PHD: Walk me through your off-season. What did you do to improve your basketball game?

“This offseason I played AAU with 15U Ulvestad and had the chance to compete in some really big tournaments against tough competition from around the country, including events in Nashville, Chicago, Minneapolis, and throughout the region. That experience with Team Warwick helped me see where I needed to keep growing. Along with AAU, I did individualized workouts with my coaches and spent a lot of time in the gym on my own and with my high school teammates. I really focused on my ball handling because I want to be able to create more for myself and for others. I had to take on more of that role with my AAU team, and I expect to handle the ball more this season with my high school team as well. I also spent a lot of time working on my outside shooting and becoming a more complete three-level scorer. My goal was to become more comfortable scoring from all areas of the floor while still being able to create for my teammates.“

PHD: What’s one specific part of your game you focused on improving this offseason, and where do you feel like you’ve made the most progress?

“I’d say ball handling and handling pressure were probably the biggest areas I focused on. Even at 6’4″, I was on the smaller side for my AAU team this summer, so I had to take on more responsibility bringing the ball up the floor and creating offense. That was a really good experience for me and helped me get more comfortable playing with the ball in my hands.
I think that’s going to carry over into a bigger role with my high school team this season, where I expect to transition more into a point guard role and handle the ball more. I also worked a lot on my outside shooting. Being able to knock down shots consistently has added another dimension to my game and opened up more opportunities for me to score at all three levels.“

PHD: What does your fall look like right now? Are you playing another sport, or is it all
basketball focused?

“Right now I’m playing varsity football for my high school team, so the fall is definitely busy. It can be tough balancing football with basketball, but I’ve still been able to get in the gym consistently. During the week, even if I only have an hour or a short window during the day, I try to make the most of it. Sometimes that means focusing on just one part of my game, but I’ve made it a priority to keep showing up and getting work in. The weekends are when I really hit basketball hard. That’s when I have the most free time, so I try to spend a lot of time in the gym working on my game. Football keeps me busy during the week, but I’ve been able to find a good balance and continue putting a lot of time into basketball throughout the fall.“

PHD: What are your goals for the coming season, both individually and for your team?

“Individually, one of my biggest goals is to be a leader for our team. Even as a sophomore, I know I’m going to have a big role, especially after having a lot of responsibility last season. There are definitely high expectations, and I want to be someone my teammates can count on, both with how I play and how I carry myself. As a team, our biggest goal is to make the state tournament. Dell Rapids hasn’t been there in a while, and I really believe we have the talent and the guys to make it happen this year. We just have to stay focused, play together, and keep improving throughout the season.“

PHD: Can you give some insight on an influential coach you have had? What made them
memorable?

“One influential coach I’ve had is Coach Mathew Cadwell, our high school basketball coach. Last year was his first season with our program, and he made an impression right away. The players really responded to him, and I think the community did too. What made him memorable to me was the confidence he brought into the program from the start. He came in believing in what we could become and set the tone right away. For me personally, being a freshman playing varsity basketball for the first time, that meant a lot. Coach Cadwell had a lot of confidence in me and trusted me in big situations, whether that was taking an important shot, making a play, or getting a stop on defense. Knowing that he believed in me helped give me confidence and played a big part in the season I was able to have. He always wanted the best for me and
pushed me to believe I could handle a big role.“

PHD: Time to give a shout to a teammate… Who do we need to know about from your high school team?

“One teammate I’d give a shout-out to is Caden Zwart Caden Zwart 6'5" | SG/SF Dell Rapids | 2027 State SD . He transferred in from Colman-Egan and is a senior this year, and I think he’s going to be a huge addition for our team. He gives us more size at 6’5″, but he’s also a playmaker and a really athletic player. He was a great leader at Colman-Egan, and I think he’ll bring that same type of leadership to our team. I also think he’s going to help us a lot defensively because of his length and athleticism. He can impact the game in a lot of different ways, and I think he’ll be a big part of helping us make a run at the state tournament this year.“

PHD: Who is your favorite player to watch in college or the NBA, and why?

“My favorite player to watch is Cooper Flagg. I’m a big Duke fan, so I usually like following guys who come through that program, but he probably stuck with me the most because of his style of play. I really like how he gets downhill, creates his own shot, and plays with a ton of confidence. You can tell he believes in himself every time he steps on the floor, and I think that’s a big reason why I enjoy watching him. I also like how calm and collected he plays, especially for someone so young. He was dominant at Duke, and I like studying the way he plays, creates offense, and carries himself with confidence.“

PHD: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most in the past year or two?

“Skill-wise, I think the biggest growth in my game has been becoming more of a three-level scorer. Especially with my AAU team, I was put in situations where I needed to knock down shots, create off the dribble, get downhill, and finish through contact. Playing varsity basketball as a freshman also forced me to become a lot more physical and confident. I had to learn how to handle stronger, more experienced players, absorb contact, and still be able to make plays. I also think not always being the fastest or strongest player helped me develop my skill set even more. I’ve had to learn how to use ball handling, footwork, change of pace, and angles to get by defenders instead of just relying on athleticism. I think that combination of becoming a more complete scorer, getting stronger, and learning how to beat defenders with skill has probably been the biggest area of growth in my game over the past couple of years.“

PHD: Who pushes you the hardest, whether that’s a teammate, a coach, or someone you train with?

“I’d say there are two people who have really pushed me: my high school coach (Mathew Cadwell) and one of my former teammates, Karson Paye. My coach has a lot of confidence in me, but he also holds me accountable and expects me to play to the best of my ability. If I’m ever slacking off or not doing what I should be doing, he lets me know. I think having a coach who believes in me but also challenges me has helped me grow a lot. Karson was a senior on our team last year and is now playing basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. This past offseason, even while he was preparing to leave for college, we spent a lot of time getting in the gym together and pushing each other to improve. He helped me build confidence in myself, and he’s also someone who communicates really well and is always willing to help. Working out together gave both of us a chance to get better and learn from each other, and I think that had a big impact on my development.“

PHD: Where is your hot spot on the floor or can you tell us about a ‘go-to’ move you like to use?

“I’d say my hot spot is probably the wing. I like to play downhill, so when I catch the ball there with some space, I feel like I can create a lot of different options. I can get into my shot, attack the basket, or draw the defense and create something for a teammate. My go-to move is floating off the dribble into the defender and using pace to attack them. This allows me to read how they’re playing me, and then either attack their outside hip or counter it and go to the opposite side. I like being able to react to the defense instead of forcing a move, and I think that helps me create space and stay unpredictable.“

-Impressive length, looked very good in club ball, exciting potential

-Known as a versatile player who can do a bit of everything, tough on-ball D

Is Jones one of the top scorers at the event? Does he lock up on defense?

“Camden is the definition of a team-first player. Whatever our team needed, he was willing to do without hesitation. Throughout the season, he literally played all five positions for us, and that versatility is incredibly valuable. His three-point shot improved dramatically as the summer progressed, giving him another weapon offensively, while his on-ball defense remained one of his greatest strengths. Camden takes pride in guarding the other team’s best players, and his competitive mindset is contagious. I expect him to be a major force for Dell Rapids over the next three seasons in Class A basketball.“

-PHD is intrigued with his length on the wing, Jones is a scorer & bucket-getter

-A natural on the floor, tough & aggressive, mobile athlete, skilled playmaker

No matter what age group camden was put into for drills he was one of the better all-round players. Tough/physical player with high IQ and court vision to match anyone. Showed a variety of ways not only to score but also to beat his defender with being shifty or using a deadly crossover then also just pure quickness to go by his defender at times for buckets. Big guard who rebounded well and loved the transition game. Tough shot maker in the majority of the drills and scored from all levels.

Cam Jones is a player to watch this weekend after a strong winter and an outstanding spring showing. He plays the game with an extremely high basketball IQ and brings impressive length on the perimeter, allowing him to impact the game in a variety of ways. Jones is a super physical guard who rebounds at a high level and competes well against any age group. Offensively, he can score from all three levels and consistently finds ways to fill it up. His combination of toughness, skill, versatility, and feel for the game makes him one of the more intriguing prospects to keep an eye on this weekend in 15U. Jones has a very bright future ahead.

-15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

-Nice length, looks/plays longer than listed height

-Long/lanky arms

-Runs the court like a deer

-Impressive showing for the frosh

-Hit some clutch shots to keep Dells in the game

-Cut into the paint, slight fadeaway J, cash, 1st score of the game

-Catch & score on the block, all in one motion

-Used his long arms to block a shot against a very good senior player

-Run-out in transition, caught the long outlet, attack, fouled, 1/2 FT’s

-Transition score, fluid catch & finish

-Cashed a nice jumper from the FT-line with 25.2 sec left in the 2ndQ

-Tough shot as the buzzer sounded to end the 3rd, fallaway & contested

-Middle drive to the right, spin-back to his left, finger-roll southpaw score, very impressive move

-Steal in press D on the next possession, assist to Peppel

-Transition score in traffic, finished with D in his face, cut the lead to 5

Camden is one of my favorite two-way players and a very well-rounded 14U prospect. Zero holes to his game, especially with his knockdown shooting becoming more evident. Defensively, he can hang with quick guards and pressure perimeter shooters, as well as handle long and athletic wings off the drive.

I’m most likely higher on Jones than most. I think he provides some solid upside as a translatable wing defender and a 3-level scorer that can make a three, but if he can take his 3-ball to an elite level, he will be higher up the board. Solid all-around profile with size and has offensive upside.