Class B Standout Performers - Region 6

South Dakota’s Region 6 in Class B basketball has a number of quality prospects. The region is led by the very complete Corsica-Stickney Jaguars sitting at number 1 and the high-flying Platte-Geddes Black Panthers in the 2nd seed. The Avon Pirates round out the top 3 and the 4 and 5 seeds belong to the Gregory Gorillas and the Marty Lady Braves. The remaining seeds belong to the Wessington Springs Trojans, Burke Lady Cougars, Tripp-Delmont/Armour Nighthawks, Kimball/White Lake WildKats, and the Colome Cowgirls. Standout Seniors The senior class standouts include Avon’s [player_tooltip player_id="185529" first="Tiffany" last="Pelton"], a trio of Corsica-Stickney Jaguars, [player_tooltip player_id="99754" first="Rachel" last="Gerlach"], Casey Tolsma, and [player_tooltip player_id="99767" first="Morgan" last="Clites"], and Marty’s Hawk Blair. Senior pirate forward [player_tooltip player_id="185529" first="Tiffany" last="Pelton"] was built for basketball. She has impressive length at 5’11" and athleticism to go with it. She has a smooth mid-range jumper and a knack for weaving her way to the rim to score. If the Pirates see man, she presents a matchup nightmare from either a perimeter or an on-the-block perspective, throw a zone at her and she will go to work from the high post and the short corners. Her length and quickness benefit her on both ends as a dynamic scorer and an effective stopper. In a recent January performance against Colome she helped her team to a lopsided win and put up 15 points along with 6 steals. Pelton has superb potential and is a player who you can plug and play in a lot of different positions. The Corsica-Stickney Jaguars have been a name to remember in South Dakota basketball the last few years and a trio of senior starters have been a big part of that for a good length of time now. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="99754" first="Rachel" last="Gerlach"] has been knocking down key threes and running the floor to score in transition all year. On a team dominated at times by interior play, she balances them out greatly with her ability to knock down the outside shot and attack the basket. In a recent win over the talented and at the time, number 1 team in Class A Flandreau Fliers, she knocked down three 3-pointers and went 6-10 overall on her way to a team-high 17 points. Fellow Jaguar guard [player_tooltip player_id="99767" first="Morgan" last="Clites"] has been a standout in this region as well. She operates the point guard very effectively and possesses a superb understanding of the game. She knows when to get her own, but more importantly understands how to get her teammates in a position to score. She has great handles and pressures opposing guards on the other end as well. In the Jaguars win over Flandreau, she had 6 points but posted half of their 18 assists with a total of 9! The last standout senior for Corsica-Stickney does a lot of the little things a team needs as well as drops around 15 points frequently as well. Casey Tolsma is a physical presence in the paint and goes to work inside scoring for her team. She grabs rebounds on both ends and gives the Jaguars a physical nature on the interior. She is an efficient scorer and just flat out doesn’t take a bad shot. Every coach’s dream offensively she knows where her points will come from and embraces her role. She showed this off in the Flandreau game as she had 16 points on 8-11 shooting from the floor. The last of the standout seniors in this region of Class B South Dakota basketball wears the blue for the Marty Lady Braves. Hawk Blair possesses a confident shooting mentality and can hit from all over. She shows no fear and will hit big shots for her team when they need them. Blair can handle the basketball and has a quick release to get her shot off whenever she wants. In a January 4th loss to Centerville Blair did what she could to overcome the Tornado defense and put up 22 points including 4 three’s as well as 5 assists. Standout Juniors Junior class standouts thus far include another Corsica-Stickney Jaguar [player_tooltip player_id="100468" first="Avery" last="Broughton"], a pair of Burke Cougars Adisyn Indahl and Elly Witt, and Gregory’s [player_tooltip player_id="100479" first="Jessy" last="VanDerWerff"]. The junior class is led by the University of South Dakota commit [player_tooltip player_id="100468" first="Avery" last="Broughton"]. The 5’11" forward is a staple in the South Dakota girls basketball community. She has length that doesn’t end and is one of the most disruptive players you will find on the defensive end. This player is a game-changer on the defensive end and brings great confidence to her entire team. On the offensive end, this young lady can do a little bit of everything. She can elevate over the defense and knock down a jump shot, rip the ball and score from the high to the mid-post area, and post you up with a variety of finishes to go with a strong base. In a performance against Ethan, Avery WENT OFF for one of the most dominant performances of the year finishing with 31 points, 17 rebounds, and five blocks. Burke guards Adisyn Indahl and Elly Witt have led their team on both ends with tough-nosed aggressive defense and the ability to create shots on the other end. Indahl, a 5’8" junior forward with speed and length has a great shot from 3 point land and can get to the rim as well. She is disruptive on defense with great anticipation with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. She has led her team in scoring many nights this year and plays with a high IQ on both ends of the floor. Her teammate Elly Witt is a spark on both ends of the floor. The 5’ 4" junior guard makes up for her size with toughness and a competitive mindset. She leads her team with vocal cues on both ends, constantly pushing her team to be better. She has a nice jump shot and handles the ball well for the Cougars. In a January matchup against the Centerville Tornadoes, she distributed the ball well with 4 assists and hit from the perimeter to add 11 points. Gregory’s [player_tooltip player_id="100479" first="Jessy" last="VanDerWerff"] is a hidden gem in South Dakota basketball. Her team is picking up steam as the season nears postseason basketball and many see this group as a dark horse in Class B. Vanderwerff is a 5’ 7" guard/forward who knows how to ball. She is the epitome of a competitor and plays with contagious confidence. She can score from anywhere and utilizes a great blend of footwork, high IQ, and shooting range to be a very versatile offensive player. She is averaging 17.8 PPG with an overall FG% of 41% and 35% from beyond the arc. She gets to the line often and shoots it 63% when she does. She adds around 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals per game as well. This is one of the more complete guards you will find in the area. Standout Sophomores and Freshman The sophomore class includes Tripp-Delmont Armour’s Megan Reiner, Avon’s [player_tooltip player_id="182475" first="Courtney" last="Sees"], and a pair of Platte-Geddes Panthers Karly VanDerWerff and [player_tooltip player_id="188214" first="Cadence" last="Van Zee"]. This class may just have the highest ceiling of any group in this region. The Region 6B sophomore class is led by the super talented forward from Tripp-Delmont, Megan Reiner. This guard is a complete player with a balanced offensive attack and disruptive defensive ability. She has a rare jumper that brings you back to some of the better shooters throughout basketball history. She elevates over the top of the D and knocks them down often. She does a little bit of everything for this group and leads her squad in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks most games. In a win over Colome earlier this season she led her team to victory with a 21 point, 11 rebound, five assist, and four steal performance, showcasing the total package game that she possesses. Avon’s [player_tooltip player_id="182475" first="Courtney" last="Sees"] is a name to remember in Class B basketball and has some time left to do it. This talented guard has immense talent and a competitive mindset to go with it. She can shoot the three with deadly accuracy and has one of the quickest first steps you will find in her class. Her experience at a young age paired with a relentless competitive spirit makes her a force game in and game out. She is a tough defender who can get up and pressure the ball. This talented young lady put up a 19 point performance to lead all scorers in a recent win over Andes Central/Dakota Christian. Her energy is electric and she makes everyone on the floor around her better. The last two sophomores in this group have had solid performances recently as well and have helped their team climb up to the 2 seed in their region. Black Panther forward Karly VanDerWerff scored a game-high 20 points in a recent win over Tripp-Delmont Armour. She has a balanced game that takes her from the arc to the paint, and she continues to develop ways to create her own shot. Her teammate, Cadence VanZee put up a steady 14 point performance a couple of weeks prior in a loss to talented Class A Mount Vernon/Plankinton. VanZee finds soft spots in zones to get to the rim and finish and has a nice post-game with a variety of methods to find her way to an efficient spot to score. The 2025 Class does not bring a ton of depth but does have a couple of intriguing prospects. The highest on this list has to be the 6’0" Burke Cougar center Paige Bull. She has a great back to the basketball game with a variety of post moves that allow her to finish in the paint. She is a tough-nosed rebounder and disrupts shots on defense with her positional sense and length. She has had near double-double performances often this year as she scores efficiently in the paint and grabs a ton of boards for her squad. Region 6B South Dakota basketball is loaded with talent and hard-nosed basketball players who bring enjoyment to fans across their portion of the state. From the youngest to more experienced this class contains defensive gurus and balanced offensive performers.