Summer Notes: ND/SD Ballers To Watch

Another offseason is in the books, and it left us with plenty of notes to share. Across North Dakota and South Dakota, we saw underclassmen and upperclassmen, from big schools and small towns alike, put together summers worth talking about. Whether we caught them in person, broke down their film, or heard positive reports from coaches across the region, these are the names that kept coming up for the right reasons.   In this article, we're rounding up a mix of standouts from both states who put in the work and backed it up on the floor. Keep an eye on these names, because if this summer was any indication, they're primed for a big winter.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/NDSD.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/NDSD.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2950876" style="width:344px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Summer Notes: Ballers To Watch    Brodina had a standout summer putting in time on his own, hooping with his high school squad, and running in club ball. Ben looked tough with Pack. He continues to work individually on his game in the gym and in the driveway; the skills are just getting sharper. Brodina is also spending time improving his strength and speed.     Bryce had a very strong summer. He is flush with versatility; Miller impacts the game in multiple ways. He handles the rock, makes plays for others, scores from every level, and defends with tenacity. Miller is starting to put it all together and become a complete player.     Yes, he is young, but the talent and skills are absolutely there. Carter played for the Niners this club season. He showed that he can score with ease; he went off for multiple 30+ point games over the summer. Ogle could very well be one of the best shooters on the Castlewood team this winter.     Carter has put in another solid summer of work. He played valuable varsity minutes last season and worked hard this offseason to get stronger and become a more efficient finisher around the rim. Gronwold loves to play ball and looks ready for a bigger role this season with the talented Vikings.     Thompson is originally from Mandan, but is at WF Sheyenne now. Thompson stepped into the starting lineup for NLBA in the second half of the club season and averaged 7 assists per game. He sees the floor well and finds the open man. Chris was a constant pest on defense and racked up the steals. He was a vocal leader for NLBA, played with fire, and played like a floor general.     Connor played well this summer and is ready to be a real player for the Aggies. Bernhoft scored big buckets and showed off his potential. His ball handling has improved a ton and he has had shining moments as an iso-player. Connor looks good getting to the rim and knocking down mid-range jumpers. This kid certainly has potential.     Dykema had a strong offseason and showed off his potential. Garin is one of the most athletic players in the ND 2029 Class. He is also a smart/heady ball player. Dykema's best strength is his rebounding. All spring and summer, Garin proved that he is a beast on the glass.     Gilby looked really good this summer. Jack shot the 3-ball at a very high level. His strength and explosiveness going to the rim are as good as you will see in Class A this winter. Gilbertson is an ultra-tough matchup because of his size, strength, and skill.     Reports for Four Winds are that Lohnes had a GREAT summer of basketball. Joran extended and upgraded his offensive game. He has become a major inside and outside scoring threat. He is smart and capable about finding/exploiting mismatches. 4Winds is back in Class B, Lohnes is expected to have a big senior season.     Young? Yes! Talented? Yes! Bright future? Yes! Room to grow? Absolutely.   Schweitzer transformed into a deadly 3-point shooting point guard throughout the summer. Luke's shooting percentage more than doubled as the season went on; he ended up leading his Warwick team in 3-point percentage for the last month. Luke showed fantastic PG leadership. He hit many big/clutch shots throughout the year; he also drained a game-winning shot to end the season in a Championship game.     Everson looked good this summer. He is an all-around player for the Warriors. On offense, he has a quick first step and gets to the basket on the regular. Trevor is known as a high-energy player and an all-out defender. A big year is loading for Castlewood and Mr. Everson.     Winter has always been the perfect teammate and that was evident this summer. Winters brings energy, always shows up and is reliable, is a great leader, and always lifts up his teammates. Zaedyn put in crazy hard work in the gym this summer. His jump-shot is more consistent and he is becoming a floor general as he runs the offense. Winters does good work by putting his teammates in spots to be successful. Zaedyn has always been a scrappy defender, now he will get the chance to showcase his game and skills on both sides of the ball. Winters and [player_tooltip player_id='2848944' first='Talton' last='Hawk'] will be influential on getting the Thorpes back to the State Tournament.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><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" /></a></figure>

Another offseason is in the books, and it left us with plenty of notes to share. Across North Dakota and South Dakota, we saw underclassmen and upperclassmen, from big schools and small towns alike, put together summers worth talking about. Whether we caught them in person, broke down their film, or heard positive reports from coaches across the region, these are the names that kept coming up for the right reasons.