By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

After their game against Viborg-Hurley, the Mustangs traveled to Vermillion to watch a University of South Dakota men’s basketball contest. The Coyotes hosted the University of North Dakota for their annual Native American Heritage game. 

It honored Native American traditions and the Lakota Flag Song was performed prior to the game. The Mustangs took post-game pictures with the game’s two Native American players — USD’s Mason Archambault (Standing Rock Indian Reservation) and UND’s Treysen Eaglestaff (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe). 

On the court, the Mustangs dropped to 8-5 after their loss against Viborg-Hurley. It was McLaughlin’s first contest since Jan. 21 due to postponements and it snapped a five-game winning streak. 

Taken Alive scouted the Cougars on film and said afterward “film doesn’t do that club justice,” and admitted his team wasn’t as sharp. But gained valuable lessons against Viborg-Hurley, which featured three starters between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-6.  

“It’s a different type of style than what we are used to and so it really exposed a lot of things that we need to work on and that we need to get better at,” Taken Alive said. “This is why we are here. So we can watch that stuff on tape. So we can go over that. So we can get better and get more focused.”

McLaughlin's Elias Sims attacks the basket against Viborg-Hurley on Feb. 4 at the Sanford Pentagon. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Raymin Yellow Earrings led McLaughlin with 12 points, while Cassidy Demery added nine points. Elias Sims logged eight points, six rebounds and four assists.

Sims, a 6-foot-3 senior, showed off his athleticism with a breakaway jam in the waning moments of the game. Sims has been a key contributor for the past few seasons and is scoring in double digits this season, while also looking to get his teammates involved. 

“He’s been a staple of our program for a long time,” Taken Alive said. “It’s sad this is his last year and it’s kind of winding down. We are starting to talk to some colleges and getting his next year planned together, but at the same time focused on we have seven games left and then the postseason and see where we can end up.”

Rim Rocker

Sioux Falls Lincoln’s J.T. Rock threw down another dunk on Jan. 31 and this one was perhaps his most memorable one. 

The 7-foot-1 junior hammered a dunk against Watertown and broke one the rims at Sioux Falls Lincoln’s gym. The rest of the game was played at Lincoln’s auxiliary gym. 

Rock, who is committed to Iowa State University, recorded 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three 3-pointers in the win. 

Sayler moves into top-10 on state’s scoring list 

White River’s Joe Sayler logged 47 points this past week and moved into No. 10 on the boys basketball all-time scoring list. 

Sayler netted 25 points in a 74-44 win over Wall and 22 points in a 66-55 loss against Sioux Falls Christian. Sayler currently has 2,368 career points and is No. 10 on the state’s all-time scoring list. Forestburg’s Lamoine Torgerson is No. 9 with 2,381 career points. 

Four players reach 1,000-point milestone

Wolsey-Wessington’s Mallory Miller recorded a pair of milestones last week, earning both her 1,000th career point and 500th career rebound. 

De Smet’s Damon Wilkinson and Jada Burke, Dell Rapids’ Brayden Pankonen and Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Ella Griffin also scored their 1,000th career points this past week. 

Top performers 

• Dakota Valley’s Isaac Bruns erupted for a school-record 46 points in an 80-63 win over Elk Point-Jefferson on Feb. 2. Bruns finished 17 of 27 from the field, 9 of 12 at the free-throw line and hit three 3-pointers. He added five rebounds. 

• Dakota Valley’s Randy Rosenquist Jr., stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists and seven steals in the win over Elk Point-Jefferson.

• Dell Rapids’ Brayden Pankonen tossed in a game-high 30 points in a 59-51 win over Class B No. 1 Aberdeen Christian on Feb. 4. 

• Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Tate Schafer recorded 25 points, eight rebounds and four 3-pointers in a 67-59 win over Minneapolis North at the Heritage Classic on Feb. 4.

• Canistota’s Tage Ortman recorded a game-high 30 points in a 75-46 loss against Worthington, Minnesota, on Feb. 4 at the Heritage Classic. Ortman finished 12 of 31 from the field, hit four 3-pointers and collected eight rebounds. 

• Lennox’s Porter Ihnen posted 32 points in a loss against Worthington, Minnesota, at the Heritage Classic on Saturday. Ihnen finished 13 of 24 from the field, 6 of 12 at the foul line, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists. 

• Winner’s Blake Volmer recorded 28 points and eight rebounds in a 52-50 overtime win over Gregory on Jan. 30. Volmer added 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 64-50 win over Miller on Jan. 31. 

• Madison’s Andrew Comes and Aiden Jensen combined to score 45 points to pace Madison to a boys basketball win on Jan. 30. Comes recorded 24 points, while Jensen added 21 points. 

• Hamlin’s Kami Wadsworth recorded 26 points, four rebounds and three 3-pointers in a 69-35 win over Milbank on Jan. 30. 

• Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Reed Rus almost logged a triple-double on Jan. 31, finishing with 15 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in a 66-62 win over Gregory. 

• Burke’s Reed Benter pumped in 36 points in a 73-36 win over Andes Central/Dakota Christian on Jan. 30. 

• Viborg-Hurley’s Nick Hanson recorded 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 47-45 win over Canistota on Jan. 31. 

• Highmore-Harrold’s Mason Knox posted 14 points and 17 rebounds in a 57-28 win over Sunshine Bible Academy on Jan. 31. 

• Yankton’s Drew Ryken scored 25 points, four rebounds and three 3-pointers in a 59-47 win over Aberdeen Central on Jan. 31. Ryken added 26 points and six 3-pointers in a 56-51 win over Pierre on Feb. 2. 

• Corsica-Stickney’s Avery Broughton logged 28 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 63-56 win over Burke on Jan. 31. 

• Viborg-Hurley’s Coral Mason logged 27 points, six rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists in a 61-48 win over Canistota on Jan. 31. Mason added 28 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists in a 56-27 win over Bridgewater-Emery on Feb. 2. 

• Ethan’s Ava Lingemann finished with 25 points and five assists in a 62-27 win over Sanborn Central/Woonsocket on Jan. 31. 

• Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Ella Griffin posted 28 points in a 69-46 win over Hills-Beaver Creek, Minnesota, on Jan. 31. Griffin added 27 points in an 86-46 victory over Iroquois/Lake Preston on Feb. 2. 

• White River’s Joe Sayler poured in 25 points and hit four 3-pointers in a 74-44 victory over Wall on Feb. 2. 

• De Smet’s Damon Wilkinson posted another monster double-double, logging 37 points and 17 rebounds in an 80-62 win over Elkton-Lake Benton on Feb. 2. 

• Elkton-Lake Benton’s Ryan Krog finished with 26 points, six rebounds and four 3-pointers against the Bulldogs. 

• Lower Brule’s Brian LaRoche Jr., scored a game-high 35 points and collected five rebounds in a 70-62 win over Wessington Springs on Feb. 2. 

• Waubay-Summit’s Damon Opdahl logged 25 points and seven rebounds in a 60-43 victory over Florence-Henry on Feb. 2. 

• Sioux Valley’s Oliver Vincent recorded a game-high 27 points in an 86-31 win over Flandreau on Feb. 2. 

• Faulkton Area’s Layne Cotton posted 26 points, 11 rebounds, eight steals and five assists in a 76-33 win over Sunshine Bible Academy on Feb. 2. 

• Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Nic Gaspar scored 27 points in an 82-58 win over Iroquois/Lake Preston on Feb. 2. Gaspar poured in 41 points in an 81-56 win over Mitchell Christian on Feb. 4. Gaspar added 10 rebounds in the win. 

• Brayden Pankonen and Jack Henry combined to score 46 points to pace Dell Rapids to a boys basketball win on Feb. 2. Pankonen scored 26 points, while Henry scored 20 points. 

• Wagner’s Ashlyn Koupal and Shalayne Nagel combined for 45 points in a win over Andes Central/Dakota Christian on Feb. 2. Koupal recorded 24 points and nine rebounds. Nagel added 21 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals. 

• Lyman’s Mak Scott finished with 31 points, seven rebounds and seven steals in a 56-48 win over Highmore-Harrold on Feb. 2. 

• Huron’s Reilyn Zavesky recorded 26 points, six assists and five steals in a 67-54 win over Sturgis on Feb. 4. Zavesky recorded 26 points, six rebounds and three assists in a 63-58 win over Spearfish on Feb. 3. 

• Kami Wadsworth tossed in a game-high 25 points in No. 1 Hamlin’s 51-34 win over No. 2 Vermillion at the Dak-XII/NEC Clash on Feb. 4. 

• Sutton Arend poured in a game-high 30 points in a 59-27 win over Gayville-Volin on Feb. 3. 

• Nick Hanson logged 30 points and 19 boards in Viborg-Hurley’s 69-42 win over Freeman Academy/Marion on Feb. 3. 

• Sully Buttes’ Wesley Wittler tossed in 26 points in an 81-71 victory over Potter County on Feb. 3. Potter County’s Ryder Falkenhagen scored 24 points. 

• Waubay-Summit’s Jonathan Johnston and Damon Opdahl both logged monster games on Feb. 3 against Northwestern. Johnston recorded 30 points, eight 3-pointers and six rebounds. Opdahl added 25 points, nine assists, eight rebounds, six steals and six 3-pointers. 

• Ethan’s Ava Lingemann recorded 29 points in a 61-28 victory over Kimball/White Lake on Feb. 3.

• Northwestern’s Adriana Ratigan recorded 18 points and 20 rebounds in a 44-34 victory over Waubay-Summit on Feb. 3.