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SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES
2012-13 Record: 10-18
Returning Starters: 4
Other Returning Players: 3
Points Returning: 47.7 ppg (67.75%)
Minutes Returning: 64.8%
September 3, 2013 was a shocking day in the South Dakota Coyotes basketball community. The 25-year Dave Boots era ended that day as he announced his sudden retirement. Boots’ assistant, and former Coyote player, Joey James was named the interim head coach.
Even James was surprised to hear the news. “I knew at some point he was going to retire, whether or not it was five or ten years from now, I had no idea,” James said. Boots had 503 wins from 1989 to 2013, winning more than 68-percent of the Coyotes’ games during that time. During his 32-year head coaching career he amassed 618 victories.
“For the past 25 years, I have enjoyed leading the Coyote basketball program. The time has come for a new face and new voice to now lead. Peggy and I want to thank everyone who supported us and made our experience so enjoyable. USD was truly a special place for our family,” Boots said. (“Coaching legend David Boots to retire after 25 seasons,” University of South Dakota Athletics, 3 Sept. 2013)
James has been on staff for 10 seasons after a two-year career under Boots at South Dakota. He transferred from Iowa Western Community College to South Dakota prior to the 1997-98 season. James helped lead the Coyotes to a 42-15 record in his junior and senior seasons.
“I can’t thank (Boots) enough for the opportunity he’s given me here as a player and as a coach to learn under him,” James said.
Coyotes Trying To Take Next Step
South Dakota struggled to win close games in 2012-13, the first season the program was eligible for the postseason Summit League Championships. The Coyotes went 1-8 in games that were decided by less than 10 points.
“Defensively and rebounding we have to be a lot better,” James said. The Coyotes allowed 73.6 points per game and were out-rebounded 3.6 boards a night. “We improved on (defense and rebounding) from two years ago, but now we have to take that next step,” James added.
Playing for a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time, South Dakota, as the seventh seed, pushed the number-two Western Illinois Leathernecks in the opening round of the conference tournament.
“Going up to Sioux Falls and playing in that tournament against a very good Western Illinois team, (Coyotes) got that taste in their mouth and this is a group that doesn’t like to lose,” James said.
The Coyotes came up short in three meetings against the Leathernecks, the regular season co-champions in the Summit League. However, the point differential in the three combined games was just five points.
South Dakota Coach Joey James Preview the Season
Gruis is a Moose Down Low
Trevor Gruis earned preseason 2nd Team All-Conference honors following a junior year in which he averaged 12.3 points and a team-leading 6.1 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-10 center is the team’s leading scorer that returns from last year.
“(Gruis is) more confident, a little stronger, and we expect him to have a big year for us,” James said.
Gruis trailed Juevol Myles in the scoring category last season. Myles is now playing professional basketball in Slovakia a year after averaging 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Myles, who was a Kansas State transfer, had the ability to take over a game. The Coyotes will likely not have a single go-to scorer in 2013-14.
“One thing with this group that we haven’t had in the past is going to be more depth,” James said. Myles was the only starter lost from last year’s squad. Gruis started every game, and Casey Kasperbauer started 24 of the team’s 30 games. Karim Rowson and Tyler Flack each started 19 games and Brandon Bos cracked the starting five 18 times. “More balanced scoring and on any given night we may have a guy score 20 one night and only get eight the next,” James added.
Who’s The Bos?
Bos certainly has the ability to score. The 6-foot-1 junior guard from Canada was the team’s third leading scorer last year on his way to being named a Honorable Mention All-Conference player. Bos scored in double figures 16 times and reached the 20-point mark in three games. “(Bos) little bit bigger than he was last year, maybe a little more explosive, and his confidence level is at an all-time high,” James said.
Will Kasperbauer Be Even More Efficient From Downtown?
Kasperbauer, named to the My Summit League All-Freshman Team, can also make a case for pouring in points on any given night. The Carroll, Iowa native was also named the Freshman of the Year by College Sports Madness. Kasperbauer averaged 8.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game last season. He was 62-of-148 (41.9-percent) from the 3-point line. During the off-season, Kasperbauer has worked on getting even better from the perimeter. “(Working on) take guys off the bounce instead of being just a spot-up shooter, and feel he’s improved on that, and he needs to continue to get better,” James said.
Thoseby Can Score
Another scoring threat that could emerge is Utah State transfer Adam Thoseby. The 6-foot-5 guard from England was named a preseason Breakout Player by My Summit League during the off-season. “(Thoseby) One of those guys that can (score) and all of a sudden he has 15 or 20 points,” James said. Thoseby played in 28 games, starting two, at Utah State two seasons ago. He scored a career-high 16 points against Idaho State.
North Texas Transfer To Run Point
Running the point will be another transfer, Trey Norris, who sat out last season with Thoseby after playing at North Texas. Norris has explosive speed, but don’t expect him to score a lot of points. “(Norris) Prototypical point guard we haven’t had here in a while,” James said. “More of a point guard than a scoring point guard,” James added.
Tyler Larson is a 6-foot-3 junior guard from Las Vegas. Larson transferred in from Casper College last season and redshirted after suffering a preseason injury. He will be looked upon to stand out on both sides of the court. “(Larson) has ability to score and defend,” James said.
Another guard that will be battling for a spot in the rotation during the preseason is freshman Rico Thompson. The Lawton, Oklahoma native averaged 19.6 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals per game as a senior at Stillwater High School. “(Thompson) Really stepped up, probably our best on-ball defender and really, really competes,” James said.
Tavian Pomlee, a junior college transfer, should step right in and see minutes at forward. Pomlee helped lead Iowa Western Community College to a 32-3 record and a berth in the NJCAA Elite Eight last year. “Kind of a pick and pop guy, defensively he is solid,” James said.
Eric Robertson, a 6-foot-8 forward, played in 23 games and averaged seven minutes per contest. Jack Foley played in just three games for a total of five minutes last year.
Freshman Infusion
The Coyotes will have some decisions to make when it comes to redshirting. The program has four freshmen entering the 2013-14 season. Austin Sparks is a big body at 6-foot-8, that could see some time at forward. “Really, really skilled, I think (Sparks) has a chance to be really good one day,” James said. Whether or not it’s this year when he breaks out is still up in the air. “(Sparks) probably won’t play as much as he’d like this year,” James added.
Other freshman include 6-foot-10 center Bounama Keita from Senegal and 6-foot-5 guard Vlad Stoicoviciu from Romania. “Not sure what the heck we’re gonna do with some of these kids, and have to figure out who we’re gonna redshirt,” James said.
MySummitLeague Assessment
It’s hard to tell where the Coyotes will end up in 2013-14. After pushing Western Illinois in all three games during the 2012-13 season, South Dakota, on paper, could be better than the Leathernecks in terms of who’s back. However, the Coyotes struggled against other Summit League programs, including a sweep by Fort Wayne, and splitting with Omaha in 2012-13.
What we like the most about the makeup of this team is the balance, in addition to a pair of quality transfers (Thoseby and Norris). Gruis will battle North Dakota State’s Marshall Bjorklund as the best big man in the conference, and has a very talented guard corps to feed him the ball. One thing is for certain, this is a team that shouldn’t be a seventh seed again in Sioux Falls next March.
