Top Performers from the Dakota State Classic

The DSU Classic took place in Madison on January 8th, 2022.  The gym was loaded up with talent and there were a number of standout performers to talk about. Irene-Wakonda’s senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="179058" first="Nora" last="O’Malley"] got the day rolling with a double-double against Lemmon.  She led the Eagles to a 46-28 win putting up 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.  This guard knows how to find gaps to score and had an efficient day shooting 7-15 overall from the floor.  She added 3 assists on the game as well.  Her teammate freshman forward [player_tooltip player_id="375353" first="Madison" last="Orr"] posted a double-double as well.  She is an effective post player with length and aggressiveness.  She scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.  EIGHT of her 13 boards were on the offensive end, giving her team tons of second chances to score.  This pair of eagles on opposite ends of their careers set the day up for quality basketball games.  Nora was picked MVP of the game. Hill City senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="184990" first="Abby" last="Siemonsma"] had a standout day putting up 22 points going 8-18 overall from the floor.  This 5’8" guard is a standout for sure athletically and puts up noticeable performances consistently.  This talented senior shot it well from deep going 5-10 from 3-point land.  She drew plenty of attention and found her teammates for 3 assists and added 3 steals on the game as well.  DSU awarded her with the MVP in her team’s 59-34 win over Elkton-Lake Benton. Freeman’s junior post player [player_tooltip player_id="375369" first="Kate" last="Miller"] had a monster day in a 55-19 W over St. Francis Indian School.  When you watch this post player get after it, you always leave inspired by her high energy effort.  She has a variety of moves to finish at the rim and gets in great position on offensive boards and second-chance opportunities.  Miller put up 27 points on a very efficient 11-16 shooting and added 15 rebounds for a big-time double-double performance.  This junior has to be on your list of posts to follow in South Dakota.  She was named the MVP for the game. Canistota’s do it all guard [player_tooltip player_id="375380" first="Natalie" last="Becker"] had a standout performance on the day.  The 5’7" sophomore guard had a nice day with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals.  Becker is aggressive on both ends and has a balanced offensive game.  She can hit from deep and spaces the floor well.  6 steals was not out of her normal as she does a nice job pressuring the ball and anticipating on the defensive end. She was awarded MVP honors following the game. Deubrook’s 5’ 11" senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="317489" first="Carley" last="Landmark"] helped guide her team to a 58-34 win over Rapid City Christian.  This standout performer had one of the most efficient scoring days going 4-4 from the floor and 5-6 from the FT line.  She used her impressive frame to pull down 8 rebounds and added a block and 2 steals as well. A pair of Howard forwards, 5’11" freshman [player_tooltip player_id="375561" first="Abby" last="Aslesen"] and 6’0" Junior [player_tooltip player_id="188478" first="Kate" last="Connor"] put up big performances in a 1 point 49-48 nail-biter over Scotland.  Aslesen is a super talented post player who has a bright future ahead of her.  She can stretch the floor with a developing perimeter game and knows how to score in the paint.  Her basketball pedigree is deep with a mom and sisters who played basketball at a high level.  Rebounding is nothing new for her relation, her mom holds the Centerville Tornado record for rebounds in a game with 39! She found seams in the defense all game on her way to 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Fellow Tiger [player_tooltip player_id="188478" first="Kate" last="Connor"] had a double-double of her own 19 points on an efficient 8-12 from the floor and grabbed 13 boards.  This is one of the better pairings of post players you will find in South Dakota basketball right now and they have fantastic chemistry together.  Both of these athletes are matchup nightmares with height, length, athleticism, and basketball IQ.   [player_tooltip player_id="188478" first="Kate" last="Connor"] was awarded MVP honors for her performance. Lakota Tech junior guard Shayla Bravo knows how to score the basketball. Her Tatanka team is off to a fantastic 8-1 start and she is a huge part of that run.  Bravo is lights out on the perimeter at times and knows how to attack as well.  She hit 3-4 threes she took and went on to finish the game with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists.  She helped her team continue their winning streak with a 74-66 win over Garretson.  Bravo runs the floor well and shows great vision on the offensive end.  Fellow Lakota Tech guard [player_tooltip player_id="375574" first="Tobi" last="Carlow"] was named the MVP of the game. The senior had 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals on the game.  She has a nice shot from the perimeter and knows how to score the basketball as well as apply pressure on the defensive end. The last South Dakota standout on the day came in a tight loss for Hamlin 43-42 to the always talented Crofton, Nebraska.  Junior forward Kami Wadsworth kept her team in this one down to the final wire.  This 5’10" prospect is super aggressive and can get to the rim effectively.  Attacking the paint all game she went on to put up 21 points, including a clutch performance at the FT line going 7-9.  She grabbed 9 rebounds on the game as well, including 5 on the offensive end.  This forward knows how to give her team opportunities to score and is one of the better defenders you can find.  She knows the meaning of aggressive on both ends and plays with a great motor. The standout performers at the DSU classic did not disappoint and made for another great day of basketball for South Dakota girls hoops!