl at point guard,” he said.

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