This is our second article on “Fresh Faces”. These players will be playing serious minutes for the first time and/or we suspect that they will be taking on a bigger role this season. We are looking at a mix of…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inThis is our second article on “Fresh Faces”. These players will be playing serious minutes for the first time and/or we suspect that they will be taking on a bigger role this season. We are looking at a mix of 22 players from ND & SD. Take a look, these players will be making some noise this season!
FRESH FACES on Varsity
AJ Akot
AJ
Akot
6'4" | SF
Sioux Falls Washington | 2023
State
SD
(2023) |6’4 SF| Sioux Falls Washington
He is long, athletic, and full of versatility. Akot will play on the wing and be impactful on both sides of the ball. AJ can fly around the court and makes plays happen. He will be an impact player with all of the offensive rebounds that he grabs. Akot is great in transition and he is an above-the-rim finisher. AJ played with OG last season and he will now be a difference maker for the Warriors.
Carson Griffith (2024) |6’4 F| Elkton-Lake Benton
He has grown tremendously with his all-around game. Carson has nice size and has developed a quality post-game. He has the ability to shoot it from the outside as well. Griffith is a good rebounder and defender. The Elks we will look for him to continue putting it all together and to make them a more complete team.
Carson Timmins (2024) |5’9 G| Elk Point-Jefferson
He is another great defender for the Huskies. Carson will look to earn varsity minutes with his tough defense. EPJ will look for Timmins to be more aggressive on offense and the potential certainly is there. Carson runs the floor very well and can finish at the rim.
Cole Peterson
Cole
Peterson
6'2" | PG
Sioux Falls Washington | 2023
State
SD
(2023) |6’2 PG| Sioux Falls Washington
He will help fill the void at point guard for the Warriors. Peterson will provide steady leadership, great ball skills, and smooth shooting. When it comes to his jumper, Cole has great range. As a PG, he commands the court, plays hard, and will do whatever the team needs. Peterson had a very nice AAU season and I expect that level of play will carry over into the high school season.
Gage Gasca
Gage
Gasca
6'7" | C
Sioux Falls Washington | 2023
State
SD
(2023) |6’7 PF| Sioux Falls Washington
He played some varsity minutes last season but I suspect that those numbers will increase drastically. Gage is a long and athletic BIG with range on his jump shot. Gasca has shown the ability to block shots on the defensive end. He will also run the floor hard and make plays in transition. Gage is an intriguing player with his size and length.
Jayden King Jayden King 6'3" | SG Wahpeton | 2024 State ND (2024) |6’3 G| Wahpeton
He saw limited minutes on varsity last year and those minutes should increase this season. The Huskies are expecting him to score off the dribble and knock down open 3-pointers. King is a very good rebounder and he has a knack for getting the ball in his hands.
Jet Jensen
Jet
Jensen
5'9" | SG
Belle Fourche | 2025
State
SD
(2025) |5’6 G| Belle Fourche
He plays with great pace. Jensen can shoot it really well and he finds open teammates when attacking the paint. His offensive skills are impressive. Jet plays with a passion and you can easily tell he loves playing basketball. This Bronc has a bright future in hoops.
Kayden Moore (2024) |5’9 G| Elk Point-Jefferson
He is a lockdown defender for the Huskies. Moore backs down from no one and loves the challenge of stopping the ball. Kayden plays gritty defense! He has improved his shooting game which will make him a dual threat for EPJ. The Huskies have all the pieces to be a tough team in A-ball this season.
Lane Aasand (2023) |5’10 G| Garrison
He missed all of last year but you should not count him out. There will not be anyone that plays harder than him on the Garrison team. He flies around the entirety of his minutes on the court. Aasand makes up for his lack of size with heart and determination. Lane will be a great asset to the Troopers this year.
Lincoln Adair Lincoln Adair 6'0" | PG Lisbon | 2025 State ND (2025) |6’11 PG| Lisbon
He played some minutes on varsity last year and Adair has the potential to log some serious clock this season. He can put up points by getting to the basket off the bounce. He is also a very good outside shooter. Adair is super fast up the court, this kid can run like the wind. He has played point guard in JH and in JV ball, so he can handle the ball. Lincoln is a natural leader and players look to him for that on the court.
Little Hail Perkins
Little
Hail Perkins
6'3" | SF
Garrison | 2025
State
ND
(2025) |6’3 SF| Garrison
At the end of the last year, Perkins was getting more and more minutes and the Region Tournament was his best time. He had a great summer of basketball, and he will play a lot of minutes this year for the Troopers. He can play inside and out both offensively and defensively. Little Hail crashes the boards with reckless abandon and as long as he can stay out of foul trouble for silly fouls, he is hard to take off the floor. He plays with a great basketball sense, I am expecting a big season from Perkins.
Maverick LeBrun Maverick LeBrun 6'1" | SG Dell Rapids St. Mary | 2025 State SD (2025) |6’1 G| Dell Rapids St. Mary
He transferred in from Flandreau. He is an excellent addition to the Cardinal squad. LeBrun is long, and athletic, and he will keep growing. He has a ton of potential. Maverick is a skilled player and he does the little things. It will be interesting to see how he fits in with the new team, I expect it to be a flawless transition.
Nolan Wahlfeldt (2024) |6’1 G| Belle Fourche
Look for him to step into a starting role this year for the Broncs. Nolan did not play many varsity minutes his sophomore season, that will change this year. He is extremely athletic and is great at attacking the rim. Wahlfeldt is really good defensively and he gets it done on the boards.
Sam Almas
Sam
Almas
6'3" | SG
Tea Area | 2024
State
SD
(2024) |6’2 G| Tea Area
He was a role player off the bench for the Titans last season. He suffered a couple of nagging injuries but still averaged 5.3 ppg and had double-digit performances in multiple games. Almas is one of the most talented and athletic players for Tea. He has the trust & respect of his teammates and coaches. There is some refinement that needs to come to parts of his game but you should expect him to take on one of the lead roles for the Titans this year. Expect Sam to make a name for himself across South Dakota.
Tanner Dietz (2025) |6’2 SF| Elkton-Lake Benton
TD had a nice summer for the Elks. He is most likely the best outside shooter for ELB. Deitz has nice length & athleticism to defend, rebound, and score the ball. As he gains more confidence, Tanner will continue to improve and be a key player for the Elks.
Tanner Stein (2025) |5’9 PG| Elkton-Lake Benton
He had a solid summer for ELB. Stein will be another key player for the Elks. He has gotten stronger, sees the floor well, and can finish through contact. Stein is also a solid defender with good quickness. Expect him to pick up more of the scoring load and be a big part of what the Elks do this season.
Teysean Eaglestaff
Teysean
Eaglestaff
6'7" | SF
Bismarck | 2024
State
ND
(2024) |6’7 SF| Bismarck
He came to the Demons from South Dakota. Eaglestaff will be an immediate impact player for BHS. He has the size to be a low post player but his skills are like a PG’s. Teysean has a sweet pull-up game from deep and mid-range. He is very gifted with the ball in his hands. Eaglestaff will make a big splash in the WDA this season. Wait until you watch him play, I guarantee that you will be impressed!
Trevon Beckmen (2025) |5’11 G| Dell Rapids St. Mary
He transferred in from Brandon Valley. Trevon is an exciting player with a ton of potential. He is expected to be an impact player because of his shooting ability. Beckmen will be new to Cards and a very nice scoring option to keep track of.
Trimmier Hanson Trimmier Hanson 5'10" | CG Dell Rapids St. Mary | 2026 State SD (2026) |5’8 G| Dell Rapids St. Mary
He is an up-and-comer for the Cardinals that could see varsity minutes this season. Hansen had a very impressive summer on the hardwood. This youngster has a ton of upside. Get this player some attention.
Trey Inglehart (2025) |6’1 G| Garrison
He started a couple of games last season when the Troopers were missing multiple guys. Trey has the varsity experience under his belt now and should come into the season with confidence. Inglehart will be pushing for a starting role this year. He is a lockdown defender, tenacious rebounder, and great passer. The Troopers will be tough this season and Trey will be a big part of that.
Tryg Auten
Tryg
Auten
5'10" | PG
SF Washington | 2023
SD
(2023) |5’11 G| Sioux Falls Washington
He will also help fill the void at the guard position. Washington lost a talented backcourt to graduation. Tryg will add a nice physical presence at the guard position for WHS. Auten has a smooth shooting stroke and he plays with a high hoops IQ. I think that Auten will have a very nice senior season for the Warriors.
Walker Warwick Walker Warwick 6'2" | SF Dell Rapids St. Mary | 2026 State SD (2026) |6’0 G| Dell Rapids St. Mary
He is young, but this kid is long and skilled. Walker has a basketball IQ that is through the roof! He is a great teammate that always makes the correct basketball play. Warwick is unselfish but he can still score the rock. Walker is going to be a fun player to watch for many years to come.
