Best Small Town Prospects in South Dakota: The Forwards
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In South Dakota it is often the AA and A school prospects getting attention and having the spotlight, but our state is loaded with tons of high-quality prospects in small towns all over. Here is a quick look at the…
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Continue ReadingIn South Dakota it is often the AA and A school prospects getting attention and having the spotlight, but our state is loaded with tons of high-quality prospects in small towns all over. Here is a quick look at the guards in this list of small-town kids with big-time skills.
Emma Marshall Emma Marshall 5'10" | SF Centerville | 2025 State SD – Centerville – 5’9″ F
Hometown Size – 922
Playing on a loaded Centerville Tornadoes squad trying to make a run to the state tournament, Emma is a standout athletically. She has a vertical that takes her through the roof and has length and quickness to go along with it. In a lot of games she lives at the free throw line and does an excellent job drawing contact and using her physicality to finish in the paint or get to the line. An excellent rebounder and a diverse skillset make her a valuable asset on both ends of the floor. She has helped her Tornadoes reach an 18-2 mark on the regular season as they head towards the postseason to make a run.
MaKayla Heesch MaKayla Heesch 5'9" | SG Centerville | 2024 State SD – Centerville
Hometown Size – 922
Playing for the playoff bound Tornado squad is another very talented athlete in MaKayla Heesch MaKayla Heesch 5'9" | SG Centerville | 2024 State SD . She has impressive length and quickness and absolutely gets after it on the defensive end. A tip machine she is nearly impossible to pass the ball around. She helps her team generate multiple turnovers per game and she does a nice job of handling the ball off of them in transition. Middle attacks on the offensive end and a really nice pull-up jumper headline this talented senior’s skillset. Look for her to finish her senior season strong!
Abby Aslesen Abby Aslesen 5'11" | SF Howard | 2024 State SD – Howard
Hometown Size – 864
Abby is headed towards the final postseason run of her career and has been a staple for the Tigers program for years now. She has impressive length, body frame, and body control and does an excellent job finding seams in defenses to get the ball to the rim and score. She has a methodical approach with patient footwork and high-level vision and has a knack for creating herself a shot. Her outside shooting has improved and she remains one of the most talented rebounders on both ends of the floor. Defensively she has the length and IQ to be disruptive as a shot-blocker as well as containing players off the dribble.
Ava Nillson Ava Nillson 6'0" | SG Warner | 2024 State SD – Warner
Hometown Size – 478
Ava and the Warner Monarchs look ready to make a postseason run in Class B basketball. She is a fearless leader who does a lot of things right on both ends of the floor. Offensively she is a consistent shooter and has a multi-faceted game that features a high IQ on the drive in understanding when to score it or find a teammate for an open shot. She does a great job controlling her body on the attack both in the half court and in transition which makes her a great finisher. Her length and athleticism make her a diverse defender who can lock down multiple positions if asked.
Alexa Goertz Alexa Goertz 5'9" | SG James Valley Christian | 2025 State SD – James Valley Christian
Hometown Size – N/A
Alexa is a talented forward who has helped make her JVC squad contenders in Class B this postseason. Her school is a small district in a big town so we are still featuring her in this article. She has a wide variety of physical attributes to be excited about in her length, physicality, and speed. She has the vision, court awareness, and scoring ability of a high-level guard and the physicality, rebounding ability, and paint presence of a true post. Her diverse game allows her to go off for 15+ points per game most nights and allow her to help her team get stops defensively as well. Look for big postseason performances from this talented young lady.
Brynlee Landis Brynlee Landis 5'6" | CG Colman-Egan | 2026 State SD – Colman-Egan
Hometown Size – 629
Brynlee is a spark for her Hawk squad! She plays with great intensity and high-level energy and has one of the most impressive work-ethics of any prospect in the state. She is a great rebounder, a tough-nosed defender, and approaches both ends of the floor with an aggressive mindset. On offense she can knock down the outside shot, finish at both sides of the rim, and create for her teammates. Her diverse skillset allows her to guard and play multiple positions on the floor.
Mak Scott Mak Scott 6'0" | C Lyman | 2026 State SD – Lyman
Hometown Size – 474
At 6’1″ and athletic Mak has a lot of physical attributes to be excited about. She is very impressive in transtiion and can handle the ball with ease standing over six-feet tall. Her combination of offensive IQ and excellent fundamental skill make for a dangerous scorer all over the court. She can block shots and uses her length well to be disruptive on defense. She has her Lyman Raiders poised for a postseason run in Class B!
Hazel Luethmers Hazel Luethmers 5'9" | SG De Smet | 2026 State SD – DeSmet
Hometown Size – 1,050
Hazel is a small-town stud with a high ceiling who gets it done on all levels. She’s blessed with length and athleticism and is another long forward with a guard skillset. She can handle it, shoot it, and plays with great intensity! She’s really good off the dribble and does an excellent job sheilding off defenders to get to the rack and finish on the dribble-drive. Rounding out her game is the ability to rebound effectively on both ends and an elite defensive ability to guard multiple positions and make it tough on opponents to score.
Megan Reiner Megan Reiner 5'11" | SG Tripp-Delmont/Armour | 2024 State SD – Tripp-Delmont/Armour
Hometown Size – 575
Megan is a dynamic forward with a high basketball IQ, a diverse set of scoring tools, and high energy. On offense she is the pulse of her Nighthawks team and knows how to create shots for herself and others. She often draws other team’s best player but still puts up 15-20 points a night. She can knock down open three’s, has an excellent ability to elevate and score in the mid-range, and uses her length and toughness well to finish in the paint. On defense she can give her opponent nightmares with her ability to anticipate in the passing lanes and shutting down driving lanes, as well as using her length to block shots and get steals.
Julia Trygstad Julia Trygstad 5'10" | SG Oldham-Ramona/Rutland | 2024 State SD – Oldham-Ramona/Rutland
Hometown Size – 565
Julia is another small-town kid with big skills! She can knock down open three’s, create off the dribble, and use her physicality to score in the paint. Her offensive game is very complete and she has the frame and athleticism to provide scoring from a variety of positions. She is a diverse defender who can guard multiple spots and does a nice job competing for rebounds.
Emmerson Eppard Emmerson Eppard 5'8" | SG Chester Area | 2026 State SD – Chester
Hometown Size – 285
Emmerson is a stat machine who fills it up in every category night in and night out. She has a great blend of physicality and quickness and shows off a really high basketball IQ at a young age. She can score on all levels and has a diverse toolbox of moves to get to the rim, find an open jumper, or create for a teammate. An excellent work ethic combined with a passion for the game make this young lady a name you should keep your eye on.
Ashton Massey Ashton Massey 6'0" | SG Menno | 2024 State SD – Menno
Hometown Size – 618
Ashton has impressive length and is an active rebounder and defender. She can block shots, tip passes, and use her frame to contain ball handlers. A diverse skillset aids in her offensive game as well. She has a nice mid-range game, elevating over defenders to knock down contested jump shots, and can use her length and fundamental skill to get to the rim off the dribble as well.