By Sean Openshaw

FLAGSTAFF, AZ — Heading into the 2024–25 season, Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) head coach Brent Hanson had modest expectations. After graduating six seniors from the previous year, most assumed this would be a rebuilding year.

"When you lose that many seniors at once, you're kind of just hopeful for whatever we can get out of the next year," Hanson said.

Instead, the Spartans delivered one of their most successful seasons in program history: a 13–5 overall record, a 13th-place finish in the 2A conference, and a first-place finish in the school's new home—the 2A North region.

"This season was one of the best I can remember as far as different levels of success," Hanson said. "We were just blown away by how well they performed together. And I think a lot of the basketball community was, too. There was a lot of surprise. A really good surprise."

Summer Spark

The unexpected success began months earlier, during a grueling summer program.

"June of 2024, we hit the gym pretty hard—lots of games, lots of tournaments—and the team came together," Hanson recalled. "By the end of the summer, we were beating teams that we probably shouldn't have."

The momentum carried into the school year. Despite having only two seniors—Jaden Joiner and Delani Hanson—Hanson fielded a young squad full of sophomores with little varsity experience. But the group gelled quickly, thanks to chemistry, commitment, and a lights-out shooting performance across the roster.

"We shot the lights out," Hanson said. "We had a lot of really good outside shooters this year."

NPA Athletic Director Dedrick Wiese witnessed this early development and saw it as foundational to the team's eventual success.

"For the boys, this last season started in the summer," Wiese explained. "They had a pretty good June ball and time jelling together in the summer. It was really cool to see this team grow throughout the year."

Wiese got to catch the boys' team at both tournaments early in the season and noticed their progress.

"You could see then that they were starting to put some things together and put together some good results against some pretty good teams," he said. "I thought it was cool that we got to match up with Flag High in their tournament. So, I thought that was a good measuring stick. It was almost a surprise for our team to see, okay, this is where we measure up this year. They got to see for themselves that they'd improved."

From Bare Bones to Banners

The program's transformation wasn't just in the win column—it was symbolic.

"Before this season, I don't think we'd ever even had a team plaque or a team award from a tournament," Hanson said. "This year, we got a trophy at the Williams tournament. We got recognition at the Flag High tournament. Then, at the end of the season, we get this big plaque from the AIA. We're talking about putting a banner up in the gym."

For a program Hanson called "bare bones," these weren't just tokens—they were turning points.

"The recognition kept on coming. Jaden was the MVP for the region. Delani was the Defensive Player of the Year. It just didn't stop."

From the athletic director's perspective, this success was the culmination of years of program building.

"I felt like we were due for a season like we had last year, just because we'd been doing a lot of the right things and coach Brent had been setting that up," Wiese said. "Moving to a new conference and all the work that had been done – it was really cool to go through that 2A North schedule and be undefeated in the regular season."

The achievement exceeded all expectations, including Wiese's.

"I don't think anybody would have picked us for doing that at the beginning of the year, but it  shows how the work that Coach Brent did to bring the guys together and just grow and develop. It really paid off."

The Senior Core: Jaden Joiner and Delani Hanson

Although this year's roster leaned heavily on underclassmen, the two seniors played an outsized role in shaping the team's dynamic and setting the tone for success.

Jaden Joiner, named the region's Most Valuable Player, was the team's go-to scorer and a consistent outside threat who stretched opposing defenses all season long.

"Jaden was a real problem for defenses," Coach Hanson said. "He made a lot of the zone defenses we faced have to stretch way out onto the perimeter. He's one of the better outside shooters we've seen at NPA in our history."

But his contributions went beyond his scoring ability.

"He brought a solid voice as a captain about winning—about the importance of winning," Hanson explained. "He was someone we could depend on to get a bucket with regularity. But more than that, he had this insatiable desire to compete. He didn't just want to win—he demanded excellence, and the team responded to that."

Hanson also praised Joiner's growth in leadership.

"He came into this season after both of our captains graduated, and we needed a strong on-court presence. Jaden found his voice. He found the ability to guide and lead individuals on the team. That kind of growth—that's what sticks with a program."

Delani Hanson, meanwhile, was the region's Defensive Player of the Year. As Coach Hanson's son and the last of three brothers to come through the program, his presence on the team carried both legacy and leadership.

"Delani was a problem for offenses," Hanson said. "We'd put him on the other team's best offensive player every night. And he'd go to work."

Delani's defensive intensity was matched by his charisma and work ethic.

"He's a phenomenal athlete with a magnetic personality," said Hanson. "He has this incredible work ethic and this rare sense of humor that lets him connect with everyone around him. He even has the ability to laugh at himself—a kind of self-mockery that keeps things light. That's not something you see often in high school athletes."

Beyond defense, Delani became the emotional engine of the team.

"He led by example. You always knew that if Delani was on the floor, he was going to get you a stop, a steal, a block, or a drive to the rim," said Hanson. "He was entertaining to watch—but also, he helped me reconnect to the joy of watching the game. As a coach, I'm always thinking ahead to the next play. But with Delani, sometimes I could just enjoy the moment."

The two seniors formed a dynamic contrast—Jaden lighting up the scoreboard and Delani locking down opponents. Their balance, and their willingness to lead, anchored the season.

"Kind of your yin and yang," Hanson said. "They complemented each other perfectly."

And now, both will leave big shoes to fill.

"They showed this team how to lead and how to compete. Not just with skill, but with integrity and trust. And that's the part we'll miss the most."

Beyond the Statistics: What Photos Can't Capture

Wiese observed the senior leadership from a different angle, seeing how Delani and Jaden provided stability during crucial moments.

"What stood out to me is how they shouldered that whole load of leadership, but they did it in a really humble way," Wiese reflected. "There are times throughout the year when Delani and Jayden could bring the temperature down and keep everybody calm and focused. I felt like they took on a huge role because of the loss of a big senior class the year before. There was a lot of weight on these two specifically, and they handled it really well."

When asked what photos might not capture about Coach Hanson and his team, Wiese offered a perspective that goes beyond statistics or game highlights.

"If I had two words that summed up Coach Hanson, it would be love and heart," Wiese said. "I get a cool perspective of all the games and everything throughout the season, where I get to see behind the scenes. And I spend a lot of time close to the bench and around the timeouts, and that's probably the thing that you might not be able to pick up in pictures as well as just how much he loves the kids and how much heart and emotion that he puts into coaching."

This emotional investment, according to Wiese, elevates the entire program.

"When your leader is putting themselves 100% in emotionally, it's really contagious," he observed. "So that's one of the coolest things that I think you get to feel around the team that you might not pick up in pictures."

For Wiese, these intangible qualities—the emotional connections, the relationships formed, and the character development—represent the true value of NPA's athletic programs.

"The thing I've probably learned the most in my two years here is that there is so much more than what you see in pictures or what you see on the scoreboard," Wiese reflected. "There's so much community and relationships that happen around these teams. And it's a big support system for these kids as they learn and grow."

He emphasized that everyone involved in the program is on a learning journey.

"What you may not see in a photograph is that the students and coaches all support each other. And they put their heart and their emotions into it," he said. "All the games, all these programs happen within the context of the community and the school community."

These moments—the post-game conversations with families, the quiet leadership lessons, the emotional investment from coaches and players alike—form the true foundation of the program that goes beyond what they might look like in a photograph.

"When you capture those things in words, it gives you the memory to look back on. And it brings back all of those emotions, those feelings, the memories of the relationships," Wiese explained. "It's a touchstone for all the good memories and a great way to capture them."

Shifting the Culture

While the accolades are meaningful, Hanson quickly points out that the team's success stemmed from a deeper shift—one focused on culture, not just talent.

"One lesson I'd pass on to underclassmen is this: don't focus on individual statistics," he said. "We're even considering not tracking individual stats next season. It's a distraction. It also gives our competitors a blueprint for how to stop us."

Instead, Hanson wants to keep building a program grounded in trust, humility, and unselfishness.

"If you're not focused on your own numbers, you're more likely to do a whole lot of other things well," he said. "You're more likely to share. More likely to trust. Less likely to complain. There's a whole lot of 'you're more likely to' when you're not chasing stats."

That team-first culture, Hanson believes, is essential to sustaining success.

"Individualism couples itself well with things like a lack of humility and lack of trust," he said. "We've got to fight against that. This year's team did a pretty good job, but there's still room to grow."

This philosophy aligns perfectly with Wiese's vision for NPA athletics as a whole.

"I think one of the biggest things I ask of coaches is, you know, whether we're a top team in our conference or we're near the bottom, the goal is to really develop throughout the year," Wiese said. "I think that was on display all year, and really cool that we got to host that section tournament at the end of the season. And I think that was a nice reward for the season that our team had."

Setting the Standard

With only two players graduating, the 2025–26 team will return nearly intact—and with elevated expectations.

"It's going to be a lot of continuity," Hanson said. "We'll have a big senior class next year."

The coaching staff has already been preparing for what comes next.

"A couple of years ago, we created a statement for the program as coaches. We want to build a program where success is expected. The same level of success will be expected from year to year. That's what we're working toward. That success becomes the expectation."

And then, with a grin that says it all, he added:

"There's blood in the water now."

Wiese shares this elevated outlook for the program's future.

"I think there's an expectation now," Wiese said. "We've seen that we can be at the top for the North. So, I think they would expect to be there again on the boys' side, and that's kind of the goal for them."

Pride, Purpose, and What Comes Next

As the season came to a close, Hanson took time to reflect—not just on wins and stats, but on the growth he saw in his players.

"The whole coaching staff felt an immense level of pride for the way they kept pursuing skill development and team continuity all year long," he said.

But this year's success also held a deeper, more personal significance for Hanson. With his son Delani graduating—his third and final child to go through the program—he found himself at a crossroads.

"I shed a lot of tears this season," he admitted. "You reach this point and wonder, 'Why am I here if not to coach my own kids?' But now the mission shifts. Now it's about continuing the work. Helping the program succeed."

That shift in purpose, he said, brings new focus.

"I pray that I still have enough energy to do this season in and out of season," Hanson said. "Every time out, every pregame, every postgame, every team meeting—I want to share stories that are relevant to the team. I just hope the well never runs dry."

For Hanson, coaching has always been about more than the game. It's about shaping character, building culture, and telling stories that last longer than a season. One story at a time. One banner at a time.

This philosophy resonates deeply with Wiese's vision for athletics at NPA.

"It's more than just the scores and the trophies. It's the things in between that are nice to capture," Wiese concluded. "What makes our program special is that we try to win, we try to succeed, but we also really try to do it the right way by our players and build relationships and build our students for the future, whether they go to college or not. We try to prepare them for whatever the next step is."