Rockstar Role Players: ND & SD

<p>Every good team needs standout role players that buy-in and excel at their jobs. In this article, I want to highlight players that do the little things for their team, work hard, make the tough plays, play with heart, and make their teammates better. Let us look at the guys that need more attention!</p> <h4><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Rockstar Role Players</strong></span></h4> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1138775" first="Caden" last="Kappes"] (2023) |6-1 G| Wahpeton</strong></p> <p>He is the point guard and floor general for the Huskies. Caden is a good athlete that guards the best player on the opposing team. He is a tireless worker. Kappes has been solid handling the basketball this season. He has also been rebounding well for the Huskies. </p> <p><strong>Camden Roth (2022) |6-2 F| Wagner</strong></p> <p>He is a 4.0 student and a very bright kid. Roth sets a great example for the younger Red Raider players by taking his academics seriously.  Camden is a starting post player for Wagner. He works very hard on the boards and on the defensive end.  Roth makes many hustle plays for Wagner and never gets outworked by the guy he is guarding. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="963764" first="Charlie" last="McCardle"] (2023) |6-1 F| Mitchell</strong></p> <p>He is always the hardest-working kid on the floor. Charlie dives on the floor for loose balls and he rebounds the ball well on both sides of the floor. McCardle is often tasked with guarding kids who are either quicker or bigger than him but he gets the job done because of his great effort. Charlie is also one of the best communicators on the defensive end for the Kernels.</p> <p><strong>Gabe Heck (2022) |6-0 G| Belle Fourche</strong></p> <p>He defends the other team’s best player every night. Gabe is one of the smarter defenders coach Pottorff has been around. Heck worked hard in the weight room the past 4 years to put himself in a position to be successful. He makes great decisions offensively and Heck helps the Bronc ball movement flow well.  Gabe made 5 threes last night vs Lead-Deadwood!</p> <p><strong>Jaxson Paul (2022) |6-0 G| 2022 Fargo Shanley</strong></p> <p>He is a hardworking and defensive-minded player that does not worry about stats. He will never lead the Deacons in scoring but he will dive on the floor for every loose ball and sacrifice his body for his teammates. Paul will typically guard the opposing team’s top threat, tip passes, grab 50/50 balls, and be in the correct spot on the floor on both ends. He does the little intangibles that often get overlooked but make a big difference. Jaxson complements Shanley’s top threats by getting them extra possessions or feeding them the rock at opportune times. </p> <p><strong>Kaden Braaflat (2022) |6-1 G| Fargo Davies</strong></p> <p>He plays with heart, effort, and a ton of NRG. Kaden was hounding ball handlers up and down the court last night. He creates turnovers and defensively he is always around the ball. Braaflat is not afraid to dive on the floor for 50/50 balls. Kaden does not force shots and he looks to set up teammates for good looks. He is also a nice free-throw shooter.  </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1138899" first="Kelson" last="Keja"] (2023) |5-7 PG| Four Winds/Minnewaukan</strong></p> <p>He is a PG that puts his team first. Kelson does not back down from any assignment. He makes all the hustle plays and wins most of the 50/50 balls by diving on the floor for a loose ball or taking a charge. Keja is really a good scorer but would rather get his teammates involved. He is a great student/athlete who always has a smile on his face. Kelson is the type of kid that every coach wants to have on his team.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1165355" first="Grant" last="Cosley"] (2025) |5-9 SG| North Border</strong></p> <p>He has stepped up as a youngster and filled the role of a glue guy. Grant has handled the point a bit for the Eagles and he has been a very solid perimeter defender. Cosley has helped set the table for North Border’s Big-3. He has been able to score when needed. Grant is very unselfish and he has an all-out playing style that the other Eagles feed off. This all while being a freshman, so he’s also been thrown into a role early in his career and Grant has thrived in it.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="968190" first="Parker" last="Puetz"] (2022) |6-3 G/F| Sioux Valley</strong></p> <p>When I watched him play earlier this winter it was easy to see that he is a serious 3-point shooter. Puetz does a little of everything for Sioux Valley. He rebounds well and he makes the extra pass. He accepts how great some of his teammates are and he plays perfectly off them. Some of the other Cossacks draw a ton of attention and Parker gets good looks because of it. He knows how to space the floor and when to take good shots. Parker seems to always be in the right place at the right time. He is a senior leader for Sioux Valley and he is greatly respected by his teammates. </p> <p><strong>Sam Faldmo (2023) |6-3 G/F| Dakota Valley</strong></p> <p>As a sophomore, he started on the Panther team that took 3rd place at the State Tournament. He is also a starter this season. Sam is a capable scorer but he could care less if he scores. Sam is a lockdown defender. He does everything else well from rebounding, passing, taking care of the ball, bringing the ball up vs. pressure, taking charges, etc. Faldmo is the ultimate glue guy and at 6’3 he is very versatile with who he can guard on defense. Offensively he is versatile with the ability to play multiple positions. Sam is a super high character kid that everyone loves.</p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1135889" first="Tanner" last="Monette"] (2022) |6-0 G| Turtle Mountain</b></p> <p>He keeps the Braves calm during crucial times in games. Tanner gets TMCHS set in their offense. He does not look to score a ton of points but Monette is really coming around with his shot. He is a real good defender and Tanner normally defends the opposing team’s best player.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812234" first="Trent" last="Freih"] (2022) |6-1 G| West Fargo Sheyenne</strong></p> <p>He has been a great spark off the bench for the Mustangs this season. Freih is a nice athlete and a playmaker. He is no stranger to making hustle plays. Trent is not afraid to get dirty and make plays that others shy away from. He has a good understanding of the game. Trent is a great ball-handler and he does a great job of seeing the floor and distributing the ball. Freih does not try to do too much but he is also capable of scoring when the opportunity opens up. I watched him hit a half-court buzzer-beater earlier this season!</p>