MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University head men's basketball coach Brad Bigler announced today four high school student-athletes have signed letters of intent to continue their academic and basketball careers at SMSU.
 
Joining the program for the 2025-26 season include Brayson Boike from Dawson, Minn., Drew Hjelmeland from Dawson, Minn., Reece Kircher from Papillion, Neb., and Isaiah Mahal from Northfield, Minn.
 
"Every year it is fun to talk about the new group of Mustangs," Bigler said. "We have a different number of scholarships to work with each year. With Dunwa Omot as our only senior we had to be patient with the process. We landed Brayson early. After that we had to put in some work to finish up the class. We were thankful to land Isaiah, Drew and Reece in the second semester. This group includes some length, athleticism and a speed guard."
 
Boike, a 6-foot-8 forward, at Dawson-Boyd High School, helped the Blackjacks capture the Class 1A state championship this spring averaging 23 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 66 percent from the field. A two-time all-state, four-time all-conference, and three-time conference most valuable player honoree, he averaged more than 20 points per game in each of his last three seasons and closed his career scoring more than 2,500 points and pulling down more than 1,100 rebounds. An academic all-state selection, Boike is also an all-conference honoree in both football and track & field. He was the Class A state champion in the triple jump as a junior and was runner-up in the event as a sophomore.
 
"Brayson is a special talent. His legacy speaks for itself with a dominating performance in the state tournament," Bigler said. "The spotlight has been on Brayson for a long time. What I appreciate about him most is that he doesn't care about that and is truly about winning. He can make an impact on the game is so many ways. His point forward skill set allows him to be a playmaker at 6-foot-8. His Mustang comparison would be a combination of Scott Koenen and Scott Roehl. Brayson is a versatile player like Scott Koenen with Scott Roehl's toughness."
 
Hjelmeland, a 6-foot-7 forward at Dawson-Boyd High School, helped lead the Blackjacks to the Class 1A state championship in March. He averaged 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in earning all-conference and all-area accolades. A three-time all-conference honoree, he scored more than 1,000 points in his career. He was also all-conference in both football and golf and earned academic all-state honors.
 
"Drew was the first guy I offered in this class. He grew up coming to camps and I really appreciate his ability to connect with others," Bigler said. "His performance at the state tournament was key to their championship run. His Mustang comparison would be Michael Lee and Grant Kramer. Drew steps up under pressure just like Michael. Michael Lee easily has the most clutch made three-pointers in school history. Drew is a versatile player who can defend multiple positions and make great decisions with the ball. Grant was exactly that for us during his career."
 
Kircher, a 6-foot guard at Papillion-LaVista South High School, averaged 12.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game as a senior in helping lead the Titans to the Class A state championship. He led Class A in assists while earning second team all-state and first team all-metro honors. Kircher closed his career setting the school record with 402 assists, while also scoring 920 points.
 
"Reece was the last addition as our 2025 recruiting plan never recruit a point guard but that changed late in the process," Bigler said. "Talk about getting lucky to have such a good option late in the process. Reece also won a state championship this past season. His Mustang comparison would be a combination of Ryan Krome and Ryan Bruggeman. Reece is a fearless competitor and state champion like Ryan Krome. He can get to spots on the floor and utilize that mid-range pull up like Bruggeman."
 
Mahal, a 6-foot-4 guard at Northfield High School, twice earned all-conference honors, was a two-time team MVP and earned the school's male senior athlete of the year award. A two-year captain, he averaged 22.5 points, six rebounds and four assists as a senior. An academic all-state recipient, he scored more than 1,200 points in his career.
 
"Isaiah is a guy who believed in himself. He came to our elite camp and picked up our system quickly. He has a high basketball IQ," Bigler said. "After watching him play in person this past season he was the perfect fit for that role. I am excited to watch the growth in one redshirt year from him. His Mustang comparison would be Brian Wiersma. Brian was one of the best shooters in school history in my opinion. Isaiah is tall and long like Brian with an ability to shoot from deep."
 
SMSU finished this past season with a 21-9 overall record and won a share of the NSIC regular season championship. The team qualified for the program's second straight NCAA tournament and seventh in program history.
 
"This freshman class has proven they can win at a high level. Our program is trying to take the next step in winning at the national level," Bigler stated. "Back-to-back NCAA performances have been a rewarding experience. We have a lot of momentum right now. Few teams teams can say they won a conference title and return eight guys who played in the rotation. We expect to compete for another championship. At the same time, we are building for the future with two redshirt freshmen and four incoming freshmen who are proven winners. Now it's time to put in some work."
 
SMSU, located in Marshall, is a member of NCAA Division II and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.