Top Games: Saturday

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Are you not getting your basketball fix after a horrible week of weather? Look no further, we have suggestions for you! See below for PHD's Top Games to watch on Saturday. We are including games from North Dakota and South Dakota.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It will be interesting to see how these teams look tomorrow. Will teams be rusty or unprepared after missing practices? With no school for a few days, the coaches had plenty of time to self-scout and watch their opponents film. The coaches should be prepared anyway! Saturday should be a fun day of hoops!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dells Rapids</strong> @ <strong>Aberdeen Christian</strong> is an intriguing game. Both squads have new head coaches this season. <em>Ty Hoglund</em> is at Dell Rapids and <em>Matt Rohrbach</em> runs the show for Aberdeen Christian. It will be interesting to see how the young coaches handle the big game on Saturday afternoon. Class A vs. Class B, how will that go? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size">*Mother Nature was nasty to the Dakotas this week. The dates and times listed below are the most updated that we could find. Before you commit to driving anywhere, I would double-check. Good luck to everyone this weekend!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1606306,"width":232,"height":145,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/NorthDakota.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/NorthDakota.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1606306" width="232" height="145" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong>#3 Bishop Ryan @ #5 Shiloh Christian </strong>(3:30)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Bishop Lions</span></strong> (1-0) - They have a high-powered offense with many scoring options. [player_tooltip player_id='1138815' first='Brady' last='Feller'] put up 25 points in game #1. Feller is an All-State type talent. [player_tooltip player_id='1617814' first='Ian' last='Johnson'] dropped 14 in game #1. He is long, athletic, energetic, versatile, and a matchup problem as he does damage inside and out. [player_tooltip player_id='1189452' first='Ramsey' last='Walz'] scored 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in the first game. Walz is a top BIG in the 2025 class and a stock riser that everyone should see play. [player_tooltip player_id='1050254' first='Connor' last='Thompson'] is another Lions to keep eyes on. He missed last season with an injury and he could likely be an X-factor for Ryan this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Shiloh Skyhawks</span></strong> (1-0) - They started the year with a nice road win at Dickinson Trinity. Shiloh is loaded with talent and their rotation runs deep, the Skyhawks have an embarrassment of riches. [player_tooltip player_id='1138746' first='Jay' last='Wanzek'] is a BIG boy down low and one of the best forward in Class B. Wanzek can bang down low but also nailed J's from the outsdie. [player_tooltip player_id='1372160' first='Atticus' last='Wilkinson'] is another talented forward. His bounce is impressive and he works hard. [player_tooltip player_id='1219808' first='Caden' last='Englund'] is a soph but a scary slasher that makes getting into the paint a habit. Wyatt is a smooth shooting soph. that is sure to impress you!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who wins in the "private school Top5" matchup? It is going to be a fun one! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong>Sargent County @ Hillsboro/Central Valley</strong> (3:30)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Sargent County</span></strong> (2-0) - The Bulldogs picked up a quality win against LLM (67-47) on Monday night. [player_tooltip player_id='1145108' first='Luke' last='Martinson'] had a fantastic game vs. the Loboes with 25 points and a hard-fought performance on D. I really like this kid's game with his toughness, competitiveness, size/strength, and 3-level scoring. Martinson is becoming a serious threat from beyond the arc and he can also hurt you around the rim. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1693907' first='Gaven' last='Christianson']</strong> is a player that you will want to see. He is not the biggest forward on the floor but works his tail off and he plays his heart out. He recorded a double-double on Monday with 18 points and 12 rebounds. [player_tooltip player_id='1551168' first='Fletcher' last='Willprecht'] is another player to watch for the Bulldogs. He was an All-Region player last season. I am predicting a big game from Willprecht against the Burros. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Hillsboro/Central Valley</span></strong> (1-0) - The Burros had a wild overtime win (77-71) on Monday over the Vikings from Kindred. [player_tooltip player_id='1144488' first='Jacob' last='Brandt'] is the #4 ranked prospect in the 2024 class and he looked very good against Kindred. Brandt had 25 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. His post play/moves looked much improved, he is a gifted athlete at 6'9" and he is a very serious 3-point threat. [player_tooltip player_id='1168276' first='Landon' last='Olson'] had a monster game vs. Kindred with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Olson was dominant around the basket and he finished through/over defenders with no problem. It will be fun to see him go up against the frontcourt of the Bulldogs! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Who wins in the Region 1 vs. Region 2 matchup?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1399487,"width":234,"height":146,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/SD-1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/SD-1.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1399487" width="234" height="146" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong> #3 Dell Rapids @ #3 Aberdeen Christian</strong> (4:30)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Dell Rapids</span></strong> (1-0) - The Quarriers have length like a college team and they have many scoring options. Dell Rapids won game 1 against West Central by a score of 57-44. [player_tooltip player_id='1270336' first='Rhett' last='Kloth'] is super long at 6'10" and is very athletic for that size. He is one of the premier rim protectors in Class A. In the win over WC, Kloth went for 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. [player_tooltip player_id='1355453' first='Jack' last='Henry'] is a Prime-Time athlete for the Quarriers and he showed that off with a posterizing SLAM. [player_tooltip player_id='963773' first='Brayden' last='Pankonen'] is an All-State guard for the Quarriers who put up 16 points and 2 triples in the win over WC. Brayden is super quick, and a lethal lefty shooter. Much like in football, Pankonen is a "ball-hawk". [player_tooltip player_id='1399817' first='Tad' last='Tjaden'] is a 6'6" soph that has a ton of potential. This young lefty is athletic and is a matchup problem as he can get the job done inside and out. This is going to be a fun one in Aberdeen. #3 in Class A vs. #3 in Class B. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Aberdeen Christian</span></strong> (1-0) - In game #1, the Knights dismantled James Valley Christian by a score of 74-45. Aberdeen Christian is no stranger to playing in big games, so they should not get rattled with this high-octane matchup. The Knights are regulars at the Class B State Tournamnet. Aberdeen Christian has a dynamic duo with [player_tooltip player_id='963783' first='Malek' last='Wieker'] and [player_tooltip player_id='963765' first='Ethan' last='Russell']. Wieker went off in game #1 with 23 points, 8 assists, 2 boards, and he shot 10-13 from the field. The Jamestown commit can take over a game in the blink of an eye with his super-sweet jumper and his elite passing/vision. Russell is a 6'6" SF and is a nightmare of a mismatch. His athleticism, skill, and shot-making ability have him coveted by many college coaches. It will be fun to see him go up against the athletes from Dells. The Knights have a nice supporting cast of players around Wieker &amp; Russell that can do plenty of their own damage. Make sure to tune in to this monster matchup! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A vs. B, public vs. private...Who wins?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong>O'Gorman @ #5 Sioux Falls Christian</strong> (3:30)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">O'Gorman</span></strong> (0-2) - The season has not started exactly how the Knights had hoped. They lost to Brandon Valley (57-51) and Sioux Falls Roosevelt (58-50). However, do not get down on OG. They have a very nice team and 3 very talented players that will be playing college hoops next year. [player_tooltip player_id='963746' first='Matt' last='Eng'] is a smooth-shooting, high-scoring, and beautiful alley-oop passing senior guard. [player_tooltip player_id='1295267' first='Gavin' last='Muirhead'] is a USF commit and is easily one of the best dunkers &amp; finishers in the Dakotas. At 6'7" and super bouncy, Muirhead is also a fantastic rim protector and rebound. [player_tooltip player_id='1390906' first='Zander' last='Benz'] is another top player to watch. Benz is an underrated prospect, a grinder, strong finisher, a versatile scorer, and an unselfish passer. I am interested to see what kind of depth the Knights have.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Sioux Falls Christian</span></strong> (2-0) - The Chargers are an offensive juggernaut that won with a 93-68 score over Lennox and a 61-33 win over West Central. This squad is full of skilled athletes and lights out shooters. Let's take a look at some of the stat leaders for SFC: [player_tooltip player_id='1390310' first='Ethan' last='Bruns'] (22 pp &amp; 6 rpg), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1390319' first='Britton' last='Mulder']</strong> (13 ppg &amp;3 spg), [player_tooltip player_id='963777' first='Tate' last='Snyder'] (11 ppg &amp; 4 apg), [player_tooltip player_id='1390318' first='Cole' last='Snyder'] (12 ppg &amp; 2 spg), and [player_tooltip player_id='1503883' first='Griffen' last='Goodbary'] (8 ppg). The Snyder brothers make up a super smart/heady backcourt that can make you pay from deep. Bruns and Goodbary are athletic forwards that can make plays from multiple levels. SFC is is a very scary team! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2 private schools...AA vs. A...Who wins? I would imagine this game will give the victor some good bragging rights! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1272514,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/PHD.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/PHD.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-1272514" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->