Breakout Players to Watch in AAU: ND & SD
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The first AAU events in the Midwest are days away from kicking off. Not every player in this article will be playing this weekend, but they will all get their first tournament in very soon. You might be asking yourself,…
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Continue ReadingThe first AAU events in the Midwest are days away from kicking off. Not every player in this article will be playing this weekend, but they will all get their first tournament in very soon. You might be asking yourself, which players in ND & SD are ready for a breakout AAU season? Look no further, PHD has all the answers for you in this article.
Breakout Players in AAU
(Alphabetically ordered)
Alec Squires Alec Squires 6'10" | C Sioux Valley | 2024 State #280 Nation SD (2024) |6-10 C| Pentagon Schoolers 16U Vincent/Sioux Valley
He had a great high school season while helping the Cossacks get to the State Class A Championship. Squires shot a high FG percentage all season long. His athleticism is impressive as he sprints the floor well and he slam dunks with authority. Alec is a great cutter and he moves well without the ball. When his defender helps, Alec finds the open area to receive the pass. He has great hands and feet. His rim-protecting and rebounding will also stand out this spring & summer.
Bohden Duffield Bohden Duffield 6'1" | SG Bowman County | 2024 State ND (2024) |5-11 G| Impact 17U Batke/Bowman County
He is fresh off a State Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs had a marvelous Region 7 Championship run. As a sophomore, Bohden was a huge part of that success and he put up impressive numbers with 20.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, and 3 spg. Duffield will be playing up an age division but he will not miss a beat as an athlete. Geographically, Bowman is located in SW North Dakota. AAU hoops will be great for Duffield to get out there and play some top competition and he will get seen by college coaches.
Bryer Kaczynski Bryer Kaczynski 7'0" | C Wyndmere/Lidgerwood | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-11 C| ND Pehnom 17U/Wyndmere/Lidgerwood
This is his second season with Phenom. With his 6’11″ height, 7’2″ wingspan, and intriguing mobility Bryer should get a good amount of looks from college scouts. I would expect many colleges to show interest in this big man. Bryer will be asked to protect the rim, board up, hit outlets, score on putbacks, and dunk when a teammate drops a dime. His footwork on the block is always improving. Bryer also has a soft finishing touch. You will not miss this player if you take in a Phenom game this spring.
Bryon Laue Bryon Laue 6'9" | PF Castlewood | 2025 State SD (2025) |6-7 PF| Dakota Niners 16U Johnson/Castlewood
This big man had a nice high school season and he helped get his team to the State Tournament in Aberdeen. Laue will be playing up an age group which will be a great challenge for him. Bryon will be looking to prove that physically he can get the job done against older players on the grassroots scene. This will be a chance for him to lead his team and further develop his overall game. In the high school season, Laue learned from experienced guards at Castlewood. You will be impressed with this kid’s skill, size, and mobility.
Carson Yale Carson Yale 6'9" | PF Des Lacs Burlington | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-9 F| ND Phenom 17U/Des Lacs Burlington
He missed the high school season with an injury suffered in football. Carson has made a full recovery and he is ready to tear up the AAU scene. At the end of the season last year, Carson was impressing scouts from across the country and I expect more of the same this season. His injury may have been a blessing in disguise as he used the rehab time to transform his body. He now looks the part of a high-level college player. Yale has a nice foundation of skill that goes well with impressive athleticism. His 6’9″ 225 lb frame will impress you, just wait until you see him play!
Connor Kerzmann Connor Kerzmann 6'1" | SG Garrison | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-1 SG| ND Attack 17U/Garrison
This flamethrower poured in 83 three-pointers in the high school season. He did that while being chased all over the court and with two players on him at times. When ND Attack sees zone in the AAU season, the coach will be smiling and he should be getting the rock into Connor’s hands. Kerzmann is a gym rat that is always perfecting his jumper. On a typical day, Connor will get up shots before and after school. All of this work results in a skilled and confident shooter. He is also a quick and smooth athlete. Connor can shift gears in a heartbeat and score at the rim. Kerzmann is a shooter that college coaches will want to check out this spring and summer.
Dylan Zimmerman (2024) |6-5 SG| ECI 16U Prospects/Moorhead
He plays high school hoops in MN, but he pays for a ND AAU team, so he qualifies for this article. Dylan had a monster year for the Spuds. Zimmerman helped lead them to an AAAA Section 8 Championship and a State Tournament appearance. Dylan is great at coming of screens and reading the defense. He has great feet, they are quick and perfect like a tap dancer. Zim has a hair-trigger release and he moves extremely well without the ball. He is also very bouncy and an impressive dunker. I fully expect Zimmerman to blow up on the AAU scene!
Ethan Russell Ethan Russell 6'6" | SF Aberdeen Christian | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-6 G/F| SD Attack 17U/Aberdeen Christian
Last year he missed all spring and summer due to an injury, so Russell is chomping at the bit to get back out there on the AAU scene. He helped lead his high school team to the State Tournament once again this season. Ethan is 6’6″, athletic a 3/4 who can play inside and out. Russell is a dynamic finisher around the rim. As he gets more comfortable with this group and adjusts to the level, I see him really starting to showcase and be a big-time difference-maker on the hardwood.
Jackson Edman Jackson Edman 6'7" | SF Pierre | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-7 F| Sacred Hoops 17U Bertram/Pierre
He had a tremendous junior season for Pierre High School, at 6’7” and with his outstanding athleticism, Jackson is poised to obtain a ton of offers this summer. Edman was the best shot blocker that I watched this season in the Dakotas. Jackson is not just a star athlete, he is a gifted passer and has the potential to be a dominant rebounder. Scouts and fans need to get their eyes on Edman.
Kaden Year Kaden Year 6'2" | SF O'gorman | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-6 F| SD Attack 17U/Sioux Falls Jefferson
At 6’6″ he can play wing/forward. Kaden is one of those versatile players who can play every position on the floor. He got the opportunity to showcase his abilities this past winter at Jefferson as their starting 4-man and didn’t disappoint. Huge ceiling with room to grow which will make him a very intriguing prospect this spring and summer. I like his versatility, Year can stroke the 3-ball, finish around the basket, protect the rim, and guard on the perimeter.
Landon Moser Landon Moser 6'1" | PG Northern Cass | 2024 State ND (2024) |6-0 G| ND Attack 16U Black/Northern Cass
He will be a leader for his team in the AAU season. Moser is a natural scorer and finisher. He is a gym rat that is constantly working on his game. Moser has an extended shooting range that will draw out the defense and his mid-range pull-up game is constantly improving. Defenders will have to pick their poison with Landon. I like his toughness and gritt. Moser is quick, smart, and skilled. Get ready for a big AAU season from this Jaguar!
Lane Tietz Lane Tietz 5'11" | CG Groton | 2024 State SD (2024) |6-1 G| Sacred Hoops 16U Kahler/Groton Area
He is set up to have a breakout summer. Tietz works hard on his game outside of organized practices. Lane is a smart player that makes the correct reads and he can make in-game adjustments on the fly. He will break out from playing against stiff competition in AAU ball. Tietz will turn into an elite playmaker because he will have players around him to take some attention off of him. Lane will really stand out as a smooth ballhandler and a highlight perimeter shooter.
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-1 G| Pentagon Schoolers 17U Vincent/Sioux Valley
He is the engine that drove the Cossacks to the State Championship game. Oliver shot an eye-opening 42 3FG%! He also dropped a crazy 6.8 apg. Oli is an elite shot-maker that can score in about any way that you can imagine. He could get a shot off every time down the floor, but Vincent knows that basketball is a team game and he excels at getting others involved. Oli drives to set up others, he is a crafty and creative passer. I like that he can put zip on the ball and thread the needle or make a touch-pass and drop it into the breadbasket. With the talent that he will be surrounded by this summer, Vincent will be putting on a basketball clinic every tournament.
Tate Grossman Tate Grossman 6'4" | SG Harvey/Wells County | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-4 SG| ND Phenom 17U/Harvey Wells County
He is new to Phenom this season. As a 6’4″ guard with a combination of size, strength, and intelligence, Tate will intrigue college coaches. Tate can jump out of the gym and run like the wind, so he might get labeled as just an athlete. However, Grossman has tight handles and he is an unselfish/skilled passer. His slashing and quick scoring are noteworthy. Tate also has the ability to be a very tough defender. Grossman’s electric slam dunks and above-the-rim finishes are just icing on the cake.
Tate VanOtterloo Tate VanOtterloo 6'5" | SF Beresford | 2023 SD (2023) |6-4 F| Pentagon Schoolers 17U Dwight/Beresford
He carried the load for the Watchdogs this season, saw double teams, and had every team’s best defender throw at him. Tate still averaged 17.5 ppg. In AAU hoops, Tate will get single coverage and I expect him to flourish. On defense, VanOtterloo is a lockdown defender on the wing. On offense, he can shoot it, slash, drop dimes and finish above the rim. Tate is a top-level talent that will do nothing but impress.
Porter Ihnen Porter Ihnen 6'5" | CG Lennox | 2024 State #318 Nation SD (2024) |6-6 G/F| SD Attack 16U/Lennox
He is coming into his own after a really good HS season at Lennox. As a 6’6″ starting PG he can play every position on the floor. Ihnen is a mismatch nightmare that can score in the blink of an eye. Being so versatile makes him a unique perspective student-athlete at a high level. It will be fun and interesting to see what those higher-level universities see from Porter after watching him play with SD Attack. If you have not watched Ihnen play yet, you are missing out!
Walker Braaten Walker Braaten 6'4" | CG Westhope/Newburg | 2025 State #278 Nation ND (2025) |6-1 G| ND Phenom 15U/Westhope/Newburg
As a freshman, Walker averaged 22.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 1.8 apg, 4.7 spg, and 1.7 bpg. Unfortunately, his season was cut short because of an injury. Braaten suffered the injury when he was putting a defender on a poster and was undercut. He is a smooth and skilled athlete that can completely take over a game. His shooting range goes well beyond college range. Walker’s ball skills are polished and he is an outstanding rebounder. It looks like he will keep growing and you can add muscle to his frame. Braaten has a bright future and he is a fascinating prospect.
Zach Kraft Zach Kraft 6'2" | PG Grand Forks Red River | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-2 G| ECI 17U Prospects/Grand Forks Red River
He has already been receiving a good amount of college interest and I think that will only improve as more coaches see Kraft play. Zach has grown a couple of inches and added muscle since last the last AAU campaign. He is one of my favorite three-point shooters in North Dakota. Zach’s form, feet, and shooting release are top-notch. His feel and understanding of the game are special. Get ready for a big season of ball from Kraft.