SD Seven Skills: Post Play
Looking forward to December 13th’s official start to SDHSAA GBB season. In anticipation of whistles and cheers, we offer opinions on early leaders in functional skill areas. Every player knows each area is critical to team success, and should be…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLooking forward to December 13th’s official start to SDHSAA GBB season. In anticipation of whistles and cheers, we offer opinions on early leaders in functional skill areas. Every player knows each area is critical to team success, and should be motivated to develop them. Expertise is earned thru hard work in ball handling, passing, bounces, sheer speed, high/low post body control, floor vision, all-around versitility, scoring (3’s, mid-range, rim runs), and rebounding – each deserves recognition.
In this series, a player is not named in more than one skill area. The first skill set is Post Play. Watch for the next skill area: Scoring.
Just another reason to watch-and-go-WOW over the way you play the game.
Post Play: [ In no particular order or ranking ]
- Addison Rozell*, 6’2″, Redfield 2021 – 12/20 home game vs Groton. Outcome could instill confidence and fire up Redfield to halt Aberdeen Roncalli’s run of conference championships. Groton’s post defense is a briar thicket to navigate, collapsing quickly, so the better perimeter play wins the day. Rozell played summer ball sparingly, but she should record double-double’s in most games this season.
- Sydni Shetnan*, 6’5″, SF Washington 2021 – 12/17 game vs SF Lincoln – SF Lincoln has the athletes to control the paint. If newcomer Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda forces defenders to decide quickly whom to double team., then Shetnan becomes a serious ‘AA’ presence. Sydni focuses on BB & this past summer a special tutor worked to grow her game. Good news!
- Madison Koepsell*, 6’0″ McCook Central 2021 – a guantlet of games: Parker (12/14), Freeman (12/17) & Howard (12/20) – All three opponents feature PGH ranked players. Koepsell pairs up with 6’2″ teammate Aby VanRuler; together they should rule the roost. Expect Koepsell to dominate inside, as McCook’s twin towers return again to the state tourney.
- Kadye Fernholz*, 6’1″, Miller 2020 – game vs Cheyenne-Eagle Butte away on 12/14 – CEB has water bug quickness to frustrate many opponents. Fernholz is a Kansas State VB commit with plenty of bounce, swagger, and strength to keep pesty ball hawks away or in foul trouble. Other Miller Rustlers must score to avoid double and triple teams from disrupting Fernholtz’s silky movements around the board. – a treat to watch. Miller’s second-half schedule has five state tournament teams to measure against.
- Kara Niles*, 6’0″ Beresford 2022 – December games vs Dakota Valley (12/17) & Flandreau (12/19) would challenge most teams’ resolve. Niles and sister Jessica Niles (2020, 6’2″), have the majority of blocks and kills in this fall’s VB season. Athletic, quick-of-foot, and good interior passers, Befesford’s high/low game should be vastly improved with Kara’s point totals consistently in double digits.
- Ainsley Shelsta, 6’4″, Brookings 2022 – 12/13 home game vs Aberdeen Central – We’re predicting a breakout season for Shelsta, based on growth into her lanky frame. College coaches await skill development and floor vision. Teammate Johanna Miller (2020) 6’2″ is a superb practice foe to hone any-and-all-skills. We’re optimistic Miller’s role model jump starts the potential within Ainsley.
- Kyah Watson*, 5’10”, RC Stevens 2020 – Two away games at state champ Brandon Valley (12/13) and Yankton (12/14) – New Coach Travis Swartz looks for Watson to lead a young squad back to the state tournament. Watson committed to USD, but did not go full throttle on summer ball. Any questions may be answered in these first two contests against quality competitors. Brandon Valley has ten-plus returning athletes heavily involved in summer BB.
- Cassidy Siemonsma*,, 6’2″, West Central 2021 – 12/20 home game vs MVP – Two state ‘A’ tourney teams battle. WC had great depth on 2019’s runner-up team, undefeated until the championship game. Rotating deep talent won games late for WC, but 2020 may need the inside savvy and know-how learned by by Siemonsma this summer. MVP is both experienced … and hungry to improve on their 7th place finish.
- Lizzie Olson,* 6’0″,Garretson 2021 – 12/13 game vs Tri Valley – Classic test of Dragons’ team chemistry, will the team result be greater than the sum of the parts? Olson refined paint skills with summer AAU contests at the highest regional levels, and more than held her own. Soft shooting touch and hard nosed rebounding efforts enhaance her credentials in the stats and to the watchful fan.
- Avery Broughton*, 6’0″,Corsica-Stickney 2023 – 12/17 home game vs Avon & 12/30 away at Hanson – two traditional powers that re-load annually rather than re-boot will give an strength assessment. Specifically, does C/S have depth to keep defense off Broughton. In years to come, she’ll become the proto-typical paint gate keeper and complimentary team depth may not matter. No pressure.
* indicates VB player of note