Miller vs. Sully Buttes: Player Notes

Prep Hoops Dakotas turned the tape on for a highly competitive Class A vs. Class B showdown between Miller and Sully Buttes from Thursday night, and this one delivered from start to finish. Entering the matchup, the Rustlers sat at 3–5, while the Chargers brought in a 6–1 record and a #4 ranking in Class B. Records aside, this game quickly proved to be about toughness, execution, and momentum.   What followed was a hard-fought, back-and-forth battle that showcased high-level effort and key individual performances on both sides. Below are player notes and takeaways from an entertaining contest that lived up to the hype and gave plenty to evaluate on film.   Despite being without [player_tooltip player_id='1959413' first='Wesley' last='Wittler'], one of the elite players in Class B, Sully Buttes found a way to grind out an impressive win over Miller in a highly competitive, back-and-forth battle. The Rustlers set the tone early, coming out aggressively in the first quarter and building a small lead. Sully Buttes answered, but Miller maintained control and carried a slim two-point edge into the end of the opening frame. Miller continued to play with confidence in the second quarter, utilizing strong guard play and an interesting lineup that featured three left-handers on the floor for extended stretches—[player_tooltip player_id='1548639' first='Isaak' last='Hunter'], [player_tooltip player_id='3360963' first='William' last='Resel'], and Oliver Fritzsche. The pace was fast and physical, with frequent whistles disrupting the flow for both teams. The game was tied 22–22 midway through the quarter before Miller pushed the lead as high as seven behind timely scoring, including a late bucket from Fritzsche. [player_tooltip player_id='2708717' first='Jett' last='Yackley'] kept the Chargers within striking distance, knocking down three clutch free throws in the final seconds of the half. Miller added two more from the line and went into halftime holding a four-point lead. The third quarter opened with more back-and-forth action as Yackley tied the game at 34–34 from the free-throw line. Miller responded with a three from Hunter and a pair of buckets from Anderberg, stretching the lead to nearly double digits. Fouls again played a major role, slowing the pace and sending both teams to the line. Yackley continued to deliver in key moments, stopping runs and keeping Sully Buttes alive, as Miller entered the fourth quarter up eight. The final period belonged to the Chargers. Sully Buttes erupted for 20 fourth-quarter points, holding Miller to just nine as momentum completely flipped. Yackley caught fire, drilling back-to-back threes to trim the deficit to one and ignite the comeback. [player_tooltip player_id='2566561' first='Gavin' last='Colson'] provided a major boost, while Colson knocked down a huge kick-out triple to give Sully Buttes the lead. Defensive plays sealed it, including a clutch block from Falkenhagen in crunch time. It was a wild finish and a statement win for the Chargers, extending their home winning streak to 17 games and showcasing their depth, resilience, and ability to close—even without their top-ranked talent.   SCORES   1st: Miller 17 Sully Buttes 15   HALF: Miller 32 Sully Buttes 28   3rd: Miller 48 Sully Buttes 40   FINAL: Miller 57 Sully Buttes 60   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/PlayerNotes.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/PlayerNotes.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2302277" style="width:321px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Miller Rustlers    -18 points and 9 rebounds   -Southpaw   -Long/lanky & athletic   -Blocked shot, perfect timing   -FT's midway through the 1st quarter, swished them both   -Kickout assist   -For a lefty, he throws a good amount of R-handed passes   -Post score to start the 2ndQ, right shoulder lefty baby-hook, pretty move/shot   -Used his athleticism & length to rebound over Chargers   -Fast-paced transition assist, unselfish & accurate bounce pass   -Athletic catch & finish in transition   -3 O-board in 1 position, got the tip-in score to go   -Post feed assist to Oliver   -Vacuum rebounder   -Fullcourt court push late 2ndQ, fouled at the rim w/2.8 on the clock, 2/2 FT's   -Catch & score on the left block, smooth finish, Brueggeman w/ the assist   -Deep range 3ball in the 3rd, hit it off the dribble   -Sweet dish to a cutting teammate, great find   -1/2 FT's late 3rdQ   -Perfectly timed blocked shot   -O-board tip-in early in the 4th   -Post assist in the 4th to Resel   -Another O-board & putback   -Steal, transition the other way, fouled at the rack, 1/2 FT's     -4 points and 4 rebounds   -Anticipates well, picked off a pass aggressively   -Fouled with 38 secs on the clock in 1stQ, hit 1/2 FT's   -Transition score from the right block, Hunter with the assist   -Quick twitch athleticism for a steal   -Slash & assist, sick bounce pass to Hunter   -Better athlete than initially realized   -Straight-line drive & score in the 4th   -Fast up the court     -20 points and 9 rebounds   -Southpaw/lefty, long/lenky   -12 first half points   -Strip steal early in the game, good hands   -After the steal, he went coast-to-coast for a score, lefty score & kiss off glass   -Full speed baseline slash, lefty score, AND1 finish, plus the FT for a 3pt play   -Offensive board in heavy traffic   -Hard drive down the left lane line, blocking foul going up, 2/2 FT's   -High-low assist to Hunter for the interior bucket   -Back to the line early in the 2ndQ, 1/2 FT's   -Post up, went middle and came back to his left, turn & score, nice move   -Smart with shots fake, knows how to get the D out of position   -Tough score inside, pivot & step-through finish   -Productive on the glass   -1/2 FT's in the 3rd, pushed the lead to 10 points   -Sealed D, caught the lob pass, great finish   -1/2 FT's late in the 3rd   -Good at drawing fouls   -O-board to start the 4th   -Post score in the 4th, very tough shot w/ the D all over him     -3 points   -Another BIG Rustler, left-hander   -Strong take to the rack, used spins & pivots   -Physical finish, fouled, 1/2 from charity stripe   -Post catch & score from point blank, right-hand finish     -9 points   -Stepped up and took a charge, gave up his body for the team   -Hustled in transition, scored at the cup, used a shot fake to fool the D   -Drilled a triple from the left wing in the 1st Q, Hunter with the assist   -Picked off a pass, snatched it out of the air like a ninja   -Transition push after the steal, got to the hoop, fouled, 1/2 FT's   -Cut, catch, score, tough shot with multiple defenders in the paint   -Transition score, smart shot fake to make the D miss   -Lob touch pass to Resel for a score, great pass    Sully Buttes Chargers    -9 points and 12 rebounds   -Youngster, but he does not play like it   -Rebounds well, gets up and down the floor well   -Catch & shoot 3 for the 1st Charger score   -Skilled, threw accurate 1-handed passes off the dribble   -Cleaned up the boards, great rebounder   -Swing-pass assist to Yackley for a 3   -Smooth stroke, fluid catch & shoot   -Steal, transition attack, impressed w/ how he shared the ball   -Sharp back-cut & score, dime from Miles   -Impressive O-board that was tipped multiple times, he snagged it & stuck it in   -Quick jumper & versatile/creative finisher   -Elevates well for rebounds   -Great timing with and O-board & quick putback   -Fouled out of the game, 1:51 on the clock     -2 points and 8 rebounds   -Strong, thick physical   -Looks to be a hard worker   -Productive rebounder   -O-board in heavy traffic, contested putback score   -In the right place at the right time for an O-board   -Hustler, quick to dive on the floor   -On the floor again, saved a possession   -Crucial block at the end of the game, took away a great look     -26 points   -Swing pass assist to Moore for a triple & first Charger points   -Fiery & quick player, uses bursts of speed to beat the D   -Impressive footwork   -Cash money 3ball from the left corner   -Shifty with sharp handles   -Lightning quick first step   -Hustled back on D, help-side tip pass for a steal   -Killer step-back for a triple, tough move   -Aggressive drive, fouled on the floater from mid-paint, 1/2 FT's   -Aggressive steal in full-court D   -Drive, slash, spin, attack, dish assist to Miles for a timely bucket   -Smart play late 2ndQ, shot fake, got the D to jump, drew a foul on a 3-pointer, 3/3 FT's   -Poke out steal early 3rd, dove on the ball to secure possession   -Change up speeds, crossover, deep baseline drive, fouled, 2/2 FT's   -2/2 FT's in the 3rd, stopped the bleeding, they needed those   -Picked off a pass, coast-to-coast push, athletic & impressive lefty score   -22.6 secs on the clock in the 3rd, twisting turning scoop score, awesome shot   -Mid attack and fouled in the 4th, 1/2 FT's   -Deep 3 right wing early in the 4th to cut into the lead   -Back-to-back triples, this one a pull-up and from DEEP with a hand in the face   -I like his lefty fake crossover move   -Kickout assist to Colson for a monster 3   -At the line with 14.2 on the clock, 2/2 FT's     -18 points   -Smart handback assist to Yackley for a triple   -Showed a sweet crossover to create space, hit a contested runner from 8-feet   -Another dirty cross & running jump-shot off the window, AND1 finish   -Sweet change of speeds, fouled going up from the R-side, 2/2 FT's   -1/2 from the FT-line in the 2ndQ   -Fastbreak score, sweet Euro-step   -Jab-step & drive down broadway, nice runner score   -Help D steal, good awareness   -Sneaky poke-out steal in the 4th   -O-board in the 4th & fouled on putback, 2/2 FT's, cash money   -Hesi-move, blow-by drive, score at the rack, big score   -Cashed a 3ball late in the 4th, Charges took the lead w/ that shot     -3 points   -Thick/strong/powerful   -Crisp diagonal dime from the wing to block, great find to Moore for a score   -Protected the rim, walled up & forced a miss   -Catch & score on the R-block, nice job of getting open     -2 points   -AND1 score to start the 4th, high arcing shot over the rim   -Did not put up a ton of stats, but it was good to see the youngster play    <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>

Prep Hoops Dakotas turned the tape on for a highly competitive Class A vs. Class B showdown between Miller and Sully Buttes from Thursday night, and this one delivered from start to finish. Entering the matchup, the Rustlers sat at 3–5, while the Chargers brought in a 6–1 record and a #4 ranking in Class B. Records aside, this game quickly proved to be about toughness, execution, and momentum.