Rockstar Role Players

Every good team needs standout role players that buy-in and excel at their jobs. In this article, I want to highlight players who do the little things for their team, work hard, make tough plays, play with heart, and make their teammates better. Let us look at the guys that need more attention!   A Role Player in basketball is a team member who focuses on fulfilling a specific function or set of responsibilities to support the team's overall success. Role players excel in areas like defense, rebounding, passing, and/or providing energy off the bench. Their contributions may not always appear prominently in the box score, but their specialized skills and consistency are critical to the team's performance. Role players often adapt to the needs of the team, making them essential in achieving balance and cohesion on the court.   See below, we have info/comments on a dozen ballers from South Dakota.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/image.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/image.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2714468" style="width:278px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='2059565' first='Boden' last='Stevenson'] (2027) |6'3 G| Hamlin   Boden comes off the bench as a sensational soph and provides #2 Hamlin with a little bit of everything. Stevenson can score the basketball and is turning into an excellent defender. Boden is an athletic player who uses his length to help the Chargers on both ends of the floor.   Chase Seaboy (2027) |6'3 C| Lyman   This Raider puts in hard work throughout the year. Chase is supportive of the team and his teammates. He is always looking for ways to get better. Seaboy is a polite young gentleman who is very respectful and is a good listener. Chase comes off the bench as a plug-n-play guy in the post and as a strong forward.   Cooper Nelson (2025) |6'2 F| Beresford   He does things the right way on and off the court. Cooper's academics have always been a high priority. The Homecoming King, Cooper, is highly respected by his peers and the community. He's a kid that you know is going to study film; he knows the plays, asks questions, and helps the underclassman. On the court, he adds additional muscle in the post. Nelson is a hustle guy who has always had a knack for being in the right spot at the right time. He boxes out well and sets great screens for the Watchdog shooters. Cooper has led the team in rebounding two of the first three games of the season.   Isaiah Olson (2025) |5'9 G| Mt. Vernon-Plankinton   The things that make Isaiah a great role player for MVP is his willingness to do a little bit of everything. He is the first person to dive on the floor, guard the other team's best players, step in to take charges, and help steady the ship when things start going sideways. Isaiah has led MVP this year in rebounding vs. KWL, assists vs. Wagner, and points vs Vermillion. Olson has really transformed over the years when it comes to being a great teammate. He has bought into the mindset of rather than thinking he needed to be THE GUY, he needed to be A GUY that does the things MVP needs to be successful as a team. This can be a tough pill to swallow for a lot of kids, especially one like Olson who is an All-State Football Player and starting shortstop/pitcher on State Tournament baseball teams. Isaiah gets that the big picture is doing whatever it takes to make then MVP team be successful, whether that be taking charges or being the first on the floor for a loose ball. These are some of the reasons we believe Isaiah is a Rock Star Role Player!   [player_tooltip player_id='2328486' first='Jackson' last='Bjorkman'] (2025) |6'4 F| O'Gorman   Jackson is a great team player who can spend time playing all 5 positions on the court in any game. Bjorkman is selfless and has the skill to adapt his game to what his teammates need in just about any situation. Bjorkman is versatile and a key player for the Knights.   [player_tooltip player_id='2523773' first='Jaxon' last='Peterreins'] (2025) |6'2 G| Deuel   Rockstar Role Player for the 3-0 Cardinals! Jaxon is a glue-guy who keeps moving the ball and has led the Cards to an undefeated record heading into 2025. Peterreins is averaging 5 assists a game and dished a career-high 8 dimes in a game this season. Defensively, Jaxon is the Cards leader in deflections/steals and 2nd on the team in rebounding.   [player_tooltip player_id='2623202' first='Jaxson' last='Merrigan'] (2025) |6'3 F| Tea Area   The Titans are in their first year of AA and they are ranked #3 in the state polls! Merrigan is averaging 9.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 2.0 apg. He is a tremendous teammate and a hard worker. Jaxson provides much-needed toughness on the interior for a young, small Titan team. He is able to handle the ball & create offense on the perimeter. Merrigan is asked to do a lot of different things game-to-game & has been thriving in his role.   [player_tooltip player_id='1441395' first='Nyun' last='Dut'] (2025) |6'4 SF| O'Gorman   Nyun is another player who can fit into any role and can defend any position. He is full of versatility. Dut is willing to sacrifice shot attempts to do all of the other things that go into winning. Nyun is a great role player for the Knights.   [player_tooltip player_id='2523772' first='Sutton' last='Benck'] (2027) |5'11 G Deuel   Key role player for the 3-0 Cards. Benck plays basketball with a high IQ and makes smart/clever plays. He handles the ball well and his skills are impressive. Sutton has made big shots to help Deuel early in the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1551743' first='Titus' last='Kippley'] (2027) |6'2 SF| Leola-Frederick Area   4-0 record and ranked #5 in B. This is Kippley's second year getting major minutes for the Titans. Good things seem to happen when he is on the floor. He had a huge steal at the end of the Waubay/Summit game to help the squad pull out the tight victory. Titus always seems to have his hands on the ball, whether it be deflections, rebounds, loose balls etc. He is able to defend on the perimeter and is strong enough to be a presence down low. He is currently averaging 4.5 pgg and 5.3 rpg.   [player_tooltip player_id='2410633' first='Trevor' last='Cuperus'] (2026) |6'6 F| Baltic   He has really starred in his role as a glue guy, defender, and rebounder. Trevor played a little last year as a sophomore and has really moved into his role nicely this year on the Bulldog varsity squad. Cuperus is a solid defender and has done a really nice job of rebounding on the interior. Trevor has really big upside, and as he develops his offensive skills, his role is going to get bigger and bigger for Baltic. He does a good job of playing to his strengths and is a huge asset to the Baltic Bulldogs.   [player_tooltip player_id='2249367' first='Zac' last='Olson'] (2026) |5'8 G| Winner   You will not see Zac's name in the paper very often, however, he is an important player for the 3-0 Warriors. Olson is a 2-year starter at point guard, he does the little things that make him a great role player. He has the ball in his hands 90% of the time on offense and gets the Warriors into the correct spots. Zac is a floor general. He guards the other team's best perimeter player. Zac not only accepts his role but excels at his role!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/SD-1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/03/SD-1.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1399487" /></a></figure>

Every good team needs standout role players that buy-in and excel at their jobs. In this article, I want to highlight players who do the little things for their team, work hard, make tough plays, play with heart, and make their teammates better. Let us look at the guys that need more attention!