Robert Brewer/MDN Sophomore Darik Dissette (22), seen here scoring a layup earlier this season, has been a key contributor to Minot's 17-1 start this year.

With the number one seed already secured in the WDA West Region, the 17-1 Minot boys basketball team will close out its regular season on the road against Dickinson on Saturday.

The Magicians own an 11-game winning streak heading into the ballgame. In order to keep the win streak alive, MHS head coach Dean Winczewski reveals the Magi must be mentally prepared to face a Midgets team, who despite their 5-13 record, will be very motivated to beat Minot.

“I think they have very dynamic guard play, and they play very well at home,” Winczewski tells the Minot Daily News. “We are going to have to attack their energy with our own energy, and we will have to defend well and not allow easy opportunities for them to score.”

Like every previous game this season, Magi will rely heavily upon the exploits of senior guard Denote’ Martinez. Having played in all 18 games to this point, Martinez has paced the Magicians with team-leading averages of 21.4 points 3.8 assists per contest.

According to his head coach, it is Martinez’s explosive first step, smooth shooting touch and team-oriented mentality that has created problems for opposing defenses throughout the season.

“Deonte has really evolved as a player in terms of taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers, he is the kind of guy we look to at the end of games,” Winczewski says. “Teams have to guard against him getting to the basket, and they have to respect his ability to stop on a dime and pop a jumper, so it changes how people can defend him.”

Another Magi player who may play a large role in the outcome of Saturday’s game will be sophomore Darik Dissette. Also playing in all 18 games this year, Dissette has accumulated 24 steals and 18 blocks so far. More often than not, Dissette’s versatility, length and hustle on the defensive end of the floor has given the Magicians a major boost throughout the year according to Winczewski.

“I think his defensive talents are one of the most overlooked aspects of his game,” the Minot coach says of Dissette. “He is a very vocal player, and we rely on him to guard the opposition’s best offensive threat. I think he has a terrific work ethic defensively and his best days are certainly ahead of him.”

Despite an abundance of success so far, Winczewski says his club is still a work in progress. In particular, he believes the Magi needs to avoid the habit of falling behind early in games. Against Dickinson and beyond, the Minot basketball mentor feels better attention to detail will allow the Magicians to maximize their talents in the postseason.

“A lot of our games have been tight, so things haven’t always been easy during the winning streak. We just have to remember who we are, and play to our strengths. If we defend, rebound and execute defensively, I believe we can compete with anybody in our conference,” Winczewski continues.