Former Cougar Burnham became an instant leader for Dickinson State men

From the Dickinson Press website.
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Sean Burnham has played point guard his entire career. By default, that position has also tended to put him in a leadership role. “It’s nothing brand new for me,” Burnham said.

Perhaps that’s why Dickinson State men’s basketball coach Ty Orton had no qualms about handing Burnham the keys to the team the moment he stepped on the floor.
“As a point guard, he has to be able to get the team to come together and get after guys and tell them they have to play hard,” Orton said. “They understand that this is coming from one of the hardest workers. Sean is a guy that’s stepped on the floor right away and is playing as hard as he could.”

Burnham has been a well-rounded leader for the Blue Hawks this season.

He averages 10 points, a team-high 3.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game while leading the team in minutes played – he averages more than 30 minutes a game.

“That’s great in our type of system,” Orton said of Burnham’s ability to play more than 75 percent of a game.

After spending a banner freshman season at Western Nebraska Community College, Burnham transferred to North Platte (Neb.) Community College, where he struggled and played sparingly.

Even though he’s with his third team in three years, Burnham said transitioning into Orton’s system was simple because no player had any expectations of what the season would hold.

“Everyone was trying to find their role,” Burnham said. “I think we all listened to each other and valued each other’s opinions and what coach has to say. We just followed his lead.”

The team hasn’t shied away from following Burnham’s lead either.

DSU senior forward Steve Mitchell said the 6-foot-1 junior’s work ethic has been contagious.

“He’s a good guy we can always follow,” Mitchell said. “… He’s competitive and that’s all you can really ask for.”

The Blue Hawks (6-9), who began the season 6-1 but have since lost their past eight games, open their full-time Dakota Athletic Conference schedule at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Scott Gymnasium against last year’s NAIA Division II runner-up Mayville State (6-8).

Burnham knows beginning the 13-game DAC stretch with a win would not only mark a turning point in the season, it could also set things up for DSU to make a run at the kind of conference season it hoped for when Orton finalized the team last fall.

“I’m excited actually. I think everyone is starting to come around,” Burnham said. “Everyone is buying in and working harder. It’s kind of a wakeup call.”