22 PLAYMAKERS: ND & SD

In this piece, we are continuing our examination of PLAYMAKERS.   Traits of a PLAYMAKER: Creative, leader, floor general, distributor, athletic, hustler, visionary, unselfish, game-changer, impactful, timely, sets up others, solid screener, productive rebounder, controlling the tempo & flow, smart, clever/crafty, clear decision maker, court vision, precision passer, sharp skills, navigating the offense, creating turnovers on defense, valuing the basketball, rising to the occasion, communicating on both ends, ball pressure, hitting big shots, 3-point sniper, scoring in a variety of ways, efficient finisher, blocking shots, taking chargers, sharing the ball, putting up points in a hurry, flying up & down the court, and many more.   See below, we have 22 PLAYMAKERS from North Dakota and South Dakota.   Keep eyes on these ballers as the season plays out, they are primed for some splashy bball!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Playmakers_df8779.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Playmakers_df8779.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2757616" style="width:226px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1798696' first='Brayden' last='Steffens'] (2026) |6'1 G| Wahpeton   Steffens is Wahp's point guard and has one of the smoothest pull-up jumpers that Coach Ralph has ever seen. Combined with his ability to stroke the 3, his ability to get into the lane and finish at the rim or pull up and shoot a jumper make him a difficult player to guard. Brayden can break down defenders and will also dish to the post if he gets shut down. This Huskie is a playmaker!   [player_tooltip player_id='2344553' first='Caleb' last='Richmond'] (2026) |6'1 G| Wolsey-Wessington   He is a leader for the 10-3 Warbirds. Caleb can do a little bit of everything offensively. He creates for the Warbirds in the half-court by attacking the basket and extending the defense with his shooting. He is a quick & mobile athlete, a stat stuffer, and a playmaking lefty.   [player_tooltip player_id='2726169' first='Chaz' last='Vietor'] (2028) |6'8 C| Britton/Hecla   His length/size alone makes him a game-changer. Chaz is able to affect both ends of the court with his length. Defensively he sits in the middle of the Brave zone, affects passing lanes, and alters shots at the rim. On the offensive end, he has range and can shoot the three as well as mid-range jumpers. Vietor is developing inside and has become a legitimate threat in the paint. Chaz provides a tall target that his teammates can always find to get things set. He might be young, but Chaz is long, and he is a playmaker.   [player_tooltip player_id='1784724' first='Dawson' last='Getz'] (2025) |6'3 G| Pierre   This Gov is a deadeye from downtown. Getz has to be one of the top 3pt-snipers in SD, he is shooting a wildly impressive 48 3FG%! Dawson is a serious scoring threat and he is having a breakout season. In a game last week, he went 7/9 from beyond the arc and has had multiple 20+ point games this season. He scores the rock at all levels, gets a ton of attention, and still comes through for points. Getz has a sweet shooting stroke and he is smart about getting open/making himself available for looks. 16.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, and 1.3 apg.   [player_tooltip player_id='1167613' first='Eric' last='DeBoer'] (2025) |6'5 G| Fargo North   DeBoer is Mr. Steady! He can shoot it from deep, has unbelievable court vision, and he can post you up with many different types of mismatches. DeBoer has one of the highest basketball IQ's that coach Hoeg has ever been around. 18.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.6 spg, 46.2 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 73.7 FT%.   [player_tooltip player_id='2248504' first='Jace' last='Weekley'] (2025) |6'4 F| ORCS   Weekley is a tough matchup at 6'4". He is a crafty lefty who scores in a variety of ways. Jace is a very good shooter, a sneaky athlete who can get downhill, and he posts up extremely well for inside buckets. Jace has developed into an impressive all-around ball player.   [player_tooltip player_id='1892735' first='Jack' last='Retterath'] (2025) |5'11 G| Washburn   Jack is the floor general for the Cardinals. Retterath is a playmaker because he always makes the right decisions and knows where to get the ball. He knows what to do on the court without his coach telling him. Jack is leading the Cardinals in assists at 5 a game. He also just went over 300 career assists! As the PG, Retterath is a hard worker and he leads by example. Jack is a coachable player who is ready to make a post-season run this spring.   [player_tooltip player_id='2309400' first='Jaran' last='Reinhardt'] (2026) |6'4 G| Hazen   He is long and athletic. Jaran can score in bunches. He has the ability to attack the defender and score off the dribble with a pull-up, shooting 3's or in the post. Reinhardt is a mobile/agile player who has started handling the ball more and is turning into one of the top scorers in the Region. Jaran is a playmaker with a ton of potential. Reinhardt has a high basketball IQ and he does the little things to help the team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1641566' first='Jhace' last='Woods'] (2026) |6'3 G/F| Sioux Fall Washington   He is one of the elite athletes and top dunkers in all of South Dakota. If I was a betting man, I would say Woods has the best vertical in the state. Jhace is a lockdown defender who can shut down a variety of positions. We also have to mention that he is a ferocious shot-blocker. Jhace is a hard worker and an unselfish teammate. His perimeter shot continues to improve and he is a dynamic finisher at the cup.   [player_tooltip player_id='2132776' first='Keaton' last='Batke'] (2027) |6'2 G| Hazen   13 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg. He is a strong player who can not be guarded by just one defender. Keaton gets doubled often and he still produces. Batke is great at getting into the paint and making positive things happen. He has the ability to get to the rim to finish or find open teammates. Batke is a talented, skilled, and tough baller who puts up points from all levels. I like his confidence and finishing package.   [player_tooltip player_id='2309413' first='Kyle' last='Huseby'] (2025) |6'1 SF| Power Lake-Burke Central   He has a really quick first step and can get by most defenders. He also shoots 40% from the 3-point line, so he is a really tough guy to defend. Kyle can score at all 3 levels which usually opens up a lot of good shots for his teammates. Huseby brings a good work ethic to practice and it shows in the games. He is always wanting to get better and it brings the best out of his teammates as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1784725' first='Luke' last='Olson'] (2025) |5'11 G| Pierre   I really like his game, Olson is one of the elite PG's and playmakers in all of South Dakota. He is averaging 17 ppg, 6 rpg, 5 apg, and 3 spg against AA competition. Olson is a stat stuffer who makes everyone around him a better player. Earlier this week, Luke splashed 29 points against Aberdeen Central while shooting 11/14 from the field and 2/3 from 3. Olson can do it all on the court, the kid is a great athlete, with smarts, sharp skills, and All-State playmaking abilities.   [player_tooltip player_id='1167610' first='Matthew' last='Sem'] (2025) |6'1 G| Fargo North   He recently scored his 1,000th career point! Sem is a natural playmaker because of his freak athleticism. Matthew is starting to play much better basketball as of late. He can shoot the 3 or slash and attack the rack. He is slippery to stay in front of, is willing to take the big shots, and oozes confidence. 15.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3 apg, 1.5 spg.   [player_tooltip player_id='2237731' first='Nolan' last='Schmidt'] (2027) |6'2 G| ORCS   He is a playmaker on both offense and defense. Nolan sets the tone on D but is also a threat on the offensive end because of his ability to play multiple positions. He is a difficult matchup with his ability to attack downhill and play in the post. I admire his aggressiveness and strength, Schmidt is a powerful and efficient finisher. He is also very good in transition.   [player_tooltip player_id='2344564' first='Moshe' last='Richmond'] (2024) |6'3 F| Wolsey-Wessington   The Warbirds are having a quality season with a 10-3 record. Moshe is very explosive at both ends of the floor, he is ATHLETIC. Richmond creates a lot of turnovers on defense with his size and speed. Offensively he creates many baskets in transition. Richmond leads by example and makes everyone feel welcome/accepted. Moshe is a playmaker and a positive teammate.   [player_tooltip player_id='1632628' first='Parker' last='Jacobson'] (2026) |6'3 G| Washburn   Parker is averaging 25 points a game. He can score in a variety of ways. When the Cardinals need a bucket they get him the ball. He is also very unselfish as he is averaging 4.5 assists a game. Jacobson is a great leader, is coachable, and understands the game well. Do not forget, Parker is one of the premier 3-point shooters in North Dakota!   [player_tooltip player_id='1632697' first='Payten' last='Lindbo'] (2026) |6'0 G| ORCS   He is a left-handed flamethrower. Payten is shooting above 50% from three-point land on the season, which is incredibly impressive! He is not shooting one 3 a game either, he is a volume shooter and super accurate. Lindbo also has a smooth pull-up middy game. Payten is a playmaker because of his shooting prowess and sweet stroke.   [player_tooltip player_id='1952117' first='Preston' last='McFayden'] (2025) |6'2 G| Wagner   He is shooting and scoring the ball incredibly well all season. He is doubled and denied often but still finds a way to produce but he also moves the ball and sets up others for good looks. Preston has extended range that goes well beyond the 3-point arc. He is a big strong guard who can score at the rack, he also knocks down the mid-range jump shot consistently. He is a fun player to watch hoop and he can put on a show on the offensive end, this Red Raider is a playmaker.   [player_tooltip player_id='1184569' first='Treyton' last='Mauch'] (2025) |5'11 G| Wahpeton   Mauch is a playmaker on both ends of the floor. His defensive pressure has caused the Huskies opponents leading scorers to have a difficult time scoring. He also converts that defensive energy into points off turnovers. Treyton's explosive ability to drive and finish at the rim is another reason he's one of Wahp's top playmakers. Mauch has the ability to knock down the open shot along with getting to the rim and finishing.   [player_tooltip player_id='1959413' first='Wesley' last='Wittler'] (2026) |6'1 G| Sully Buttes   The Charges are off to a 7-3 start and Wittler is crushing it. He is averaging around 21 ppg, 10 rpg, and 4 apg, Wesley is a dawg. He is only a junior but he recently joined the 1K Club! Wesley is no stranger to splashy performances, he puts up points in a hurry and he stuffs the stat sheet. He is an excellent rebounder for a 6'1" G. Wittler's range never ends, has good feet, has a feathery shooting release, slashes R & L, is a master at changing speeds, is crafty like a high-paid artist, gets buckets off points off the catch & bounce, and is an acrobatic finisher. He got game.   [player_tooltip player_id='2496380' first='William' last='Richter'] (2026) |6'1 G| Britton-Hecla   Will is the primary ball handler for the Braves and he initiates the offense. He also runs the top of the zone defense and initiates the fast break. Richter has really improved his game from a mental standpoint and brings some stability to the entire team. Will is finding ways to get shots when the Braves need them, Britton-Hecla currently has a 7-4 record and Richter is having a rock-solid season.   [player_tooltip player_id='2237753' first='Wyatt' last='Weekley'] (2027) |6'2 G| ORCS   I am intrigued by his skill level, feel, and dynamic playmaking abilities. Wyatt has sharp basketball instincts. He is a tremendous scorer with unlimited range as a shooter with a quick & soft release. Wyatt has impressive moves when he is attacking the hoop, he is an elusive slasher. Weekley has also become a threat on the block with his post moves that continue to improve/develop. This kid can take over a game with his offensive prowess. Wyatt is a must-watch talent for the Knights.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Playmakers_df8779.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Playmakers_df8779.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2757616" /></a></figure>

In this piece, we are continuing our examination of PLAYMAKERS.