Q&A: Belle Fourche, Custer, Dupree

Practices are off and rolling in South Dakota and games will be starting before we know it. Reading these Team Previews will help pass the time and gear up for the season.   PHD is looking at 3 teams from West River!!   Take a look below for Previews of the Broncs, Wildcats, and Tigers. PHD is hitting you with info via Q&A style.   <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:307px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Program: Belle Fourche   Mascot: Bronc   Head Coach: Jim Martin   Class: A   Region: 8   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_f3e454.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_f3e454.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2683082" style="width:228px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Coach Martin   PHD: Who are your returning statistical leaders?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1394394' first='Jet' last='Jensen'], Sr Guard – 5'10, 15.5 ppg" "Isaac Voyles, Sr Forward – 6'1, 5.8 ppg" "[player_tooltip player_id='1902305' first='Sern' last='Weishaar'], Jr Guard – 6'0, 8.5 ppg"   PHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1394394' first='Jet' last='Jensen'], Sr Guard – 5'10, 15.5 ppg - excellent ball-handler and shooter" "Isaac Voyles, Sr Forward – 6'1, 5.8 ppg - excellent quickness and shooter; will really improve as the season progresses" "[player_tooltip player_id='1902305' first='Sern' last='Weishaar'], Jr Guard – 6'0, 8.5 ppg - excellent defender and scorer"   PHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?   "We have team quickness and will have to pressure the ball full court to be successful."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler this year?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1394394' first='Jet' last='Jensen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1902305' first='Sern' last='Weishaar'] will both play the 1 and 2 positions."   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "I was not hired until the end of July so we are making the most of our time before the actual start of the season."   PHD:  Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "Tatum Martin – Freshman, Noah Mailloux – Freshman, [player_tooltip player_id='1902281' first='JP' last='Jensen'] - Sophomore."   PHD: What are your team goals this year?   "To be competitive in every game and get better as the season progresses."   PHD: Who are the top teams in your Region?   "1. Rapid City Christian 2. St. Thomas More"   PHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "I am 74 and was brought back to coach again. I retired at 66 from teaching and coaching in Belle Fourche. I am getting to know the kids again and it will take some time to put everything together. We have great players coming up in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades. It will be fun to develop them into a top team in the Black Hills Conference."   GOOD LUCK TO THE BRONCS!!   <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:309px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Program: Custer   Mascot: Wildcat   Head Coach: Paul Kelley   Class: A   Region: 8   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_aa01c4.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_aa01c4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2683264" style="width:216px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Coach Kelley   PHD: What can you tell us about last season?   "We finished 14-8 last year and return 9 out of our top 10 including all five starters."   PHD: Who are your key returning players?   "Key returners are [player_tooltip player_id='1406999' first='Kyle' last='Virtue'] (6'4 Senior, 18 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='2075967' first='Kincade' last='Lehman'] (5'10 Senior, 11 ppg), [player_tooltip player_id='1406986' first='Rhett' last='Lowe'] (6'1 Senior, 9 ppg). Other key returners include [player_tooltip player_id='2100242' first='Roland' last='Sedlacek'] (6'5 Senior), [player_tooltip player_id='2565890' first='Cody' last='Dirkes'] (6'6 Senior), [player_tooltip player_id='2075797' first='Carter' last='Boyster'] (6'1 Senior), [player_tooltip player_id='2238342' first='Ayden' last='Petz'] (6'0 Senior), [player_tooltip player_id='2571551' first='Jackson' last='Wiles'] (6'0 Senior) and [player_tooltip player_id='1972178' first='Brady' last='Virtue'] (6'2 Junior)."   PHD: What will you do on defense?   "With our overall depth and team speed, we want to pressure the ball at all times. We will try to force teams to play to our tempo."   PHD: Can you tell us about a few of your top players?   "Our Seniors have played varsity together since they were freshmen. [player_tooltip player_id='1406986' first='Rhett' last='Lowe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1406999' first='Kyle' last='Virtue'] have started for us all four years. [player_tooltip player_id='1406986' first='Rhett' last='Lowe'] has been a steady point guard for us. He has a knack for finding the open man and is also capable of hitting the big shot. Kyle in some aspects serves as a point forward for us. His ability to score both in the paint and from the perimeter causes a number of team matchup difficulties. [player_tooltip player_id='2075967' first='Kincade' last='Lehman'] is an explosive player (State Champion in the Triple Jump). He has a quick first step and can finish at the rim."   PHD: Any last thoughts heading into the season?   "We have high expectations and goals this year. We know it won't be easy with the likes of Rapid City Christian, Pine Ridge, STM, Sioux Valley all on our schedule. However, we feel that we can compete with anyone and will hopefully be playing our best basketball by the end of the season."   GOOD LUCK TO THE WILDCATS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_18d66b.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_18d66b.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2683278" style="width:323px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Program: Dupree   Mascot: Tiger   Head Coach: Jeremy Meeks   Class: B   Region: 8   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_4956df.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/image_4956df.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2683323" /></a></figure>   With Coach Meeks   PHD: What can you tell us about last season?   "Last season was up and down we had 7 seniors. A couple were new kids. When they would play together they where unstoppable but we had trouble staying consistent.this year we are going to be a young team with only a couple of seniors, a big group of juniors with a handful of sophomores."   PHD: Do you have a player to watch for us?   "Brayden Smith is a returning starter who is a senior. I look for a big year for him last year he played as one of my post players but he can play pretty much any spot. Brayden averaged 4.9 points a game and averaged 2.2 rebounds a game."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler?   "Tre White Wolf will most likely be my primary point ballhandler he is a junior who started a few games for me last year. He does a good job of seeing the court. He missed a few games last year but still averaged 5 points a game and had 17 steals so he brings defensive too."   PHD: What type of basketball will you play?   "We lost a lot of height this year so we are going to have to use our quickness and speed."   PHD: Do you have any young up-n-comers to keep eyes on?   "I am looking forward to seeing what young guys will step up this year to help out. Brayden Smith will be my main interior player but I can use him wherever I need to."   PHD: What are your team goals?   "We always have the goal to make it to the SoDak 16 and to State but I think one big goal that I have for the team is for them to play as one unit."   PHD: Who will be the top team in your Region?   "I think Lemmon is going to be a tough team this year, they play very physical and know how to get the rebounds and are good shooters. But seems to me all the teams in our region come ready to play when we show up so I have a lot of respect for all the teams in our Region."   BEST OF LUCK TO THE TIGERS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><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" /></a></figure>

Practices are off and rolling in South Dakota and games will be starting before we know it. Reading these Team Previews will help pass the time and gear up for the season.