Baller Interviews: Third & Final
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The Baller Interviews idea was off the cuff and came out of the nowhere. After the first one, I liked the way it looked and it was fun to hear and learn about the players. We ran with it, talked…
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Continue ReadingThe Baller Interviews idea was off the cuff and came out of the nowhere. After the first one, I liked the way it looked and it was fun to hear and learn about the players. We ran with it, talked to more players, and now this is the third and final Baller Interviews article, for awhile anyways….
This is a unique time of year where AAU is coming to an end, school and fall sports are nearing, and summers closing feels like it is right around the corner. With that being said, this seemed like the perfect time to hear what the players had to say.
PHD is switching things up in this article and we are letting the basketball players do the talking! These guys all had engaging and engrossing things to say. PHD believes these ballers all have a bright future and we wish them the best of luck moving forward!
Q&A with Huron’s Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6'8" | SF Huron | 2026 State SD
PHD: Can you tell us about your best on-the-court moment from this AAU season Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “My best moment during the AAU season is when I dunked for the first time in-game against Bears Tail at the pentagon and won the game.” PHD: How do you work to improve your skills, athleticism, and overall basketball game? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “To improve I get into the gym and work on my skills and shooting daily, also 3-4 times a week I strength train and work on speed and agility as well. On top of that I attend open gyms and AAU practices.”PHD: What is your best off-the-court memory from the AAU season? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “Definitely my best off court moment this AAU season was riding Bird scooters around Phoenix, Arizona with my teammates to go to McDonald’s and Raising Cane’s.” PHD: When you are not playing a sport, what do you do for fun? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “In my spare time I love to hangout with family and friends. My favorite hobbies to do are hunting, golfing, and fishing.” PHD: What can you tell us about your college recruitment up to this point? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “I have attended a few Elite Camps this summer which I was invited to, I have talked to a few coaches in connection with those camps. It has been a great experience to communicate with those coaches and play with athletes that want to play at a college level.” PHD: Outside of basketball, what sports/activities are you involved in? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “Besides basketball I am on the football team and I belong to a few clubs.” PHD: What are your individual goals for the next basketball season? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “As I evolve as a player not only do I want to improve my game but I want to help my teammates get better.” PHD: What are your team goals for the next hoops season? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “Not only do we want to get back to the State Tournament but we want to make a run at the Title.” PHD: Any idea what you want to major in at college or what type of career you are interested In? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “I would like to pursue a business degree and I might be interested in taking coaching classes in college.”PHD: What is the best part of your basketball game? Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6’8″ | SF Huron | 2026 State SD : “I feel I am a good player because of my ability to score the ball in different ways. I have a high basketball IQ which allows me to share the ball with my teammates.”
Highlights
Q&A with Mitchell’s Markus Talley
PHD: Can you tell us about your best on-the-court moment from this AAU season?Markus Talley: “Getting to play, compete with, and beat some of the best teams/players in the nation this summer has been great.” PHD: How do you work to improve your skills, athleticism, and overall basketball game?Markus Talley: “I’m in the weight room everyday and I get a lot of shots up during workouts.”PHD: What is your best off-the-court memory from the AAU season?Markus Talley: “There’s not just one memory but I like hanging out at the hotels and eating after games with my teammates.”PHD: When you are not playing a sport, what do you do for fun?Markus Talley: “When I’m not playing basketball, I like to hangout with friends and play video games.”PHD: Outside of basketball, what sports/activities are you involved in?Markus Talley: “Outside of playing basketball, I pretty much spend time with friends and family.”PHD: What are your individual goals for the next basketball season?Markus Talley: “Getting back to the State AA Tournament and competing for a championship again is the #1 goal. Personally, I would also like to improve my shooting percentage.”PHD: Who is the best shooter in the Kernel program and why?Markus Talley: “Either Gavin Soukup Gavin Soukup 6’3″ | SG Mitchell | 2024 State SD or I. We both put a lot of time in and shoot it well.” PHD: Any idea what you want to major in at college or what type of career you are interested in?Markus Talley: “I am still undecided on what I would like to major in but I enjoy Math.”PHD: What is the best part of your game? Markus Talley: “I am very competitive. Shooting is the most notable part of my game, but I think that I do many things well. I am a good ball handler and strong with either hand.” PHD: What are your long term goals for basketball, are you interested in playing college hoops?Markus Talley: “Winning the State Tournament is my goal during the next two years. Yes I would like to play college basketball.”
Highlights
Q&A with Devils Lake’s Parker Brodina
PHD: Can you tell us about your best on-the-court moment from this AAU season?Parker Brodina: “Definitely when we were in California. We were playing good as a team and then Oliver threw down a sweet hop-step dunk.”PHD: How do you work to improve your skills, athleticism, and overall basketball game?Parker Brodina: “I do workouts in the morning and then right after that I go to the gym to get shots up. Then in the off-season we do a lot of open gyms.”PHD: What is your best off-the-court memory from the AAU season?Parker Brodina: “When we all went to the strip in Vegas and got to experience it as a team.”PHD: When you are not playing a sport, what do you do for fun?Parker Brodina: “I do a lot of hunting and fishing. Then if i’m not doing that i’m normally at the lake with friends.”PHD: DL has a 1v1 tournament…who wins and why?Parker Brodina: “I think I could win because I’m the most competitive but if Wylee gets hot he won’t miss. But then no one can stop Joel’s fade away. But I definitely win because I can use my size to my advantage.”PHD: Outside of basketball, what sports/activities are you involved in?Parker Brodina: “I play a lot of baseball. But I used to play Football but then I quit due to injuries.”PHD: What are your individual goals for the next basketball season?Parker Brodina: “My Goals are to make All-State and average a double-double a game.”PHD: The Firebirds are loaded, who are some of the other top teams in class A? Parker Brodina: “I would say Kindred and definitely Four winds.”PHD: Any idea what you want to major in at college or what type of career you are interested in?Parker Brodina: “I really have not thought about that yet so I have no clue.”PHD: What is the best part of your game?Parker Brodina: “Probably when I get the ball down low and can finish around the rim and definitely my 3pt shot.”
Highlights
Q&A with Sheyenne’s Turo Moni Turo Moni 6'8" | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND
PHD: Can you tell us about your best on-the-court moment from this AAU season? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “One of my best on court moments from this AAU season was probably when our team went down to Chicago and went 4-0 at The Last Dance. I just felt overall in that tournament we played really well together and had fun while winning games. In addition, that was Coach Lund’s last tournament coaching us, which made it even better.” PHD: How do you work to improve your skills, athleticism, and overall basketball game? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “Before school ball season starts, there’s going to be many ways I improve my game skill and athletic wise. I usually do a lot of basketball work and weight-room work with my older brother Jacksen who currently plays at Northern State in Aberdeen. He’s played great college basketball players and has a lot of college basketball experience which can help me progress to play at the next level. Same goes for Freddie Coleman. Before my senior season, I want to make sure I can get some workouts in with him so I can prepare for my season. Also, I will go to my local gym or my high school to compete against my teammates and friends in open gyms or pick up games to enhance my game.” PHD: What is your best off-the-court memory from the AAU season? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “My favorite off-court memory from the AAU season was most definitely visiting Millennium Park while we had a tournament in Chicago.” PHD: When you are not playing a sport, what do you do for fun? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “Usually when I’m away from basketball I spend my time hanging out with friends and family.” PHD: What can you tell us about your college recruitment? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “My college recruitment has most definitely been interesting. As well it comes with a lot of different emotions. Earlier this summer in June I had an unofficial visit to Northern State University. It was really fun touring the campus and learning more about the program itself. I have been hearing from different divisions of college basketball. I’ve been hearing from schools in the Northern Sun Conference (NSIC), D3 and NAIA schools.”PHD: Outside of basketball, what sports/activities are you involved in? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “Outside of basketball I’m currently not in any other activities or sports but I am really interested in starting to golf as a hobby.” PHD: What are your individual goals for the next basketball season? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “For this next basketball season I have been thinking about a few things I want to achieve for my senior year. But my biggest goal is to make State and go as far as we possibly can. I truly think this team has the right players on this squad to go down as one of the best teams we’ve had at Sheyenne with how talented we are from our guards to the bigs. For personal goals, I want to make an all EDC team this year.”PHD: Who will be the top teams in the EDC next year and will the Mustangs be heading back to State? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “I feel like this upcoming basketball season there will be a good amount of solid teams, but if I would have to choose the top teams in the EDC this upcoming I year I think knowing how Fargo North is coming off of a State Championship and still keeping key players like the Sems and Zeller, that will make them a tough team to beat. Me and my teammates bring the topic of State up a lot and talk about what we need to do to bring ourselves there. We really believe that we need to all be on the same page together and focus game by game to chip away to reach our goal of how far we can make it in State. Looking at the skill, talent and size we bring in this year, I feel like we can really shock the EDC with how dangerous of a team we can really become.”PHD: Any idea what you want to major in at college or what type of career you are interested in? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “I’ve thought about this for a little, but I’m really interested in business and finance, or even any engineering majors.”PHD: What is the best part of your game? Turo Moni Turo Moni 6’8″ | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND : “Personally I think the best part of my game is my shooting ability. Visually people would think I’m only a low block player but many are surprised to figure I can shoot from the outside. Overall, I do feel my passing ability is another strength I have.”
Highlights
Q&A with Hamlin’s Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6'2" | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD
PHD: Can you tell us about your best on-the-court moment from this AAU season? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “I would say my favorite on court moment from this AAU season was when I hit the corner 3 at the halftime buzzer against SD Identity. It felt like a really big play that had a huge impact on a game that was filled with high school season rivalries.”PHD: How do you work to improve your skills, athleticism, and overall basketball game? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “This is only my second summer playing AAU basketball. Although AAU has helped me adapt to a more physical style of play, I would say it was all the time in the gym I’ve put in shooting that has really shaped me into the player I am today. My focus athletically has been to become stronger and more explosive. I have been lifting weights and doing plyometrics to try to reach those goals.”PHD: What is your best off-the-court memory from the AAU season? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “When I think about my favorite off the court memory from this summer, the thing that sticks out to me is sitting in the pool area in St. Cloud. We sat and talked until 2am about our school teams and different things we do with our friends to have fun. It’s cool to hear about how other schools are similar and different to mine.”PHD: When you are not playing a sport, what do you do for fun? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “When we’re not playing a sport, me and my friends usually go out to eat as a group somewhere. After we eat we go to one of our houses and watch a movie or have a fire.”PHD: What can you tell us about your college recruitment? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “College recruitment is a fun and exciting experience. It’s cool to build a relationship with coaches and to learn what they look for and how you fit into their programs.”PHD: Outside of basketball, what sports/activities are you involved in? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “Outside of basketball, I play quarterback for my high school football team and also play baseball. In my junior year, my school’s football team lost in the semifinals. We are looking forward to competing for a State Championship this year. In baseball, my team is coming off of a Jr. Legion State Championship and are battling to get into the Legion State Tournament right now.”PHD: What are your individual goals for the next basketball season? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “I really only have 1 goal for this next basketball season, and that is to win the State Title. Hamlin has a lot of talent and a lot of guys who could average 20 points a game on mediocre teams. We all understand that what we have is special and with the team that we have, we know that there isn’t gonna be 1 guy who averages 20 points. We have 7 or 8 guys who can go off at any time and take over a game.”PHD: Any idea what you want to major in at college or what type of career you are interested in? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “Right now, I am leaning towards majoring in political science or business. After completing my major, I want to go to law school.”PHD: What is the best part of your game? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “I think the best part of my game is my post game. It is hard for teams to match someone up on me that can guard me on the perimeter and also check me in the post.”PHD: If your Hamlin team had a game of P-I-G, who wins and why? Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6’2″ | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD : “It’s a tough call on who’s gonna win a game of PIG. Like I said earlier about my team, we have 8 guys who can shoot it at a very high level. It would be a fun game, but I would bet on myself to win.”