Heinz named to AA first team for Tigers

HURON — Five seniors and a junior have been named to the Class AA girls’ basketball all-state team, which is selected by the South Dakota High School Basketball Coaches Association.
Leading the group is Emma Ronsiek of O’Gorman, who was also named as the 2019 AA Girls’ Player of the Year.
“Emma has had an incredible career for Lady Knights. She brings so much to the table with her ability to score, rebound, pass, handle the ball and affect the game in so many ways,” O’Gorman coach Ken Kolsrud said. “Emma has a love for basketball and a drive to be extremely successful. She has had a great senior season and provided us with great leadership.”
Ronsiek, a 6-foot-1 forward, is one of three repeat first-team selections on this year’s squad. She helped the Lady Knights to a perfect 21-0 record and the top seed for the Class AA State Tournament.
During her senior campaign Ronsiek averaged 16.5 points per game, while pulling down an average of 8.5 rebounds. She went 31 of 91 from 3-point range for 34% and finished the season with 43 blocks on the defensive end of the floor.
“Emma has meant so much to our basketball program the past four years,” Kolsrud said. “She has a great future and we look forward to watching her play for Creighton next year.”
Another repeat first-team selection this season is Morgan Hansen of Sioux Falls Lincoln.
“Morgan is one of the most unselfish basketball players I have ever had the honor of coaching,” Lincoln coach Matt Daly said. “She is a player that could force 20-plus points a night if she wanted to, but Morgan has shown an incredible ability to share the basketball, usually putting up 18- to 30-point games, 2-5 assists, and 8-15 rebounds a game.”
Hansen, a 6-1 guard/forward, tallied an average of 17.6 points per game this season in leading the Patriots to a 15-6 record and third seed for the Class AA State Tournament. She also had averages of 7.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while recording 26 steals.
“Morgan’s length and athleticism at the shooting guard position is unique in the state of South Dakota. She consistently has led her team with double digit scoring performances against opponents on one of the toughest schedules in the state,” Daly said. “Morgan is a pure jump shooter, a slashing scoring threat in transition, and a relentless rebounder and defender. I’m proud that Morgan has developed into a vocal leader both on and off the court.”
Hansen will take her basketball talents to the University of South Dakota in the fall.
The other repeat first-team selection on this year’s squad is Kyah Watson of R.C. Stevens.
“Kyah was a tremendous leader this season for us. She is such an unselfish player who always looks to get her teammates going before herself,” Stevens coach Travis Swartz said. “She is the perfect combination in skill, size, speed, and athleticism. She led us in scoring and rebounding and was second in assists, steals, and blocks.”
Watson, a 5-11 guard/forward, turned in an average of 14 points per game, while snagging eight rebounds and dishing out three assists. She converted on 51% of her shots from the field, going 74 of 144 and recorded 42 steals this season.
Watson, who helped the Raiders to a 20-1 record and the second seed for the Class AA State Tournament, will be taking her basketball talents to the University of South Dakota next season.  
Havyn Heinz of Huron made the jump from the second team last season to the first team this season and her play reflected that, according to coach Tim Buddenhagen.
“Havyn has had a tremendous career at Huron High School,” Buddenhagen said. “Her hard work, dedication and attention to detail is hard to replicate at the high school level. She is the first to practice and one of the last players to leave at night.”
Heinz, a 5-6 guard, put up an average of 18.3 points per game, which was the most for any of this year’s first-team selections. She also had averages of 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and two steals, while converting on 43 of 135 shots from 3-point range for 32%.

“She was the person every opponent needed to stop yet she still averaged 18 points a game,” Buddenhagen said. “She is very deserving of this honor.”
In addition to excelling on the basketball court, Heinz has a passion for volleyball and has committed to play at Northern State next season.
Also moving up from the second team this season is Madison Wuebben of Yankton. She helped the Gazelles to a 15-6 record and the fifth seed for the Class AA State Tournament.
“Madison would be the first to tell anyone that she wouldn’t be on this list without her teammates and without the love that they have for playing with each other,” Yankton coach Trent Krier said. “In Madison’s four years of Gazelle basketball, she has scored more than 900 career points, which puts her third all time in Gazelle basketball history.”
Wuebben, a 5-9 guard, averaged 15.4 points per game this season, while snagging 5.8 rebounds. She converted on 33% of her shots from 3-point range, going 32 of 96.
“The things she has been able to do the last two season can be attributed to the work she put in not only on her skills but also by adding strength to her frame,” Krier said. “We are very proud of the things the Gazelles were able to accomplish this winter and this recognition for Madison shows how special she and her teammates are to our program.”
Wuebben will be continuing her basketball career at the University of Sioux Falls next season.
The lone junior named to the first team was Sydni Schetnan of Sioux Falls Washington.
“Syd was outstanding this year,” Washington coach Jamie Parish said. “Offensively, she played very well the second half of the season. Defensively, she had 71 blocked shots and countless others that she disrupted or changed.”
Schetnan, a 6-5 forward/center, averaged 12.8 points per game this season in helping the Warriors to a 12-8 record and the No. 6 seed for the Class AA State Tournament. She also had 166 rebounds this season to go along with 71 blocks.
“She has grown greatly as a person as well and was so much more confident speaking to and leading her teammates,” Parish said. “It’s not easy to take on a leadership role as a junior but she handled it very well.”
This year’s second team consisted of senior Emma Osmundson of Sioux Falls Lincon, senior Abby Phipps of Harrisburg, sophomore Hannah Ronsiek of O’Gorman, senior Megan Fannin of Watertown, sophomore Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda of Sioux Falls Washington, junior Brooklyn Kusler of Aberdeen Central and junior Brecli Honner of Harrisburg.  
 
S.D. Class AA Girls’
All-State Team
As selected by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association
First Team
Emma Ronsiek, Sioux Falls O’Gorman — Sr., 6-1 F: 16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 26 steals, 43 blocks, 34% 3-pt. FG (31-91).
Morgan Hansen, Sioux Falls Lincoln — Sr., 6-1 G/F: 17.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 26 steals.
Kyah Watson, Rapid City Stevens — Sr., 5-11 G/F: 14 ppg, 8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 42 steals, 51% FG (74-144).
Havyn Heinz, Huron — Sr., 5-6 G: 18.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 32% 3-pt FG (43-135).
Madison Wuebben, Yankton — Sr., 5-9 G: 15.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 33% 3-pt FG (32-96).
Sydni Schetnan, Sioux Falls Washington — Jr., 6-5 F/C: 12.8 ppg, 166 rebounds, 71 blocks, 48% FG (95-198).
Second Team
Emma Osmundson, Sioux Falls Lincoln — Sr., 5-10 G: 16.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 57 steals
Aby Phipps, Harrisburg — Sr., 6-0 G/F: 11.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 36% 3-pt FG (23-63).
Hannah Ronsiek, Sioux Falls O’Gorman — So., 5-10 G: 13.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 63 steals, 45% 3-pt FG (45-99).
Megan Fannin, Watertown — Sr., 5-9 G: 13.7 ppg, 2.4 apg, 19 blocks, 32% 3-pt FG (25-79).
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Sioux Falls Washington — So., 6-2 G/F: 12.5 ppg, 124 rebounds, 43 assists.
Brooklyn Kusler, Aberdeen Central — Jr., 5-11 G: 12.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 58% FG (80-138).
Brecli Honner, Harrisburg — Jr., 5-9 G/F: 10.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 31 steals.