Previews: Horace & Oak Grove

The NBA and college basketball seasons have tipped off and are rolling right along. What's next? High school basketball starts soon!   Class A starts practice on November 18th and Class AA begins practice on November 25th.   It is a great time of year to be a basketball fan and optimism should be high across North Dakota.   In this article, we are previewing/profiling two ND squads, both from the Fargo/WF metro area.   We are highlighting the Horace Hawks (AA) and the Oak Grove Grovers (A).   See below for info on the Hawks and Grovers…   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/Preview-crop-770x506-1715844907-crop-742x487-1715898433.jpg?w=741" alt="" class="wp-image-910079" style="width:304px;height:auto" /></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/Hawk-Logo.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1055407" style="width:300px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Hawks are the real deal! They bring everyone back, have 3 superstars, put up a ton of points, and play a fun/entertaining brand of basketball. PGHD is expecting a glorious season from Horace.   School: Horace   Mascot: Hawk   Head Coach: Brent Hintz   Class: AA   Region: EDC   2023-24 Record: 21-6 (5th at State Tournament)   Team Stats 2023-24   GP: 27 PPG: 73.6 RPG: 39.6 APG: 16.1 SPG: 8.1 FG%: 45.5 2FG%: 52 3FG%: 32.3 FT%: 70 3FGM: 175 FTM: 326   Players To Watch   [player_tooltip player_id='331508' first='Jaiden' last='Haile']: Senior, 6'2” Forward - 24 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 1.7 apg, 61.2 FG%, 3 3FGM, 27.3 3FG%, 165 FTM, 69.6 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='555488' first='Lakyn' last='Donnelly']: Freshman, 5'6” Point Guard -14.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 43.3 FG%, 45 3FGM, 36.6 3FG%, 43 FTM, 75 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='555487' first='Jordan' last='Christofferson']: Sophomore, 6'0” Forward - 11.2 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 45.8 FG%, 24 3FGM, 45.3 3FG%, 38 FTM, 66.7 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='641204' first='Taylor' last='Majkrzak']: Junior, 5'9" Guard - 3 ppg, 3 rpg, 1 apg, 31.2 FG%, 15 3FGM, 25 3FG%, 9 FTM, 60 FT%   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_9df6b6.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1055421" style="width:284px;height:auto" /></figure>   With Coach Brett Hintz   PGHD: Can you sum up last for us season?   "We had a great 2023-2024 season. We were a very young team with no seniors. We showed a lot of growth, we had a lot of success, and gained a lot of valuable experience, including taking 2nd place in the EDC Tournament, and 5th place at the ND State AA Tournament."   PGHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We had a good offseason. Our players stay very busy. Most of them work with their Horace High School team in the summer, and also play AAU basketball. So, they are in the gym a lot, and spend a lot of time working on their game. One of our team goals this summer was to build more depth, and I feel we accomplished that goal."   PGHD: Who are your top players?   "[player_tooltip player_id='331508' first='Jaiden' last='Haile']: Senior, 6'2” Forward – Named All-EDC and 1st Team All-State"   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>"Jaiden has a positive impact on every aspect of the game. She is a dynamic offensive player who can score points in a variety of ways, does a great job of recognizing the double and triple team and finds her open teammates for scoring opportunities. She is an elite rebounder, and she led the EDC and state in rebounding. She is also a highly skilled and versatile defender who protects the lane, and can also defend multiple positions. She has verbally committed to play college basketball at Gonzaga."</li> </ul>   "[player_tooltip player_id='555488' first='Lakyn' last='Donnelly']: Freshman, 5'5” Point Guard – Named All-EDC"   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>"Lakyn showed tremendous growth in her game from her 8th grade to 9th grade seasons. As the 2023-2024 season progressed, she made great strides and improvement in becoming a complete point guard. She can consistently score at all three levels, has great court vision, is an elite ball handler, and also plays hard and gives great effort on the defensive end. She also rebounds well for her position. She is only going to be a freshman, and still has a lot of room for growth, which is exciting." (Multiple offers from Summit League schools, receiving interest from many more D1 programs.)</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='555487' first='Jordan' last='Christofferson']: Sophomore, 6'0” Forward – Named All-EDC   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>"Jordan is very versatile and can play several different positions/roles on the court. She can score at the rim, score in the mid-range, and is a high-percentage 3-point shooter. She is capable of being a great rebounder and is a talented defender who is capable of guarding all five positions on the court. She always plays with great effort, and also does a lot of the “tough stuff” during a game that helps her team win. She is also young, and still has a lot of room for growth, which is exciting." (Offers from NDSU & UND, receiving interest from many more D1 programs.)</li> </ul>   PGHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for?   "Here are a couple of players that didn't play many Varsity minutes last season, but have the ability to play meaningful Varsity minutes this coming season:"   "[player_tooltip player_id='1055443' first='Ava' last='Larson']: Sophomore, 5'9” Guard"   "[player_tooltip player_id='1055444' first='Ava' last='Niewind']: Junior, 5'8” Guard"   PGHD: What style of basketball will your team play?   "We are fortunate to be able to play different styles of play. We have a lot of athleticism, which allows us to play a fast-paced game and run the floor. We also have players who allow us to be a very efficient halfcourt team."   PGHD: Who do you think will be your top defender?   "This is a difficult question to answer. I think we have multiple players who have the ability to be lockdown defenders on the perimeter. These include [player_tooltip player_id='316049' first='Keelie' last='Sunde'] and [player_tooltip player_id='555488' first='Lakyn' last='Donnelly']. We have a couple of players who are versatile defenders and can guard multiple positions. These include [player_tooltip player_id='555487' first='Jordan' last='Christofferson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='342165' first='Megan' last='Hjelmstad']. [player_tooltip player_id='331508' first='Jaiden' last='Haile'] is a positive force on defense. She is capable of defending on the perimeter, and she defends the lane and protects the basket."   PGHD: What are a couple of your team goals this year?   "We want to continue growing and developing as a team. Work hard to get better every day in every aspect of the game and build throughout the season to play our best basketball during tournament time."   PGHD: Who are a couple of your top shooters?   "We are fortunate to have multiple players who are capable of shooting a high percentage from the perimeter. These include:"   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>"[player_tooltip player_id='555487' first='Jordan' last='Christofferson']"</li>   <li>"[player_tooltip player_id='555488' first='Lakyn' last='Donnelly']"</li>   <li>"[player_tooltip player_id='454688' first='Lilia' last='Donnelly']"</li>   <li>"[player_tooltip player_id='1055443' first='Ava' last='Larson']"</li> </ul>   PGHD: Who are some of the top teams & players in the EDC?   "The EDC will be deep and talented again this season. As the season gets started, some of the top teams in the conference will be Fargo Davies, Shanley, Red River, Sheyenne, and Fargo North. Some of the top players we will see in our conference this season are:"   "[player_tooltip player_id='461314' first='Fallon' last='Passanante']: Fargo Davies, [player_tooltip player_id='629942' first='Quinn' last='Skari']: Fargo Davies, [player_tooltip player_id='1004420' first='Rylee' last='Seavert']: Shanley, [player_tooltip player_id='379035' first='Ella' last='Speidel']: Red River, [player_tooltip player_id='385163' first='Lauren' last='Reardon']: Grand Forks Central"   PGHD: Any last comments about the upcoming season?   "[player_tooltip player_id='316049' first='Keelie' last='Sunde'] (Senior, 5'8” Point Guard), [player_tooltip player_id='454688' first='Lilia' last='Donnelly'] (Junior, 5'5” Guard), and [player_tooltip player_id='641204' first='Taylor' last='Majkrzak'] (Junior, 5'9” Guard) will be a huge part of our success this season. All three have good 3-point range, are very capable scorers, have a positive impact on the game in a variety of ways, and play a big role in what we want to do defensively."   "We are very excited for the season to start. We have a great group of kids, who are a lot of fun to work with and coach. They work extremely hard, are willing to do what it takes to be successful, we are excited to see our continued growth as a team, and see what we can accomplish together this season."   BEST OF LUCK TO THE HAWKS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_cb7166.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1055580" style="width:370px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Grovers are an intriguing squad. They bring back a solid group of experienced and versatile ball players. It looks like they will have a balanced offense with flexibility, skilled ballers, hard workers, and capable shooters. Get ready for a quality year of basketball from Oak Grove.   Schools: Oak Grove   Mascot: Grover   Head Coach: Chad Slyter   Class: A   Region: 6-16   2023-24 Record: 21-6 (5th at State Tournament)   Team Stats 2023-24   GP: 22 PPG: 47.2 RPG: 32.1 APG: 8.7 SPG: 9.8 FG%: 31.8 2FG%: 32.6 3FG%: 29.8 FT%: 66.9 3FM: 109 FTM: 204   Players To Watch   [player_tooltip player_id='278891' first='Paightyn' last='Downs'] (2025) |5'8 G| - 8.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 37.7 FG%, 11 3FGM, 28.9 3FG%, 53 FTM, 76.8 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='460701' first='Mari' last='Bolme'] (2025) |5'9 G| - 7.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .8 apg, 27 FG%, 24 3FGM, 27.9 3FG%, 34 FTM, 61.8 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='1055595' first='Hailey' last='Neumann'] (2025) |5'10 F| - 4.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1 apg, 39.4 FG%, 18 FTM, 54.5 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='1055586' first='Sophie' last='Geiger'] (2026) |5'6 G| - 7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, .9 apg, 31.7 FG%, 19 3FGM, 31.7 3FG%, 37 FTM, 34.9 FT%   [player_tooltip player_id='1055587' first='Rachel' last='Christianson'] (2027) |5'7 G| - 5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.2 apg 33.6 FG%, 12 3FGM, 27.9 3FG%, 21 FTM, 77.8 FT%   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/11/image_8184af.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1055599" style="width:289px;height:auto" /></figure>   With Coach Chad Slyter   PGHD: Could you write a couple sentences summing up last season?   "I believe there was a transition for us to the three-class system. Injuries were a big factor for us last year, losing a starting senior to a knee injury in the volleyball season, a bench player to a wrist injury for 90% of the season, and another senior who played the whole season at about 70%. Our team did a great job of filling in spots. We typically are not the biggest team on the floor any given night in regards to height, but our players did a really good job of working hard in each game and use other strengths to our advantage. It was another year of building for many players at the varsity level for us and we will return a number of significant contributors this year."   PGHD: How did the offseason go for your team/program?   "We had a strong summer camp season, participating in five varsity and three junior varsity camps. We put some players in different positions and challenged some to make a potential jump or shift at the varsity level. The off-season has provided our returning players and potential new contributors with insight into what will be needed for us to be successful this upcoming season."   PGHD: Who are a few of your top players to look out for?    "We will return four starters from last year's team, some that have been starting for two to three years at the varsity level, so our team will be game-experienced. [player_tooltip player_id='278891' first='Paightyn' last='Downs'], [player_tooltip player_id='460701' first='Mari' last='Bolme'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1055595' first='Hailey' last='Neumann'] are three seniors that will provide leadership and quality play on the floor. Bolme and Downs play multiple positions on the offensive end of the floor and can lock down defenders on the defensive end. Neumann generally is in the five-spot on offense. She works hard in the post and has really worked to refine her post options, but also has the ability to step out from the basketball with a 12-15 foot jumper. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1055586' first='Sophie' last='Geiger'] will be a junior and was in the starting rotation last year. Geiger shoots well from the perimeter, can hit the pull-up jumper, and has the ability to get to the rim. She is very versatile offensively. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1055587' first='Rachel' last='Christianson'] saw good minutes as the sixth person last season. She saw valuable experience, picking up the speed of the game. Rachel has the ability to be a prolific scorer offensively for us this season."   PGHD: Who are a couple of up-and-comers to look out for in the near future?   "Juniors Aspyn Kjos, [player_tooltip player_id='1055627' first='Carolyn' last='DeJong'], and Lainey Caspers could make impacts this season. Kjos returns from missing most of last season with an injury. She provides quickness, perimeter shooting, and defense to help spark our team. DeJong, our tallest player, will be counted on to provide an interior presence in the paint and change shots on the defensive end of the floor. Her rebounding will be counted on to help kick-start our fast-break offense. Caspers will look to fill potential minutes at the point and shooting guard positions. She sees the floor extremely well and has a knack for finding the open person. Sophomores Linden Broneske and McCall Johnson could also see a jump this year on the varsity floor."   PGHD: What style of basketball will your team play?   "We will play a fast-break style of offense. We are not the tallest team but play a strong full-court defense that allows us to negate our lack of size with our quickness and ability to run the floor."   PGHD: Who do you think will be your top defender?   "[player_tooltip player_id='278891' first='Paightyn' last='Downs'] generally sets the tone for us on the defensive end. She can defend the guard and forward positions, anticipates well and is vocal on the defensive end. [player_tooltip player_id='460701' first='Mari' last='Bolme'] had a great summer on the defensive end as well and can guard players bigger than her."   PGHD: What are a couple of your team goals this year?   "We believe that we can get into the top half of Region 1 this year and be in a position to compete for a State Title position at the end of the year. We will also graduate multiple-year starters and staples of the program for the last two to three years, so development of younger players will also be key to continue to build a competitive program."   PGHD: Who are a couple of your top shooters?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1055586' first='Sophie' last='Geiger'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1055587' first='Rachel' last='Christianson'] could be some of our top shooters from three-point range. Both do a good job of getting moving without the ball and getting themselves in a position to shoot good shots. They both also have the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the lane for some pull-up jumpers. [player_tooltip player_id='278891' first='Paightyn' last='Downs'] and [player_tooltip player_id='460701' first='Mari' last='Bolme'] can also shoot the three and should look to take more shots from the perimeter."   PGHD: Who are some of the top teams in your Region?   "I believe Valley City, Wahpeton, and Kindred will be good teams this year. Northern Cass also returns a solid core of experienced players."   BEST OF LUCK TO THE GROVERS!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/04/NorthDakota.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-889728" /></figure>

The NBA and college basketball seasons have tipped off and are rolling right along. What's next? High school basketball starts soon!