SSA 15U Black UA Rise: Season Review

Some teams are built on talent alone, but SSA 15U Black was built on something harder to find: genuine camaraderie. This was a group that loved being around each other off the court just as much as they loved competing on it, and that bond translated into real chemistry once the ball went up. Across 40 games and a summer that took them from Fargo to Georgia to the UA Rise circuit, this team consistently sought out the toughest competition instead of settling for the easy road, and more often than not, they answered the challenge.   There was growth throughout the year, from improved shot selection and patience on offense to a defensive identity that got tougher as the summer wore on. There were breakout performances, unexpected contributors, and a handful of players who took real strides in their games. There was also adversity, including a memorable comeback from a 19-point deficit that turned into a 20-point win, a reminder of just how much fight this group had when things weren't going their way.   In this Season Review, we're taking a full look back at what made this SSA 15U Black squad special, the growth, the chemistry, and the moments that defined a summer this team won't soon forget.   See below for player comments and an in-depth Q&A.   <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="width:271px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Player Comments via Coach Lund    "Plays really hard. Was great all summer long getting us extra possessions, getting steals, hawking ball-handlers, and getting to the rim. A GREAT crasher for his size. Will be a great asset to the Dickinson team this year."     "This kid is extremely coachable and played as hard as anyone on the roster. Defending, rebounding, and hustle plays are where Paxton excelled all summer long. His 3-point shooting and hustle will be something that Breck will benefit from come this Winter."   -5'9", Breckenridge High School     "Really quick first step. Cole was a great scorer for this team all summer long. Kept defenders honest with his ability to hit outside shots and really could keep everyone in front defensively. He has a great chance to be a main scoring option and point guard for Sheyenne this coming year."     "Zy had a great turnaround this summer. Really made a switch halfway through the summer, started getting to 2 feet and really finishing at the rim. Is great when he crashes the glass and can really get going from the 3-point line. He can really bring it defensively, really looking to see how the step this summer will help him with Sheyenne come school ball season."     "A great teammate. Brock can always keep things light and have fun. Great at getting downhill and having a variety of finishes at the rim. Brock is a solid guard who is really good when he gets going offensively and is big enough to guard 1-5 for Breck."     "Really good decision-maker for a 15U player. Nolan is good at getting to the basket and finishing around the rim. Can really guard on the defensive end and took criticism and coaching really well."     "Dan was the lone 8th grader we had this year but he didn't play like it. Great teammate, playing or not Dan had a great attitude. Really could get going from 3, dead-eye shooter with his feet set. Really long wing for the age group. Good at defending with length on drives to the basket. Looking at him taking a big step for Battle Lake next season."     "Payton took a massive step this summer. He came in as a great shooter from the 3-point line and turned into a PG and great on-ball defender able to move his feet and defend without using his hands. He really can rebound offensively as well and gave us plenty of extra possessions. Excited to see how he will fit into the Horace lineup next year."     "Tate made great strides all summer, not only in his focus and execution as the summer went on, but also in his ability to hit open 3s as well as rebound from an undersized position. Interested to see where the summer and fall workload will take him into the school ball season come winter."     "Quinn was our lone true 5 all summer long. He can shoot very well from the perimeter, but where he really excelled was on the block, rebounding, and scoring around the rim. Sheyenne will have no shortage of talent next year and Quinn will have a big opportunity ahead of him."    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2511663" style="width:247px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Colton Lund   PHD: What are some of your best memories from off the court? "Just the camaraderie of this team. One of the most together teams I have had. They really liked hanging out off the court and that led to great on-court chemistry. [player_tooltip player_id='2856719' first='Brock' last='Summerville'] was a big part of that, always keeping things light and making sure everyone was having fun. I really had fun coaching each kid individually and as a group it was a fun summer of travel ball!"   PHD: Can you tell us about a memorable play or game that really sticks out to you? "Down in Georgia, dropped a game we shouldn't have to a team from Atlanta and then bounced back and played one of the most complete games all summer against an undefeated Iowa Suns team at the top of our pool."   PHD: Who was your most improved player? "[player_tooltip player_id='2806968' first='Payton' last='Anderson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2447406' first='Zy' last='Messmer'] stick out to me as guys who added a whole other facet to their game through this summer. Payton started really turning up the on-ball defensive intensity and rebounding toward the second half of the year. Zy got better defensively on the ball as the year progressed as well and flipped the switch to adding 2-foot finishing on drives, which opened up a lot more scoring options for this team."   PHD: Who was your "go-to" player when you needed a basket? "[player_tooltip player_id='2489407' first='Cole' last='Martin'], good at getting to the rim and past defenders as well as setting up his teammates with open buckets; his speed and offensive IQ at the 15U level were able to create a lot of advantages for him and his teammates. [player_tooltip player_id='2806968' first='Payton' last='Anderson'], [player_tooltip player_id='3605913' first='Daniel' last='Kerzman'], & [player_tooltip player_id='2400957' first='Tate' last='Sunde'] were also good for an action for 3 when we needed one down the stretch."   PHD: How did the team improve from the start of the season to the end? "Really improved in our shot selection and patience as the season progressed. [player_tooltip player_id='2447406' first='Zy' last='Messmer'] was a great example, making a switch halfway through the summer and really starting to finish at the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='2884050' first='Nolan' last='Gladue'] took coaching as well as anyone on the roster and made smart decisions that helped us clean up our play. Learning from mistakes and focusing on execution were huge steps forward."   PHD: Who were a few of your hardest workers? This entire team worked hard all summer long grinding through, [player_tooltip player_id='2417324' first='Paxton' last='Yaggie'] shed the most blood and spent the most time on the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='2489407' first='Cole' last='Martin'], [player_tooltip player_id='2806968' first='Payton' last='Anderson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2399728' first='Beckett' last='Cranston'] were great this summer as well on-ball defense just outworking ball-handlers. But again to be fair this entire team gave it all they had this summer.   PHD: Can you talk about a time when the team overcame adversity? "Early in the year, getting down 19-0 to start the game against Crossfire and climbing all the way back to win by 20 in St. Cloud, just playing hard and playing together."   PHD: Who was your top post player? "[player_tooltip player_id='2389905' first='Quinn' last='Wells'] was our best post player. When patient on the block, he saw plenty of great looks at the rim and was also great at hitting open teammates out of the post. Quinn was great at playing on the block and getting great looks or getting to the free-throw line. He has a really nice post game when he is patient."   PHD: Who emerged as an unexpected contributor or breakout star? "[player_tooltip player_id='2417324' first='Paxton' last='Yaggie'], with his rebounding, was something I did not expect coming into the summer, but became consistent with who he was for this team. [player_tooltip player_id='2489407' first='Cole' last='Martin'] solidified his position of being able to score with the best of the 15U kids around the country this summer on the UA circuit. [player_tooltip player_id='2399728' first='Beckett' last='Cranston'] was able to get more steals and extra possessions for us than I expected."    PHD: Were there any memorable buzzer-beaters, upsets, or clutch performances? "A couple of memorable moments from the summer would be [player_tooltip player_id='2400957' first='Tate' last='Sunde']'s 7-8 threes down in Georgia, [player_tooltip player_id='3605913' first='Daniel' last='Kerzman'] 20+ point first half in Sioux Falls, and the games down in Georgia. The best memory from this team this summer is all the fun we had. From winning the 16U division in the Fargo tourney to making the final four teams the first weekend in St. Cloud, traveling across the country and beating teams from all over, getting 4th in our UA Rise pool, these guys showed up and earned everything this summer with their play. Consistently putting themselves in opportunities to play the best competition at these events instead of playing the back end of brackets."   PHD: What lessons from this season go beyond basketball? "Leading by example, the power of team positivity when the ball doesn't bounce our way and what goal-setting looks like at the 15U level, getting ready to attack opportunities this Winter."   PHD: Any last comments? "Very fortunate to coach such a great group of kids that truly love basketball this summer. Every single guy on this roster made this team what it was, and I genuinely enjoyed coaching each of them. This group played 40 games all summer long and showed up competing in all of them. Whether you were scoring 20, diving on the floor for a loose ball, or attempting to take the first charge of your career! Every kid had a role and every kid mattered to this team. Looking forward to watching everyone's journey as the next year progresses!"   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/IMG_1704.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/IMG_1704.png?w=225" alt="" class="wp-image-2836390" /></a></figure>

Some teams are built on talent alone, but SSA 15U Black was built on something harder to find: genuine camaraderie. This was a group that loved being around each other off the court just as much as they loved competing on it, and that bond translated into real chemistry once the ball went up. Across 40 games and a summer that took them from Fargo to Georgia to the UA Rise circuit, this team consistently sought out the toughest competition instead of settling for the easy road, and more often than not, they answered the challenge.