Club Basketball Superlatives

<!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"19px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:19px">The club basketball season has officially wrapped, and what a ride it was! From packed gyms and high-flying highlights to breakout stars and unforgettable moments, this spring and summer delivered everything we love about grassroots hoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"19px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:19px">To close it all out, <strong>Prep Hoops Dakotas (PHD)</strong> is taking a different spin—going <em>Yearbook Style</em>! Just like flipping through those end-of-year pages in school, we're handing out superlatives to some of the standouts from the AAU season. Think of it as a fun way to celebrate the players who left their mark, whether it was with jaw-dropping plays, relentless hustle, cleaning up the boards, or dropping dimes, anything to keep the team rolling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"19px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:19px">Who was an <em>O-Board Beast</em>, <em>Biggest Spark Plug</em>, or <em>Prettiest Passer</em>? We've got the titles, the names, and a few quick notes on why they earned the nod.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"19px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:19px">Let's have some fun with it—here are your <strong>Club Basketball Superlatives</strong> to cap off an amazing season!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1272514,"width":"165px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><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" style="width:165px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"25px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:25px"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Club Basketball Superlatives</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Most Athletic</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1950332' first='Justin' last='Bilal'] - Long and rangy, moves extremely well. Bilal can jump out of the gym, he gets above the rim in a hurry. Justin makes dunking look easy, but he still rocks the rim. He throws down impressively in a variety of ways. I watched Bilal live at Prep Hoops 2K25 and he showed out with several eye-catching slams. You do not find many athlete like Bilal in the Dakotas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Pure Scorer</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1384718' first='Marvin' last='Richard III'] - I have only said this about one other ball player in the Dakotas, watching MR3 hoop is like seeing poetry in motion. The other guy, I said that about hoops for West Virginia. MR3 is a scoring machine; he proved that in high school ball and this summer. We saw it first-hand and Marv was amazing. Watch the highlight film from 2K25 and you will quickly know what I mean.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Highest Potential</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1467166' first='Blake' last='Ellwein'] - If you pay attention to high school and/club hoops, you know the name Ellwein. The talented baller from Huron has the length, skills, smarts, mobility, and versatility to be a special player in college ball. Get ready for a special senior season from Mr. Ellwein.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Most Improved</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1531066' first='Cameron' last='Wolf'] - I thought The Wolf looked good this winter but I was very impressed with his this summer. Cam is upgraded and improved in a large way! He brought a ton of value to the team with rim protection, interior defense, rebounding, and 3-level scoring. At 6'4", I think Wolf can hoop on the wing at the next-level and be a playmaker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Most Underrated</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1632632' first='Artie' last='Carlow'] Carlow had an outstanding season. He performed well all season long and had put up impressive numbers. Artie showed that he can put up points against elite athletes and score against tough competition. Artie puts up points from every level and is marvelously skilled. Carlow is also an underrated defender who can hold his own and get needed stops. A big senior season is coming for Artie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Best Shooter</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1541297' first='Kaiden' last='Peterson'] - He has sniper written all over him. Any time the ball leaves KK's hand, it looks like it is going in the hoop. He range runs deep and his shot is consistent. Peterson plays hard, spaces the floor well, reacts to the D, and he shoots a high percentage. You will be hard pressed to find a better shooter than this Hawk.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Midrange Maestro</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1559968' first='RaeShaun' last='Earl'] - Ray has a picture-perfect pull-up J. He is adept at changing directions and angles to create space for his middy. Earl is a smooth, fast, and a quick-twitch athlete. I like how he rises above the defender and pulls the trigger at its highest point. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Chairman of the Boards</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1466940' first='Colton' last='Smith'] - He crushed the boards on both offense and defense. Smith is smart/clever about reading the ball off the rim. This Kernel is strong enough to hold off the opposition and his toughness creates space. Smith hoops with confidence and determination. When the ball is coming off the rim and Colton is in the vicinity, it is going to be Mr. Smith's.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">O-Board Beast</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2054983' first='Drake' last='Mikkelsen'] - This Oriole is a different type of athlete. I have heard from many basketball guys that Drake is a beast on the boards. You can't box him out, his motor runs hot, he has a nose for the ball, and Mikkelsen is an explosive athlete. A couple of weeks ago I watched Drake take over a game with his offensive rebounding and put-back scores. Drake is a not a duck or and oriole, he is a BEAST.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Top Passer</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2237807' first='James' last='Schindler'] - I think of James as an old school PG who runs the show and stirs the offensive drink. He is a playmaker, an orchestrator, and a precision passer. He can make all the passes in the book and he delivers them with accuracy. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Prettiest Passer</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2417313' first='Blake' last='Bergstrom'] - Bergy and his Bearstail squad won 21 games this season. Much of that success can be credited to Blake's play at the PG spot and his passing. He makes the extra and easy pass often, but he can also drop beautiful dimes into tight windows. If you have watched Bergstrom then also know that Blake makes "wow" passes on the regular. The talented Jay makes accurate 1-handed passes L &amp; R, delivers perfect touch passes, will put zip on it when needed, and also throws behind-the-back dimes when the opportunity presents itself. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Top Scoring PG</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2076018' first='Connor' last='Mebius'] - Meebs is a sharpshooter from 3 and a deadeye from the T-line. He is great at coming off screens, reading the defense, and creating space off the dribble. Connor is smooth in catch-n-shoot situations and his step-back game is ridiculous. Give him an inch and Meebs is drilling the shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Mr. Muscle</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1539675' first='Nathan' last='Stevenson'] - Nate is strong like an ox, full of muscles, and powerful. He plays bigger than his height because of his strength. Stevenson finishes through contact on the regular, fights for rebounds, and plays tough defense. Do not mess with Mr. Muscle!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Clutch Performer</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2237722' first='Tanner' last='Kratcha'] - Proved himself as a true gamer. Tanner hit game-winning shots on multiple occasions and came up with clutch buckets down the stretch in tight games. Kratcha also played stifling defense and got stops late when SSA needed them. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Line King</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2909598' first='Trey' last='Hansen'] - Tanagers are renowned for their striking colors and Hansen is known for his impressive offensive talent. What I love about Trey's game is how often he gets to the free-throw line. He is smart, clever, aggressive, and has a knack for drawing fouls and making trips to the charity stripe. He did it all high school season and his frequent trips to the line this spring/summer did not go unnoticed. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Best ND 2029</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2442325' first='Ty' last='Barman'] - He played up in 15U but was still extremely dominant. Barman was a beast all club season and was named to multiple All-Tournament teams. Ty is physically mature as he did not look like a 2029 player out there in 15U games. Barman is aggressive, persistent, strong, and fearless. Despite being large and athletic, he makes skilled plays, hits perimeter jump shots, shares the ball, and have proved multiple times he is more than just an "athlete". Barman and Bearstail finished the club season with a 21-4 record and Ty averaged 17.9 ppg. The sky is the limit for this Ray Jay.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Best SD 2029</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2480721' first='Noah' last='Woods'] - He is an emerging star, but also improved his game over the season. Woods was one of the top players in all the events he participated in. He is long, athletic, versatile, takes high percentage shots, a natural born leader, and is an unselfish teammate. Noah understands his body and space on defense. His shooting and court confidence improved this summer. SSA Black also improved steadily, saw great success, and won many games. Woods is a player to watch with a bright future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Cat Burglar</span>: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1327797' first='Carter' last='Evanson'] - Easy$ is amazing at reading eyes and anticipating passes. I imagine that he would be an excellent FS in football. Carter picked off passes but also tipped passes, which he would recover, from there it usually ended in an eye-catching dunk. Easy$ also picked pockets often and stripped the ball with his sneaky hands. Carter is a thief, in a good way! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Top Teammate</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2237731' first='Nolan' last='Schmidt'] - You name it and Nolan does it for his team. He plays top-notch defense, passes like a smart PG, crashes the boards, sprints the court, and finishes efficiently. Schmidt has excellent body language, cheers his teammates on, and plays unselfish basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Jack-Of-All-Trades</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1651920' first='Owen' last='Terras'] - I like his game because he can take on any role. Little Larry can light it up from the arc, pass for profit, handle pressure, set effective screens, and hold his own on the boards. Terras is also a valuable defender who can take guards and posts. Owen plays good help-side defense and he has a high hoops IQ. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Lockdown D SD</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1641163' first='Teegan' last='Musser'] - He is full of versatility and flexibility on the defensive end of the floor. He can defend on the perimeter, wing, and inside. He moves his feet well to cut off slashers, contests shots on the arc, and is gifted as a shots blocker/rim protector. Musser is locked down on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Lockdown D ND</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1545213' first='Kenyatta' last='White'] - White is versatile on defense, he guards multiple positions with no problem. He is strong and moves well laterally. White is solid inside and out on D. He will guard anyone and do it without fear.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Swiss Army Knife</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2128940' first='Brant' last='Wassenaar'] - This Charger does it all on the court. Brant is a top-notch athlete with the skills to match. He scores in every way possible and he is a mismatch problem. He also gets it done on the defensive end. Brant is a Swiss Army Knife and a highly productive ball player. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Biggest Spark Plug</span>:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1541295' first='Haakon' last='Seymour'] - He will run through a brick wall to help the team and/or get the ball. Seymour is a hardworking player on both sides of the ball. He always brings the juice and he plays with "Packer Toughness".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2898438,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/PrepHoops.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/PrepHoops.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2898438" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->