Jensen and Fast lead four Heartland boys named on Class B All-State teams
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HURON — A pair of De Smet seniors capped their high school basketball careers by being named to the Class B all-state team, which was announced today by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association.
Earning the honor for the Bulldogs, who finished second in the Class B State Tournament with a 22-4 record, were George Jensen and Kadyn Fast.
Other area players making the Class B all-state roster were sophomore Parker Graff of Wessington Springs and senior Trake Cowan of Highmore-Harrold.
Jensen, a 6-foot-6 forward, was named to the second team for De Smet. He averaged 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks per game this season.
“George had an amazing season this year and really was awesome on offense and defense this year,” De Smet coach Jeff Gruenhagen said. “He had so many big blocks and rebounds on D and had a bunch of great dunks during the year.
“Offensively, he hit so many big shots in big games during the season and throughout the tourney,” he said.
Jensen’s progress throughout his high school career was quite evident during the Class B title game, according to Gruenhagen.
“He really matured into a clutch performer and that was what we needed to carry us back to the title game,” Gruenhagen said. “The step-back, three-point basket to end the Gregory game was just huge to put us into the semifinals and he followed that up with a big time three from the corner in the semis vs Castlewood and he was not done yet. The catch and basket to put the championship game into overtime was just an amazing athletic play.”
Fast, a 6-1 guard, averaged 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals per game this season for the Bulldogs. He was named to the third team.
“Kadyn Fast had another great season for us this year. He is a great defender and really helped us win big games by controlling some really good players,” Gruenhagen said. “He is smart and plays with exceptional speed. His first step really got him to the basket and made him hard to guard.”
Fast also played a key role in helping De Smet reach its fourth-straight title game in the Class B State Tournament this season.
“He played an outstanding state tourney, helping us reach the finals,” Gruenhagen said. “His steal and two clutch free throws to tie Gregory in Round 1 was just a very heads up play and that is how Kadyn always plays.”
Both Jensen and Fast have received offers to continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level. However, both remain undecided as to what their futures hold at this point.
Graff and Cowan were also named to the Class B all-state third team.
Graff helped Wessington Springs to the consolation championship during the Class B State Tournament.
The 6-0 guard averaged 17 points and 4.7 rebounds per game this season for the Spartans, who finished 24-2. He finished the season with 73 made shots from 3-point range, while have 58 assists and 41 steals.
“Parker had a truly outstanding sophomore season, and the bigger the game, the more he stepped up,” Wessington Springs coach Kenny Huether said. “He spends a lot of time in the off season making himself a better player!"
Cowan was a force in the paint this season for Highmore-Harrold.
He averaged 19.5 points and 15.6 rebounds per game this season for the Pirates.
“Trake had an amazing season for us this year,” Highmore-Harrold coach Scott Pekarek said. “It was one of the most dominant seasons I've ever seen a player from Highmore-Harrold have.”
Cowan recorded a double-double in every game this season for Highmore-Harrold. He scored 27 points and had 27 rebounds in a game this season against Sully Buttes and helped the Pirates reach the SoDak 16 with a 24-point and 19-rebound effort against Faulkton Area.
“He was our go to guy on offense. He was doubled and sometimes tripled team this year and still managed to score,” Pekarek said. “Defensively, he was our anchor. He affected many shots this season and rebounded hard.”
Cowan’s presence was felt well beyond the boxscore, according to Pekarek.
“He was not only a vocal leader for our team, but held himself more accountable than anyone for what happened for us out on the floor,” he said. “He was a true captain and leader for us.”
Senior Nicolas Marshall of White River was named the Class B Player of the Year.
Joining Marshall on the first team were junior Bryon Laue of Castlewood; junior Nick Hanson of Viborg-Hurley; senior Tage Ortman of Canistota; senior Jackson Schauer of Faith; and senior Kolt Koepsell of Howard.
Jensen topped the second team, which also included senor Layne Cotton of Faulkton Area; senior Daniel Mitchell of Gregory; junior Trevon Beckman of Dell Rapids St. Mary; senior Lane Tvedtof Castlewood; and junior Luke Koepsell of Howard.
Also selected to the third team were senior Aiden Lieber of Mitchell Christian; senior Joey Johnson of Aberdeen Christian; senior Brayden Sumption of Leola-Frederick Area; and senior Cooper Feddersen of Jones County.
Earning honorable mention were sophomore Ben Weber of Bridgewater-Emery; junior Noah Kippley of Leola-Frederick Area; sophomore Wesley Wittler of Sully Buttes; senior Ryder Falkenhagen of Potter County; and junior Spencer Karstens of Gayville-Volin.
CLASS B
First Team
Nicolas Marshall, White River, 6-1, sr., G (26.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.9 apg)
Bryon Laue, Castlewood, 6-9, jr., C (15.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg)
Nick Hanson, Viborg-Hurley, 6-06, jr. C (23.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg)
Tage Ortman, Canistota, 6-0, sr., G (23.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 6.1 apg)
Jackson Schauer, Faith, 6-1, sr., G (25 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg)
Kolt Koepsell, Howard, 6-8, sr., C (14.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.6 apg)
Second Team
George Jensen, De Smet, 6-6, sr., F (12.5 ppg, 7 rpg)
Layne Cotton, Faulkton Area, 6-3, sr., F-G (26 ppg, 10 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Third Team
Parker Graff, Wessington Springs, 6-0, so. G (17.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Aiden Lieber, Mitchell Christian, 6-2, sr., G (29.9 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.5 apgf)
Joey Johnson, Aberdeen Christian, 6-4, sr., C (22 ppg, 10 rpg)
Kadyn Fast, De Smet, 6-1, sr., G (10 ppg,4 rpg, 4 apg)
Brayden Sumption, Leola-Frederick Area, 5-11, sr., G (12.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Trake Cowan, Highmore-Harrold, 6-5, sr., F (19.5 ppg, 15.6 rpg,)
Cooper Feddersen, Jones County, 6-5, sr., F-C (19.6 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Honorable Mention
Ben Weber, Bridgewater-Emery, 6-5, so., G (17.1 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Noah Kippley, Leola-Frederick Area, 6-3, jr., G (17.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.1 apg)
Wesley Wittler, Sully Buttes, 5-11, so., G (22.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Ryder Falkenhagen, Potter County, 5-11, sr., G (19.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Spencer Karstens, Gayville-Volin, 6-2, jr., G-F (21 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg)
Repeat Selections — 2023 (Laue, Tvedt and Schauer, second; and Mitchell, Ortman, Marshall and Cotton, third team); 2022 (Mitchell, second team)
