In a four-part series, GoYotes.com will take a look at the four incoming players for the defending Summit League Champion South Dakota men's basketball team. The Coyotes welcome four fresh faces to Vermillion for 2017-18 with three freshmen and a graduate transfer. Today we will take a look at Walter Prevost, a freshman from Houston, Texas.
 
Prevost, a 6-8 forward, garnered Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region accolades along with the District 16-6A Offensive Player of the Year award after averaging 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks per game as a senior.
 
Prevost chose the University of South Dakota after coming to Vermillion for an official visit and loving the Sanford Coyote Sports Center arena and weight room. He also felt a connection with his teammates.
 
"When I met the guys, I bonded and felt like we could win championships together," Prevost said. "I had lived in Texas my whole life and wanted to go out of state, and when I met the team, this is where I wanted to be."
 
Prevost, along with his new teammates, arrived on campus in early June to begin summer workouts. The coaching staff gets two hours a week with the team during summer workouts, a process that Prevost has called tough but is getting used to it.
 
"With anything, it takes time to get used to it (referring to the workouts). Specifically, I have had to work on my defensive position and body movements. It is a lot different than high school. But I am getting the hang of it."
 
The team also has weight lifting sessions throughout the week in addition to the practice time on the floor.
 
As the summer wears down, Prevost is getting excited for the season.
 
"This has been my dream since I was a kid, to get to this stage," Prevost said. "The hard work has paid off. I am especially excited with the team coming off the conference championship. I want to do it again."
 
Prevost is a two-time all-district and all-region honoree from Nimitz High School where he played for Nathan Toon. He earned Newcomer of the Year honors after his junior season that saw him tally 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game.
 
At South Dakota, he plans to major in exercise science.
 
Look for part two of our newcomer introduction series on Thursday featuring Stanley Umude.