Paint Power Players Returning in Class B

Let's take a look at the top prospects returning to South Dakota's Class B basketball roaming and dominating the paint. 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 forwards and centers who were dominant scoring inside, clearing boards, altering shots on defense, or all of the above in Class B last season. Look for this group to be game-changers for their squads this season!   Class of 2023   Bailey Hansen - Centerville   Hansen is poised to be one of the leading rebounders in the state this year. She was sixth overall in Class B last year with over 11 rebounds per year including an impressive almost six per night on the offensive end. This post player uses her physicality and great sense for the ball coming off the rim to snag board after board. On defense, she's an aggressive defender who moves well enough to match up with perimter players and is strong enough to battle post players in the paint. She is an absolute force in the middle and is a tough ask to box out. She projects to average near double-double numbers this season and will be a key piece in the middle of the Tornadoes team.   [player_tooltip player_id='100494' first='Mackenzie' last='Everson'] - Castlewood   Everson returns on a really talented Warrior squad that looks like a Top 5 team in Class B. She averaged close to 16 points per night and 9 rebounds. She is an absolute force to deal with on offense and is a tough guard for most players in the state of South Dakota. Add in close to 4 assists and 4 steals per game and you have one of the most dynamic forwards in Class B basketball. At 5'7" she plays bigger than she appears and is a true inside-out player who could have been on my perimeter list but she is a force when she gets to the paint, and she does a lot of key things to help her team win. Keep your eye on Everson as a stock riser and a player who projects to continue her basketball career beyond high school.   [player_tooltip player_id='246177' first='Mallory' last='Valburg'] - Jones County   Valburg is one of the most technically sound players of the bunch. She has great footwork, reads the floor well, and is a very effective paint scorer. She averaged 16 points and nearly 10 boards per game last season for one of the most impressive stat lines in the state. She made 99 free throws and puts them in at a rate of 66% making opponents pay for fouling her inside. She's a great finisher and will look to lead a very impressive Jones County team that projects to compete into the deep postseason this year.   [player_tooltip player_id='100472' first='Mallory' last='Miller'] - Wolsey-Wessington   When you are 6'4" playing in Class B girls you get a lot of attention. Add in the fact that you have range beyond the 3 point line, great shot blocking sense, and the ability to score in transition, and you have a special talent. Miller made the move to Wolsey-Wessington this season and will look to develop chemistry with her new squad. An impressive stat line last year the talented post player averaged 19.5 points per night on 51% shooting overall. She made 60% of her FT's and added 68 blocks on the year.   Tyler Simon - Potter County   Simon was an effective scorer last season with just over 17 points per night putting up a total nearing the 400 mark (376). She is a forward that can score inside and also step out and hit jump shots. Round out her stat line with 5 rebounds and a couple of steals per night and you have a really nice player to watch. I am looking forward to getting more scouting information on her and highlighting her and the Battlers throughout the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='188478' first='Kate' last='Connor'] - Howard   Kate is a presence for Howard and pairs nicely with fellow Tiger [player_tooltip player_id='375561' first='Abby' last='Aslesen'] who cracked this list also. She has great finishing ability, rebounding desire, and is a tough defender. She put up 14.2 PPG last season on nearly 50% shooting from the floor and hit 67% of her free throws. Over 300 points scored last season Connor is a name to keep your eye on throughout the year. Her Tigers squad was on the fringe of a state tournmanet experience last season and figures to be one of the top teams in Class B.   Class of 2024   [player_tooltip player_id='317780' first='Jaelyn' last='Wendt'] - Newell   Jaelyn is a double-double machine. She put up nearly 12 points and over 13 rebounds per game last season for the Irrigators. She's got great length, a high motor, and athleticism to go with it. She added 72 blocks on the season and is a disruptive force on the defensive end. At 6'1" she's a physical presence, and after battling back last season from a knee injury she looks to be improving in her third season of varsity basketball. Wendt looks like a college-level athlete and is one of the most intriguing post prospects in her class.   Abby Thompson - Bison   Thompson helped guide her team to a couple of postseason upsets to an unpredictable run into the SODAK 16 last season. At 10.9 PPG and 10.5 RPG she was a really efficient post player for Bison. She finished 43% of her shots but struggled from the FT line at 39% from the stripe. Look for Thompson to up her FT efficiency this season and continue to be one of the better rebounders in the area.   [player_tooltip player_id='375561' first='Abby' last='Aslesen'] - Howard   Abby is a super talented post player with a high cieling. She's long, athletic, and has a high basketball IQ. She scored just over 15 points per outing last season on 42% shooting and made 62% of her FT attempts. She made 10 threes on 28% shooting so look for her to continue to test her outside range. She has a variety of nice moves around the basket, plays with great intensity, and finishes well. On defense she chips in a steal and a block per night and is very fundamentally sound. Look for Aslesen to post a double-double in most contests and make big plays for this talented Tiger team.   [player_tooltip player_id='403792' first='Paige' last='Kjerstad'] - Wall   The Wall Eagles had a really good season last year finishing 8th overall in the state and they return the majority of their primary contributors. Kjerstad is one of those players and she looks to build on what she was able to do last year. She averaged nearly 16 points per contest and added 8 rebounds and 2 steals per night. One of the highest percentage finishers in Class B she shot 51% from the floor and made people pay for fouling her shooting 69% from the stripe. Keep your eye on the Lady Eagles and a really solid prospect in Kjerstad.   [player_tooltip player_id='537819' first='Elly' last='Doering'] - Alcester-Hudson   [player_tooltip player_id='537819' first='Elly' last='Doering'] is an underrated asset in the paint in Class B basketball. Her Cub squad doesn't always get a ton of recognition but she is a really talented post presence. She's a double-double machine with a really powerful back to the basket game. Her team gets a lot of shot opportunities off her ability to offensively rebound the basketball and she snags a lot of boards on the other end as well. On defense she rotates into the help side well and plays really physical in the paint. Look for Doering to lead her squad in most categories and be one of the most efficient scorers around the basket in her region.   Class of 2025   Katelyn Schroeder - Hitchcock-Tulare   The Patriots have to love the productivity of this young prospect. Katelyn is an athletic player with all of the physical tools needed to succeed. She plays at a high level and makes really smart basketball plays every time she touches the court. Last season she posted 14.5 points and almost 10 rebounds per game. She uses her body well and is aggressive around the rim finishing a lot of shots, and getting to the FT line. Her FT percentage last year was a really impressive 73%. On defense she disrupts passing lanes and alters shots with two steals and a block per contest. Look for a big step from Schroeder going into her sophomore season.   TyAnn Mortensen - Faith   The Faith Longhorns have had a really successful program for a long time and 5'11" forward TyAnn Mortensen will look to continue that trend in her sophomore season for her squad. She has great physical frame and plays with a great motor. Last season she scored just over 10 PPG on a super impressive FG% of 59%! Very efficient, when she gets the ball inside she takes advantage of it and produces for her team. She added around 6 rebounds and a block per night as well and is another really well rounded force in the paint in this group of talented inside prospects.   Class of 2026   [player_tooltip player_id='388883' first='Mak' last='Scott'] - Lyman   [player_tooltip player_id='388883' first='Mak' last='Scott'] played big minutes as an 8th grader last season. She plays with the talented [player_tooltip player_id='182474' first='Skyler' last='Volmer'] and provides a nice 1-2 punch combo as she locks down the paint for Lyman. Last season she blocked 61 shots, providing her team with the confidence to put pressure on as she would be waiting at the rim to alter shot attempts. She also poured in 11 points and grabbed almost 9 rebounds per night, making her a really talented paint presence. All of this came together at a young age so she is a must-watch player this year going into her freshman season with some experience under her belt.   Hadlee Holt - Iroquois/Lake Preston   Hadlee Holt had a nice season as a young player aslo. She averaged a near double-double with 10 points and a little over 8 boards per night. Doing this as just an 8th grader, keep your eye on this young post prospect as she gains more expereince throughout this season.

Let's take a look at the top prospects returning to South Dakota's Class B basketball roaming and dominating the paint. 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 forwards and centers who were dominant scoring inside, clearing boards, altering shots on defense, or all of the above in Class B last season. Look for this group to be game-changers for their squads this season!