MOPO Tigers: Staying Hungry

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Mobridge-Pollock Tigers wrapped up the 2025–26 season with a solid 13–9 record, falling just short in the SoDak Qualifier—but not without leaving a strong impression. This was a group that competed, grew, and showed flashes of what's to come under the leadership of head coach TJ Knudson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Knudson brings a sharp basketball mind, a passion for the game, and a commitment to putting in the time—and it shows in how his team plays. The Tigers were scrappy, competitive, and continued to show promise, laying a strong foundation for the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's a lot to like about this group. With several talented pieces returning and a core that gained valuable experience, Mobridge-Pollock is a team that will be tough to deal with moving forward. The hunger is there—and that's what makes this group dangerous. Expect the Tigers to stay on the prowl all offseason as they gear up for an even stronger run next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But before turning the page to 2026–27, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate what this team accomplished. In this season review, we break down team stats, highlight player numbers, and dive into an insightful Q&amp;A with Coach Knudson to get a deeper look inside the program.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1842251,"width":"195px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"1.6019184652278178","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/SeaonReview-.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/SeaonReview-.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1842251" style="aspect-ratio:1.6019184652278178;width:195px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3586303,"width":"227px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/mobridgetigers-crop-1170x769-1775779572.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/mobridgetigers-crop-1170x769-1775779572.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-3586303" style="width:227px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Team Stats</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PPG: </strong>58 <strong>OPPG:</strong> 53 <strong>ORPG: </strong>10.5 <strong>RPG:</strong> 32.9 <strong>APG: </strong>11.8 <strong>SPG:</strong> 8.9 <strong>BPG:</strong> 2.5 <strong>CPG: </strong>1.1 <strong>FG%:</strong> 40.6 <strong>eFG%:</strong> 46.1 <strong>3FG%:</strong> 28 <strong>FT%:</strong> 59.1 <strong>3FGMPG:</strong> 5.9 <strong>FTMPG:</strong> 7.8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Statistical Leaders</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2545321' first='Trueth' last='Crow Ghost'] - 22 gp, 66. ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 51 FG%</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1551737' first='Easton' last='Eisemann'] - 22 gp, 8.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 38.3 FG% </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2362037' first='Shooter' last='Frederick'] - 22 gp, 14.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 38 FG%</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3148544' first='Jesse' last='Schneider'] - 22 gp, 5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .5 apg, 40 FG%</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1551734' first='Kale' last='Knudson'] - 20 gp 13.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.1 apg, 50.2 FG%</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaden Kuehl - 19 gp, 1.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, .3 apg, 50 FG%</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2508303,"width":"208px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"1.6019567876070118","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <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:1.6019567876070118;width:208px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"30px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:30px"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">With TJ Knudson</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: How would you sum up the season for your squad?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>Individual and team improvement.&nbsp;We worked hard throughout the season to become a better team.&nbsp;I'm proud of our effort, attitude, and daily energy.&nbsp;We didn't achieve our goal of making it to the State Tournament, but feel like this team was one of my top teams I've ever coached. I love how they have fun, are great teammates, and love to compete.&nbsp;This group didn't lack confidence and toughness. It will be fun to see what they can accomplish in the summer and next year.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who was your most improved player?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>[player_tooltip player_id='2545321' first='Trueth' last='Crow Ghost'] was voted as our Most Improved Varsity Player.&nbsp;He also won our Mr. Hustle award, Sixth Man, and best Free throw %.&nbsp;He put in a lot of hard work in the off-season.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who were a few of your hardest workers?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>[player_tooltip player_id='1551734' first='Kale' last='Knudson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2545321' first='Trueth' last='Crow Ghost'].&nbsp;Kale was voted for by his teammates as our MVP.&nbsp;He also won Most Steals and Mr. Assist.&nbsp;Trueth won the above awards and also got multiple comments throughout the season for effort on the court.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Who was your best defensive player?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>[player_tooltip player_id='1551737' first='Easton' last='Eisemann'] was voted Defensive Player of the Year by his teammates.&nbsp;He did a great job guarding many top athletes on our schedule.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Were there any memorable buzzer-beaters, upsets, or clutch performances?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>[player_tooltip player_id='2362037' first='Shooter' last='Frederick'] had 36 against Todd County and 26 against Lemmon. Kale had 27 against Wagner and 25 against Dell Rapids.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: What lessons from this season go beyond basketball?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>Our team has voted to use the moto: "Skills, Strength and Consistency" to keep us determined during the summer.&nbsp;We are going to focus on basketball skills, weight room strength, and raising our overall consistency in a variety of individual and team areas.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PHD: Any last comments/thoughts on the season?</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"<em>We didn't play our best basketball in the postseason. We will be happy to bring everyone who contributed to our success back next year.</em>"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontStyle":"italic","fontWeight":"1000"}},"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:italic;font-weight:1000">BEST OF LUCK TO THE TIGERS THIS OFF-SEASON!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3586308,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/IMG_1191.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/IMG_1191.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-3586308" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tiger Hoops</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->