The Legacy Team for the SD Attack Program Goes out on Top
The South Dakota Attack went 24-6 and were the clear number one 17U club in the PHD area after some very impressive victories as well as performances against some of the nation’s best. Lee Taylor led the ten player Attack…
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Continue ReadingThe South Dakota Attack went 24-6 and were the clear number one 17U club in the PHD area after some very impressive victories as well as performances against some of the nation’s best.
Lee Taylor led the ten player Attack roster which usually consisted of five guys from South Dakota and three from Iowa on an average weekend.
This was a group that really meshed and as we have strongly pointed out all month, the experiences that AAU/Grassroots clubs hold the dearest to the heart is the relationships built with others that love the game as much as they do.
“I would say the best moments with this group happen mostly off the court and not from this past year but the past couple,” said Coach Taylor. “We have done so much together that we could write a short novel on all the great memories we made.
“This group was truly a family on and off the court and it showed by how successful they were and performances they had. I have no doubt in my mind that all these young men will be so successful in their next steps in their life.”
Some of the players were teammates joining others, like Matt Cartwright and JP Costello of Sioux Falls O’Gorman, and Spencer Grage and Alex Waltner from Brandon Valley, and the rest were guys from high schools in Iowa, western South Dakota, and eastern South Dakota.
Together they put together some great memories and we are starting with off the court because that is where guys become friends forever through basketball as so many of these guys find common grounds with players from other places.
“Going to the Rockies and doing Go Karts out in Denver this past year was a top memory,” said Taylor. “2. The times playing laser tag and having Coach Taylor win most of the time (Taylor said with a laugh). 3. Dave and Buster Trips – competing to see who could win the most tickets and then who could get the strangest prizes at the end
“4. All our team meals together, we rarely didn’t eat a meal as a group – Our favorite place was probably Hickory Park in Ames which we go to every year (milk shakes are amazing!) 5. All the inside jokes and pranks we did to each other. 6. The ongoing group text that has gone on for two years now – classic conversations and jokes.”
“This is just the tip of the ice berg and does not include all the time we spent on the court between 15 plus practices we have each year, the Warwick Workouts, and of course the tournament games.”
Of course the games! The Attack played some name teams that finished nationally ranked in the top 25.
“A few on court highlights include: Watching Mokan Elite play on ESPN Friday night in Vegas and then having to play them on Sunday down in Lawrence. Our boys were not afraid and were down six I believe before losing by 22. They were very disappointed in their effort and the result but that just tells you how much they love to compete.
“We played in six tournaments and made the championship game in three of those tournaments (winning in Ames), Final Four in Lawrence, Elite 8 in Minneapolis twice (in the NY2LA Spring Extravaganza and the D1 Summer Classic.
“I am proud of our guys being down to D1 Minnesota up in the Twin Cities by 24 and cutting it to four with two minutes to before losing by eight. That tells you the of drive these guys have and never gave up on any game no matter what. Overall what this group achieved over the past two years was phenomenal on the court.”
There were other games like being within single digits late of Team Penny who was a top EYBL team, there was beating a quality Wisconsin Jets program, beat Bullups squad, gave the Billups Elite a good game, and so on as they won 80 percent of their games.
“I am so proud of this group because they never hung their head after a loss, they always bounced back and we always had fun. We didn’t let wins and losses determine our mood together because we wanted to enjoy all the moments and time we had together.
“The overall process of believing and trusting in each other. So many of our guys sacrificed personal stats and recognition to be a part of something much bigger than themselves. We preach as a program Team Success equals Individual Success.
“This group bought in 100 percent and it showed by the way we competed in every game we played. Loved seeing how much we celebrated the success of our teammates and that is what a family and a team is all about.”
Matt Cartwright showed why he is the top prospect in South Dakota’s senior class hitting jumpers with his great size playing the two. He also scored off the ball and his one-dribble pull-up games gets better every day..
JP Costello was the inside working four man that every program wants to have, Jake Satter was the long shooting guard at 6-foot-5/6-foot-6 that has earned him a reputation, and Devin Coughlin impressed by giving the team every thing he was asked to, and Christian Kyles was one of the most under appreciated players we saw all year. He’s going to be an excellent lead guard in Iowa.
“They sacrificed and accepted roles that made our team better and in the end made them better in the long run,” said Taylor. “When our guys go onto that next level, they will already know and understand how to play on a talented team.
“In college you have everyone’s best high player on the team and not everyone can play and score. These guys will be able to accept those different roles as freshmen as they grow on and off the court in college.”
This South Dakota Attack squad is the first of the program to go all the way through all the levels and it will always hold a special spot in the lure of Attack basketball.
“We as a program could not be more proud of what this group accomplished as our legacy team,” said Taylor. “This group will be our first group to graduate and the lasting impression they made for all our other teams (boys and girls) will be an everlasting one.
“We will keep challenging all our younger groups with the same motto this 17’s group started, accepted, and demonstrated on and off the court – TEAM SUCCESS = INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS.
“If our younger teams can continue to completely buy into this motto, regardless of the talent, we will continue to grow as a program and have success on and off the court. What a legacy this team has made and the impact will have for years to come.”