Previews: Rapid City Christian & Washburn

Prep Hoops Dakotas has two more Team Previews!   We are highlighting Rapid City Christian (SD) and Washburn (ND). Both squads have high aspirations this season.   See below for a load of hoops info on the Comets & Cards.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/Preview-crop-772x507-1711398103.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/Preview-crop-772x507-1711398103.jpg?w=771" alt="" class="wp-image-2388806" style="width:162px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/RC-Comets-Logo-Gold-.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/RC-Comets-Logo-Gold-.jpg?w=643" alt="" class="wp-image-2682788" style="width:208px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Program: Rapid City Christian   Mascot: Comet   Head Coach: Kyle Courtney   Class: A   Region: 8   2023-24 Stats   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_f52b82.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_f52b82.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2682789" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_78b2e6.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_78b2e6.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2682790" /></a></figure>   Players to Watch   Comments from Coach Courtney   [player_tooltip player_id='1761812' first='Julius' last='Frog'] 6'5” senior forward - "Julius is a returning starter for us and was 2nd team All-State last season. Julius is a skilled stretch big guy who really has a nice stroke. He is a deadly mid-range shooter and expanded his game to become a really solid 3-point shooter last year. Julius is long and has a great wingspan. We expect Julius to again be a leader for us this year, as he will be a returning captain."   [player_tooltip player_id='1503881' first='Benson' last='Kieffer'] 5'10” senior guard - "Benson is an ultimate competitor. He was named 3rd team All-State last year, even though he missed some time due to injuries. He has a motor that never stops. He can score in bunches and works very hard on the defensive end of the floor as well. Benson is pretty skilled on the offensive side of the floor, shoots it well, and really can finish when he gets to the rim. Benson is coming off an injury at the end of the football season, but we are hopeful it won't delay the start to his season very long. He is really the engine that drives our team when it comes to the kind of heart and passion he plays with. Our hope is that we can keep him healthy this season and he will help lead our program to new heights his senior year."   [player_tooltip player_id='2075359' first='Simon' last='Kieffer'] 5'11” senior guard - "Simon was an honorable mention All-State player last season. He is also a record-setting quarterback for our football team and hopes to play college football next season somewhere. On the basketball floor, Simon brings a quarterback-type approach and is a primary ball-handler for us. He also was our top perimeter shooter last year as he hit 61 three-point shots."   [player_tooltip player_id='2316502' first='Aiden' last='Roberts'] 5'10” senior guard - "Aiden was an All-State Legion baseball player this past summer for Post 22. Aiden was a key cog for our State Tournament team last year as he is our best on-ball defender and one of the toughest kids we have. Aiden also stepped up and had some big games for us offensively when we had other starters out with injuries. We are expecting Aiden to be a big part of our team this year again."   [player_tooltip player_id='2682835' first='Wes' last='Schlabach'] 6'2” senior forward - "Wes is an All-State football player for us and is a great athlete and will play college football next year somewhere. Wes was our 6th man last year and is another player with a lot of returning experience having been in our rotation as both a sophomore and junior. Wes is a tenacious defender and rebounder and will be counted on to be our post-defender this year. Wes is very versatile and can handle the ball, play both inside and out on offense, and also guard the perimeter or the post."   [player_tooltip player_id='2562384' first='Judah' last='Hoyt'] - 6'2” senior forward - "Judah is a hard-working player who we expect to play a role for us this year. He is scrappy and rebounds well at both ends of the floor. He knows the game and moves and cuts well on offense. He was a key contributor as a junior on our JV team last year and this year looks to be a factor for our varsity squad."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_3b554b.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_3b554b.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2682792" style="width:225px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Kyle Courtney   PHD: What can you tell us about last season?   "We are coming off our best season in program history. We finished 21-5, won the Black Hills Conference title for the first time in program history, and made the Class A State Tournament for the first time where we finished 4th. It was only our 2nd time ever reaching a State Tournament in program history."   PHD: Does your program/team have any non-negotiables?   "Our program motto is “One Heart” and we focus on the 3 pillars of Passion, Unity, and Servanthood. We put a high premium on doing the right things both on the floor and off the floor. We also try to focus on controlling our controllables. We preach that you can control 2 things as a player - Attitude and Effort. Those things are non-negotiables for us - we must focus on controlling our attitude and effort. We don't want to have to coach those things throughout the year - they should already be in our DNA."   PHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?   "With the personnel we have currently in our program we like to play fast. We play a run and jump pressure style and we want to speed you up. We like to play a pressure man-to-man style."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler this year?   "We are blessed with several kids that are capable of handling the ball and getting us going. Our two veteran All-State guards that will do the majority of our ball handling are [player_tooltip player_id='1503881' first='Benson' last='Kieffer'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2075359' first='Simon' last='Kieffer']. Benson is an aggressive, attacking guard and Simon is the guy who is more of the cool, calm quarterback type of guard. They are a great pair as lead guards."   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We had a nice off-season, particularly for our younger players. We played in our usual amount of team camps and also had good participation in our summer open gyms and strength and conditioning program. We have some up-and-coming sophomores and juniors that I am excited about and I thought they took some nice steps forward this summer and can hopefully help us this year on varsity."   PHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1761812' first='Julius' last='Frog'] - 2nd All-State season last year. Smooth and skilled. Looking to have a dominant senior year. [player_tooltip player_id='1503881' first='Benson' last='Kieffer'] - 3rd team All-State last year. Explosive guard. All-Tournament selection at State Tourney. [player_tooltip player_id='2075359' first='Simon' last='Kieffer'] - HM All-State last year. 61 threes last year. All-Tournament at State Tourney. [player_tooltip player_id='2316502' first='Aiden' last='Roberts'] - Tough and gritty guard, elite defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2682835' first='Wes' last='Schlabach'] - Great athlete. Physical and versatile. Will be an x-factor for us if we want to make some noise this year."   PHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2132570' first='Sullivan' last='Kieffer'] a 6'1” sophomore guard. Sully is a talented young player who we are expecting great things from. He had a nice summer playing for a [program_tooltip program_id='2222672' first='Sanford' last='Sports Academy'] team and we expect him to be a contributor for us. Good defender and ballhandler. He is the younger brother of Benson and has an older sister who plays at the University of South Dakota."   "[player_tooltip player_id='2387867' first='Peyton' last='Glenn'] a 6'2' sophomore guard. Peyton hit a growth spurt this summer and had a really nice summer at our team camps and in AAU ball. He is one of our best shooters and also developed his game off the ball. I think Peyton can be a factor for us this year in our rotation."   "[player_tooltip player_id='2250563' first='Henry' last='Koppmann'] a 6'6” sophomore forward. Henry is long and is also skilled. He can really run the floor for his size and he also can stretch the floor with his shooting. If he can continue to improve his defense and rebounding he can be a factor for us this year."   "[player_tooltip player_id='2523159' first='Joaquin' last='Petrik'] a 5'9” junior guard. Joaquin can really shoot the ball. He had a really nice JV season for us last year and had a real good summer. We are hopeful he can be an impact player for us in the future."   "[player_tooltip player_id='2075355' first='Lars' last='Kieffer'] - 5'10” junior guard. Lars is a very good all-around athlete who has had a lot of success in football and baseball. Lars is very good defender for us on the basketball floor and a tough and gritty competitor. He does a lot of things that help you win games."   PHD: Who do you think will be your best rebounders?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1761812' first='Julius' last='Frog'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2682835' first='Wes' last='Schlabach'] are two of our best rebounders. Julius is 6'5” and is long. He has been our leading rebounder for the past couple of years. [player_tooltip player_id='2682835' first='Wes' last='Schlabach'] is a very good rebounder at 6'2” and plays physically. [player_tooltip player_id='2562384' first='Judah' last='Hoyt'] is another player that I feel will come in off the bench and really rebound on both ends of the floor for us. I also feel our guards are pretty underrated as well as rebounders and they are athletic and scrappy and not afraid to stick their nose in there and get boards."   PHD: What are your team goals this year?   "We would like to defend our Black Hills Conference Title again this year. We also would like to get back to the Class A State Tournament for a 2nd year in a row. Lastly, we want to contend for a State Championship this season."   PHD: Who will be your hardest worker?   "We have a number of kids who would vie for the title of hardest worker. We are blessed with a group of kids that play very hard and are tough and gritty. We are not that big, so we have to be that way in order to compete."   PHD: Who are the top teams & players in your local area?   "Our Black Hills Conference and our Region will be very solid this year. Probably as competitive as I have ever seen it in my 11 years of coaching here. Some of the top teams in our Conference will be us, Custer, St Thomas More, Hill City, Spearfish, Sturgis, and Mahpiya Luta. Some of the top teams in our Region 8 will be us, Custer, St. Thomas More, and Hill City."   "I consider some of the top players in our Conference and Region to be: [player_tooltip player_id='1407000' first='Devin' last='Buehler'] - Hill City, [player_tooltip player_id='1641568' first='Wyatt' last='Gylten'] - St. Thomas More, [player_tooltip player_id='2250297' first='Baron' last='Slusarski'] - St. Thomas More, [player_tooltip player_id='1406999' first='Kyle' last='Virtue'] - Custer, [player_tooltip player_id='1406986' first='Rhett' last='Lowe'] - Custer, [player_tooltip player_id='1342103' first='Ryan' last='Heinert'] - Sturgis, [player_tooltip player_id='1761812' first='Julius' last='Frog'] - RC Christian, [player_tooltip player_id='1503881' first='Benson' last='Kieffer'] - RC Christian, [player_tooltip player_id='2075359' first='Simon' last='Kieffer'] - RC Christian, [player_tooltip player_id='2623193' first='Braylon' last='Little'] - Mahpiya Luta, Aiden Janis - Hot Springs, Dylan Doren - Spearfish, [player_tooltip player_id='2344085' first='Bennett' last='Kortan'] - Spearfish."   PHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "We will have a tough schedule this year. Our Black Hills Conference games will be very tough, as well as matchups against Sioux Falls Christian and Rapid City Stevens. We will again travel to Bismarck, ND to play Dickinson Trinity and Shiloh Christian at the New Year's Invite and will also go to two prestigious Classics at the Corn Palace - the Hanson Classic and the DWU Classic. We also will begin the year at the annual Lakota Nation Invitational tournament in December, where we are the # 1 seed entering the tourney. We will really have to be ready to play night in and night out this season. I am excited for the group we have returning. We have 5 very veteran seniors and some younger players that have been waiting for the opportunity to contribute at the varsity level. We will have some high expectations coming into this season and that is exciting. We will need to focus on controlling our controllables and on getting better each and every day. We will need to put the pieces together, see what we can become, and enjoy the journey."   BEST OF LUCK TO THE COMETS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/Preview-crop-823x540-1688699564-crop-746x490-1700852708.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/Preview-crop-823x540-1688699564-crop-746x490-1700852708.jpg?w=745" alt="" class="wp-image-2280782" style="width:217px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/WASHburnCardinal.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/WASHburnCardinal.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2683062" style="width:233px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Program: Washburn   Mascot: Cardinals   Head Coach: Josh Sharp   Class: B   Region: 4   District: 8   2023-24 Stats   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_0c023f.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_0c023f.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2683064" /></a></figure>   Players to Watch   Comments from Coach Sharp   [player_tooltip player_id='1632628' first='Parker' last='Jacobson'] - 6'2", G, Junior   "He is one of if not the top 3pt shooter in state at any level. He has drastically improved his defense. He showed it last year but has become a complete 3-level scorer. He will be expected to take another step both offensively and defensively with the graduation of Alex, which I expect he will."   [player_tooltip player_id='1892735' first='Jack' last='Retterath'] - 5'11", PG, Senior   "He is our spark plug both offensively and defensively. He has become a great finisher around the basket. He always seems to make the right decision. He did a great job raising his efficiency last season and I expect it to only get better this year. Between him and Parker they will be our offensive facilitators."   [player_tooltip player_id='1542352' first='Ethan' last='Retterath'] - 6'2", F, Soph   "Ethan has been playing varsity since 8th grade. He has been tasked a lot of times with guarding the teams top offensive threat, even as an 8th grader. He has never backed down from a challenge. We will really look at him to clean up the boards for us as well as becoming an efficient scorer."   Charlie Sannes - 5'9", G, Senior   "I am really glad to have him back. He brings a lot of effort and hustle to our team. Along with added depth at the guard position for us."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_a5323d.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_a5323d.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2683068" style="width:196px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Josh Sharp   PHD: Could you write a couple of sentences summing up last season?   "Last season we accomplished one of our goals we set every year and that is improve upon the previous season. We were able to do this by finishing third in the Region and qualifying for the state play-in game. It was a great experience for the team. We went through some adversity but I thought the boys did a great rebounding from it and accomplishing what they needed to do."   PHD: Does your program/team have any non-negotiables?   "We never quit, never satisfied, never look at the scoreboard - NEVER FINISHED"   PHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?   "Everything we do is predicated on ball pressure. We will be relentless for 32 minutes. Our goal is to make teams fear playing us no matter how good they are."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler this year?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1892735' first='Jack' last='Retterath'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1632628' first='Parker' last='Jacobson'] will be our primary facilitators. We have some other guys who will be groomed into this role as the season progresses."   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We focus on skill development in the offseason. We focused on improving our shooting and ball handling. We also talk every offseason about the need to get bigger, faster, and stronger."   PHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1632628' first='Parker' last='Jacobson'] - He has been 2-year All-Region player. Great shooter. Works extremely hard. We will really look to him to fill stat categories. I feel he will take another step forward and move from being considered one of the best players in our region to being considered one of the best class B players in the state."   "[player_tooltip player_id='1892735' first='Jack' last='Retterath'] - Has been our starting point guard since he was a sophomore. Has improved every year. Really feel he will take that next step and be one of the top players in the Region."   "[player_tooltip player_id='1542352' first='Ethan' last='Retterath'] - Has been a varsity contributor/starter since he was an 8th grader. He has the potential to be a 3-level scorer. He is already one of if not the top defenders in the Region."    PHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out?   "Overall, I am very excited for my sophomore group. We have a lot of kids who will be pushing for varsity minutes from this group. We will just have to see who earns their spot."    PHD: Who do you think will be your best rebounders?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1542352' first='Ethan' last='Retterath'] - His size and athleticism."   PHD: What are your team goals this year?   "We always say we need to get better each day. We need to peak in March. We don't say how much better we have to be, just that we get better each day. We also say we want to improve upon the previous season."   PHD: Who will be your hardest worker?   "I am fortunate to have a number of guys I could say for this. So I will refrain from saying just one."   PHD: Who are the top teams & players in your Region?   "Wilton is the top team in our Region. They return everyone along with 4 all-district and 3 all-region players. Central Mclean will be tough in our District, especially with the addition of the big ([player_tooltip player_id='2638409' first='Sam' last='Benson']). Garrison is always tough and Little Hail is probably the front runner for senior athlete of the year in the District and Region. White Shield will be a tough out. The twins ([player_tooltip player_id='2417963' first='Keethon' last='Demarce'] & [player_tooltip player_id='2417948' first='Daceton' last='Demarce']) are really good and [player_tooltip player_id='2271350' first='Landen' last='Felix'] adds lenght. Glen Ulin and Flasher are well-coached. They will be a problem come tournament time. Bowman is a wild card. I think they will be tough. I know they graduated a lot of seniors and two all-state players but they return a lot of seniors."   PHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "I am just really excited because I think the Region is a little more open because other than Wilton, everyone lost a lot of key components. There should be some very competitive games and the Region Tournament should be very fun and unpredictable."   BEST OF LUCK TO THE CARDS!!   <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>

Prep Hoops Dakotas has two more Team Previews!