Oliver Vincent: Deep Dive
Brookings, SD – He will only be a junior this season at Sioux Valley and he is already a First-Team Class A All-State player. The sky seriously is the limit for this kid. Oli was more than impressive this summer…
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Continue ReadingBrookings, SD – He will only be a junior this season at Sioux Valley and he is already a First-Team Class A All-State player. The sky seriously is the limit for this kid. Oli was more than impressive this summer with the Schoolers. He showed the college scouts what they wanted to see. Make no mistake about it, Oliver Vincents is one of the best in SD. Read below for more info on Mr. Vincent…
The standout always seems to play more like a muscled-up, 6’5” guy rather than what the measuring stick records him (6’1″). His ability to bust through traffic and move guys around at the rim gives reason for college coaches to comment that “He plays so much bigger than his frame.” Oli’s talents were on full display last March when he led his Cossack team to the SD Class A State Championship game, while on the way to beating a tough Dakota Valley team through a daunting second-half comeback in which Vincent found the will and led the way to the W, dropping 29 points grabbing 4 rebounds and dishing 5 assist. Vincent had several games this season with 30 plus points during his Sophomore campaign leading to a 20.5ppg average.
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD |6’1 PG 2023| Sioux Valley/Pentagon Schoolers
Oliver spoke high praise of his teammates and what they have accomplished together as a team every time we brought up his accolades and accomplishments and always tried to deflect our praise off to someone else. He spoke highly of his favorite trainers, Shane Hennen and Cole Sabers (skill development) and Seth Boomsma (speed and strength training).
STATS
Sioux Valley High School
20.5ppg, 2.5rpg, 4apg, 2spg
Pentagon Schoolers
18.7ppg, 5.1rpg, 6.7apg, 2spg
ACCOLADES
* First Team Class A All-State
*First Team Big East Conference
*First Team LCC
*Register Co-Player of the Year
*Class A all-tournament team
*SD POY finalist
*Argus Leader Team
*44-3 record as varsity starter
Sioux Valley Head Coach Bill Vincent comments on Oliver:
“Oliver is the ultimate competitor on the basketball floor. He has an extremely high basketball IQ, lives in the gym, and loves to compete in the toughest of games and biggest of moments. He is known for scoring the ball but his ability to guard the opposing team’s best player is invaluable to our success.”
Q & A with Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD
PHD: Who do you model or emulate your game after?
Oliver Vincent
Oliver
Vincent
6'1" | PG
Sioux Valley | 2023
State
SD
: It’s funny that you use the word emulate. My mom has always said I have a weird ability to emulate people. When I was 7 it was WWE wrestlers. But now there are a lot of great players that I love to study and model my game after. I’ve always admired Stephen Curry and have probably watched a thousand hours of Curry game film to try to mimic moves and get better. So I would say that guys like him Russel Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, and Chris Paul are the guys I watch, learn skills from, and admire the most.”
PHD: What is your best memory from this summer with the Schoolers?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : My favorite memory playing on our Schooler team this summer would have to be the games where we’d have bad starts and got down big, but stuck together and found ways to win in the end, sometimes in OT or by a last-second shot. Games like that showed us how we handle and face adversity.
PHD: What is the best part about Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD ’s game?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : I feel the best part of my game would have to be the way I can get by anyone in front of me and either get to the rim, draw fouls, or find my open teammate when the defense helps to give them open shots. I also love to knock down those horse shots when the defense sags or sits in a zone.
PHD: What do you do for fun outside of basketball?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : I am like every normal kid when it comes to stuff outside of basketball. I am a bit of a movie geek and I also like playing video games, hanging out with friends, and just being with my family.
PHD: What was the highlight of your sophomore year with Sioux Valley?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : The highlight for my sophomore year would definitely be the journey to, and playing in, the State Championship game at the Denny in Sioux Falls.
PHD: Can you talk about your team goals for the Cossacks in the coming season?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : The main goal for this next season would be taking what we did last year and learning from it, as well as utilizing each other’s strengths to help us achieve a State Championship mindset and make another title run. Another goal would be to just grow closer to Jesus and to each other while becoming better people, every game, and every day, on and off the court.
PHD: What does basketball mean to you and your family?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : In my family, everything kind of revolves around Jesus, family, and basketball. My dad is my coach and my mom is my biggest fan. Basketball is in our blood in the Vincent household.
PHD: What sports/activities are you involved in outside of basketball?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : Another sport that I have fun doing is track. I run short distance and I also jump. I enjoy boxing, and I am also an avid lifter and enjoy strength training.
PHD: Do you have any family/relatives that played college sports of any kind?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : On my dad’s side of the family I have a cousin who plays men’s basketball at Augustana (Tayton), and I also have a cousin who plays women’s basketball at DSU (Miakken). On my mom’s side of the family, I have a cousin who is on the men’s Swim team at USD (Caleb). My brother (Kelton) is a freshman and plays basketball for the University of Northwestern. My grandpa (Andy) played college ball at Springfield College and my Uncle (Willis) played college hoops at Dakota State. My mom (Alisha) ran track and played volleyball at BHSU. My dad (Buster) played basketball at Black Hills State and then coached with the men’s hoops team there for 4 years also.
PHD: What are your individual goals, long-term, when it comes to basketball?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : The goal for me is to get a little better and a little stronger each and every day I step on the court and am in the gym. I would also love to help lead our team back to State. That would be sweet to accomplish all four years of high school. A dream that I hope to achieve is to play college basketball for a competitive program.
PHD: Where is your “hot spot” to shoot from on the court?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : I feel that I can get hot at any time on the court from just about any place, but in transition is when I feel I am the hardest to guard.
PHD: How has the basketball recruiting process been going for you?
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD : The recruiting process has been enjoyable. Learning about universities from other states that I am not yet familiar with, building relationships with programs and coaches that I already knew about, and getting to know players from various programs has all been interesting and fun. Having the opportunity to play with many of the college athletes has also been great. There are some really great schools out there, with top-notch programs, for sure.
Oliver spoke high praise of his teammates and what they have accomplished together as a team every time we brought up his accolades and accomplishments and always tried to deflect our praise off to someone else. He spoke highly of his favorite trainers, Shane Hennen and Cole Sabers (skill development) and Seth Boomsma (speed and strength training).