Wahpeton Huskies

Wahpeton enters the new season as one of the more intriguing teams in Class A, and there's a sense around Region 1 that the Huskies could make some real noise. Led by longtime head coach Jeff Ralph, a steady presence who has guided the program through just about every type of roster and every type of season, Wahpeton brings both experience and a clear identity into the winter. Ralph's teams are typically disciplined, tough, play scrappy defense, well prepared, and this group fits that mold once again.   The Huskies will lean heavily on the dynamic duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1798696' first='Brayden' last='Steffens'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2339217' first='Jack' last='Gilbertson'], two players who complement each other extremely well and form one of the top 1–2 punches in all of Class A. [player_tooltip player_id='2751295' first='Alex' last='Comings'] is a player to watch with nice length, the Huskies have high hopes. Together, they give Wahpeton a foundation that can compete with anyone in Region 1.   The Huskies may not be the deepest team in the state, but with seasoned coaching and two high-end leaders at the top of the lineup, the Huskies are built to be a factor in Region 1. If role players settle in quickly and the supporting cast grows around Steffens and Gilbertson, Wahpeton could be right in the mix as the postseason approaches.   Huskies To Watch   *Comments from Coach Ralph   [player_tooltip player_id='1798696' first='Brayden' last='Steffens'] 6'1” senior point guard   "Brayden will be our leader again this season on both ends of the floor. I've said for 2 years, he's got one of the best looking pull up jumpers in the high school game. His ability to get to the lane and either pull up or attack the rim make him difficult to guard. He's one of the top returning players in Division A."   [player_tooltip player_id='2339217' first='Jack' last='Gilbertson'] 6'1” sophomore guard   "Jack is a returning All-Region player that has expanded his range and explosiveness. Jack's ability to get to the rim and finish with contact have made him a great compliment to Brayden's game. He's also worked hard this offseason to expand his range out to the 3 point line making him even more difficult to guard. Jack's also one of our best defenders and he takes great pride in shutting guys down defensively."   [player_tooltip player_id='2751295' first='Alex' last='Comings'] 6'5” senior forward   "Alex's ability to protect the lane defensively and his ability to rebound all over the court make him a huge presence for our defense. Alex has also worked to improve his offensive production and you'll see him step out and shoot the 3 this season. Alex is still relatively new to basketball, but he's at the point now where he's more instinctual and is making plays on both ends."   [player_tooltip player_id='2335331' first='Carter' last='Hockert'] 6'0” senior guard   "Carter will be a player for us that will be called on to defend and get out and run in transition. Carter has good speed, and we're hoping to utilize that ability in transition. Carter is a streaky shooter and when he heats up, he'll knock down several 3's in a row."   [player_tooltip player_id='2237730' first='Aiden' last='Bontjes'] 6'3” junior guard   "Aiden missed a lot of last season with an injury and was finally getting back to where he felt good at the end of last season. We're expecting him to play a big role offensively for us with his midrange game and his ability to knock down open 3's. Aiden has worked hard to be a good defender and with his length, he'll be able to lock guys down."   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2508303" style="aspect-ratio:1.6019070321811681;width:184px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Jeff Ralph   PHD: Could you write a couple sentences summing up last season?   "We really had a nice season after the middle of January. After 9 games, we were 4-5 coming off consecutive losses to Breckenridge and a Hillsboro team that we beat before the new year by 23. Then we made a change to our lineup and had a huge change in our defensive and rebounding effort and from that point on we ended the season with a 7th place finish at State and ended the season at 17-11."   PHD: Does your program/team have any non-negotiables?   "We pride ourselves on being a good defensive/ball pressure team. On those nights that we don't shoot it well, we can always rely on our defense and rebounding. I think after those first 9 games last season, our guys really figured out that's how you win games."   PHD: What will your defense "hang its hat on"?   "Ball pressure and rebounding are our defensive keys. If we can force teams to take tough shots and rebound those misses, we feel like we've got a good chance to win every game. Effort and intensity defensively are huge for us."   PHD: How does this year's team differ from last year's?   "This team will be very different. We lost a lot of defensive pressure and size on the perimeter. We think we have the guys to replace them, but that remains to be seen. We're also not as big, so rebounding will be a big question for us early this season."   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "Our biggest improvement has been in our strength and explosiveness. We didn't play a lot of team camps, but our boys really hit the weight room and that's going to pay off over the course of a long season."   PHD: Who are some players you expect to take on expanded roles this season?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2751295' first='Alex' last='Comings'] will be stepping into a starting role for us in the post. He played sporadically last season and he'll be our anchor this year. [player_tooltip player_id='2573831' first='Treyton' last='King'], [player_tooltip player_id='2335331' first='Carter' last='Hockert'], [player_tooltip player_id='2237730' first='Aiden' last='Bontjes'], [player_tooltip player_id='2916229' first='Garnett' last='Anderson'] are all players that will be possibly looking at being a huge player for us this year. We have several guys that played very small roles last year and will be called upon to step in and contribute every night. Rylan Flack is a junior that could possibly step in and be a solid contributor. He's a good defender and has the ability to step out and knock down the 3."   PHD: Who are a few of your top defensive players?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2339217' first='Jack' last='Gilbertson'] is arguably our best defender. He's got a great nose for the ball and has great feet. [player_tooltip player_id='2335331' first='Carter' last='Hockert'] is another kid that's going to be asked to guard the best guard/forward on our opponent's team. [player_tooltip player_id='2751295' first='Alex' last='Comings'] in the middle of our defense will also be a guy that's going to have to defend well for us. He's very long and has great athleticism."   PHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "We have a pretty good sophomore class that's looking to make an impact this year and in the future. [player_tooltip player_id='2573831' first='Treyton' last='King'] is a forward that's going to be a player that's called on to defend/rebound and score for us at all 3 levels. [player_tooltip player_id='3182194' first='Karter' last='Oswalt'] is another kid that's still figuring it out but shows flashes of the player we need him to be. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2237730' first='Aiden' last='Bontjes'] is another kid that we're hoping will have a couple good years for us."   PHD: What style of play can fans expect on both ends of the floor?   "As always, hard-nosed defense and an attacking offense in transition. We've got very good guard play on both ends, so we're hoping our defense will lead to offense for us. We feel like we've got some guys that can shoot it well from the perimeter and that should open up the lane for some attacks on the rim."   PHD: Who do you think will be your best rebounders?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2751295' first='Alex' last='Comings'] will be our stopper in the lane. Along with [player_tooltip player_id='2573831' first='Treyton' last='King'], [player_tooltip player_id='2916229' first='Garnett' last='Anderson'] and Rylan Flack we should be pretty solid on the glass. All are long and good athletes."   PHD: What are your team goals this year?   "Of course, we'd like to win the region and have a clear shot at the State Tournament. As always, that's very difficult, but getting to the State Tournament is our #1 goal, no matter the route there. We'd also like to defend our home court and be solid on the road. Being a top 1-2 seed heading into the Region Tournament is another goal for our team."   PHD: Who are some of the top teams & players in your Region?   "Until someone knocks off Kindred, they are the team to beat. With a superstar like [player_tooltip player_id='1484338' first='Brooks' last='Bakko'], they will be a very tough team to beat. I think Central Cass will be very good in the Region. [player_tooltip player_id='1925132' first='Kash' last='Lorenz'] is a tough matchup with his shooting ability and quickness. [player_tooltip player_id='1651914' first='Easton' last='Holland'] will give them a solid forward threat inside and slashing to the basket. Oak Grove is another team that will be much improved this year and they have solid guard play too."   PHD: Can you tell us about an assistant coach?   "I'm blessed to have 4 great assistant coaches. Joe Keaveny has been involved with the boys basketball program for over 30 years and the work he puts into scouting and game preparation are immeasurable. He does a great job developing our players and he's also been a great mentor to our younger coaches. Casey Materi and Jordan Ralph do a great job with our JV and C squad and it's great having one of my sons coaching with me. We'll also have [player_tooltip player_id='1798698' first='Landon' last='Ralph'] on the bench this year since he's unable to play after his ACL surgery. He'll bring a different perspective to our discussions."   PHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "We're excited to get started and see what this team can do. We've got a strong non- conference schedule with Thompson, Four Winds, Kasson-Mantorville and Devils Lake before our first region one game. Those games will definitely help us prepare for the tough games in Region One."   <a href="https://ndhsaanow.com/teams/basketball-boys/173">CLICK HERE for Wahpeton's schedule</a>   BEST OF LUCK TO THE HUSKIES THIS SEASON!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/ClassABasketball.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/ClassABasketball.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-3178806" /></a></figure>

Wahpeton enters the new season as one of the more intriguing teams in Class A, and there's a sense around Region 1 that the Huskies could make some real noise. Led by longtime head coach Jeff Ralph, a steady presence who has guided the program through just about every type of roster and every type of season, Wahpeton brings both experience and a clear identity into the winter. Ralph's teams are typically disciplined, tough, play scrappy defense, well prepared, and this group fits that mold once again.