This year’s AC/DC boys’ basketball team is coached by Head Coach Gordon Hooks, who is assisted by his son Brevan Hooks. This is Gordon’s 17th year coaching and Brevan’s fourth. Nine seniors lead this year’s team and include Tate Elk Soldier, Hunter Loeffler, Sabas DeHaan, AJ Johnson, Garth Maas, Ty Archambeau, Ryder Niewenhuis, Ethan Aungie and Kashton Garcia. Junior team members are Kashton Garcia, Takota Medicine Horn and Isaiah Milk. Jamian Medicine Horn and Edward Ulrich are the team’s sophomore members. Up and coming freshmen team members include Jack Backes and Israel Brown.

The team did some offseason activities to prepare for this season. They attended the Dakota Wesleyan University and Parkston basketball team camps this past summer. One of the biggest highlights of last season was HUDL. The team usedHUDL,whichisasoftware program that breaks down and analyzes film to give coaches detailed reports on the areas of strengths and weaknesses of the team. This gives coaches a better complete picture of how to help their team improve and what areas to focus improving upon. This year’s team goal is to go into every game with the mindset to dominate their opponent. As competitors and athletes, their goals are always to reach the highest levels achievable.

The team will look to its nine seniors to lead and be key players both on and off the court. When asked which games the coaches felt will be the toughest/ most intense for the team, the Hooks’ replied that every game on their schedule will be intense and they want to prepare in that manner every day!

As Head Coach Hooks is going into his second season coaching the Thunder, he is looking forward to the growth and the chemistry that the team can build in year two together. As it was the Hooks’ first season of coaching theThunder last season, as expected, there were a lot of growing pains. Coach Hooks believes that this year the team is all on the same page with the standard that they want to set as a team.

What the Hooks’ philosophy is on building a successful team/ program is the GRIND! Putting in the work every single day with the mentality to be the best while never letting another person ever out work oneself.

The AC/DC Thunder boys’ basketball season tips off on December 14th against Platte Geddes with a double header including the AC/DC Lady Thunder at Dakota Christian. Best of luck in your upcoming season. Go Thunder!