Sioux Valley: A Season To Remember

<!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"18px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:18px">We are into club/grassroots basketball, but Prep Girls Hoops Dakotas (PGHD) is looking back at the high school hoops season. Specifically, we are checking out one of the elite teams from Class A. The <strong>Cossacks</strong> from <strong>Sioux Valley</strong> are the hot topic! <strong><em>Jamie Granum </em></strong>is the head coach for SV. He is one of the elite basketball minds in SD when it comes to teaching space and playing with/through actions. Coach Granum knows a thing or two about winning games....</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><span style="text-decoration: underline">See below for a season recap, stats, and player spotlights</span>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1215340,"width":"224px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/SeasonReview.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1215340" style="width:224px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Head Coach:</strong> Jamie Granum</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Class:</strong> A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Region:</strong> 2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Record:</strong> 21-5 (5th at State)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"25px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:25px"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Season Recap from Coach Granum</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We finished fifth in Class A in South Dakota with a 21-5 record.&nbsp; To have a season like we had or any team that has win/loss success we have to be a little lucky and then have talent.&nbsp; It's a players game, and without good players, coaching alone isn't going to get&nbsp;you a 5th place finish.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We were undefeated in the Big East Conference and lost only&nbsp;one game in the&nbsp;Lake Central Conference.&nbsp; We are extremely talented, but more importantly our girls play really well together.&nbsp; I think [player_tooltip player_id='597299' first='Liberty' last='Trygstad'] summed it up best when she said we like each other on and off the court!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of our goals to start the season is how practice can&nbsp;be the most enjoyable part of these girls' days.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I felt we were a fun team to watch play, how we moved the ball, always looking for the best shot our team could take.&nbsp; We didn't play through one person and our saying was always "everyone eats", we didn't know if that&nbsp;directly translates to wins, but we do think it is a more enjoyable way to play</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have one senior [player_tooltip player_id='391247' first='Keyra' last='Kruse'] who on and off the court means so much to us. She finished her career at a State Tournament where she had three straight double doubles.&nbsp; This group, especially her really earned a State Tournament experience with all of the time they have put in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Early in October we lost a going to be newcomer into our program <strong>Raegan Nelson</strong> in a car accident as she was driving to school.&nbsp; Our team honored her all season as a teddy bear with her shooting shirt hung on a chair.&nbsp; While some of our upperclassman didn't know her that well, it was something on our mind and reminded everyone that we are playing a game, a game that should be fun.&nbsp; I think anytime adversity strikes life, perspective is needed as to what our purpose truly is.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All season long we got great contributions from <strong>Masey Top</strong>, just a freshman and <strong>Skylar Knutson</strong> a sophomore post player.&nbsp; They weren't given lots of minutes, but they really played in their roles and accepted them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"25px"}}} --> <p style="font-size:25px"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Player Spotlights via Jamie Granum</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='391247' first='Keyra' last='Kruse'], 6'0” – Senior</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>806 career points, 701 career rebounds, 96 career blocks, 197 career assists, in her career shot at 55.6% overall from field<br>Senior Year: 12.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, FG: 58.8%, FT: 74.6%<br>LCC All-Conference, Big East All-Conference 1st Team, Academic All-State, All-Tourney Team at State Tournament in Spearfish, 3rd Team All-State in Class A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“<em>Keyra is one of the most improved players in the state, her career from the post position is remarkable, especially surrounded by as many good guards as she has been in her career. That impacted her career numbers. She impacted the game on both ends of the floor, her rebounding ability outside of her area is at an elite level. She is one of the main reasons we were a State Tournament team this past year. She finished her last three career games in Spearfish with double-doubles.</em>”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488202' first='Talya' last='Vincent'], 5'6” – Junior</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>695 career points, 221 assists, 193 career threes at 35.7%<br>Junior Year: 13.4 PPG, 3 APG, 100 made 3's at 37.5% (5th all time in a single season)<br>LCC All-Conference, Big East All-Conference 2nd Team, Honorable Mention Class A All-State</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“<em>Talya is the top catch-and-shoot shooter in the state. Her range really extended defenses and caused a lot of 1v1 matchups for her teammates. She was good in transition, where teams lost her some and spotting up. Scoring that well from the point guard position is not easy, she makes great decisions with the ball in her hands and having a point guard that rarely turns it over is key to be able to make a deep run in the postseason.</em>”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='659009' first='Kailey' last='Cradduck'], 5'10” – Sophomore<br></strong>675 career points, 351 career rebounds, 150 career assists, 117 steals, 44 blocks<br>Sophomore Year: 14 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 29 made 3's,<br>LCC All-Conference, 1st Team Big East All-Conference, All-Tourney team at State Tourney in Spearfish, 3rd Team Class A All-State selection</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“<em>Kailey is one the most talented players to come out of Sioux Valley. Her length and versatility make her a handful to guard. She can score at all 3 levels. Her ability to be crafty around the rim, get offensive rebounds, and her passing ability is what makes her special.</em>”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='597299' first='Liberty' last='Trygstad'], 5'6” – Sophomore<br></strong>396 career points, 74 career 3's<br>Sophomore Year: 10.0 PPG, 4.03 APG (led our team in assists with 105), 52/145 from 3 35.8%<br>2nd Team Big East All-Conference</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“<em>Liberty doesn't get as much credit as she deserves on this team. She does so much for us defensively, while still averaging double figures in scoring. Averaging double figures in scoring isn't easy, especially on a team that is as talented as ours. One of the most determined players I have coached, she is going to maximize her ability and give our team and herself everything she has.</em>”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='616252' first='Amari' last='Ward'], 5'6” – Junior<br></strong>8.9 PPG, 41 made 3's at 32%, 68 Steals, 105 deflections</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“<em>As Amari goes defensively, we go. She is dynamic on the defensive end, especially on the ball. Her ability to create pressure really helped our transition, directly led to run out layups and indirectly led to open threes in transition. Her first year in our program and her adjustments to a new style happened quickly. It is obvious that she has played a lot of basketball along with being really talented</em>.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"style":{"typography":{"fontSize":"20px","fontStyle":"italic","fontWeight":"1000"}}} --> <p style="font-size:20px;font-style:italic;font-weight:1000">BEST OF LUCK TO THE COSSACKS THIS OFFSEASON!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1232119,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/04/SVcossacks-crop-5282x3468-1744486768.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1232119" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->