Previews: Hamlin, Hettinger-Scranton, Mahpíya Lúta

PHD is highlighting the Chargers, Night Hawks, and Crusaders in these Team Previews!   These squads are in their second week of practice and the games tip off soon.   This article has 2 teams from South Dakota and 1 squad from North Dakota. All 3 teams are excited for the games to start and the excitement is high.   Take a look below for info on the Chargers, Night Hawks, and Crusaders.   When do they play?   Hamlin: Friday 12/13/24 home vs. Groton Area   Hettinger-Scranton: 12/17 at Bowman vs. Belfield   Mahpíya Lúta: Saturday 12/14/24 at Hill City   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/TeamPreview.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/TeamPreview.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2632356" style="width:248px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Hamlin Chargers   Head Coach: Todd Neuendorf   Class: A   Region: 2   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2511663" style="width:294px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Coach Neuendorf   PHD: What can you tell us about last season?   "Last season ended about as well as it could have by winning the Class A State Tournament! We had a group of kids who got better and better as the year went along."   PHD: Does your program/team have any non-negotiables?   "One of our non-negotiables is players who won't play defense. We really pride ourselves on our defense and you have to be able to play it. On the offensive side of the ball we want to make sure we share the ball....I despise ISO basketball."   PHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?   "Our defense is based on pressure and helping one another. We talk about our defense being a pully...when one person moves the rest must rotate......We want our defense to be or staple of the program."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler this year?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1297808' first='Easton' last='Neuendorf'] will be our primary ball handler.  He will be a 4-year starter for us at the PG position. We feel pretty confident in our abilities to get our offense running with him at the point position."   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We had a good off-season, spent a lot of time in the gym. We have gotten some younger players ready to go for increased roles this season."   PHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?   "We bring back four of our 5 Starters. Tyson Stevenson graduated and will be a big hole that we will need to mend as the year goes on. As mentioned we will have Easton who along with Tyson was our leading scorer last year and really makes us go. We will have [player_tooltip player_id='1414922' first='Evan' last='Stormo'] who can score it from the perimeter and has the ability to take it to the rim. Evan is able to guard positions 1-4. [player_tooltip player_id='1545637' first='Jackson' last='Wadsworth'] was huge for us last year and can really shoot the ball from the perimeter. He has worked on his game and has turned himself into a player who can not only score from outside but also get to the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='1558204' first='Zac' last='VanMeeteren'] Zac had a great State Tournament. Zac is a huge presence defensively and has ability to be a big scorer from the perimeter and attacking the basket. [player_tooltip player_id='1331227' first='Dawson' last='Noem']. Dawson provides size and post presence. Dawson can stretch the defense with his outside shooting ability. [player_tooltip player_id='1503841' first='Turner' last='Stevenson'] played for us off the bench last year. Turner is a hardnosed, gritty guard who will be asked to play an expanded role. [player_tooltip player_id='2059565' first='Boden' last='Stevenson'] played primarily JV last year, but has really stretched out this summer and will be logging big minutes on this year's squad."   PHD: Who do you think will be your best rebounders?   "I think our best rebounders will be [player_tooltip player_id='1414922' first='Evan' last='Stormo'], [player_tooltip player_id='1558204' first='Zac' last='VanMeeteren'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1331227' first='Dawson' last='Noem']."   PHD: What are your team goals this year?   "Our goals this year are the same as last....We want to get to the Tournament....."   PHD: Who will be your hardest worker?   "Each player that steps on the floor......It is an expectation, or they won't step on the floor."   PHD: Who are the top teams in your area?   "The top teams in our area are SF Christian, Groton, Clark Willow Lake."   GOOD LUCK CHARGERS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/TeamPreview.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/TeamPreview.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2632356" style="width:379px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Hettinger-Scranton Crusaders   Head Coach: Kelly Pierce   Class: B   Region: 4   District: 7   Players to Watch   [player_tooltip player_id='2276348' first='Blake' last='Larson'] – 6'5” senior post   "Returning starter and All-Region Player. Blake is one of the best post players in state B basketball in North Dakota. He is a strong finisher around the rim and can use both hands with a nice soft touch. He has really developed his perimeter game and the weight room has allowed him to gain not only strength, but agility as well. Blake will be a tough matchup for many teams this year."   [player_tooltip player_id='2331458' first='Caden' last='Anderson'] – 5'9” senior point guard   "Returning starter who will be a key contributor for us this season. He made 43 treys last season and most of them came down the stretch run. He made big shot after big shot at tournament time. He is a tenacious competitor who knows how to rise to the occasion. He is a strong on-ball defender who uses his quickness to pressure the ball without getting beat off of the dribble."   [player_tooltip player_id='1921182' first='Gavin' last='Parnow'] – 6'2” Junior shooting guard   "Gavin is a returner who played a lot of crucial minutes last season. He was overshadowed by a large senior class last season, but should have a breakout campaign this season. He plays a lot of basketball in the offseason and the AAU circuit has definitely allowed him to improve his game. He can be a matchup problem, as he has a strong perimeter game, but can also score with his back to the basket in the post. For the Night Hawks to have the season we expect, Gavin will need to take on a much larger role on both ends of the court."   [player_tooltip player_id='2276344' first='Aidyn' last='Fisher'] – 6'3” Junior Forward   "Aidyn is an absolute gym rat that can score the basketball in a variety of ways. Last season his role was primarily as a perimeter shooter at the variety level, but at the JV level he averages over 20 points per game in 3 quarters of work. He is a long-armed wing player that can score at all three levels. We expect Aidyn to have a breakout season. There will be many games where he leads the Night Hawks in scoring."   Chason Schumacher – 5'11” Senior Guard   "Chason is a good leader. He was the quarterback on the football team and has a way of bringing the most out of his teammates. He will be a physical perimeter defender for the Night Hawks. He has a strong downhill offensive game and can hit the perimeter shot as well. In Class B basketball every successful team has quality role players and Chason fits that bill. He will be crucial in the success of the Night Hawks."   Robert Morris – 6'3” Freshman Forward   "Robert is a young player in the program but will have to grow up fast this season. As of now, he is a very good offensive player that runs the floor very well and can hit the midrange jumper. He will need to continue to develop the toughness it takes to be effective at the varsity level, but the ability is all there. Robert will help provide depth early on, but by tournament time could be an impact piece for the Night Hawks."   Landon Eaton – 5'11” Senior Forward   "Landon is a player who will provide more depth off of the bench. Landon is an extremely smart player who is a good rebounder. He is the type of player who can manufacture more possessions for the team by being in the right place at the right time. Landon will use his basketball IQ to help the team and earn minutes."   Jakob Galbreath – 6'2” Junior Forward   "Jakob will also provide depth. He is a strong passer, especially in the post-to-post game. He can score with his back to the basket and from the perimeter. He must continue to develop in the areas of rebounding and defense, but as he gets caught up to the speed of the varsity game, he can carve out playing time."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2511663" style="width:219px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Coach Pierce   PHD: What can you tell us about last season?   "Last season, the Night Hawks hit their stride late in the season and made a run to Regionals where they were defeated in the first round by Garrison in double overtime. The team last year had an injury-plagued season, which hurt the ceiling of that team, but a benefit of that was the ability for younger players in the program to get some experience. We will hopefully see that pay off as we head into this season."   PHD: Do you have any non-negotiables?   "The Night Hawks do have some non-negotiables as a program. We expect our players and coaches to represent the schools and communities in a positive light. The players are expected to defend and rebound. We believe we have a philosophy that allows us to be successful as a program if the players buy in. We want to play for one another and make sure our goals are of the team variety."   PHD: What do the Night Hawks do on defense?   "Defensively, we are primarily a man-to-man program. We believe in ball pressure and gap control defensively. We will sprinkle in some full court pressure, but we want to be a strong half-court man team that dictates the shots our opponents take. We are a huge believer in playing with a physically tough mindset which should allow us to control the rebounding aspect of team defense and limit possessions of our opponents."   PHD: Who is your primary ballhandler?   "Our primary ballhandler will be [player_tooltip player_id='2331458' first='Caden' last='Anderson']. It wil be his 3 rd year as a starting point guard."   PHD: How did the off-season go for the team?   "This offseason, we tried to get bigger and stronger. Our players used the weight room to develop the strength and agility it takes to become a varsity basketball player. On the court, we primarily did our own open gyms and competed with our alumni to continue to grow. We did attend a couple team camps and had several players either play on the AAU circuit or attend individual camps on college campuses in the area."   PHD: Who will be your best rebounders?   "As for rebounders, we need to become a complete rebounding team and make it a priority not to rely on one or two guys to rebound for us. [player_tooltip player_id='2276348' first='Blake' last='Larson'] is our returning rebound leader from last year and he has the ability to be a dominant rebounder, but we must stress rebounding as a team to limit possessions for our opponent."   PHD: What are the team goals for this season?   "The goal of the Night Hawks this year is to continue the progress we made last season. Last year with the new coaching staff, there was a steep learning curve in what we were trying to stress as a program. Now in year two, we should be able to take our philosophy to the next level. We will work hard every day on the court so that we can become the team we believe we can be. Our Region has some quality teams that are well coached and by tournament time we hope we are one of those teams that have a legitimate chance to make a run at a Championship. We have quality players, but making sure they continue to develop and improve will be crucial. We are excited for the opportunity that is in front of us. It should be a fun season for the Night Hawks!"   PHD: Can you talk about some of the competition you will see this season?   "Our Region will be a fun one this year. In District 7, I believe there are 7-8 teams that have a legitimate chance at a top 4 finish which claims a berth to the Region 4 Tournament. Every team has strong pieces coming back, and every team has some question marks, but that is what will make the regular season so much fun. The other side of our Region has some real firepower in Wilton-Wing, Washburn, and Garrison. Fortunately, we will be able to play 2 of those 3 in the regular season to see where we stack up."   PHD: Who are the top teams/players in the Region?   "The region is also stacked with talent. It is difficult to just list a few players as teams like...Wilton-Wing has several players that can light it up."   "[player_tooltip player_id='1350687' first='Little' last='Hail Perkins'] - Garrison, [player_tooltip player_id='1185243' first='Wyatt' last='Kuhn'] - New Salem, and [player_tooltip player_id='1632628' first='Parker' last='Jacobson'] – Washburn are standouts, but [player_tooltip player_id='2276348' first='Blake' last='Larson'] for the Night Hawks fits right in as a dominant player and will give us a chance to compete with anyone on a given night. The talent level is high, but new roles will be carved out by players, and I am sure there will be a few names that breakout this season?   PHD: Any last thoughts on the upcoming season?   "Thank you for the coverage. Out west I believe we will have teams beating up on each other so dominant records might not be a thing come February, but there will be some tough basketball played, and all teams will benefit from it in the long run."   GOOD LUCK NIGHT HAWKS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_8a6135.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_8a6135.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2692672" style="width:303px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Mahpíya Lúta Crusaders   Head Coach: Christian McGhee   Class: A   Region: 7   Players to Watch   Comments from Christian McGhee   [player_tooltip player_id='1842419' first='Braylon' last='Little']- 6'1 Junior Guard - "Is our returning leading scorer. He played with the Pentagon this Summer and worked hard in the weight room and the court to put himself into position to have a great junior season! He scores at all 3 levels and defends very well."   [player_tooltip player_id='1842420' first='Josh' last='Anderson']- 6'2 Senior Guard - "Is another returner and he shoots the ball very well. He will space the floor to make it easier for others. He has worked on his offensive game this Summer and Fall to be able to score in a variety of ways."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_bf1d12.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_bf1d12.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2692676" style="width:233px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Coach McGee   PHD: How would you sum up last season?   "Last season was very up and down for us. We started off the season with only 2 kids that ever had significant varsity time. When our best player tore his ACL in January, we were playing with a group who were learning on the fly. We had a hard-working group, but ended the season 10-12. This year with everyone returning and with a few kids transferring in, I feel like we will be as deep as we have ever been and look forward to our growth throughout the season."   PHD: Do you have any non-negotiables?   "Non-negotiables are: being a great teammate (being selfless) as well outwork our opponent."   PHD: What will you do on D?   "We will be very deep so our go to defense will be our different full court presses."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandlers?   "Our primary ball handlers will be [player_tooltip player_id='1842419' first='Braylon' last='Little'] and one of our transfers from Pine Ridge- [player_tooltip player_id='2264292' first='Tokeya' last='Big Crow']. Both can handle the ball against pressure as well as get us into our offense."   PHD: How did the off-season go?   "Our off-season was phenomenal. We had a ton of buy-in from our main guys and our transfer kids. We really did a lot of team activities for bonding and I feel that will be our biggest positive."    PHD: Who are a few of your top players to watch?   "Braylon and Josh will be a few of our top players as well as Caden Pourier- 6'4 Senior F who is very versatile that can guard 1-5. He does a little bit of everything for us. [player_tooltip player_id='2264292' first='Tokeya' last='Big Crow'] 6'1 Sophomore G, will be our best on-ball defender as well as one of, if not our best shooter and playmaker. [player_tooltip player_id='2264293' first='Daniel' last='Weston'] a transfer from Pine Ridge is a 6'4 Sophomore F that gives us an inside presence that we haven't had for a few years."   PHD: Who will be your best rebounder?   "Our best rebounders will be [player_tooltip player_id='2264293' first='Daniel' last='Weston'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2429835' first='Chaytan' last='Palmier']- a 6'4 Senior C. He rebounds every time and really has a knack for the ball."   PHD: What are your team goals?   "Our team the goals will be to be at the State Tournament in March."   PHD: Who are the top teams in your Region?   "In our Region besides our team, I feel [player_tooltip player_id='1384718' first='Marvin' last='Richard'] from Pine Ridge is one of the top players and Pine Ridge is one of the top teams. [player_tooltip player_id='1263163' first='Shawn' last='Hammerbeck'] from Winner as well as Trey Sam from Lakota Tech will be a few of the top players as well."   PHD: Any last thoughts on the season?   "I am extremely excited about this season and building with our group. Because we have a lot of new faces. I could see us still finding our way early, but once we get it figured out, I feel we can compete with anyone in the state."   GOOD LUCK CRUSADERS!!   <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>

PHD is highlighting the Chargers, Night Hawks, and Crusaders in these Team Previews!