SD Class A State Tournament: Players to Watch
In this article:
By this time next week, we will have three new State Champions in South Dakota. It is hard to believe that the Tournament starts in 3 days. The A State Tournament will be held at the illustrious Summit Arena at…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBy this time next week, we will have three new State Champions in South Dakota. It is hard to believe that the Tournament starts in 3 days. The A State Tournament will be held at the illustrious Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City. It is a loaded field once again this year. The teams are great and the individual talent is off the charts. Look below to see the top players to watch at the A Tournament in Rapid City.
CLASS A State Tournament Matchups
(12:00) #1 Dakota Valley vs. #8 Sioux Falls Christian
(1:45) #4 Flandreau vs. #5 Groton Area
(6:00) #2 St. Thomas More vs. #7 Lakota Tech
(7:45) #3 Winner vs. #6 Sioux Valley
Class A Players to Watch
Isaac Bruns Isaac Bruns 6'4" | SG Dakota Valley | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-4 SG| Dakota Valley
- Has an offer and interest from D1 schools, pure scorer
- A top shooter in the Dakotas, amazing feel for the game, his mid-range game is awe-inspiring
Randy Rosenquist Randy Rosenquist 6'0" | PG Dakota Valley | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-0 G| Dakota Valley
- Great lefty PG, super rebounder for a 6’ PG, great passer, creator, and facilitator
- Very quick, great in transition, top-notch defender, slasher, innovative finisher
Jaxson Wingert Jaxson Wingert 6'7" | PF Dakota Valley | 2024 State SD (2024) |6-6 F| Dakota Valley
- One of the top sophomore BIGs in South Dakota
- Plays like a bull in a china shop, physical finisher, plays hard, can hit outside jumpers, tough matchup
Ethan Bruns Ethan Bruns 6'5" | SF Sioux Falls Christian | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-6 F| Sioux Falls Christian
- Long, athletic, versatile scorer, rim protector, and opportunistic rebounder
- Soft-touch, very effective runner/floater, can finish over defenders
Nathan Koole Nathan Koole 6'8" | C SF Christian | 2022 State SD (2022) |6-9 C| Sioux Falls Christian
- His length makes & anticipation make him a top rim/lane protector and rebounder
- Finishes well around the basket, plays unselfishly, and passes it well
Brooks Nelson Brooks Nelson 6'3" | SF SF Christian | 2022 State SD (2022) |6-2 F| Sioux Falls Christian
- Tough, versatile, athletic, physical
- Can score at the rim and also drill triples off the dribble and/or catch-n-shoot
Logan Schipper Logan Schipper 5'9" | PG Sioux Falls Christian | 2022 SD (2022) |6-1 SG| Sioux Falls Christian
- A 3-point shooter that could be an X-factor for the Chargers if he gets left alone
- He has a very quick trigger, has extended shooting range, in-rhythm shooter
Tash Lunday Tash Lunday 6'5" | PF Flandreau | 2022 State SD (2022) |6-5 G/F| Flandreau
- 24.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.6 spg
- Plays PG but built like a forward, does it all, shoots, creates, rebounds
Chase LeBrun Chase LeBrun 6'5" | SG Flandreau | 2022 State SD (2022) |6-6 G/F| Flandreau
- 15.4 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.6 bpg
- Great jump shot, huge 3pt threat, rim protector, stud athlete
Lane Tietz Lane Tietz 5'11" | CG Groton | 2024 State SD (2024) |5-10 G| Groton Area
- A top 3-point shooter in the State Tournament and very skilled, an impressive PG
- Super quick, high IQ, knows how to get open, makes game-changing plays
Jacob Zak Jacob Zak 5'11" | SG Groton Area | 2024 State SD (2024) |6-1 G/F| Groton Area
- Long and athletic defender, a great compliment to Tietz
- Tough defender, uses body well on both ends, attacks aggressively, and finishes at the rim
Kaden Kurtz (2022) |5-10 G| Groton Area
- A strong player with an all-around game
- Puts pressure on the D by attacking off the bounce, can drain the kick-out 3-ball
Caleb Hollenbeck Caleb Hollenbeck 6'3" | PG St. Thomas More | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-1 G| St. Thomas More
- A stud guard & one of the best in SD, very high IQ
- Great handles, passing, shooting, makes everyone around him better
Ethan Burnett Ethan Burnett 5'11" | SG St. Thomas More | 2022 State SD (2022) |5-11 SG| St. Thomas More
- Superb ball skills, great vision & passer, smooth & smart
- Playmaking guard, lock-up defender, does a nice job of getting others involved
Jordan Uhlir Jordan Uhlir 6'6" | PF White River | 2024 State SD (2024) |6-5 PF| St. Thomas More
- Has all the tools, can do a bit of everything, provides size & athleticism
- Playing well for the Cavaliers who are ready to make a run at State
Marvin Richard Marvin Richard 6'0" | CG Pine Ridge | 2026 State SD (2026) |5-11 G| Lakota Tech
- An impressive scorer for his young age, scores at the hoop, mid-range J’s & triples
- Skilled passer, a thief on defense, and a clutch performer
Triston Lebeau Triston Lebeau 6'5" | C Lakota Tech | 2022 State SD (2023) |6-6 C| Lakota Tech
- Big, strong, wide, great rebounder, and solid rim protector
- Moves very well for his size, excellent passer, and a creative finisher at the cup
Quincy Means Quincy Means 5'9" | PG Red Cloud | 2023 SD (2022) |5-11 G| Lakota Tech
- Big 3-point shooting threat with deep extended range
- He can also hit shots off the dribble, Means is a tough shot maker and very skilled
Jordan Whirlwind Horse Jordan Whirlwind Horse 6'4" | SF Lakota Tech | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-4 G/F| Lakota Tech
- Excellent when playing fast and he can score in a hurry
- A reliable free-throw shooter and a serious scoring threat from mid-range
Blake Volmer Blake Volmer 6'0" | CG Winner | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-3 G| Winner
- A stat stuffer and a big-time producer in all facets of the game
- Tough matchup, scores inside on guards and BIGs can’t stay with him
Slade Cournoyer Slade Cournoyer 6'1" | PG Winner | 2023 SD (2022) |6-1 G| Winner
- A Swiss Army knife for the Warriors that will do whatever it takes to help the team
- Has a balanced game, will make you pay if you overplay, can score, drop dimes, and board up
Ethan Bartels Ethan Bartels 6'2" | PF Winner | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-3 F| Winner
- On offense he hurts teams inside and out, Bartels can be a matchup problem
- A versatile defender that can defend multiple positions with his length and mobility
Shawn Hammerbeck Shawn Hammerbeck 6'7" | PF Winner | 2025 State SD (2025) |6-5 PF| Winner
- Very hard worker, has nice moves on the block, always seems to be improving, finishes above the rim
-
A true back-to-the-basket-style post that can finish either shoulder, a special athlete
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD (2023) |6-1 G| Sioux Valley
- Immensely skilled, can score from anywhere, marvelous shooter off the bounce
- Creates for others, special passer, clever defender, gamer high IQ
Hayden Ruesink Hayden Ruesink 6'5" | SF Sioux Valley | 2022 State SD (2022) |6-5 F| Sioux Valley
- Big & strong, a three-level scorer, crisp passer, veteran player
- Can get hot and take over the game, attacks & works well against zone D
Alec Squires Alec Squires 6'10" | C Sioux Valley | 2024 State #280 Nation SD (2024) |6-10 C| Sioux Valley
- Tall with long arms, moves very well, turning into a double-double machine
- Rim protector & shot-blocker, hard-working rebounder, finishes well at the iron