Perimeter Playmakers Returning in Class B
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Let’s take a look at the top perimeter prospects returning to South Dakota’s Class B basketball. Last season proved to be a fun one with a ton of great teams and loads of prospects in what can be an underrated…
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Continue ReadingLet’s take a look at the top perimeter prospects returning to South Dakota’s Class B basketball. Last season proved to be a fun one with a ton of great teams and loads of prospects in what can be an underrated class. There are a lot of small schools across the state playing high-level basketball and preparing kids for the next level. Here’s a rundown of a group of talented guards and forwards who were the most efficient scorers in Class B last season. Look for big things and a lot of points to be scored out of this group!
Class of 2023
Coral Mason Coral Mason 5'10" | CG Viborg-Hurley | 2023 State SD – Viborg/Hurley
Coming off of a run of upsets to become a state champion last season Coral is poised to finish her basketball career strong. Last season she averaged 15.6 points per outing and was a very efficient 42% overall from the field. Look for her to continue to lead the Cougar offense and get touches in the paint as well as opportunities to attack gaps from the perimeter. She also added 3.5 assists per game as she recognizes extra attention drawn her way to set up open teammates.
Denae Mach Denae Mach 5'9" | SG Viborg-Hurley | 2023 State SD – Viborg/Hurley
Denae will look to pair up for another season with Mason and is a stat-stuffer herself. Last season she put up 13.8 points per game and made 41 deep balls on 36% shooting from beyond the arc. She’s a long athletic player built for basketball that benefits her team on both ends. She was an efficient 73% from the charity stripe as well so look for the Cougars to find more ways to get her attacking the middle of the defense to draw contact.
Jadyn Jensen Jadyn Jensen 5'10" | SG Jones County | 2023 State SD – Jones County
Jadyn Jensen Jadyn Jensen 5'10" | SG Jones County | 2023 State SD might be one of the best-kept secrets in South Dakota basketball. She doesn’t garner as much attention as others in her class but she is a good one! A long, athletic, 5’10” frame helps her fill stat lines in all categories. She’s a matchup nightmare and a disruptor on defense as well. She scored nearly 15 points per contest in the 2021-22 season and has scored over 1000 points in her career. She has a nice mid-range game, finishes well in the paint, hits free throws, and creates turnovers on her opponent.
Maddie Horn Maddie Horn 5'11" | SG Castlewood | 2023 State SD – Castlewood
Horn comes back to a Castlewood team that returns loads of talent on a squad that made the SODAK 16 last season and lost to the eventual state champion. Maddie was a big reason why this team was in a position to win big games. She comes back as a top 15 scorer from last year where she averaged 18.6 points per game, shooting 49% overall from the floor and 39% from deep. She is one of the top deep threats in the game where she scored 126 of her 372 total points. Look for this Warrior to be a top 10 scorer in her class this season!
Jessy VanDerWerff Jessy VanDerWerff 5'7" | CG Gregory | 2023 State SD – Gregory
Jessy Jo loves the game of basketball. She has been good ever since stepping onto the big stage as a junior high kid and has gotten better with each season. She plays with unmatched confidence and swagger that leads to her stepping up in the big moment and not backing down from anybody. She put up 17.6 points per night last year and scored 282 total points from all over the floor.
Tyler Simon – Potter County
Tyler had a very productive season last year for Potter County. She averaged 17.1 points and added around 5 rebounds per contest as well. 40% overall from the floor, a variety of moves to get herself to the paint and finish, and signs of improvement coming into this season make her a player to keep your eye on.
Katie Bierman Katie Bierman 5'9" | SG Ipswich | 2023 State SD – Ipswich
The 2023 class is deep with scorers and Katie Bierman Katie Bierman 5'9" | SG Ipswich | 2023 State SD is no exception. She has a very diverse scoring game and is a true all-around talent. She averaged one of the more complete stat lines last season of 16.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 4.0 SPG. She’s a pure talent on both ends and will look to be a leader on her Tigers squad. She can score from all over the floor and makes great decisions to get herself and her teammates into places to make positive plays.
Cassidy Keiser Cassidy Keiser 5'10" | SG Gregory | 2023 State SD – Gregory
Keiser is another talented senior that will look to play a big role for the Gorillas of Gregory. She put up 14.3 points per night last year on 31% from the floor and 20% from three. The volume was there but we will look for more efficiency this season in terms of shot selection and consistency. A talented player Cassidy added over 6 rebounds per contest, a couple of assists, and nearly 4 steals per game.
Erin Uecker Erin Uecker 5'11" | PF Freeman | 2023 State SD – Freeman
Uecker has an impressive frame at 5’11” with great length and quickness. She has a nice mid-range game, can attack off the dribble, and can guard the 1-5 spots on defense. Last season she averaged 10 points per night and hit 30% of her threes. Throw in 7.5 rebounds and a couple of steals and blocks per game and you have a really talented guard/forward with a lot of tactical skills that bode well on the basketball floor.
Ashlin Jacobsen Ashlin Jacobsen 5'9" | SG Freeman | 2024 State SD – Freeman
The left-handed guard from Freeman has a nice set shot from beyond the arc. Adding in the ability to create shots off the dribble and attack the basket would push her to the next level for me. She’s a player to watch this season on a very deep Flyer squad that made a nice run to the state tournament in volleyball.
Class of 2024
Megan Reiner Megan Reiner 5'11" | SG Tripp-Delmont/Armour | 2024 State SD – Tripp-Delmont/Armour
Megan is another one of the more underrated basketball players in Class B. She has a unique ability to rise up and hit jump shots over the defense. At 5’10” and athletic she has all the makings of a next-level basketball player. Last season she was the focal point of the Nighthawk offense and scored 17.6 points per night on 37% from the floor. If she can increase her scoring output from beyond the arc (15-59 24% last season), she could develop into one of the most dangerous scorers in the Class of 2023.
Lillie Eide Lillie Eide 5'6" | SG Centerville | 2024 State SD – Centerville
Lillie is a spark for the Tornado squad that narrowly missed the state tournament last season after falling to Aberdeen Christian in the SODAK 16. She is one of the best in the area at finishing at the rim and has a knack for splitting defenders. She’s gained some height this year and is a long athlete who plays bigger than she looks. She scored 11.2 points per contest last year and finished over half of her looks in the paint. She’s a true dribble-drive guard who has the skills to create her own shot as well as set up others.
MaKayla Heesch MaKayla Heesch 5'9" | SG Centerville | 2024 State SD – Centerville
Makayla is a breakout candidate this season as she is coming off of a strong season after transferring to Centerville last year. She battled injuries most of the year but still finished with nearly 10 points per game scoring with a strong overall FG% of 45%. Her three-point shot is building consistency and she looks like a player who can drop 20 if her squad needs her to on a given night. At 5’10” and with an impressive wingspan she’s a matchup nightmare on offense, and on defense, she forces a high number of turnovers all on her own.
Skyler Volmer Skyler Volmer 5'9" | CG Lyman | 2024 State SD – Lyman
Volmer has one of the most impressive basketball builds in the state. She’s got impressive length, a high basketball IQ, and explosive athleticism. She filled the stat line game after game last season and led her team in nearly every category. She put up 16.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. Skyler Volmer Skyler Volmer 5'9" | CG Lyman | 2024 State SD is poised or a great junior season and could be a Top 10 scorer in all of Class B this season!
Allie Kohn Allie Kohn 5'7" | CG Lemmon | 2024 State SD – Lemmon
An underrated asset Kohn had a very productive year last season. Putting up 16.5 points per contest she looks like a player that is only getting better and will make a nice leap these next two seasons. Keep an eye on Allie as she continues to develop into a top offensive threat in the Class of 2024.
Eva Benike Eva Benike 5'7" | SG Waubay/Summit | 2024 State SD – Waubay/Summit
Benike is one of the most efficient scorers from deep on this entire list. She scored 16 points a night and shot an impressive 41% from beyond the arc. If she can balance out her offensive game with consistency in attacking the defense she will be a stock riser for sure.
Ava Lingemann Ava Lingemann 5'6" | PG Ethan | 2024 State SD – Ethan
Lingemann plays for a powerhouse at Ethan that has spent decades near the top of Class B Girls’ Basketball. She embraces the tradition of winning and found success last year as a prolific scorer who can fill it up each night. She showed great poise and maturity as a sophomore and impresses with a solid shot selection. This led to 15 points a game on 47% shooting overall and 38% from three. Round those numbers, out with nearly 70% of her FT attempts made and you have an athlete who will undoubtedly score in greater volume given more opportunities as she takes on a bigger role.
Stevie Wittler Stevie Wittler 5'7" | CG Sully Buttes | 2024 State SD – Sully Buttes
Stevie is a fun name to keep your eye on in Class B basketball. She’s a smart player that plays the game the right way with passion and teamwork. Her skillsets makes her one of the better point guards in her class and she averaged nearly 15 points along with 4 assists per game last season. She has a developing shot from deep and looks poised to vault up the leaderboards to become one of the best guards in her area.
Ava Nilsson – Warner
The talented Warner program has a good one in Ava. She is a very mature player and makes great decisions to help her team on both ends. A superb athlete and a great feel for the game led her to a productive season last year putting up over 13 points per night, almost 9 rebounds, and an impressive 4.5 assists. She is a talented athlete that plays with high energy and always gives her team a better chance to win basketball games.
Courtney Sees Courtney Sees 5'5" | PG Avon | 2024 State SD – Avon
Electric attacking from the perimeter, range with no end, and enthusiasm for the game makes Sees one of the most fun players to watch in Class B. Last season she led her squad on offense with 14.0 points per game and averaged over 3 assists as well in doing a nice job of spreading the ball around to her teammates. She’s a near 30% a night three-point shooter and I think with another year under her belt she is poised for a breakout junior season where her role could see her dropping upwards of 20 in many games. A true enthusiasm for the game she’s a treat to watch drop buckets!
Laura Sumption – Leola/Frederick
Laura Sumption is a player I’ve not gotten to see a lot of but her stat line last season puts her on this list. She averaged 12 points a night and added a little bit of everything to her squad. A name to watch I for one am looking forward to seeing what this over 250 point scorer last season does this year as a junior.
Julia Trygstad Julia Trygstad 5'10" | SG Oldham-Ramona/Rutland | 2024 State SD – Oldham-Ramona/Rutland
Trygstad is an overall really good athlete. She has immense talent and has helped a young Raiders squad build a program over the last couple of years. She is a near-double-double per night player who can score in the paint, has a nice mid-range jump shot, and appears to be improving from beyond the arc. Look for her to make a big leap this season after averaging 12 points and 9 rebounds per game last year.
Class of 2025
Althea Gust Althea Gust 5'10" | SG Centerville | 2025 State SD – Centerville
Althea Gust Althea Gust 5'10" | SG Centerville | 2025 State SD plays on a deep team that spreads points around as much as about any, but don’t sleep on her 14.5 PPG last season. She did it on one of the most efficient shooting performances of any guard going 48% overall, 41% from deep, and made 78% of her FT’s. She consistently hits shots from as deep as the volleyball line and makes tough shots look easy. As she adds in a diverse group of moves to finish off the attack she is going to have a very productive sophomore season.
TyAnn Mortensen – Faith
Mortensen comes back in a program that has been a consistent state tournament threat over the years in Class B basketball. She showed up big for team last year scoring over 10 points per contest and shooting one of the most efficient (59%) overall shooting percentages in the game. Keep TyAnn on your list of stock-risers and breakout candidates this year.
Emma Marshall Emma Marshall 5'10" | SF Centerville | 2025 State SD – Irene/Wakonda
We’ve covered this superb athlete a decent amount and I’m always impressed with her physical ability. She can jump out of the building which aids in her talent at getting into the paint scoring over defenders and snagging boards on both ends. She can guard the 1-5 as well as play it on offense and she is one of the most complete players you can find. Her Eagle squad lost a lot of scoring output due to graduation so look for Emma to attempt to take on the load and be a player other teams will be constantly focusing attention to. She has a ton of individual talent and looks like an easy breakout candidate.
Adison Moore Adison Moore 5'6" | CG Iroquois/Lake Preston | 2025 State SD – Iroquois/Lake Preston
Addy Moore packs a lot of power into her game on both ends. She is a great 1 on 1 defender with tenacity, and on offense has a very complete game. She comes to Iroquois/Lake Preston this season along with her dad (Michael Moore) who will serve as the new head coach. Keep your eye on this squad as they look to revamp this program and I expect this talented young guard to be a big part of it. She has a fantastic shooting range and can get to the rim as fast as the help side blinks. Looking for big things out of this guard new to Class B basketball.
Class of 2026
Emery Larson Emery Larson 5'4" | PG Chester Area | 2026 State SD – Chester
I’ve talked a lot about the dynamic duo at Chester and will let statistics speak for themselves on this talented young guard. She’s a high-energy player who works her tail off to help her squad be successful. Last season as an 8th grader she checked in as a near top 20 scorer with 16.3 PPG and made 54 threes.
Emmerson Eppard Emmerson Eppard 5'8" | SG Chester Area | 2026 State SD – Chester
Another near top 20 scorer, Emmerson equaled her teammate with 16.3 points per contest and made 40 threes of her own. She does a nice job getting to the rim and playing through contact and put up 63 of her 343 total points from the FT line. Add in nearly 9 rebounds per night, 5 assists, and over 2 steals per game and you have the makings of a star leading this Flyer squad for another 4 years.
Taylor Hoxeng – Gayville/Volin
Deep shooting range…check, a variety of moves to finish…check, intense defense and pressuring the ball…check, tight handles and a high IQ…check and check! Watch Hoxeng attack the middle of defenses and light it up form three this season. I predict her as a top breakout candidate who is going to take on a big role this season. She is undersized but makes up for it with great energy, smarts, and toughness.