Class B SODAK 16 Standouts – Forwards and Centers

<blockquote>The SODAK 16 provides an opportunity for the top 16 teams in Class B in the State of South Dakota to compete for a chance to punch their ticket to the state tournament.  Opportunities for top prospects to be on display are present and athletes have the chance to rise up to help propel their team to every program’s ultimate goal.  A number of forwards and centers rose up in this year’s round of 16 postseason teams.  Here are the top five performances on the night. Centerville’s Bailey Hansen is a player that is flying under the radar with a high ceiling. The 5’9" junior might be the greatest rebounder in South Dakota basketball.  She averages 6 offensive rebounds per night and 11 total.  She put on a show on the boards in the SODAK 16 trying to keep her team’s hope alive for making a state tournament experience. Her Tornaodes would fall to Aberdeen Christian but she capped off her season with a 7 point, 12 rebound night.  This may seem like numbers she has put up before but it’s worth noting she snagged 8 offensive rebounds while working against a 6’ 4" post player in the opposite color jersey.  This strong post player has come on strong in the last year and a half and it will be worth noting the kind of off-season she has going into her senior year. In a game where 6’4" and 6’1" athletes dominated the conversation, Grace Keiser, Aberdeen Christian’s 5’ 9" senior forward put up a memorable first half and helped her team jump out to a halftime lead that would prove to be the difference in their SODAK 16 matchup with the Centerville Tornadoes.  The Tornado defense paid extra attention to center [player_tooltip player_id="100472" first="Mallory" last="Miller"] and Keiser made them pay constantly finding gaps in the defense to score in the paint, putting up 13 points in the first half.  Keiser is a hard-working foward who compliments the rest of their group well.  She competes on the boards aggressively and finishes strong near the basket. Corsica-Stickney got another great performance from their pair of talented forwards, Junior [player_tooltip player_id="100468" first="Avery" last="Broughton"] and Senior Casey Tolsma to help their team punch their ticket to the state tournament.  Broughton posted 21 points including a couple of three-point shots in key moments to push her team to a comfortable early lead.  The talent of this University of South Dakota commit does not go unnoticed as she can score it in a variety of ways, attack the glass hard on both ends, and alter shots effectively on defense with her noticeable length and vertical.  Tolsma had a very efficient night in the paint herself, putting up 16 points on 6-7 shooting from the field.  These talented forwards will look to continue their dynamic duo in the Class B State Tournament in Watertown and propel their team to a potential Class B Championship. Aberdeen Roncalli’s [player_tooltip player_id="150853" first="Madelyn" last="Bragg"] surpassed the 1,000 point scoring mark in her team’s SODAK 16 win over Bison.  She scored 18 points adding 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks on the game.  Her team will look to get three more solid performances out of the 6’2" senior as they engage in the Class B State Tournament.  The senior center is one of the most consistent post players you can find.  She can step out and hit outside shots as well as use her length and physicality to impose her will scoring on the inside.  She has a variety of moves to finish around the rim and posseses rare movment ability for a player with her frame.  This kid is the epitome of basketball and has been using her skillset she was blessed with for many years straight.  Watch her tear it up at the state tournament and see if her team can be crowned champions in Class B after helping them earn that honor in Class A just last year! DeSmet’s [player_tooltip player_id="99736" first="Kennadi" last="Buchholz"] rounds out my list of top forward/center performances and is my lock for the top performing big in this round.  She helped the Bulldogs earn a state tournament appearance and put up another great performance in the paint.  The 6’0" senior put on a show with a 24 point and 14 rebound double double.  She may just be the most talented center in Class B basketball.  She is a consistent force in the paint and brings a high energy play on both ends of the basketball every game.</blockquote>