Monday, March 17, 2025
 |  |
By Rich Winter
605 Sports
SPEARFISH — With 1.6 seconds remaining in Saturday’s Class A girls state championship Sioux Falls Christian’s Aubrie VanBeek was fouled. With her team trailing, 56-55, VanBeek stepped to the line with the game, the season and the state championship on the line.
Needing two free throws to win the game, VanBeek missed the first. Now needing the second
free throw to at least guarantee overtime Van Beek missed again.
Sophomore Lezlei Setzer soared up to grab the rebound, caught the ball cleanly, and put in the game winner as time expired giving Sioux Falls Christian a 57-56 win.
“I was just praying to God the entire time, trusting in God and even to the last minute he would be there with me,” Setzer said. “That’s what I did and we’ve practiced this play, we’ve done it in games so it was nothing new.”
Setzer’s putback set off a wild celebration as Sioux Falls Christian fans stormed the court only to be ushered off the court just as quickly.
As the officials went to the replay booth, both teams, their fans and the thousands of people in attendance waited in anticipation until officials confirmed the win for the 25-1 Chargers.
PHOTO GALLERY: Class A state championship - Mahpiya Luta vs @sfchoops (Photos by Matt Gade/605 Sports)#SDHoops25 #sdpreps https://t.co/LwEi0Pqjwh
�" 605 Sports (@605_sports) March 16, 2025
An elated Sioux Falls Christian coach Dan DeJong talked about an emotional moment for both schools, as the Donald E. Young Center had been rocking all night.
“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” DeJong said. “Mahpiya Luta is a very good team and they are well coached and I think we were the two best teams going in and I think the score shows that.”
Setzer was a force throughout the tournament and led the Chargers efforts Saturday with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
“She not only helps our defense, she anchors it,” DeJong said. “We can play differently defensively because we know we have a rim protector back there,” he said. “It also changed the mentality of the girls when they know if we get beat or back-cut she is right there.”
Mahpiya Luta led 8-2 early as the Crusaders’ press sped up the Chargers and led to a basket from Abigail Haas, a 3-pointer from Essence Tobacco and a layup from Ashlan Carlow-Blount.
Mahpiya Luta starters Jodene Big Crow-Hunter and Carlow-Blount picked up two early fouls and the Chargers roared back into contention.
Maya Nelson’s basket tied the contest at 10-10 and the Chargers closed the quarter on a 9-3 run and led 19-13 after the first period.
A pair of second quarter baskets from Setzer pushed the Sioux Falls Christian lead to 25-18 as the large contingent of Mahpiya Luta fans quieted down for the first time all tournament.
Two late 3-pointers from Essence Tobacco helped Mahpiya Luta take a 32-30 lead into the lockerroom.
Mahpiya Luta led 35-31 before Katie Vander Leest hit a basket. On the next possession Emory Lems tied the game at 35-35. Neither team could gain more than a five-point advantage in the third period and it was tied 43-43 at the end of the period.
Lems hit an early basket for the Chargers as Sioux Falls Christian on an 8-2 run and led 54-45 with 4:51 remaining in the game. After a Matt Rama timeout Mahpiya Luta fought back into the contest.
Carlow-Blount hit a pair of baskets and a free throw. Big Crow-Hunter and Haas each hit throws and a Dorthie Mesteth basket with 31 seconds remaining to give Mahpiya Luta their 56-55 lead.
Class A Girls Basketball Roundup - Hamlin pulls away from Dakota Valley, captures third place #SDPreps #SDHoops25https://t.co/NIDf67OJn3
�" 605 Sports (@605_sports) March 16, 2025
All-tournament performer Carlow-Blount led the Crusaders with 14 points and eight rebounds. Charger senior Vander Leest was assigned the duty of guarding Carlow-Blount and slowed the junior down on Saturday.
“I just know how to use my feet and my hands to try to keep her out of the lane because she is bigger than I was,” she said.
Vander Leest was on the school’s first-ever soccer state championship last fall and was thrilled to be part of the school’s first ever basketball state title.
“Our fans brought it and this is something I’ll never forget,” she said. “Winning soccer earlier this year was super fun and this is just icing on the cake.”
The Chargers graduate four seniors and DeJong paid tribute to the athletes that have taken his program to the next level.
“There are not words that you can speak for these four girls,” he said. “I would go to battle with those girls any day. They are tough and they’ve played in a lot of state tournament games.”
