South Dakota State Tournament: Ten Players to Watch
The State Tournament brings out fans of every type: the basketball die hards, community supporters, student body, family and friends, and the curious on-lookers. What ten players should you make an effort to see either live or a video feed regardless of what type of fan you are? We give you a quality list (or for some of you, an intro).
Matthew Mors of Yankton. Mors is a nationally ranked sophomore with offers from USD, SDSU, TCU, Nebraska, Iowa, and Creighton among others. He’s coming off a recent 34 point game, a recent shattered backboard at practice, and a season’s worth of skilled plays and explosive finishes that continues to draw crowds. Won a state title last year as a frosh.
Noah Freidel of Tea Area. Noah is coming off a recent 36 point game against Vermillion. He joined several Tea Area teammates in celebrating a state title as a sophomore and is looking for that same taste of glory come this Saturday night. Noah is a division one signed player at Wright State and the number one ranked player in the senior class. Noah recently hurt his ankle but is hoping to play this week, and seeing this kid’s remarkable toughness in the past I would expect he will be competing.
Justin Hohn of Tea Area. The other division one signed senior in South Dakota? Noah’s teammate Justin Hohn. Justin the state’s elite PG and the best passer around. He will play at UC-Irvine at the college level but at the moment he just wants a taste of championship gold back (earned a state title a sophomore). Justin is coming off of a triple-double against Redfield/Dolan (18 points, 11 boards, 11 assists).
Jared Jaros of SF Lincoln. Jared’s improvement over the past 18 to 24 months is remarkable. A scorer on all three levels, Jaros has led Lincoln to the #1 ranking in the state both poll wise and state seeding wise. Jared has improved the ability to hit at the arc (three threes in his last game), he’s become better attacking the rim, and he’s one of the state’s most explosive finishers.
Kobe Busch of Huron. A first team all conference player and a multi-offered NSIC guy Kobe Busch is the top rated junior player in the state of South Dakota. Busch has offers from Augustana and Sioux Falls plus he has heard from some division one schools. Kobe is coming off of a 24 point and ten assist game to get his team to state.
Sawyer Schultz of Bridgewater-Emery. Sawyer has his team back at state playing for a title once again. He average 23 points and nine rebounds this year including 20 point and 17 rebound performance that helped his team punch their ticket to state. Signed with DWU.
Jadice Morrison of White River. Morrison’s career has been building to this moment for many years. All the long nights in the gym, long trips, the hours of competing as an underclassmen for White River, and now leading White River who is the top seed at 20-2 on the season. Morrison is looked up to by so many young athletes in his community and now the time has arrived for that final push.
Ryder Kirsch of St. Thomas More. Kirsch is known as one of the best football players and prospects in the state as a 6-foot-5/6-foot-6 talented quarterback. On the hardwood Kirsch is also one of the state’s better juniors. Many are looking forward to a potential Tea vs St. Thomas More contest as the first contest was one by Tea (58-54). Kirsch had 23 points and 6 boards in that game putting the state on notice.
Josh Arlt of Lennox. Lennox is a balanced team that can produce points from many different angles. They have built an 18-5 record with this team dynamic. One player that is feared by opposing teams leading to top defenders is Josh Arlt. He’s a 15-16 a game scorer that also dishes out nearly five assists a contest.
Jacob Prouty of Clark-Willow River. When the McDonald’s All-American game honors came out this winter it was Jacob Prouty who qualified through the nomination process that includes both athletics and academics in a few different areas. And it was Jacob who took his team to state with a 26 point performance a week ago.