LENNOX — Tate Gerdes has been a versatile player for Lennox.

Whether it’s football or basketball, the 6-foot-3 senior has found a way to make an impact for the Orioles.

On the gridiron, Gerdes was a two-time all-state defensive back totaling 12 career interceptions with 95 tackles, helping the Orioles win the Class 11A state championship in his junior year and finishing runner-up this past fall.

When it comes to the hardwood, Gerdes is a physical guard and says his training for football has helped with his style of play on the basketball court.

“It definitely played a positive factor in it,” Gerdes said. “Just getting in the weight room and being physical on the football field and carrying that over into basketball.”

The physicality Gerdes brings makes it easy for him to blow past defenders and get to the rim with ease.

“Getting downhill until someone stops me and then kicking it out,” Gerdes said. “Usually, not one guy can stop me. It takes one or two.”

Lennox head coach Jacob Hinker says Gerdes can add a different dynamic when it comes to the team’s offense, especially with his ability to push the floor in transition and find open shooters on the arc.

Lennox's Tate Gerdes during a boys basketball game against St. Thomas More at the Hanson Classic on Jan. 24, 2026, in Mitchell. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

“Having the ball in his hands right away just adds another aspect that the defense has to think about ‘When Gerdes has the ball, can he get downhill on us?’ ” Hinker said of Gerdes. “It just makes people have to collapse more. He’s a willing passer too which adds another dynamic that just allows us to play a different style.”

Last year, Gerdes helped lead the Orioles to a fourth-place finish in the Class A state tournament. Gerdes was named a second-team all-stater averaging 15.5 points, seven rebounds and five assists last season. This year, Gerdes is on a similar mark with 15 points, 6.5 rebounds and four assists per game.

He also tallied his 1,000th career point earlier this season, a milestone he attributes to a team accomplishment.

“It’s a big deal obviously,” Gerdes said. “But I’d say my team helped me reach that too and get to that place.”

Hinker says Gerdes has taken a noticeable jump in his leadership this year as well, something he’s been able to challenge him on throughout the basketball season.

“If you know Tate, he’s a little bit quieter and he knows as he continues to get older, he needs to be a guy that’s vocal,” Hinker said. “He’s a guy that’s embraced that and allowed me to challenge him a little bit throughout the basketball season to continue to be a better leader.”

“I wasn’t always like the guy to go to when I was a freshman or sophomore, but I definitely became a better leader,” Gerdes said. “Lifting guys up and doing all the things that no one really sees.”

The Orioles are sitting at 12-5 on the season, and are the No. 5 team according to the latest High School Prep Media Poll. But Lennox and the Orioles are starting to find a rhythm down the stretch winning its last six games.

While Lennox is sitting as the No. 3 seed in Region 4A, Gerdes says a lot of it has to do with the tough competition in the Dak-XII Conference and has made the Orioles better as the season has gone on.

Lennox's Tate Gerdes during a boys basketball game against St. Thomas More at the Hanson Classic on Jan. 24, 2026, in Mitchell. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

“We’re in a great spot,” Gerdes said. “We kind of ironed some things out and focused on ourselves to get better, so I think we’re sitting in a great spot right now.

“I think the Dak-XII is probably the hardest conference in Class A. We do have tough games when we play top Dak-XII teams, but it does make us better because other teams probably don’t have 6-foot-10 guys under the rim every game.”

Gerdes says he’s still deciding on his college plans, but is open to playing either football or basketball at the next level.

And as he closes out his high school basketball career, Hinker says Gerdes’ winning mentality has made him such a special player for the Orioles.

“When I think about Tate, he just does what it takes to win and he’d be described as a winner,” Hinker said. “In every sport, like football, he’s gotten moved around from position to position for what’s going to make the team better. In basketball, he started playing meaningful minutes as a freshman and since that year he’s played different roles on the team and his role has always changed. Even from junior year to senior year, he always embraces whatever role he has to win.”