The Week Ahead: Top Ten Match-ups
The “PHD Week Ahead” changes things up a bit giving you the top match-ups in South Dakota while also talking about the best individual match-up in the game. Monday. Malik Poppenga (Colman-Egan) vs Austin Eppard/Levi DeVries (Chester Area). Big Monday…
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Continue ReadingThe “PHD Week Ahead” changes things up a bit giving you the top match-ups in South Dakota while also talking about the best individual match-up in the game.
Monday. Malik Poppenga (Colman-Egan) vs Austin Eppard/Levi DeVries (Chester Area). Big Monday night match-up of Regional foes gunning for the top spot when it comes playoff time. The Flyers have the depth up front by Poppenga has played well as a 6-foot-5 power forward/center combo.
Tuesday. Logan Barndt (Hot Springs) vs John Bielmaier (Wall). Wall was a temp in the Class B top ten while Hot Springs is coming off a weekend event victory. Barndt is a 6-foot-4 double-double guy while Bielmaier is a talented 6-foot-3 sophomore.
Tuesday. Robert Shangreaux (Little Wound) vs Joe O’Rourke (Pine Ridge). Big Region 7 match-up between two of the three top teams. Both have three losses. O’Rourke is a key figure for Pine Ridge as a sophomore but he will have his hands full with Shangreaux.
Tuesday. Backcourt (Chamberlain) vs Frontcourt (Madison). The strength of the Cubs is Seth Friesz and Aaron Fiegen playmaking while Madison is different because of what they have up front in Aaron Fiegen and Austin Lohsandt. Friesz can go to the bucket and has some good working teammates like Dodge Knippling up front while Madison has good guards to including all the Jankes. Madison is coming off a huge win beating SF Christian.
Tuesday. Noah Freidel (Tea Area) vs Koln Oppold (SF Christian). Noah is fresh off getting an Augustana offer as a sophomore leading Tea on a five game winning streak including a hammering of Roncalli over the weekend. Oppold and the Chargers fell to 6-3 but did knock off Vermillion recently. Freidel and Oppold are similar sized with Noah being the top sophomore in the state while Oppold is a top ten junior. Freidel could see some of Dejay Fykstra.
Thursday. AJ Plitzuweit (Vermillion) vs Sheldon Siemonsma (Dell Rapids). The junior standout from Vermillion against the senior from Dell Rapids with something to prove. Dell Rapids just beat Madison and has a new excitement in the program from that win while Vermillion needs to get back on the winning track. These are talented and skilled guards that will lead.
Thursday. Connor Crane (Sturgis Brown) vs Jake Satter (St. Thomas More). Sturgis has dropped a couple games but this young group of Ryan Garland (10th) and juniors Connor Crane and Dawson Geuke, they have a tall task in trying to upset the senior dominated Cavalier group. The match-up to watch is agile Connor Crane playing against skilled shooter Jake Satter who is even taller.
Friday. John Prochello (Dakota Valley) vs Dejay Fykstra (SF Christian). Prochello is a load around the basket for a Dakota Valley team that is 5-6 and below where they want to be. How will try and slow him from the Chargers? Fykstra at 6-foot-6 is one guy that will be there but Joel De Daai is the closest thing the Chargers have to a true center so maybe it’s him.
Friday. Cannon Hannigan (Aberdeen Central) vs Bradley Dean (Pierre TF Riggs). Two of the more respected senior guards in Class AA go head to head when Cannon and Bradley lock up yet again. Central is 5-5 while Pierre is 4-5.
Saturday. Aaron Fiegen (Madison) vs Justin Engg (Minot). Love this match-up between one of the best from South Dakota versus one of the best from North Dakota. Minot is two time defending big school North Dakota champ led by U of Mary signed Justin Engg. Fiegen is a junior from Madison who has strong potential. It will be fun to see what he can do against Engg.