Explosive Players: ND & SD
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Happy 4th of July! Americans will be shooting off fireworks all day and night. In honor of that, PHD wanted to do an article within that theme. With that being said, lets look at EXPLOSIVE players from North Dakota and…
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Continue ReadingHappy 4th of July! Americans will be shooting off fireworks all day and night. In honor of that, PHD wanted to do an article within that theme. With that being said, lets look at EXPLOSIVE players from North Dakota and South Dakota. We have a talented group of 17 players in this article from the 2024 class all the way down to the 2027 class.
Explosive Players
I watched him play live in early June and it was easy to see that Austin is a superior athlete. He is an explosive slasher/penetrator/driver. Dre is a fast-twitch athlete that beats defenders with a change of speeds and at times, he simply overpowers the opposition. Austin can also bounce off the floor an SLAM powerful dunks. He is a playmaking PG that is full of explosion.
He is a smart, fundamental forward that knows the game well and he can execute to a T. Weber is also an impressive athlete that can throw down explosive dunks. I have seen him put down lobs passes and rise up from a baseline drive and bombard the rim with a 2-handed wham. He is long but Ben is also mobile and springy. He had a very nice school season and Weber has been a dude in AAU. Keep eyes on this Huskie, he has a bright future.
If you want to see an effortless 2-handed DUNK, you need to watch Bakko play. He has put on a show this spring/summer with 2-handed dunks, the crazy thing is, he will only be a freshmen. Brooks is a rare athlete, he is a 6’3″ PG that dunks as easy as most people shoot finger roll layups. He is obviously an explosive leaper but Bakko also has a sweet pull-up game. He gets great elevation on his jump shot from his explosive legs. The young Viking also uses his athleticism to cause problems on defense and create for others on the offensive end. Bakko is well on his way to becoming a superstar.
He is a physical beast that looks more like a sophomore in college then a soph in high school. Loggins is a BIG 6’4″ with a strong frame, lateral quickness, fast speed up & down the court, and explosiveness to the rim. Chris elevates to the rim with aggression & power and he slams it with phenomenal force. In AAU, Loggins dunks on a regular occasion and he blocks shots as an explosive playmaker.
He is one of the top dunkers in North Dakota regardless of class. I have seen Hagler play live and he is a special special athlete. He is strong, well put together, and he zooms to the rim like few can. Dane can WHAM it with 1 or 2 hands, either way, they are thunderous. His baseline drives into two-handed SLAMs are my favorite. Hagler is more than a dunker, he is a team player and a stat stuffer. Hagler and the Bearcats are going to have an epic hoops season in 23-24.
He is very long but he is also explosive. When Mitchell rises to the rim for a dunk, his head looks even with the rim. You name it, Daniel can dunk it. Mitchell is also impressive in the alley-oop game. He can glide through the sky and snatch the ball out of the air with his long arms. I have seen him throw down a few jaw-dropping lobs passes. Mitchell is also an explosive scorer. He pours it in from every level. Do not forget about defense, Daniel is also an explosive shot blocker. He swats the ball out of the air as if it is a fly. Mitchell is explosive on both ends of the floor.
How explosive is he? Deng is D1 explosive! He recently committed to UND for football. Deng is more known for his basketball game but he is such a crazy athlete, UND came calling for football. Deng is already an accomplished basketball player with a State Championship and he has been named All-State twice. He is also one of the top 3 dunkers in the State. Deng is a generational player, kids from North Dakota do not dunk like Deng. Tune in this winter, you will 100% be impressed with Deng and 4Winds.
This Ranger is an explosive scorer and shooter with unlimited range. Buehler set the Hill City school record this past January by hitting 9 three pointers in a single game. He is also a magician with the basketball. Devin is a standout multi-sport athlete as the QB in football, a star in basketball, a good distance runner, and a bouncy high jumper. His PR in the high jump is 6’1″, that is impressive for a kid his height. The Hill City kid needs more attention!
Highlights
A big and long youngster with advanced athleticism. Drake moves well without the ball and he has good hands. Mikkelsen is a relentless rebounder on both ends of the floor. He is an enforcer on defense that protects the paint. Drake two-hand DUNKS with ease. Mikkelsen is a special talent and athlete that you will want to keep tabs on.
He does not look or play like a 2027 kid. Kinnebrew already has an impressive dunking highlight reel and he has not even started his high school career yet. He explodes off two feet and hammers the ball home with one or two hands. This kid is special! Gibby is not just a dunker. He creates a ton of TO’s, set up his teammates, and he is a dangerous slasher. Kinnebrew is explosive off the bounce and he gets a ton of elevation on his jump shot. It is rare to see an incoming freshman get that kind of lift. Kinnebrew is a baller and a stellar athlete.
He had a breakout out season as a soph in the WDA. Sheldon is a freakish athlete that excels at everything. Hudsen has crazy hops and if you pay attention to T&F at all, you will know that he is standout high jumper and hurdler. In hoops, Hudsen is a frequent visitor to the rim and often times it is for a slam or flush. Sheldon is a next-level leaper for sure, he is also an explosive slasher. Hudsen is a highlight real athlete, you need to have your eyes peeled every time this Brave is on the court.
There are explosive athletes and then there is Jeremiah Sem Jeremiah Sem 6’3″ | SG Fargo North | 2024 State #303 Nation ND ! If you are reading this then you have likely already watched a Sem DUNK and they are spectacular. Jeremiah is a Power 5 athlete that can jump out of the gym. He is an explosive and volatile dunker. Sem does not just slam/dunk, he posterizes defenders. It does not matter if a defender is in front of the rim, Jeremiah will go over them or dunk through them. Sem is a crazy-above-the-rim finisher but he can also pour in the 3-pointers and make plays up and down the court. The kid from North is also a winner, he and the Spartans won the State Championship last March.
Look up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s Jhace Woods Jhace Woods 6’3″ | SF Sioux Falls Washington | 2026 State SD ! He is a skywalker, there would be a ton of college basketball players that wish they could dunk like Woods and he is only going to be a sophomore. Woods jumps as if he has springs in his legs and he gets to the rim like a heat seeking missile. Jhace completes his dunks with a jackhammer finish. Woods is also an athletic slasher and he has the potential to be a lockdown defender in the near future.
This Oriole can fly! Smith placed 2nd at State T&F in the high jump in his freshman year and this spring (soph) he placed 4th at State. You know a kid is athletic when he places at State as a frosh & soph. On the hardwood, Smith is a blow-by slasher and a bouncy above-the-rim-finisher. Layton is tough to keep in front, he is very athletic and elusive when penetrating. Smith can also soar to the rim and hammer it!
He is only 5’11” but he can get up and dunk in impressive fashion. Olson is a leaper and he is explosive. Luke is also a hard-nosed PG with a great feel for the ball. He is a phenomenal rebounder. Luke is also an explosive slasher that gets to the rim often. He can hit the outside shot and is an excellent passer. Olson is an underrated player that is sure to make some noise this coming winter.
He is one of the first players that comes to mind when thinking of explosive athletes. Peraza can DUNK and SLAM as good as anyone in the Dakotas. He can slash to the rim for dunks, catch near the basket and flush without a dribble, or go up and finish an alley-oop. He is strong and super-mobile. Presley has a ton of potential with his size and athleticism. Make sure you take some time to watch this Viking play. Odds are, you will see some impressive & explosive plays from Peraza.
He makes quick decisions that lead to straight line drives. Hamilton has the strength and athleticism to finish explosively at the rim. He also has a fantastic pull-up game from 3 and mid-range. Seth scores and defends, he is a double-digit producer and he passes well. The athletic Spartan comes from a super athletic family. Hamilton certainly has the lineage to be considered an explosive basketball player and he backed it up on the floor in his junior season.
Happy Independence Day!