Four years ago, the Austin boys basketball team began making strides, and it hasn’t stopped since.

After not going to the state boys basketball tournament for 30 years, the Packers reached state three straight years, took second twice in two trips to the Class AAA title game, and won three Big Nine titles.

Now the core of the team that helped turn around basketball in Austin is playing at the next level, and they aren’t resting on their laurels.

Joe Aase — Austin’s second all-time leading scorer — is biding his time as a back-up on a talented Minnesota State University, Mankato team, Ajuda Nywesh is well on his way to a possible scholarship at a four-year school after being one of the top scorers at Division I NJCAA Lake Region State College his freshman year, Bret Lukes is working on improving his game on the junior varsity team at Hamline University and Goliath Oboyo is hoping to make an impact next season, which will be his senior year at University of Wisconsin — Eau Claire.

“We’ve had guys [play college ball] in the past, but not to the extent it is now,” Austin head boys basketball coach Kris Fadness said. “It’s neat and it’s good for our program. I’m happy for those guys. They all seem to be in the right frame of mind and understand what it takes to compete at the next level.”

Two former Austin teammates were a big part of the basketball resurgence with the Packers, and now they’re hoping to do the same thing at the University of Sioux Falls. Zach Wessels and Tom Aase played three years together with the Packers, and they’ll likely play together for four years at USF.

Just like when they were in Austin, Wessels and Tom are starting with a program that isn’t a big power yet, but they’re hoping to turn it into one.

“Nobody wants to lose,” Tom said. “We’re part of a situation where we want to build the program up like we did in Austin. We feel like we have the guys in place to do that over the next few years.”

Sioux Falls finished its season 8-21 overall and 5-17 in the Northern Sun League. Tom played 27 games, 15 as a starter, and averaged 3.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Wessels played 26 games, 10 as a starter, and averaged 2.8 points per game and finished with 26 assists.

The Cougars had a young roster in 2014-2015 that only included a few upperclassmen, and USF head coach Chris Johnson said he sees the team as one that can be a force in the future. He is counting on Wessels and Tom to be a big part of what USF does in the future, especially because they came from a winning program in Austin.

“You know there’s some things you don’t have to teach them. They’re two of the hardest working guys that we have,” Johnson said. “They’re so much fun to coach. They’ll do what you ask, when you ask and how you ask. I’m really excited to coach them for three more years and I really like what our future can hold.”

Of course, just getting used to the style of play in the Northern Sun Conference was a big adjustment for both of the Austin grads. Tom red-shirted his first season, but he emerged as a big-time shot blocker and offensive rebounder in his first year on the court with the Cougars. Wessels played as a freshman, but Austin’s all-time leading scorer didn’t exactly start off playing big minutes for the Cougars.

“I want to play, but I know that it’s a process and I just have to keep getting better and keep working harder. My time will come,” Wessels said. “It’s a step that I haven’t been in yet. It’s fun though to start new, start fresh and work my way back up.”

The adjustment from superstar to role player is a challenge most college basketball players have to take on during their freshman season — especially at the Division II level. Johnson said what Wessels and Tom bring to the table will be crucial for the Cougars in the long run.

“Tom is giving us blocked shots and offensive rebounds and those were two things the team desperately needed and Tom is getting more comfortable every game,” Johnson said. “Zach is a pass-first point guard who picks and chooses his spots.”

From AHS to Sioux Falls

Zach Wessels and Tom Aase teamed up again in Sioux falls. Here’s how they fared this season:

Tom Aase: 27 games played, 15 games started, 19.6 minutes per game, 3.4 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, 40 blocked shots, 21 assists, 13 steals, 44.4 pecent on field goals, 66 percent on free throws

Zach Wessels: 26 games played, 10 games started, 16.5 minutes per game, 2.8 points per game, 1.7 rebounds per game, 26 assists, 15 steals, 40 percent on field goals, 31 percent on 3-pointers, 73 percent on free throws.

Wessels and Tom had two major adjustments to make when they got to USF. One was to adjust to the speed and athleticism of the game, and another was to get used to playing man-to-man defense. The Packers primarily play a zone defense, but the Cougars play strictly man-to-man defense.

There was also the life adjustment of spending 20 hours per week in practice, watching film and lifting weights to go along with a full schedule of college classes.

“It’s very time-consuming, and there’s a lot to do around a lot of practice,” Wessels said. “We have to do school work too and it gets to be a lot, but it’s also fun.”

USF also has some familiar faces on its roster from Minnesota. James Lawson, who started at DeLaSalle in both of the years they beat the Packers in the Class AAA title game, and Kebu Johnson, who played against the Packers in the state quarterfinals in 2013, are both on the USF roster.

“It’s awesome having all of the Minnesota guys,” Tom said. “There’s good camaraderie between the group even though we’ve played against them before.”

Of course the other familiar face in the Northern Sun Conference is Joe, who is Tom’s cousin. The Cougars and Mavericks play each other twice a year and when the two teams were both playing in the Pentagon Tournament in Sioux Falls early in the season, there was a lot of Aase family members in attendance.

“It’s an interesting experience,” Tom said of having to play against his cousin and long-time teammate.

Fadness said he hopes having players moving on to the next level will boost the hard work his players put into the Packer program. He said some of the dividends are already showing as Gach Gach, a senior at Austin, is expected to get a scholarship to play at Division I NJCAA school.

Fadness said Gach and Nywesh have helped bring a new demographic towards basketball in Austin.

“You look at Ajuda and what he was able to do for our black population. He and Gach have been solid examples and you hope that they’re role models for those kids,” Fadness said.

As his players move on to the next level, Fadness is always keeping tabs on them. He texts them every once in awhile and he has his internet browser favorites set to the schools the Austin grads are playing at.

But he’s not about to force his advice on his former players.

“They’re young men, they’re becoming independent for themselves and they’re growing up,” Fadness said. “I’m not going to be that guy that hovers over their shoulder, but it’s fun to follow them. They weren’t just great players for us, we were good friends as well.”

AHS grads in college hoops

Bret Lukes — 2014 Austin grad at Division III Hamline University

Ajuda Nywesh — 2014 Austin grad at Division I NJCAA Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, N.D.

Zach Wessels — 2014 Austin grad at Division II University of Sioux Falls, S.D.

Tom Aase — 2013 Austin grad at Division II University of Sioux Falls, S.D.

Joe Aase — 2013 Austin grad at Division II Minnesota State University at Mankato

Goliath Oboyo — 2011 Austin grad at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Nate Schwab — 2011 Austin grad is men’s basketball manager at University of Minnesota