Freshman guard Easton Neuendorf proves to be natural fit for DWU men

Jan. 13—MITCHELL — Trust is not something first-year head coaches hand out lightly, especially at the most demanding position on the basketball floor.

Yet just over halfway through the season, Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball coach Sam Nicholson has already made his stance clear. When the Tigers bring the ball up the court, it's in the hands of freshman Easton Neuendorf.

The Hamlin High School graduate has quickly become the steady heartbeat of DWU's offense in his first collegiate season as the starting point guard. The 5-foot-11 true freshman is not only adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game, but thriving as the Tigers' full-time starter.

"I think the eye test alone, everyone's going to tell you that he's a great player," Nicholson said. "But for us, it's how he continues to be a sponge. This system's pretty different from what he did in high school, and they ran a heck of a system in high school. So, from a college perspective, he's doing about everything different that you could possibly do in basketball, and he just takes it on every day."

As of Jan. 12, Neuendorf ranks fourth in the Great Plains Athletic Conference in assists per game at 4.9, totaling 79 assists through 16 games played. He is also logging 32.4 minutes per game out of a possible 40.

Neuendorf's ability to quickly adapt has been one of the defining traits of his freshman campaign. The jump from high school to college basketball is often difficult, especially for point guards tasked with controlling tempo and making reads, but Neuendorf has embraced that challenge.

"It's been a little bit of a change because of the speed and physicality from high school to college, but it has been a lot of fun so far," Neuendorf said. "I am just trying to get better for every game, every practice, and continuing to take steps forward. I have also learned to be more patient, and just let the game come to me and not try to force anything."

That patience shows up in the numbers. Along with his assist totals, Neuendorf has recorded 28 steals and ranks No. 22 in the GPAC in scoring at 13 points per game, as of Jan. 12.

His scoring average trails only Randy Rosenquist Jr. (13.5) and Anthony Riggans (13.1) on the Tigers' roster, yet Neuendorf said he is focused on distributing the rock and getting his teammates involved first before finding his own shot.

Nicholson has noticed not only the production but also the composure behind Neuendorf's debut season. For a young roster led by a first-year head coach, Neuendorf's calm demeanor has become a stabilizer for the entire team to lean on despite the inexperience.

"From a leadership standpoint, he has that poise that we talk about time and time again," Nicholson said. "He is cool, calm and collective. He never gets too high. He never gets too low. And that's something I probably need to follow suit in and not lose my head as much, but it carries a lot of weight for our guys."

Mistakes are inevitable for any freshman, but Nicholson has emphasized growth over perfection, a message Neuendorf has taken to heart.

"Every day, coach tells me to keep going because I am going to make mistakes and that's part of the process," Neuendorf said. "So, just trying to not let one or two mistakes hurt me, and be ready to go for the next play. We're both young, and learning step-by-step with one another."

The connection between the head coach and point guard continues to grow as the season progresses at any level, and Nicholson believes Neuendorf's ceiling extends far beyond his freshman year.

"He's learning, and the relationship between him and I is growing," Nicholson said. "He's asking more questions. He's becoming more engaged, and there's a lot of really high hopes for what he can do here in four years."

Local basketball fans have gotten to know Neuendorf through his family's connections to Mitchell. His dad, Todd, coached the Mitchell High School boys from 2017-21 before moving to Hamlin to take over the Chargers' boys basketball program. That meant Easton watched dozens of games at the Corn Palace, frequently grabbing a basketball and shooting shots on the Palace floor after games and soaking in the unique atmosphere that comes with DWU basketball.

"My family used to live in Mitchell, so coming to games when I was younger was always fun to see how full the Palace would get and just how much this place loves their basketball," Neuendorf said. "It was an easy decision to come here and play in front of great fans, and I am excited for what's to come."