Saturday Standouts

Fargo, ND - Prep Hoops Dakotas was at the SHAC on NDSU's campus for the Class A & B State Qualifier games.   The winners from yesterday's games advance to their respective State Tournament. It was a fun day of basketball in Fargo. See below for standouts and Player Notes.   *I only watched the 4th quarter of the Wahp vs. 4Winds game, so we have Player Notes from the last 3 games of the day.   SCORES   Wahpeton 63 Fourd Winds-Minnewaukan 46   Thompson 58 Central Cass 36   Oakes 47 Midway-Minto 45   New Rockford-Sheyenne 55 LaMoure-Litchville-Marion 47   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/PlayerNotes.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/PlayerNotes.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2302277" style="width:344px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='2728364' first='Aiden' last='Lunski'] (2024) |6'1 SF| Midway-Minto   -7 points, 2/2 FT's, 1 triple   -Did all of his scoring in the first half   -Seemed to disappear in the 2nd half   -Scored the first points of the game for MM from the FT-line, 2/2   -Cashed a 3-ball from the right wing in the first quarter   -Poke-out steal in first half & also picked off a pass   -Steal late in pressure D when MM needed turnovers   [player_tooltip player_id='2052770' first='Beau' last='Thorpe'] (2027) |6'1 G| Oakes   -7 points, 1/2 FT's   -PG, ran the show for the twisters   -Nice length or a soph lead guard   -Very impressed with his pull-up game   -Got the D moving backwards, stopped on a dime, rose up & drilled the shot   -Another great middy in the 2nd half, 1-2 dribbles to get space, pull-up with perfect balance, money   -Steal in the 4th to take away a possession   [player_tooltip player_id='1165097' first='Ben' last='Gudajtes'] (2025) |6'1 G| Midway-Minto   -12 points, 0/2 FT's   -Lefty but showed that he can finish with his right   -Played hard, collected an O-board for an extra possession   -Reverse layup score from under the hoop, crafty finish   -Blocked a shot to erase a good look   -Penetrate & score, finish with R-hand   -Looked good cashing in a short pull-up J   [player_tooltip player_id='2270551' first='Bennett' last='Meier'] (2025) |6'3 F|   -9 points, 3/4 FT's   -Noteworthy athlete, runs/jumps/moves well   -O-board tip-in score, great timing & elevation   -Attacked the D and got to the FT-line multiple times   -Long wingspan   -Athletic O-board, fouled on putback & hit both FT's   -Impressive hangtime, went up & over the D for a shot, kissed it off the glass for 2 pts   -Slash & score in the 4th, important bucket, that helped take the lead back for the Rockets   -Blocked shot in the 4th, erased a good look, another perfectly timed play   [player_tooltip player_id='1725175' first='Brayan' last='Karlgaard'] (2025) |6'3 G| LLM   -17 points, 4/5 FT's, 3 triples   -Bank shot bucket for 2 points early in the game   -Aggressive on D & blocked a shot   -Catch & shoot corner three-pointer to end the first quarter   -Inside arc score, proved he is not just a shooter   -Cash money 3-ball in the 3rd   -Drilled another 3-pointer, high arcing & soft shot   -Fouled hard on 3-pointer in the 4th quarter, stepped up to the line and hit all 3   [player_tooltip player_id='2237767' first='Colby' last='Thielges'] (2027) |6'0 G| LLM   -18 points, 4 triples   -BLOB 3ball, he was the inbounder, passed it in, cut to the corner & connected, sharp execution   -Fluid & smooth triple in the 2nd Q   -Pull-up J from the FT-line, shooters touch roll   -3ball in the 3rd, pillowy-soft release   -Slash & score, lay-in finish, defense was draped all over him, tough score   -Another triple, this one in the 4th & it helped take the lead back into LLM's favor   [player_tooltip player_id='2270646' first='Easton' last='Benz'] (2026) |6'3 SF| NRS   -11 points, 3/4 FT's, 2 triples   -Hard working athlete, no question about that   -Three-pointer from the right wing in the 2nd Q   -Another three! This one from the left wing, back-to-back, did not know he could shoot like that   -Slash-n-score, running jump shot   -Looked good drawing contact & getting to the charity stripe   -Worked his tail off, does many things that do not show up in the stat sheet   -Defends & rebounded well   -Hustle plays   [player_tooltip player_id='1651914' first='Easton' last='Holland'] (2027) |6'4 F| Central Cass   -13 points, 3/4 FT's   -Southpaw who had a nice season for the young Squirrels   -Aggressive early in the game, shot 4 FT's in the 1st Q   -Slash-n-score to the basket, finished with his R-hand   -Penetrate deep into the paint, righty finish at the rack   -Poke-out steal on D, sneaky   -Likes to slash to the left but he can go right   -Another slash & score   -Shot fake, drive into the paint, weaved through traffic, beat the shot clock buzzer for the score   -Maneuvered his way to the basket, score at the cup with an impressive defender all over him   [player_tooltip player_id='1632742' first='Easton' last='Simon'] (2026) |6'0 G| NRS   -16 points, 2/4 FT's   -Lead guard, PG, floor leader, great handles, no problem alleviating pressure   -Shifty slash to the hoop, floater score   -Nice size, athletic rebounder, solid on defense   -Noteworthy elevation on his jump shot   -Gashed through traffic, lay-in score   -High-end hustle, putback bucket, love seeing a PG get after the boards   -15-foot pull-up J going to his left, impressive   -Monster scorer in the 4th, got downhill & finished in traffic   -Drove into the D, used a mini-stepback move to get a bit of space, hit it to push the lead up to 5   -PLAYMAKER   [player_tooltip player_id='2047813' first='Eddie' last='Garza'] (2025) |6'3 F| Oakes   -17 points, 1/1 FT's   -Strong, thick, well-put-together, moves well & is aggressive   -Point-blank bucket, 1st points of the game   -No problem finishing after/through contact   -AND1 finish, powerful, hit the FT for the 3pt play   -Productive on the glass   -Interior bucket, hard to stop this kid   -Showed a soft scoring touch in the paint   -Shot a high percentage, did not miss many   -Deep inside score again, efficient   -Slashed to the paint, create space, 2-points   -Good hands, versatile finisher, looked good scoring from all angles around the cup   Elijah Robinson (2026) |5'11 G| Midway-Minto   -16 points, 1/2 FT's, 3 triples   -7 points in the 4th quarter but he fouled out late in the game   -Making plays in 4th, looked like they might come back & steal the win, sad to see him pick up his 5th foul   -Fluid 3-pointer from the left corner, buttery soft   -Stealthy hands on D created a TO   -Steal on D, transition score, crafty   -Drove into the heart of the twister, drew attention, dropped a dime   -Catch-n-shoot 3ball from the right corner, took the lead back for MM   -Short jump shot on a BLOB from mid-paint, great cut to get open, took the lead for MM   -Drive to the rim, contorted his body, lefty lay-up with D glued to him, great take & score   -Showed off his range with a deep 3-pointer in the 4th Q   [player_tooltip player_id='1632700' first='Ezra' last='Robinson'] (2026) |5'11 G| Midway Minto   -7 points, 1/2 FT's   -5 of his points came in the 2nd half   -Sneaky slash through the Tornado defense, finish at the hoop   -Picked up a loose ball steal   -Fancy footwork score in transition, lefty score, showed off his agility & skill, impressive   -Tipped pass in the press D, steal for Mustangs   -Threw accurate 1-handed passes off the dribble, skilled player   [player_tooltip player_id='1705524' first='Gavin' last='Krogstad'] (2025) |6'4 F| Thompson   -22 points, 4/6 FT's   -By far the best I have seen him play   -He took over the game for stretches   -Fouled on the first possession of the game, went to the line & drilled both   -Strong inside score   -At the line again in the 1st, aggressive to the rack   -Inside catch-n-score, 1 dribble, short pull-up for 2   -Another interior bucket   -Very impressed with his cutting   -Pushed the pace in transition, uptempo score   -Getting the rim whenever he wanted, another point-blank bucket   -Strong take, shot fake, step-through score   -Good hands, caught a crisp pass, inside finish   -O-board putback to start the second half   -GREAT game, helped build the big lead, dominated   -Cut across the face of the D, caught, gathered, finished over a Squirrel   -Phenomenal performance   [player_tooltip player_id='1859912' first='Gunner' last='Thielges'] (2026) |6'1 G| LLM   -8 points   -Hard cut & catch, score, 1st points of the game   -Drive, draw the D help, kickout pass to a teammate for a 3-pointer   -Snatched an O-board over a Rocket   -Caught a laser pass on the block, lay-in score, impressive hands   -Another score around the hoop, soft kiss off the glass   -Drive, fake-spin to fool the D, drilled a 12-foot J for 2 points   [player_tooltip player_id='2052771' first='Jyles' last='Meier'] (2027) |6'5 PF| Oakes   -5 points, 1/4 FT's   -I had heard he was a player to watch, and Meier did not disappoint   -Large body, strong, physical, unselfish   -Rim & paint protector   -D was fronting, Jyles held them high, caught the pass, D help came, Meier quickly made the pass to a teammate on the backside   -Impressed with his awareness and reaction time to seal, catch, pass, all in the blink of an eye   -Caught on the block, another GREAT pass, dished to a cutting teammate on the backside, saw the double coming & made them pay   -Blocked/contested/altered shots   -Caught a pass near the basket, gathered himself, strong finish   -Did not put up crazy numbers but his size and passing were impressive for just a soph   [player_tooltip player_id='2749405' first='Kage' last='Walford'] (2025) |6'1 G| NRS   -17 points, 5 triples   -SHOOTER ALERT!   -Three-ball from the right wing as the shot clock sounded, that tied the game up at 7   -Showed his range with a deep 3-pointer in the 2Q   -Another catch-n-shoot triple, high arcing shot, confident from beyond the arc   -Calm, cool, and collected shooter   -Corner catch-n-shoot 3 in the 4th   -Clutch 3-ball in the 4th quarter   -Slash-n-score in the 4th, crucial score at an important time in the game   [player_tooltip player_id='1165392' first='Karter' last='Peterson'] (2025) |6'6 PF| Thompson   -17 points, 4/6 FT's, 1 triple   -Must have had a Double-Double, he was all over the boards   -Early O-board tip-in, showed off his nose for the ball, timing, and jumping   -Slash-n-score, could not be stopped on the way to the rim   -Contested body control finish, showed off the fancy feet   -Cut-n-score, diced up the CC defense   -Cleaning up the glass on the defensive side, helped limit CC to 1 shot   -Grabbed a rebound, went coast-to-coast, showed off his speed & dribbling in the open court   -Sharp assist to a cutting Hippen, good vision to see it developing   -Impressive offensive rebound in traffic, he was bigger/strong/faster than the Squirrels   -Cashed a 3-ball from the right wing   -Second chance points with an O-board tip in, bouncy play   -Another O-board putback, nifty move to create space   -Showed his muscle when grabbing an O-board over a Squirrel, fouled on the putback   -Force to be reckoned with   [player_tooltip player_id='2672466' first='Mason' last='Warcken'] (2027) |6'1 SF| LLM   -2 points   -First time seeing him play live, did not have a huge game but looked solid   -Aggressive player   -Tip steal to start the game   -Battled for rebounds   -Tipped O-boards, extra effort resulted in extra possessions for the Loboes   -Strong cut across the paint, catch & score at the hoop   -He will be a very solid player next season   [player_tooltip player_id='2800477' first='Roddek' last='Schmit'] (2025) |6'2 F| Oakes   -15 points, 1/1 FT's   -Blue collar worker   -Nose for the ball, knack for rebounding   -Offensive rebound in congested traffic, putback bucket   -Another O-board stickback   -Efficient around the hoop, doesn't waste dribbles   -Moved the ball, only attacked when he had an advantage   -More 2nd chance points, this one was late in the game when Oakes needed a score   -Rebounded with two Mustangs on him, twisted/turned and got the shot off somehow, AND1 +the FT, 3pt play   -That last offensive rebound & putback gave Oakes the lead   -He made momentous plays throughout the game   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/NDSDStandouts-crop-752x494-1656375136.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/NDSDStandouts-crop-752x494-1656375136.jpg?w=751" alt="" class="wp-image-1496316" /></a></figure>

Fargo, ND - Prep Hoops Dakotas was at the SHAC on NDSU's campus for the Class A & B State Qualifier games.