The Top 250 Expo Preview: Sioux Falls
Looking to compete with some of the best in South Dakota? Are you a college coach wanting to see some of the best players in the state? Look no further than tomorrow’s Prep Hoops Expo in Sioux Falls on Sunday.
2019. The group of seniors is very strong including seven of the top 20 players in the state. Gavin Schipper is one of the elite shooters walking through the gym doors now matter where he goes. And Todd County guard Aiden Bizardie, this young man ranks with the best playmakers out there. A guy who we think could be the day’s MVP is Jared Jaros from Lincoln. He seems ready for a huge senior year and this could be the perfect stage for Jared to start an explosive year.
Another player who we think could come to Sioux Falls and make people take notice is Jharett Bloomenrader. Jharett is a big number 6-foot-5 forward that may not grab as much attention as there were some team struggles last year, but he can go toe to toe with just about anybody. Bloomenrader versus 6-foot-6 Solomon Bach from Watertown might be the top match-up to see. After a great 17u year and a strong junior season at Watertown Bach is working hard for an all-state like senior season.
There is also a nice group of talent traveling east to the event from the opposite side of the state. Five-foot-11 guard Dylan Pourier and 6-foot-3 wing Dawson Paulsen are coming off great junior years and strong summers. Paulsen is certainly one of the guys that local college coaches will be following around the gym to see how he performs against this level of talent.
Let’s also keep in mind a group of kids who we think are a tad bit overlooked and warrant quality consideration for the next level. Players like Quincy Ihnen of Lennox, Ryan Garland of Sturgis, Mason Ritter of Tea Area, Cedric Stabber of Sturgis, and Elijah Williams of Rapid City Central. Each and every one of these players had good junior seasons and provided a very important role to last year’s success (and to the success of 17u teams).
2020. North Dakota is traveling to Sioux Falls with a point to prove and the guys coming down are mostly juniors. We are talking about chumps either, Cayden Rickard of Fargo North is a top 20 junior in North Dakota who transferred across the Minnesota border recently to play North Dakota hoops. Talen Hoffer of Fargo Shanley was one of the best 16u guards in North Dakota this spring and it will be interesting to see how far his game has come in the last three months. Fargo Davies guard Grayson Haman was a big reason ND Alliance was the best 16u team in North Dakota over a four month span. Haman is a top 30 player in North Dakota as is Zion Dettman from WF Sheyenne and Cam Van Damn from Davies. This is just some of the many North Dakota juniors making their way south.
South Dakota will provide a good share of talented junior including the state’s best junior Kobe Busch of Huron. Kobe will be making his bid for Expo MVP plus his talent level could put on a performance that not only has people talking locally, but could be talked about in the national mentions at Prep Hoops in the coming weeks.
2021. A lot of eyes should be on Jorn Everson of Williston in North Dakota. Jorn is already picking up some division one interest as a 6-foot-7 big. He’s one of the top North Dakota sophomores if not the top sophomore in the state. Gavin Keller of Kindred is the top Class B player in North Dakota and is also looking to make a case as the best player in this class. From South Dakota names to watch including Kade Moffitt of SF O’Gorman, Nathan Hoyt of Harrisburg, Garrett Kolbeck from Tea, Gabe Glanzer of Roosevelt. and others.