Next Up: Class B (SD Part 1)
There is going to be some change over at the Class B level and today we give you some of the names to watch when it comes to players being a big part of that change.
Zech Clemens/Caleb Schentzel/Gavin Bohl/Jarret Haven of Northwestern. The Wildcats won 13 games last year, and bring back everyone. What a luxury. Coach Anthony Redman doesn’t have a big team but next all of his production is back and they will be experienced upperclassmen looking to take it at teams that may have beat them in the past but lost players.
Brandon Benike of Castlewood (pictured above in a photo from the Castlewood Hoops twitter). The 6-foot-4 wing used his size to put up a very impressive 18 points and nine rebounds a game as a junior and that was playing with the talented Caleb DeKam. Looking for a talented prospect to take out of this article? Brandon Benike is your guy. Excellent junior year and now it will be fun to watch him next year when he is leading the team through the season.
Colin Frey of Langford Area. The shoes of Mason Larson are not going to be filled any time soon, but it may not be long before the stat sheet is filled up in similar ways by Colin Frey. Colin will be a 6-foto-1 sophomore next year that has proven he can torch the nets with his three point stroke. Langford Area was a top Class B team this past year but Frey broke into the line-up with his touch and now he and senior-to-be Logan Block will take the program forward.
Devon Heuer of Arlington. The Cards had Region 3’s best record with good seniors but also Devon supplying consistent numbers are forward. Devon will be a senior this winter and Trevor Larsen will join him as a junior as the top returning players for the 18-19 year.
Cole Nafziger of Potter County. Cole is the backcourt dependable senior-to-be that had some of his best games against the top opponents, like his 21 points in the playoff game that Potter County lost to end their year. With Calen Decker back with Cole in the backcorut and Dawson Simon back at forward Potter County could be a top ten team this winter, and Cole will be leading the way.
Clayton Randall II of Herreid/Selby Area. A lot of times this past winter Clayton looked nothing like an underclassmen. Remember the Ipswich game? The Wolverine fans do. After eight threes made and 33 points later Clayton was the talk of Class B basketball that night. Clayton wasn’t hitting the 30s regularly of course but he did provide consistency as a sophomore and should have a strong 18-19.
Daylin Simon of Warner. Simon is a 6-foot-2 guard that played with a lot of seniors this season and he did a lot to help those seniors with his ability to get to the rim and move defenses. The Monarchs will need even more of that this winter as the players around Simon will change and he will be the player they lean on.
Nick Wittler of Sully Buttes. The Chargers won a state title with familiar names Lincoln Jorde and Jacob Howard. That said, let’s remember the player that scored 18 in the state title game as a sophomore guiding the team from the backcourt, that’s Nick. Wittler is a 5-foot-11 guard that stepped up big to help his team win the title game by three points. Sully Buttes needed everything they got from Wittler in that game and they will need maybe even more this year.