South Dakota Period: 2023’s Five Best
Top freshmen to know from the South Dakota Open Period? We give you five names, and they are five of the best frosh in the state. Taylen Ashley of Sioux Falls Roosevelt (5’10 PG). Ashley moves at a different speed…
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Continue ReadingTop freshmen to know from the South Dakota Open Period? We give you five names, and they are five of the best frosh in the state.
Taylen Ashley of Sioux Falls Roosevelt (5’10 PG). Ashley moves at a different speed than the rest of the players on the floor but what really separates him is his ability to comfortably make plays at that speed. A crossover at top speed is not an issue nor is the ball fake into a pass or finish. Ashley’s body control is superb and if you get up the floor with Taylen you will be rewarded.
Isaac Bruns of Dakota Valley (6’1 SG). The efficiency of Isaac Bruns as a scorer is simply remarkable for his age. Taking a dozen shots a game Isaac scored on 52 percent of them including 46 percent at the arc and 85 percent at the foul line. Isaac is not only efficient, his feel for the halfcourt offense is not only rare for his age, and it’s rare for a high school player. His reads of the defense led to a couple excellent assists as well as positioned attacks for open jumpers before the defense could react to his position. Finally, the pull-up jumper of Bruns is one of the best I’ve seen this year. The comfort and timing of his pull-up allow him to make it with range and when contested or not.
Jackson Isakson of Aberdeen Christian (6’3 SG). Isakson works the perimeter like a young artist. He’s an outstanding passer with a quick rotation or a one/two dribble attack into a creation. Isakson uses screens to create space on the wing in such a mature way allowing him to fade and hit (while the defense is taking the full contact of the screener with no angle to get to his man) or curl tight to score. Isakson was an 11 point per game scorer this year mixing in shots at the arc with scores off the dribble as well as mid-range jumpers.
Rugby Ryken of Yankton (5’10 Guard). Ryken’s motor and physical ability allowed him to step right onto a varsity court and compete this year. He has a play by play motor other young players don’t seem to have. There was a transition crosscourt assist on the money at full speed that was super impressive as was the body dive into two opposing players to collect a rebound at full speed. Solid three point shooter too hitting a couple.
Malek Wieker of Aberdeen Christian (5’11 PG). Malek worked his way into a very solid role for Aberdeen Christian this past winter. Most of Malek’s work this year was done at the arc where his stroke was off and on but you can see that is where Malek’s comfort is. Chased down a couple boards and had a good steal. Averaged seven a game this year.