SERVPRO Athlete of the Week: TGU’s Sage Hanson

GRANVILLE, N.D. (KMOT) - It had been nearly two years since Sage Hanson played a varsity basketball game with TGU. Since his first game back on Jan. 2, the Titans are 6-1 with him averaging 29 points, 21 rebounds and four assists, making him your SERVPRO Athlete of the Week.

In the star-studded District 6, no one rises higher than Sage Hanson.

“He’s a 220-pound, 6-9 beast now,” said TGU Head Coach Billy Seright.

And he’s back with the Titans.

“It’s really nice to be able to represent my community and get our school out there and just have so many people back me,” said Hanson.

Hanson spent the fall of his junior year at Wasatch Academy, a boarding school in Utah, home to some of the top basketball prospects in the country, and even internationally.

“I’d see five-star here, four-star there. I’m like, ‘Wow, this is going to be a huge difference. I’m not going to stand a chance against these guys.’ That’s what I honestly thought going in,” said Hanson.

When he was back home for Christmas break last year, he chose to stay and be with his family during a difficult time.

“My dad got us all in the car, and he waited for my sister to get back from college and me to get back from the school to tell us that he was having a heart aneurysm and that he didn’t know the major logistics of it, all that he knew was that it’s very serious. I decided that I didn’t want to sit here and worry about him at home while I’m trying to focus on basketball, that just wasn’t going to work,” said Hanson.

Hanson was ruled ineligible to play for TGU for a full year due to transfer rules.

“When he returned to school, and he couldn’t play varsity, he said, ‘Well, can I play JV?’ I was amazed at that. ‘This isn’t going to be a challenge for you, Sage.’ He said, ‘Yeah, but this is going to be next year’s team.’ That should say it all right there. You have two sides to this guy. One, he’s a star, and everybody knows it. You also have to integrate him into the team and treat him like the guys, and he’s so willing to do that,” said Seright.

With the clock running down on his high school career, Hanson feels right back at home.

“You’re playing in front of people who have watched you play your whole life, and being able to play in front of your parents every single game is awesome. I’ve got friends in the crowd. It just makes every game that much more important,” said Hanson.

Hanson is staying close to home for college. He signed with UND Men’s Basketball in November.

TGU is currently tied for third in District 6 with a 3-1 record and hosts Glenburn on Friday.

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