ND Phenom 16U: Team Profile - Prep Hoops (2024)

PHD is looking at one of the best club programs in the Midwest, ND Phenom ! We are taking a deep dive into ND Phenom 16U, this squad has major talent in the 2026 and 2027 classes. These players all have the potential to play at the next level and they have looked tough this spring. We will see them later this summer on the Prep Hoops Circuit!

“Great bunch of kids to coach! We have 3 kids playing up a grade and exceeding expectations. Great size at every position. Offensively they really share the ball well. Any given game we could have a different leading scorer, rebounder, or assist leader. Defensively we have been great! Shot contesting, containing the dribbler, and rebounding. Getting a lot of easy baskets created by our defense.”–Joe Ware

“I think every player has probably exceeded their own individual on-court expectations.”–Jordan Maurer

See below for ND Phenom ‘s schedule, roster, player comments, and a Q&A session.

Player Comments from Coach Ware

“Weston played varsity basketball for a Bismarck High School team that made the State Tournament. Weston has an incredibly high IQ and feel for the game. He slashes, rebounds, and creates at a high clip. Weston has been a consistent winner in the sport of basketball his entire life and we fully expect his ability to close out a game to be vital to our success. He is 1 of 3 2027 players that we will have playing on the 2026 team this season.“

“Braylen was an All-Region player for a Beulah High School team that made the State Tournament. Braylen has a very high basketball IQ and is an elite screen reader. He can really fill it up from the perimeter. Braylen was the leading scorer for our 2026 team last season and we have high expectations for him on both ends of the floor again this season.“

“Carter was an All-Conference player for a young West Fargo Horace team. Carter was the lone sophom*ore in the EDC named All-Conference. He
shows the ability to score and create off the bounce while also having a very extended range. Carter is new to the North Dakota Phenom, but we expect him to be an immediate impact player as far as scoring the basketball and creating for others while defending high-level players for us.“

“Brooks was a 1st Team All-State player for a Kindred team that only lost 1 game. Brooks is 1 of 3 2027s playing up on our 2026 team. He is also 1 of only 3 freshmen named All-State in ND in the past 40 years. Brooks has elite athleticism and positional size, while also having the requisite skill requirements to be recruited at any level. He can create, slash, shoot, defend, dunk in traffic, and will a team to a win, while being incredibly humble. We expect Brooks to be a leader on our team in all facets. An extremely rare talent in ND. Generational.“

“Kenyatta played on the junior varsity and sophom*ore teams at Bismarck High School behind a bevy of upperclassmen. His sophom*ore team won their end-of-season tournament. Kenyatta is a jack of all trades. He can post a bit, slash a bit, shoot a bit, and really be a high-energy guy. He has high-level athletic abilities as well.“

“Colton played varsity and junior varsity basketball for a highly successful Fargo Davies team. Colton is a bit of a jack of all trades. He can post you. He can stretch the floor. Very nice cutter. He finishes above the rim. Good communicator. Nice length. Really just a solid all-around player that coaches love to have on their team. We are really excited about the versatility he will bring to our team.“

“Nelson played varsity basketball for a young Dunseith team. Nelson saw a lot of success this past season. He really showed post-scoring ability, but also can stretch the floor from mid-range and from deep. We expect Nelson to provide energy, post defensive, and shoot a high percentage for our team. He is 1 of 3 2027s playing up for us. His best days are ahead of him, but he has a lot to work with right now.“

“Sage was an All-Region player for a TGU team that competes in a loaded region. He is incredibly explosive, athletic, and skilled. He can post, slash, or shoot from the perimeter. Very bouncy and very long. He can change a game defensively. Sage is the top sophom*ore prospect in ND and I think he will prove that again game in and game out all summer. We have high expectations for Sage. He will anchor our defense.“

Q&A with Jordan Maurer & Joe Ware

PHD: Can you tell me abit about your coach Ware’s coaching background?

“Coach Ware is in his 25th year of coaching at some level. He played collegiately at the University of Mary. His coaching career began at United Tribes as he was the women’s Head Coach in their inaugural season.“

PHD: Why should we be excited about this team?

“The team is full of talented players who get along on and off the court. Whenever you are in a situation where you get to coach people who enjoy each other, coaching the group is a lot more fun.“

PHD: What are the strengths of this team?

“I think our team is a nice blend of offensive talent and length, with a defense-first coach. We will be able to score in a variety of ways, but I think we have the chance to be a great rebounding team. Our guards really rebound at a high clip. We also have forwards who are able to score inside out, and our guard play is just very dynamic.“

PHD: What style of basketballwill you play?

“Offensively, I see us playing at a nice pace, particularly in transition, but being patient in the half-court. We have good size, so we are going to use it in the half-court. I am a defense-first coach, and playing time will be predicated on the ability to get stops.“

PHD: What will your team “hang your hat on”?

“We will hang our hat on defending the rock, controlling the glass, and being efficient offensively. I think we can be a great rebounding team.“

PHD: Who do you predict will be your top defender?

“ Sage Hanson Sage Hanson 6'8" | SF TGU | 2026 State ND is a special interior defender. Everyone is competent, but Sage has he ability to be special with his length and timing.“

PHD: Do you see your team play man?

“We are going to play man.“

PHD: Will your team get together and practice?

“We have a Training Camp in the Spring and in the Summer and we do skills and drills a few days a week.“

PHD: What are your goals for this AAU/grassroots season?

“We want to see all of our players consistently compete on a possession-to-possession basis. If that happens, everything else will fall into place.“

PHD: Who are some of the top shooters?

Best of luck in the summer club season, see you on the PH Circuit!