Local Sports 3-12-24

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits defeated the South Dakota Coyotes in the Summit League Women’s Basketball Semifinals yesterday afternoon, 76 to 63.

Summit League Player of the Year Brooklyn Meyer led SDSU with 21 points in the victory. She was followed by a 20-point performance from Paige Meyer.

USD was led in scoring by Nicole Avila-Ambrosi with 16 points. Grace Larkins added 15 points of her own, while Carley Duffney finished with 12.

SDSU will take on North Dakota State today in the Summit League Championship at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM.

South Dakota State Men’s Basketball advanced to the Summit League Championship game last night with a 59 to 49 win over St. Thomas.

Charlie Easley tied for the game-high in scoring with 13 points. Zeke Mayo, 11, and Luke Appel, 10, also scored double figures. William Kyle III had 8 points and 2 blocks.

The top-seeded Jackrabbits will take on 7-seeded Denver tonight in the Summit League Championship at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls. Tipoff is set for 8:30 PM.

Former Yankton Assistant Basketball Coach Ron Riherd has been selected as one of South Dakota’s two National High School Basketball Coaches Association’s Wooden Legacy Coaching Award winners.

Riherd served as an assistant in Yankton for boys and girls basketball from 1970 to 1980, before becoming the head girls’ coach at Rapid City Stevens in 1980. Riherd would remain in the position until 2001, leading his teams to 15 state tournaments, finishing as high as 3rd.

Riherd was a two-time Region IV Girls Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1994 and was the 2002 recipient of the Max Hawk Award from the South Dakota High School Coaches Association. Riherd was inducted into the South Dakota High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2015.

The South Dakota High School Girls Basketball State Tournaments for Classes AA, A, and B all wrapped up on Sunday. Listed below are the finishing positions for each team.

Class AA:

  • Champion: O’Gorman
  • Runner-Up: Brandon Valley
  • 3rd Place: Sioux Falls Jefferson
  • 4th Place: Harrisburg
  • 5th Place: Pierre
  • 6th Place: Mitchell
  • 7th Place: Spearfish
  • 8th Place: Rapid City Stevens

Class A:

  • Champion: Vermillion
  • Runner-Up: Tea Area
  • 3rd Place: Sisseton
  • 4th Place: Sioux Falls Christian
  • 5th Place: Flandreau
  • 6th Place: Mahpíya Lúta
  • 7th Place: Mount Vernon/Plankinton
  • 8th Place: Hanson

Class B:

  • Champion: Centerville
  • Runner-Up: Arlington
  • 3rd Place: Ethan
  • 4th Place: Lyman
  • 5th Place: Wall
  • 6th Place: Harding County
  • 7th Place: James Valley Christian
  • 8th Place: Warner