The offense of Ethan made a significant comeback on Saturday evening, following a lackluster performance the day before.
After struggling with a 41-point, 25 percent shooting display in the semifinal defeat to Arlington, the No. 4 Rustlers (22-3) vented their frustrations on No. 7 Lyman (21-4) in the girls Class B third-place match, triumphing over the Raiders 67-42 at The Monument.
Ethan achieved its highest third-place finish since 2021, while Lyman secured its best-ever fourth-place finish in program history.
“That’s the team I’ve been anticipating,” remarked Ethan coach Tom Young. “We faced offensive challenges in the first two games, mostly due to tension and nerves… Tonight, we showed more composure, patience, and accuracy. The shots were falling for us.”
In the first half of the Class B girls state third-place game on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at The Monument in Rapid City, Ethan’s Ava Lingemann aggressively drove to the basket against Lyman.
Jacob Nielson / Mitchell Republic
In contrast to the previous night, where Ethan struggled with shooting, the entire lineup seemed to find their rhythm, converting open jumpers and finishing at the rim effectively.
Despite battling the flu, Marissa Storm delivered her standout performance of the tournament, leading the team with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Ava Lingemann contributed 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, with Ella Pollreisz adding nine points. Leah Klock and Rachel Klock chipped in with eight and seven points, respectively.
“That’s the Marissa we know,” Young praised. “Ava also stepped up. It was a collective improvement tonight.”
Ethan wasted no time asserting dominance, taking a 12-3 lead early on, extending it to 17-8 by the end of the first quarter.
The Rustlers continued their scoring spree in the second quarter, hitting four 3-pointers and outscoring the Raiders 22-12 to lead 39-20 at halftime.
Although Lyman found their offensive rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 15 points, Ethan maintained their scoring momentum, adding 18 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Lingemann. In the fourth quarter, both teams had the opportunity to substitute their seniors, receiving applause from the crowd.
During the first half of the Class B girls state third-place game against Ethan on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at The Monument in Rapid City, Lyman’s Brooke Palmer takes a shot.
Jacob Nielson / Mitchell Republic
Leading Lyman in scoring was Mak Scott with 15 points, followed by Skyler Volmer with eight points and eight rebounds, and Brooke Palmer with seven points. Despite their efforts, Lyman couldn’t keep up with Ethan’s offensive prowess, resulting in the Rustlers securing the third-place title.
“It’s truly gratifying to end on a high note,” expressed Young. “Winning the last game is a special achievement. Our goal tonight was to bounce back, and the girls responded brilliantly. That’s the resilience I asked for.”