South Dakota Players We Can't Wait to Watch this Season

I have been deeply involved in South Dakota high school girls’ basketball for the last 9 or 10 years—in middle school, dreaming of playing on that stage; in high school, playing on that stage; and in college, watching my sisters play on that stage and helping mentor young South Dakota high school girls basketball players at our camps. The following six players are some of the top seniors in the state. And I have to confess, I am getting antsy to watch them play this year. I have watched all of them play live for years, and some I have even gotten to know on a personal level. For such a small state, we have some high caliber players and people leading the way for high school girls’ basketball in South Dakota. And it has been way too long since we got the chance to see them compete. The following players are the top in South Dakota—and the ones I cannot wait to see step on the floor for their final season. [player_tooltip player_id="98671" first="Sydni" last="Schetnan"] | Sioux Falls Washington High School | 6’5 Center Sioux Falls Washington’s [player_tooltip player_id="98671" first="Sydni" last="Schetnan"] is a 6-foot-5 stretch post who is ripe with raw athleticism. The Louisville basketball and volleyball commit certainly capitalizes on her dual sport skillset—namely, the timing of shot-blocking and rebounding. After leading her team to a state tournament before the COVID-19 epidemic cut the season short, Schetnan was averaging 13 points and already had 166 rebounds and 71 blocks on a season that was not yet finished. Her ability to shoot the mid-range shot makes her a tough matchup for other centers. Her presence in the lane is felt on both ends of the floor, and her size and mobility contribute to making her a moldable future college player. [player_tooltip player_id="98666" first="Haleigh" last="Timmer"] | St. Thomas More High School | 5’11 Guard St. Thomas More’s [player_tooltip player_id="98666" first="Haleigh" last="Timmer"] is set apart by her next-level athleticism. The South Dakota State commit won the State Cross Country Meet and was named All-American as an 8th grader. She has also been a stand-out volleyball and track-and-field athlete. Standing at 5-feet-11, two of Timmer’s biggest strengths are her ability to push the ball in transition and her explosive first step. If she gets even a half a step on her defender, she will already be shooting a layup by the time they recover. Timmer has also developed the ability to shoot the three, which creates a tough matchup for a player who is so tough to guard off the dribble. This unique combination of skill and raw athleticism makes Timmer an asset to any team and an exciting player to watch. [player_tooltip player_id="98751" first="Lexi" last="Unruh"] | Sioux Falls Christian High School | 6’0 Shooting Guard Though her last few years have unfortunately been plagued with injury, Sioux Falls Christian’s [player_tooltip player_id="98751" first="Lexi" last="Unruh"] still made herself a desired prospect to college coaches. The Creighton commit is long, athletic, and fast. She can play anywhere from point guard to stretch forward, and her ability to shoot the ball makes her a great fit for the Blue Jays—a team that has long been characterized by their ability to shoot the lights out. Unruh’s shifty ability to get to the rim with good body control and finish with both hands makes her a tough matchup at 6 feet tall. It will be exciting to see what she does with her final high school season. [player_tooltip player_id="98700" first="Olivia" last="Ritter"] | Tea High School | 5’9 Shooting Guard [player_tooltip player_id="98700" first="Olivia" last="Ritter"] is a crafty guard from Tea High School. She recently committed to continuing her basketball career at Dordt College, and her skill set is one that will transfer smoothly to the next level. Ritter’s body control and ability to finish in a variety of ways in the lane make her tough to guard with just one defender—she consistently requires the attention of the entire defense. She also brings the ability to stretch the floor with her 3-point-shooting ability, and her quick release and ability to shoot it off the dribble make her an invaluable scoring asset to her team. This skill-set also makes Ritter a well-rounded addition to her newly chosen college team. [player_tooltip player_id="98752" first="Lexi" last="Plitzuweit"] | Vermillion High School | 5’9 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="98752" first="Lexi" last="Plitzuweit"] does a little bit of everything for her team. Last season, she essentially averaged a double-double with 16.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She also averaged 4.1 assists per game. The Grand Valley State University commit has the ability to create not just her own shot, but shots for her teammates. She is tough and scrappy on both ends of the floor, finishing through contact on the offensive end and acting as a menace defensively. Plitzuweit has developed into a knock-down three-point shooter, and her shooting ability combined with her ball-handling and finishing around the rim makes her a force on offense. She is a coach’s dream player because she is willing to put in the work. I can personally attest that this girl is a gym rat, and that is the kind of player you want on your team. [player_tooltip player_id="14232" first="Isabelle" last="Moore"] | Sioux Falls O’Gorman High School | 5’9 Point Guard [player_tooltip player_id="14232" first="Isabelle" last="Moore"], a University of Sioux Falls commit from Sioux Falls O’Gorman, is the ideal point-guard. She is a strong, skilled ball-handler who finishes well with both hands. She is a consistent three-point shooter, but does not try to perform outside of her skillset. Moore is used to being surrounded by talent—she has played with a lot of college players and great scorers during her years at O’Gorman—which makes her a perfect fit for the loaded scoring cast that the University of Sioux Falls consistently has. On the other end of the floor, she provides consistent pressure and quick hands as a scrappy defender.