MARSHALL — The Dawson-Boyd and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton boys basketball teams dominated the first team of the Independent’s All-Area Team, announced on Wednesday. The state-champion Blackjacks had a trio of first-team selections with the senior frontcourt duo of Brayson Boike and Drew Hjelmeland, as well as point guard Gunner Liebl. The Panthers, meanwhile, had the guard-forward duo of Alex Munson and Trevor Smith to round out the All-Area first team.

This is the first of three all-area teams that will be announced by the Independent this week; we will announce our All-Area Softball team in Thursday’s paper and our All-Area Baseball Team in Saturday’s Weekender. Players of the Year will be announced in next week’s Independent.

The Blackjacks’ selections were marked by their well-rounded play. Each of the three players scored with volume and efficiency, and each of the three was effective as both rebounders and facilitators, and Hjelmeland averaged an area-leading 1.7 blocks per game.

For the Panthers, Munson was the area’s leading passer with 6.5 assists per game on just 1.8 turnovers. He also averaged a double-double with 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest.

Smith was the area’s leading scorer with his red-hot shooting from beyond the arc. His 26.7 points per game came on 45-36-78 splits, and nobody knocked down more 3-pointers than his 104.

Marshall headlined the All-Area second team with its backcourt duo of Cooper Mensink and Alex Franson. Each of the two Tiger guards averaged 15.2 points per game, with Franson’s coming more via his ability to cut to the basket and Mensink’s coming from his sharpshooting abilities. Franson shot 51% from the field on the season, while also often kicking the ball out for 3.6 assists per game, while Mensink knocked down 67 3-pointers on the year.

Westbrook-Walnut Grove’s Hudsen Jenniges averaged a double-double for the Chargers on the season to earn a second-team nod, averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds per game. His teammate, Drew Swanson, was also a third-team selection with 19.2 points per game, knocking down 60 3-pointers on the year on a 39% clip.

Wakinyan GreyCloud stuffed the box score for Yellow Medicine east with 18.9 points, six rebounds and 4.9 assists per game for the Sting. His 3.1 steals per game also led the area.

Chase Christianson rounded out the second team for RTR. His 71% field goal percentage led the area among qualified players, and his 18.4 points per game didn’t just come from easy buckets in the paint; he shot 36% from 3-point range and 69% from the free-throw line.

Murray County Central’s Aidan Swenson and Gavin Gillette each made the third team, as did RRC’s Henry Stavnes and Wabasso’s Brayden Guetter.

Independent All-Area First Team

BY THE NUMBERS

(Players listed in alphabetical order)

Brayson Boike, Dawson-Boyd, F, Sr.

22.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 2.2 TPG, 1.4 BPG, 59/39/67%, 54 3PM

Drew Hjelmeland, Dawson-Boyd, F, Sr.

16.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 2.2 TPG, 1.7 BPG, 54/39/72%, 64 3PM

Gunner Liebl, DB, G, Jr.

18.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, 2.2 TPG, 0.5 BPG, 59/37/70%, 49 3PM

Alex Munson, TMB, G, Sr.

17.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.8 TPG, 0.6 BPG 41/29/75%, 42 3PM

Trevor Smith, TMB, F, Sr.

26.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.7 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.9 TPG, 0.0 BPG, 45/36/78%, 104 3PM

SECOND TEAM

Chase Christianson, RTR, F, Sr.

18.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 2.3 TPG, 0.8 BPG 71/36/69%, 27 3PM

Alex Franson, Marshall, G, Sr.

15.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 2.3 TPG, 3.0 BPG, 51/33/66%, 37 3PM

Wakinyan Greycloud, YME, G, Jr.

18.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.9 APG, 3.1 SPG, 4.7 TPG, 0.6 BPG, 43/32/71%, 55 3PM

Hudsen Jenniges, WWG, G, Sr.

23 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 75% FT

Cooper Mensink, Marshall, G, Sr.

15.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.2 TPG, 0.6 BPG, 42/32/76%, 67 3PM

THIRD TEAM

Gavin Gillete, MCC, G, Sr.

16.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.7 SPG, 3.0 TPG, 0.2 BPG, 40/38/80%, 60 3PM

Brayden Guetter, Wabasso, F, Jr.

17.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.8 SPG, 43/35/66%, 26 3PM

Henry Stavnes, RRC, G, Fr.

17.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 52/32%, 83 3PM

Drew Swanson, WWG, G, Jr.

19.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 39% 3FG, 76% FT, 60 3PM

Aidan Swenson, MCC, F, Jr.

14.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.9 TPG, 1.1 BPG, 54/0/60%

Honorable mentions: Braylon Breyfogle, Lakeview, G, Jr.; Caden Frericks, Wabasso, F, So.; Lucas Rybinski, Minneota, G, Sr.; Jacob Peterson, YME, G, Sr., Cayden Anderson, Canby, F, Sr.