Sharp shooter
John Hanstad, a former Dickinson High 6th man, has infused Dickinson State’s starting lineup with his 3-point touchJohn Hanstad can count the number of games he started for the Dickinson High boys basketball team on one hand.
By: Dustin Monke, The Dickinson Press
- John Hanstad
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John Hanstad can count the number of games he started for the Dickinson High boys basketball team on one hand.
Things have been much different for him at Dickinson State.
After walking on to the team as a freshman in the fall of 2008, Hanstad has become living, breathing proof of how dedication can turn a high school reserve into a college starter.
“I guess it’s just playing hard that gets me where I want to go,” Hanstad said. “If I ever get away from playing hard, my game really falls off. I just have to stay intense, both on defense and offense.”
Opposing teams know to put two defenders on DSU sophomore center Matt Lee when he gets to the post. They’ll chase NAIA All-America senior guard Nathan Lebsock and double him up when they can.
Hanstad is the guy everyone seems to forget about — and he has a knack for making them pay.
“I get a lot of open looks from those two,” Hanstad said of Lee and Lebsock. “Anytime Matt touches it, he seems to get doubled and they really focus to stop Nate, so my shot is always there.”
And, more than half the time, Hanstad makes it.
He is shooting 36 of 68 from beyond the 3-point line — that’s 53 percent and ranks first in NAIA Division II among players who have played in more than 10 games this season.
A 50-percent shooter from the field — he is 10 of 23 on shots inside the 3-point arc — Hanstad averages 9.6 points and 2.7 rebounds a game and is shooting 25 of 34 (74 percent) from the free-throw line.
“It seems that when John plays well, we play well,” Lebsock said. “He’s that key piece that if he’s playing well, we, as a team, are going to play well also.”
His senior season at Dickinson High, Hanstad came off the bench and averaged 7.7 points and 2.9 rebounds a game as his younger brother, Joe, started over him as a freshman.
When he joined the Blue Hawks, the coaching staff believed he could have a similar impact with the right amount of hard work.
No one would have ever expected Hanstad to turn into one of DSU’s most reliable players by his sophomore season.
DSU head coach Ty Orton called Hanstad an invaluable asset for his ability to play numerous positions — he can play point guard on offense and guard a power forward on defense — and create offense with his ability to slash through defenders and cut to the basket.
“He’s probably our best cutter we have on the team,” Orton said. “He cuts well with the ball, moves well without the ball and then is obviously one of our best options at the 3-point line. He’s starting to rebound well, he’s been a tremendous defender.
“John is kind of a complete player.”
And he’s only getting better, Orton said.
Last season, Hanstad was thrust into a larger role when senior Nate Williams blew out his knee before Christmas. He averaged 3.7 points per game and made 18 3-pointers.
In a game against South Dakota Mines last January at Scott Gymnasium, Hanstad scored 10 points in 6 minutes late in the second half to help DSU overcome a deficit and hold on for a 63-62 win over the Hardrockers.
This year, as a full-time starter, Hanstad has brought a set of intangible skills to a team that relies on hustling and hard-nosed attitude.
On Dec. 2 at Jamestown College, he scored 18 points — going 5 of 5 from 3-point range — and was big down the stretch as DSU picked up a 56-55 win.
“He got that starting spot from the get-go and he’s not going to let it go,” Orton said. “He’s not just a good player, he’s a tremendous kid. He brings that same thing we want from everybody else we recruit. He’s a great kid. That’s how you win games and build programs is with kids like (Hanstad).”
Tags: blue hawks, college basketball, john hanstad, sports
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