Player Capsule: Kade Stearns
Season Summary
Junior Kade Stearns provided another strong season as a starter for the Tea Area Titans.
As a starter for the second straight season, Stearns was a valuable player on the offensive and defensive side. He may not be a prolific scorer, but he hustles after every loose ball and gives his all everytime he’s on the court.
He shot 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from deep. He was second in made three’s with 47 behind Noah Friedel’s 62.
During the state tournament in Rapid City, Stearns shot at a 47 percent clip, which was among the top for his position. He was also among the top three-point shooters in Rapid City knocking down 8-of-19 for 44 percent.
Stearns snuck in often during games to pull down rebounds. He was among the top rebounders on the team pulling in 3.6 rebounds a game and was top three in assists on the team.
He was one of the few on the team that rarely came out of the game as he averaged about 25 minutes a game. Stearns still continued to bring energy and production even late in games.
On the other side of the ball, Stearns was very effective. He sometimes would be given the matchup of the opponent’s best player. His active off-ball defense and reliable man-to-man coverage was key to the deep postseason run the Titans made.
By the Numbers
224: Points scored during the season for an average of 10.2 points per game. He was tied with Justin Hohn for second on the team in scoring.
16: The number of turnovers he had the whole season. He was one of the most efficient players with the ball, only Chris Morales (15) had fewer turnovers in the starting lineup.
22: The number of personal fouls he committed the whole season. He was a reliable player to stay out of foul trouble.
What’s Next:
Stearns plans on playing with the South Dakota Venom this summer along with going to as many open gyms over the summer with his high school team. He wants to work on his ball handling and getting to the rim and finishing at a better rate. He also plans on hitting the weight room every chance he can to get faster and stronger. With the majority of the team back once again, Stearns looks to help lead his team to a title in his senior season.