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Three-time all-state honorees Easton Neuendorf of Hamlin and Bryon Laue of Castlewood are among 12 Watertown and Aberdeen players named to the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association's 2025 All-State teams.
Neuendorf repeated as a first-team honoree in Class after making the third team in 2023. Laue repeated as a first-team honoree on the Class B squad after making the second team in 2023.
Other area honorees in Class A include Maverick Nelson of Sioux Valley, second team; Ryder Johnson of Groton Area, Evan Stormo of Hamlin and Sullivan Felberg of Clark-Willow Lake, third team; and Carson Vavruska of Florence-Henry, honorable mention.
Grant Wilkinson of De Smet also made the first team in Class B. Jamison Keszler of Castlewood and Noah Kippley of Leola-Frederick Area each made the second team, Brooks Jett of Aberdeen Christian the third team, and Kyler Carlson of Estelline-Hendricks received honorable mention.
Here's more on each of the area honorees:
The 5-foot, 11-inch senior point guard capped his stellar prep career by leading defending state champion Hamlin back to the state Class A championship. The Chargers weren't able to knock off Sioux Falls Christian for a second-straight year but still closed out a 22-3 season.
The Briar Cliff University recruit, who helped spark a remarkable four-year resurgence for Hamlin under his father and coach Todd Neuendorf, produced 16.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and seven assists per game while also tallying 70 steals. The four-year starter scored more than 1,000 career points.
"He was the motor that ran our car," Todd Neuendorf said.
The 6-3 senior guard tallied 20.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and three assists per game for a Sioux Valley team that saw its 12-10 season end with a Region 2A loss to Hamlin. He drained 64 3-pointers.
Nelson helped lead the Cossacks to their ninth-straight Big East Conference championship. He finished his career with 221 3-pointers and more than 900 points. The four-year regular was a key player for three Sioux Valley teams that played in the state A tourney, including a runner-up team in 2022.
"This season, Mav become a more complete player and carried the scoring load for us," Sioux Valley coach Bill Vincent said. "He scored in multiple ways, from multiple areas."
The Tigers qualified for the state Class A tourney for the third time in four years and the 6-3 junior was a big reason why. Groton Area, which started five underclassmen, went 18-7 and placed seventh at state.
Johnson did his part by notching 18.7 points, 5. rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Also a key part of a Hamlin program that made three consecutive state Class A appearances, the 6-3 senior finished his prep career with another solid season.
He was second on the Chargers with 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
"Evan scored both inside the paint and from behind the line," Coach Neuendorf said.
The 6-7 freshman helped a young Cyclones' team qualify for the state Class A tournament for the first time since 2015.
He tallied 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and two assists per game on a CWL team that finished 18-7 and placed eighth in the state.
"This kid has only scratched the surface of how good he can be. He has all the characteristics to be one of the good ones," CWL coach Jerome Nesheim said. "He has a true passion for the game and is a complete gym rat. He is able to play all positions and score at every level of the game."
The 5-9 senior guard had the second-highest scoring average (23.1 points per game) among the players on the Class A all-state team.
He led the Falcons to a 13-9 record by also contributing four rebounds and four assists per game.
"Carson is just an incredible player," Florence-Henry coach Will Roe said. "My favorite thing about Carson is how much he loves just playing basketball. He averaged 23.1 points per game while always getting the other team's best defender. He is very hard-working and a great leader. Everyone loved to come and watch him play basketball."
The Class B Player of the Year, a 6-9 senior center, was a big reason why the Warriors went 24-2 and captured their first State B championship since 2001.
The University of Sioux Falls recruit compiled 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game and also produced 62 blocks.
"Bryon is a once-in-a-liftime player for any high school coach to have. He's a dominant force physically on the floor, controlled the paint on both ends, and also I believe was the best rebounder in South Dakota," Castlewood coach Paul Raasch said.
"But with all that said, Bryon's most important contribution to our team was his leadership and focus on our goal to win a state title. He dedicated himself to that goal and led our team all year long, keeping them focused and playing together."
2025 ALL-STATE BOYS BASKETBALL: South Dakota's 2025 Class AA, A and B all-state boys basketball teams announced
Castlewood's run to the state title included five wins by a combined 130 points and a nail-biting 47-45 overtime win in the Region 2B semifinals against a De Smet team that won three consecutive state B titles and narrowly missed a fourth-straight championship last winter.
Wilkinson, a 6-9 junior, held his own against Laue and nearly helped the Bulldogs avenge a 20-point regular-seaso0n loss to Castlewood.
His final numbers included 22.3 points and 16.6 rebounds to go along with 40 blocks. He set school records for most points (47) and most rebounds (27) in a game along with the most rebounds in a season (368).
"We knew Grant would have to play well for us this year to get back to the state tournament with a challenging schedule and a talented region ahead of us," De Smet coach Jeff Gruenhagen said. "He really took over from the very start and showed that he could carry the load.
"His drive to win was contagious for his teammates and we got better as the season moved along. Grant has good footwork in the lane to get into position and score. His hands are unbelievable. He caught a lot of passes that were not easy to pull in, or off target, and turned them into scoring opportunities."
Not only did the Warriors have the best big man in Class B (Laue), but they had talented players on the perimeter led by the 6-0 senior point guard.
Keszler averaged 15.3 points, two rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game and seemed to rise to the occasion during Castlewood's postseason run.
"Jamison had a great year. He's a player who can create his own shot, which made him extremely tough to guard," Raasch said. "What really took Jamison to the next level this year was the poise and mental toughness he showed on the court. And as our point guard, it was infectious to the rest of our team and a key reason we were able to win the title."
The 6-3 senior earned honorable mention all-state as a junior for a state-tournament team for the Titans and returned this winter to lead LFA to a 19-3 season.
Kippley averaged 19.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. His 1,208 career points are believed to be the most in the history of the Leola-Frederick co-op. He also finished his career with 159 3-pointers and 442 rebounds.
"Noah was the focal point of every opponent's defense and was still able to score in a variety of ways from all areas of the floor," LFA coach Brock Pashen said.
Aberdeen Christian went 19-7 and qualified for the state B tournament for the fifth time in six years with Jett, a 6-5 sophomore, leading the way. The Knights finished seventh at state.
He led the squad in scoring (17.5 ppg), rebounding (8 rpg), blocks, and steals and set a new school record for rebounds in a season with 250.
"Only a sophomore, Brooks has quickly taken a leadership role," ACS coach Matt Rohrbach said. "He is an energetic, hard-working individual who cares about team success over accolades. He has the trust of his teammates as well as the coaching staff and we look forward to the next couple of years with him as our leader."
The Redhawks' season ended with a Region 2B loss to De Smet but that didn't diminish what was a strong year for the team (15-9) and Carlson.
The 6-0 junior tallied 16.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and four assists per game.
2024 AREA ALL-STATE BOYS: South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association releases Class AA, A and B honor squads
"Kyler has been an outstanding shot-maker for us the last two years. He has always had the ability to make 3s at a high percentage, but his ability to finish around the rim took his game to the next level this year," Redhawks coach Andy Hansen said. "Defensively, he was a leader for us in steals and has great hands and anticipation to make plays.
"Kyler is never satisfied with where he's at as a player, so he is always striving to improve himself in order to help our team."
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: S.D. Basketball Coaches Association names all-state boys players
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Neuendorf repeated as a first-team honoree in Class after making the third team in 2023. Laue repeated as a first-team honoree on the Class B squad after making the second team in 2023.
Other area honorees in Class A include Maverick Nelson of Sioux Valley, second team; Ryder Johnson of Groton Area, Evan Stormo of Hamlin and Sullivan Felberg of Clark-Willow Lake, third team; and Carson Vavruska of Florence-Henry, honorable mention.
Grant Wilkinson of De Smet also made the first team in Class B. Jamison Keszler of Castlewood and Noah Kippley of Leola-Frederick Area each made the second team, Brooks Jett of Aberdeen Christian the third team, and Kyler Carlson of Estelline-Hendricks received honorable mention.
Here's more on each of the area honorees:
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Easton Neuendorf, Hamlin
The 5-foot, 11-inch senior point guard capped his stellar prep career by leading defending state champion Hamlin back to the state Class A championship. The Chargers weren't able to knock off Sioux Falls Christian for a second-straight year but still closed out a 22-3 season.
The Briar Cliff University recruit, who helped spark a remarkable four-year resurgence for Hamlin under his father and coach Todd Neuendorf, produced 16.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and seven assists per game while also tallying 70 steals. The four-year starter scored more than 1,000 career points.
"He was the motor that ran our car," Todd Neuendorf said.
Maverick Nelson, Sioux Valley
The 6-3 senior guard tallied 20.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and three assists per game for a Sioux Valley team that saw its 12-10 season end with a Region 2A loss to Hamlin. He drained 64 3-pointers.
Nelson helped lead the Cossacks to their ninth-straight Big East Conference championship. He finished his career with 221 3-pointers and more than 900 points. The four-year regular was a key player for three Sioux Valley teams that played in the state A tourney, including a runner-up team in 2022.
"This season, Mav become a more complete player and carried the scoring load for us," Sioux Valley coach Bill Vincent said. "He scored in multiple ways, from multiple areas."
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Ryder Johnson, Groton Area
The Tigers qualified for the state Class A tourney for the third time in four years and the 6-3 junior was a big reason why. Groton Area, which started five underclassmen, went 18-7 and placed seventh at state.
Johnson did his part by notching 18.7 points, 5. rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Evan Stormo, Hamlin
Also a key part of a Hamlin program that made three consecutive state Class A appearances, the 6-3 senior finished his prep career with another solid season.
He was second on the Chargers with 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
"Evan scored both inside the paint and from behind the line," Coach Neuendorf said.
Sullivan Felberg, Clark-Willow Lake
The 6-7 freshman helped a young Cyclones' team qualify for the state Class A tournament for the first time since 2015.
He tallied 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and two assists per game on a CWL team that finished 18-7 and placed eighth in the state.
"This kid has only scratched the surface of how good he can be. He has all the characteristics to be one of the good ones," CWL coach Jerome Nesheim said. "He has a true passion for the game and is a complete gym rat. He is able to play all positions and score at every level of the game."
Carson Vavruska, Florence-Henry
The 5-9 senior guard had the second-highest scoring average (23.1 points per game) among the players on the Class A all-state team.
He led the Falcons to a 13-9 record by also contributing four rebounds and four assists per game.
"Carson is just an incredible player," Florence-Henry coach Will Roe said. "My favorite thing about Carson is how much he loves just playing basketball. He averaged 23.1 points per game while always getting the other team's best defender. He is very hard-working and a great leader. Everyone loved to come and watch him play basketball."
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Bryon Laue, Castlewood
The Class B Player of the Year, a 6-9 senior center, was a big reason why the Warriors went 24-2 and captured their first State B championship since 2001.
The University of Sioux Falls recruit compiled 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game and also produced 62 blocks.
"Bryon is a once-in-a-liftime player for any high school coach to have. He's a dominant force physically on the floor, controlled the paint on both ends, and also I believe was the best rebounder in South Dakota," Castlewood coach Paul Raasch said.
"But with all that said, Bryon's most important contribution to our team was his leadership and focus on our goal to win a state title. He dedicated himself to that goal and led our team all year long, keeping them focused and playing together."
2025 ALL-STATE BOYS BASKETBALL: South Dakota's 2025 Class AA, A and B all-state boys basketball teams announced
Grant Wilkinson, De Smet
Castlewood's run to the state title included five wins by a combined 130 points and a nail-biting 47-45 overtime win in the Region 2B semifinals against a De Smet team that won three consecutive state B titles and narrowly missed a fourth-straight championship last winter.
Wilkinson, a 6-9 junior, held his own against Laue and nearly helped the Bulldogs avenge a 20-point regular-seaso0n loss to Castlewood.
His final numbers included 22.3 points and 16.6 rebounds to go along with 40 blocks. He set school records for most points (47) and most rebounds (27) in a game along with the most rebounds in a season (368).
"We knew Grant would have to play well for us this year to get back to the state tournament with a challenging schedule and a talented region ahead of us," De Smet coach Jeff Gruenhagen said. "He really took over from the very start and showed that he could carry the load.
"His drive to win was contagious for his teammates and we got better as the season moved along. Grant has good footwork in the lane to get into position and score. His hands are unbelievable. He caught a lot of passes that were not easy to pull in, or off target, and turned them into scoring opportunities."
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Jamison Keszler, Castlewood
Not only did the Warriors have the best big man in Class B (Laue), but they had talented players on the perimeter led by the 6-0 senior point guard.
Keszler averaged 15.3 points, two rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game and seemed to rise to the occasion during Castlewood's postseason run.
"Jamison had a great year. He's a player who can create his own shot, which made him extremely tough to guard," Raasch said. "What really took Jamison to the next level this year was the poise and mental toughness he showed on the court. And as our point guard, it was infectious to the rest of our team and a key reason we were able to win the title."
Noah Kippley, Leola-Frederick Area
The 6-3 senior earned honorable mention all-state as a junior for a state-tournament team for the Titans and returned this winter to lead LFA to a 19-3 season.
Kippley averaged 19.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. His 1,208 career points are believed to be the most in the history of the Leola-Frederick co-op. He also finished his career with 159 3-pointers and 442 rebounds.
"Noah was the focal point of every opponent's defense and was still able to score in a variety of ways from all areas of the floor," LFA coach Brock Pashen said.
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Brooks Jett, Aberdeen Christian
Aberdeen Christian went 19-7 and qualified for the state B tournament for the fifth time in six years with Jett, a 6-5 sophomore, leading the way. The Knights finished seventh at state.
He led the squad in scoring (17.5 ppg), rebounding (8 rpg), blocks, and steals and set a new school record for rebounds in a season with 250.
"Only a sophomore, Brooks has quickly taken a leadership role," ACS coach Matt Rohrbach said. "He is an energetic, hard-working individual who cares about team success over accolades. He has the trust of his teammates as well as the coaching staff and we look forward to the next couple of years with him as our leader."
Kyler Carlson, Estelline-Hendricks
The Redhawks' season ended with a Region 2B loss to De Smet but that didn't diminish what was a strong year for the team (15-9) and Carlson.
The 6-0 junior tallied 16.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and four assists per game.
2024 AREA ALL-STATE BOYS: South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association releases Class AA, A and B honor squads
"Kyler has been an outstanding shot-maker for us the last two years. He has always had the ability to make 3s at a high percentage, but his ability to finish around the rim took his game to the next level this year," Redhawks coach Andy Hansen said. "Defensively, he was a leader for us in steals and has great hands and anticipation to make plays.
"Kyler is never satisfied with where he's at as a player, so he is always striving to improve himself in order to help our team."
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: S.D. Basketball Coaches Association names all-state boys players
Continue reading...
