FORT PIERRE — The Stanley County girls basketball team has a new coach.

Byron Hand, a former coach with Tulare and Midland, will take over the Lady Buffs this season.

Hand, who won a state title with the Tulare girls in 1997, coached in Midland from 2000-2003.

"I don’t know if I’m doing them a favor or they’re doing me a favor, but it got down to crunch time and I said I would do it," Hand said.

A 1984 graduate of Midland High School and a 1989 graduate of Dakota Wesleyan University, Hand ranches with his family near Four Corners and will not teach at Stanley County.

"When Coach Rogers announced his retirement last spring the school began the difficult task of trying to fill the space he left behind. I believe Coach Hand is the best possible choice to lead the girl’s basketball team," new Stanley County Athletics Director Scott Van Den Hemel said. "He brings with him a resume that is second to very few and we hope that he is able to continue that success here at Stanley County."

Hand will inherit a team that was ranked for most of last season but which lost standout Sam Ostarello to graduation.

"I don’t know a ton about the team except what I saw from the stands as a fan, but I think we’ll have some girls with some athleticism," Hand said. "I do think we’ll try to run and play up-tempo basketball."

Hand described himself as a coach who loves to focus on defense — specifically a full-court press — and playing a fast-paced game on offense.

"We’ll try to do the things that make the game enjoyable for me and for the players, and I think that means an up-tempo pace, pressure on defense and trying to play a numbers game on offense," Hand said.

His first challenge, Hand said, will be getting the program’s numbers up.

"No sane person is going to work her tail off in practice to not play," Hand said. "Playing a faster game gives you a recruiting opportunity within your own four walls, where mom and dad will bring the kids to watch that style of play and the kids know they’re going to play and put some points on the board."

Stanley County went 19-3 last season and finished second in the Big Dakota Conference, but lost to Cheyenne-Eagle Butte in the district championship game.

Provided they all return to school at Stanley County, the Lady Buffs would return their entire roster save for Ostarello, who won the Miss Basketball award as the state’s top player.

The Stanley County girls open the season with a home game against Sully Buttes on Dec. 11.

"We’ll be looking for kids, I can tell you that," Hand said. "From what I know we won’t be blessed with a lot of size, but we will have some foot speed and we’ll be out there looking for some more if we can find it."