Names to Know From Each Team: Class A State Tournament
This year’s state tournament might be played in two different gyms at the same time but that shouldn’t stop you from going to watch all the great action that’s going on this weekend. If you do happen to make the trip…
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Continue ReadingThis year’s state tournament might be played in two different gyms at the same time but that shouldn’t stop you from going to watch all the great action that’s going on this weekend.
If you do happen to make the trip to the Denny or the SF Arena PHD breaks down each team’s top players to watch this weekend:
Connor Rentz – Dell Rapids
The guard has been having himself a great year for Dells. He has been averaging 10.8 points on 45 percent shooting from the field. He has also dished out 33 assists on the year and pulled in 3.4 boards a game. On the defensive side, he has used his quickness to his advantage swiping 24 steals on the season.
Colin Rentz – Dell Rapids
The other Rentz guard has been a force on the offensive side. He doesn’t always put up big numbers on the scoreboard but he will definitely make sure others score. Rentz has dished out 71 assists on the season. On the defensive side, he also uses his quickness to irritate the opponent and has collected 34 steals over the course of the season.
Matt Norton – Hot Springs
Norton has been leading a Bison team that won 20 games this past season. The senior played a big role in Hot Springs racking up eight straight wins in the middle of the season. The 6’1 guard has a team-high 13 ppg on 44 percent shooting.
Thane Lockhart – Hot Springs
The senior has also been a huge part of the success in Hot Springs. He has a team-high 8 assists a game (182 on the season) for the Bison. He also is one of the four starters that score on average in the double figures range on 52 percent shooting from the field. The 5’10 guard is a dual threat on the offensive side with the ability to score and the ability to find the open guy for the better shot.
Josh Arlt – Lennox
The junior has been a staple in the Lennox community over the past three years with his outstanding play for the Orioles. He not only leads the teaming in scoring with 15 ppg but also assists with 94 this season and steals with 35. He is nearly automatic from the charity stripe shooting 86 percent. The 6’0 guard also shoots at a 53 percent clip from the field.
Quincy Ihnen – Lennox
The other guard for the Orioles has also been a household name the past four years. He is also a deadly threat for opposing teams as he averages just over 11 ppg on 50 percent from the field. He can suck the defense in and then pass out to the wings or dump it for the big fella to lay it in. He has chipped in with 64 assists on the season with 31 steals.
Nic Comes – Madison
The experienced guard comes into the season with a completely different role from the previous years. He has had to be more of a scorer this season compared to the previous seasons as a Bulldog. This year he averages about 12.9 points on 45 percent shooting. The senior has dished out 47 assists on the season and has 32 steals. He is a vet when it comes to playing in the state tournament.
Doyle Brown – Madison
Another guard that saw a good amount of action on last years state title team, Brown has also had to step into a new role for the Bulldogs. The senior has averaged just under 10 ppg a game this season on 52 percent from the field. He has a team-high 117 assists on the season along with a team-high 42 steals.
Halen Bad Bear – Pine Ridge
The senior leads a Pine Ridge team that won 17 games on the season. Bad Bear leads the team with 19.9 ppg on 64 percent shooting. The 6-0 guard dished out 3.7 assists a game on the season and is deadly on the fast break. He shoots a team-high 75 percent from the line.
Corey Brown – Pine Ridge
The 6-3 center has chipped in with 11.4 ppg on 57 percent shooting from the field. He also hauls in 11 boards on the season. Brown is a walking double-double essentially, the senior gets great position and goes after the miss hard. He also has one of the highest assists per game at 4.1.
Gavin Schipper – Sioux Falls Christian
The senior has been a very reliable player for the Chargers the past four years. He can be trusted to make a bucket when you call for his name or make a stop on the defensive side when you need it. The guard also is known to hit bombs from deep. He averages just about 11 ppg on 44 percent shooting. He is basically automatic from the charity stripe shooting 87 percent.
Mitchell Goodbary – Sioux Falls Christian
The big fella down low for the Chargers the past few years is playing in his last state tournament. He leads the team with 17 points a game on 55 percent shooting. He is also a threat from the line shooting 73 percent. The senior also leads the team in assists (83) and steals (29) on the season.
Ryder Kirsch – St. Thomas More
A former PHD Player of the Week, Kirsch has been having a great season for the Cavaliers. He led them to a perfect conference record and a 17-4 record on the season. The forward has put up 16,6 ppg on 60 percent shooting from inside the arc and 31.1 percent from deep. He hauled in a team-high 6.9 boards during the season.
Caden Casey – St. Thomas More
The junior has led the team in scoring with 16.9 on the season on 48 percent from inside the arc and 48 percent from deep. He also has a team-high 78 percent shooting from the line. The 5’11 guard has been trading buckets back and forth with Kirsch to lead them to be the ‘deadly duo’.
Noah Freidel – Tea Area
One of the front runners for Mr. Basketball in S.D. has been to the state tournament the past three seasons. The Wright State commit has been averaging a team-high 22.9 points a game on 47 percent from the field. He also pulled in 8.2 boards a game to lead the team as well. He had a averaged a double-double during the middle of the season for the Titans.
Justin Hohn – Tea Area
The senior has been lighting up the passing lanes for the Titans, averaging eight dimes a game. He also averages around 13 ppg on 48 percent shooting. Along with Freidel, Hohn is usually one of the most athletic guards on the floor at all times. His quick feet and hands make him a nightmare on the defensive side of the ball, collecting three steals a game.