Returning WDA Players and New Names to Watch (Part 3)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Part 3/4 of the WDA before moving onto the EDC. Here are some new names that had some Fresh/Soph/JV time last year that we need to be aware of. Again, like I have stated previously....our State has a TON of young talent coming up that will really create some excitement in the years to come. Ready....Set....Let's ROLL!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='375796' first='Brooklynn' last='Felchle']: (6'3'' F/C Legacy 2025) I don't know how anyone can not write about an upcoming standout without mentioning this young lady. I've had the pleasure of watching her for years and if her on-court performance isn't impressive, her off-court attitude is just as great. Felchle comes into Legacy with some experience from last year, and you can bet that will change this year as you can expect her to be a key figure. Offensively she can wreck havoc in the post, and isn't afraid to take shots from the outside either. Defensively she know's exactly how to use her size/frame to do her job and protect the paint. With more experience which will for sure come, you can bet this young lady is a sure pick for All-Conference and All-State down the road. She's gifted, and most importantly she is incredibly coachable, which I've seen first hand since she was with Bismarck Energy and Kristen Johnson at a young age. She will give you 110% all day...remember her name, you'll hear it often down the road. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sara Helderop: (5'5 PG Mandan 2026) A new transfer to the Mandan program, Helderop is a quick and very skillful player, and quite possibly one of the top for the class of 26'. Offensively she is a very well-tuned ball handler with her left and right hand alike. She has an arsenal of moves to create space between the defender, and the ability to get to the basket quickly or pull up a mid-range jumper, as well as the ability to hit long range 3-point shots. On the other side of the court, she is a bull-dog aggressive defender that plays in your face defense and isn't afraid to put the pressure on. With time her basketball IQ will only continue to get better, but she could really add depth to Mandan's line up. She will be another fun one to watch as she goes down the road.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='379966' first='Bailey' last='Mattson']: (5'8 G Watford City 2026) Another young but gifted athlete in the WDA. Mattson could be the next big player coming out of Watford City. She has good size to her; moves well and defensively she isn't shy about cranking up the pressure on the offense or pulling down rebounds. Last year she pulled down 76 rebounds and had 19 steals as an 8th grader. On top of that she all added 106 points, shot 29% from the field and proved she can be deadly from behind the arc as well hitting 24/86. Give her some more time on the court, she could really be that player who can turn a game around and create some havoc for other teams. Another young, gifted player in the WDA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='408451' first='Natalie' last='Larson']: (5'8 G St.Marys 2025) Larson is coming into her 2nd year of Varsity Basketball already with some good experience. Last year she got a decent amount of playing time, and still put up some good numbers for her squad. She respectively put up 99pts, shot 32% from deep and pulled down 39 rebounds in the 16 games she appeared in. Larson is a quick shifty guard who can flat out run up and down the court all game long and proved she can be a deadly shooter from just about anywhere. Add that with her good footwork and ball handling abilities, she could really come out of her shell this year and be a "go-to" player for the Saints. She has a bright future ahead of her, and Shes only going to get better.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->