Blake Volmer, Reed Rus, Ethan Cheeseman among Class A all-state boys basketball honorees
Mar. 28—MITCHELL — Three Mitchell-area standouts received all-state recognition in Class A boys basketball for the 2022-23 season, as selected by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association.
Seniors Blake Volmer (Winner), Reed Rus (Mount Vernon/Plankinton) and Ethan Cheeseman (Hanson) were selected to the Class A second team.
A 6-foot-3 senior guard, Volmer finished with 19.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and four assists per game and shooting 51% to lead the Warriors, which reached the Class A SoDak 16 and finished with a 21-2 record. Volmer scored in double-figures in all 23 games and is signed to play at Black Hills State next season.
Rus, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, nearly averaged a triple-double for the Titans, logging 18.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game, helping to power MVP back to the Class A state tournament for the first time since 2017. Rus, who plans to play football at the University of South Dakota, finishes his career as MVP's career leader in almost every notable statistic, including points (1,655), rebounds (855), assists (452) and steals (226).
Cheeseman, a 6-foot-3 senior forward, finished with 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game to help the Beavers to a 15-8 season. Cheeseman, who cleared 1,000 career points on Feb. 24, recently committed to play college basketball at Dakota Wesleyan.
The Class A all-state first team includes Dakota Valley senior guards Isaac Bruns and Randy Rosenquist Jr., St. Thomas More senior forward Caleb Hollenbeck, Sioux Valley senior guard Oliver Vincent, Lennox junior guard Porter Ihnen and Sioux Falls Christian senior forward Ethan Bruns.
Dakota Valley's Bruns, who was named the Class A player of the year by the coaches, scored 26.5 points and grabbed 9.4 rebounds per contest for the 26-0 Panthers. He scored at least 20-plus points in 23 of 26 games for the season, including a pair of 40-plus point games and a 46-point game in a win over Elk Point-Jefferson on Feb. 2. Bruns will follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Paul (a past Class A player of the year) and will play with him at the University of South Dakota.
His teammate Rosenquist helped make the Panthers' backcourt flourish in an undefeated championship season. The 6-foot-1 Rosenquist finished with 14.1 points, 8.8 assists and seven rebounds per game for the Panthers, finishing as a 53% shooter from the field. Rosenquist, who has committed to play at Dakota Wesleyan, finished the season with 11 double-doubles and three triple-doubles.
Vincent, a 6-foot-1 guard, was among the class' most prolific scorers, posting 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game for the Cossacks, leading Sioux Valley back to the Class A state tournament. He finished his career as the school's all-time leading in scoring and assists.
Hollenbeck, a 6-foot-3 senior forward, helped the St. Thomas More Cavaliers reach the Class A state tournament, posting 24.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, while shooting 48.7% on field goals and 41.3% from 3-point territory.
Ihnen, a 6-foot-5 guard, put up 21.6 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game, shooting 48.5% from the field in Lennox's 17-4 season. The Orioles junior has Division I interest, including offers from South Dakota and South Dakota State.
The Class A state runner-ups were recognized with Ethan Bruns on the first team. The 6-foot-6 senior forward finished with 17 points and seven rebounds per game for the Chargers.
In addition to Volmer, Rus and Cheeseman on the second team, other members of the Class A second-team selections include Dell Rapids senior guard Brayden Pankonen, Madison senior forward Aiden Jensen and Sioux Valley junior center/forward Alec Squires.
The Class A third team was heavy on guard play, including Waubay/Summit senior Damon Opdahl, Hamlin junior Tyson Stevenson and sophomore Easton Neuendorf, Tea Area senior Blake Thompson and Beresford's Tate VanOtterloo, along with Elk Point-Jefferson senior forward Easton Kempf.
