Previews: Beresford & Lisbon

Prep Hoops Dakotas has two Team Previews for you today. We are covering both North Dakota and South Dakota.   Take a look at the Watchdogs from Beresford and the Broncos from Lisbon.   High school hoops are on the brink of starting in ND & SD!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_c4c53c.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_c4c53c.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2640623" style="width:206px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_4d063c.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_4d063c.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2640624" style="width:188px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   School: Beresford   Mascot: Watchdog   Head Coach: Ben Short   Class: A   Region: 4   2023-24 Record: 9-12   Players to Watch   [player_tooltip player_id='2623185' first='Aidan' last='Hamm'], 5'11 Senior, Guard - 10.9 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg, 38.3 FG%, 42.2 eFG%   [player_tooltip player_id='1641198' first='Malachi' last='James'], 6'2 Junior, Guard - 11.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 43.2 FG%, 48.6 eFG%   [player_tooltip player_id='1641212' first='Tiegen' last='Nyhaug'], 6'4 Junior, Guard - 6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 33.3 FG%, 45.1 eFG%   Joseph Sharpe, 6'8 Senior, Center - .9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1 apg, 66.7 FG%, 66.7 eFG%   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_3ca486.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_3ca486.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2640635" style="width:279px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Coach Ben Short   PHD: How would you sum up last season?   "Looking back at last season, I realize that the program has learned a lot of valuable lessons. We had very high expectations and were faced with adversity at every turn. Between illnesses and untimely injuries, the program was forced to put younger players into roles that were slightly ahead of schedule to our liking as a coaching staff—saying that the guys never once quit. Our senior leadership last season was tremendous on and off the court. The underclassmen showed a willingness to be coached and, because of that, grew tremendously as basketball players. With that no-excuse, never-quit attitude, our guys came together as a team, and we hope to continue to build off that this season."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler this year?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2623185' first='Aidan' last='Hamm'], 5'10, Senior, Guard. Aidan is a three-year starter and will be called upon to lead us this season. His game experience, intensity, and grit always show up on film, and opposing coaches constantly mention his name after the game about how fiery he plays the game. As a point guard, those traits are contagious, especially when your mighty mouse sets the tone for the rest of your team!"   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "The off-season went well. The program did several team camps. Participated in Summer Jam every week at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls. We have several guys this year who will play vital roles on the Varsity squad and are great athletes; the playing time they got this summer hopes to be huge for their in-game experience against other high-level varsity teams this winter."   PHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for, and why?   [player_tooltip player_id='1641198' first='Malachi' last='James'], 6'2 Junior, Guard   "This is the 4th season that Malachi has played up at the high school level for our program. Chi has big aspirations in terms of athletics. Malachi is a freak athlete who can elevate above the rim and defend any offensive player in the state at an elite level. Malachi can potentially be an All-State caliber player, especially after becoming an All-State nomination on the gridiron this fall. He's worked on the court and in the weight room. I know he is biting at the bit to get the season started."   [player_tooltip player_id='1641212' first='Tiegen' last='Nyhaug'], 6'4 Junior, Guard   "Tiegen, like Malachi, has been part of the high school program for four years. Tiegen has evolved so much as a player during that time, most noticeably in his body frame. He's gone from 5 '9 at the end of his 8th grade year to 6' 4 and is still growing. He has always been a knockdown shooter, and if healthy, will very likely be the all-time leading three-point shooter in the history of Beresford Basketball. He has gotten more aggressive at the rim, and if he can add more consistency on the defensive side of the court, he will be a sure-fire college basketball player when it is all said and done."   Joseph Sharpe, 6'8 Senior, Center   "Joseph has won the Most Improved award for the Watchdogs in the past two seasons. This will be just the 3rd year of organized basketball for Joseph. Where he has come in that short amount of time is remarkable. Trusting himself, becoming more confident, and gaining the all-important basketball IQ have allowed Joseph to become an essential piece of this program's puzzle."   PHD: Who are the up-and-comers to look out for?   Hayden Homandberg, 6'2 Sophomore, Guard   "Hayden is a kid with so much raw talent. He loves the game of basketball and is always one of the first ones in the gym and usually the last one to leave. He has grown several inches within the past year and saw valuable minutes this fall in football. Giving him opportunities to get confidence will be essential for us this season. Hayden's game could complement the upperclassmen very nicely."   [player_tooltip player_id='2442405' first='Trey' last='Kurtenbach'], 6'0 Sophomore, Forward   "Trey is a basketball junkie. He was always in the gym, attending camps, and constantly working to improve his game. We, as coaches, have been impressed with his willingness to be coached; Trey absorbs everything you tell him. He added strength to himself and could be a key rotational piece for us this year."   [player_tooltip player_id='2431904' first='Ashton' last='Oberle'], 5'10 Sophomore, Guard   "Ashton is a gamer! A tremendous baseball player and football player in his own right. Ashton has been the starting quarterback for the past two seasons for the Beresford football program and was an integral part of the Beresford Baseball team that made it to the state tournament this past summer. His competitiveness rubs off on others and has the potential to be a big-time piece for us moving forward. Ashton stepped up last season and filled the roles of others who were injured throughout the varsity season last winter."   PHD: Who will be your best rebounder?   "Joseph Sharpe, 6'8 Senior, Center. Just his pure size and strength. Once he has a position on the defender, there is no point in trying to get around him. This kid is a brick wall. The coaching staff and I noticed how much more confident he made our shooters this summer. We call it the hockey assist. Even if our top shooters miss, they know Joe is there to clean up the boards and get the easy put back. Big Joe should have a big time year for us in his senior campaign."   PHD: What are your team goals this year?   "As long as I am coaching here at Beresford, the goal will always be to make a playoff run. Putting ourselves in a situation to host a Regional game, getting over the playoff slump Beresford has been in. Getting that win will hopefully lead to even more confidence and the possibility that anything can happen come March!"   PHD: Who will be your hardest worker?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1641198' first='Malachi' last='James'], 6'2 Junior, Guard. - Malachi is a man of very few words. He leads by example. His hustle, grit, and determination are contagious. He's not going to yell at his teammates to pick their game. He is going to make them feel uncomfortable because he is working that much harder than them. When he walks onto the court, it's "go" time for Chi. He wants to guard the other team's best player, and he wants the ball in his hands at the end of games. Because… he knows he's put in the work and is confident, ready, and expecting a positive outcome in his favor in every situation. He deserves all the success in the world, and I hope as his coach, I can do my best to give him the rest of the Watchdogs as much as possible."   PHD: Who are the top teams in your Region?   "Region 4A is by far the best region in boys' basketball. In the last ten years, you could have thrown a dart at the list of schools and hit a State Tournament team or, even more impressively, a State Champion. The state even blessed us by moving Sioux Falls Christian into our region this year, not that it needed to be even more challenging to get out of come playoff time. The list of players is endless. Sioux Falls Christian has to be the top; then you have Dakota Valley, Vermillion, and Lennox. Hopefully, we can find our way into that mix as well."   PHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "There is a lot of unknown for us this upcoming season. As a program, we have prioritized health, especially after getting hit by the injury bug last winter. If we can remain relatively injury-free, the dominant teams in recent years on our schedule don't seem so dominant this season. Of course, we have to see how things shake out. But we have some big-time hoopers on our squad. I hope we fly under team radars this winter and are overlooked. We can be a surprise team if we stay healthy, buy into individual roles, and continue to play the gritty Beresford Watchdog basketball we have played with since I have been here."   GOOD LUCK WATCHDOGS!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_7d641b.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/image_7d641b.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2641586" style="width:265px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   School: Lisbon   Mascot: Broncos   Head Coach: Jason Kunze   Class: A   Region: 1   2023-24 Record: 10-14   PHD: How would you sum up last season?   "Our 23-24 season was filled with many ups and downs. We lost two key starters from injuries during the football season. I being a first-year head coach and the players getting acclimated to my coaching style was an easy transition. We ended a few long-losing streaks to Central Cass, Valley City, and Sargent County. We were competitive in every game all season just not having the size to finish out."   PHD: Who will be your primary ballhandler this year?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2211284' first='Jordyn' last='Bittner'] will be our primary ball handler this season. He has great leadership traits that you want in someone in this position. He is strong and fearless. He can get to the hole off the dribble and can pull up from anywhere and hit the hot also. He's a competitor."   PHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We spent the offseason getting better. We attended a couple of team camps and played very well. We had a strong core that has been playing at least 3 nights during the weeks leading up to the season. Most of our athletes spend all their time competing year-round in sports."   PHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?   "We are returning four starters from last year's team that I have seen big strides so far. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1558625' first='Lincoln' last='Adair'] is our do-everything player. He can score, rebound, defend, and his energy is second to none. Last season, he would typically guard the other team's best player and he would battle to the bitter end. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2211284' first='Jordyn' last='Bittner'] is also another one of our scorers that I see big things for this season. He can do it all too. Rebound and defend are also strong for him as well. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1541300' first='Cameron' last='Cordero'] is our returning leading scorer and 3 point shooter. He can score from anywhere on the court and isn't afraid to drive it hard to the basket and get to the line."   PHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "We will have a deeper bench this season with some of our JV players I hope to make the leap to varsity this season. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2335325' first='Owen' last='Gilbert'] and senior Parker Tapson give us the size and physicality we lacked last season. Gilbert has shown great improvement around the rim clean up the garbage and ability to guard the post. Tapson is a workhorse on the glass that had a good JV season last year."   PHD: Who do you think will be your top interior players?   "Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2335325' first='Owen' last='Gilbert'] can score inside and out. He needs to be that big man presents we need to compete with the top teams. Senior Parker Tapson is a physical presence in the paint that we are hoping can clean up the boards and give us second-chance opportunities this season."   PHD: What are the goals this season?   "First of all, we will be better every day in practice and games. We will be a better scoring team from the paint and perimeter. We will be better defensively by limiting opportunities for our opponent. We like our chances against our Class B opponents. We want to win them all. Finish top 3 in the region. Get us to the chance at the big dance."   PHD: Who will be your hardest worker?   "Our upperclassmen set the tone with this team. We like our leaders to be our hardest workers. We have lots of dedicated boys that have bought in and helped get the underclassmen to understand what it takes to be a Bronco basketball player."   PHD: Who are some of the top players in your Region?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1484338' first='Brooks' last='Bakko'], Kindred [player_tooltip player_id='1558625' first='Lincoln' last='Adair'], Lisbon [player_tooltip player_id='1547737' first='Trey' last='Husar'], N. Cass [player_tooltip player_id='2211284' first='Jordyn' last='Bittner'], Lisbon [player_tooltip player_id='1798696' first='Brayden' last='Steffens'], Wahp [player_tooltip player_id='1541300' first='Cameron' last='Cordero'], Lisbon [player_tooltip player_id='1169146' first='Presley' last='Peraza'], Kindred [player_tooltip player_id='1169144' first='Karson' last='Ouse'], Kindred [player_tooltip player_id='2333734' first='Bryson' last='Heck'], VC [player_tooltip player_id='1145544' first='Jake' last='Starcevic'], Kindred [player_tooltip player_id='1184569' first='Treyton' last='Mauch'], Wahp [player_tooltip player_id='2092234' first='Kai' last='Zabel'], Oak Grove."   GOOD LUCK BRONCOS!!   <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>

Prep Hoops Dakotas has two Team Previews for you today. We are covering both North Dakota and South Dakota.