Wakonda participant talks of B vs. A, AA video games

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — As phrase of Class B Lyman women basketball victory over Class AA Mitchell on Monday unfold on social media, one of many recipients of the information was a basketball participant accustomed to such video games.

Becky (Flynn) Jensen ranks second in profession factors scored within the state with 3,268. Jensen performed for Class B Wakonda and is member of the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame and the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame. During her profession, Wakonda had a 101-game win streak which included wins over A and AA colleges. The district is now Irene-Wakonda.

When Jensen heard of Lyman’s win, she thought, “‘Why is that a surprise? Why is this newsworthy, because Lyman is really good.’”

But Jensen was used to such victories, which included roughly 40 level victories over Pine Ridge in 1989 when that college gained the Class A championship and Sioux Falls Roosevelt and Sioux Falls Lincoln, AA colleges.

Jensen stated the group’s hardest opponent through the years was often Hurley, one other B college.

“They never could get out of our region,” Jensen stated of Hurley. In these days, just one group superior from a area.

Jensen’s dad Ron Flynn was the group’s coach throughout her years as a participant.

“We tried to play the best competition we could in A, AA or B,” Jensen stated.

That’s what Lyman coach Cody Volmer informed KELOLAND News on Tuesday. “I wouldn’t say that we typically seek out playing teams from a higher class; we just seek out teams that will be competitive,” Volmer stated.

Some groups didn’t wish to play Wakonda. Teams from a bigger class could have extra to lose than to achieve by taking part in a Class B college, Jensen stated.

“It’s cool that Mitchell was willing to do it,” Jensen stated of Monday’s recreation within the Hoops Classic.

Mitchell women basketball does have a historical past of success together with successful the AA comfort recreation in 2025.

When Jensen performed, women basketball season was within the fall. That schedule saved the group from taking part in a pure opponent– her uncle Kelly Flynn’s group in South Sioux City, Nebraska. That group gained 10 state titles in 11 years, from 1995 to 2005 in Class B.

Teams and particular person gamers profit from taking part in powerful competitors, whether or not it’s a B group taking part in A or AA groups, Jensen stated. Sometimes, it appeared as if the bigger colleges tended to miss Wakonda, even when the Class B group had a historical past of successful.

Jensen recalled groups laughing on the small measurement of Wakonda’s fitness center throughout heat ups. That was much more motivation to win. “They will not come into our house and laugh in our gym,” Jensen stated of her angle.

Volmer stated on Tuesday that whereas his group is an effective group of gamers targeted on basketball, one drawback B colleges could have is roster depth.

Jensen is accustomed to slim rosters as there have been solely three women in her highschool class.

But, each Volmer and Jensen stated that may flip into a bonus as youthful youngsters get extra follow and taking part in time with older gamers.

She performed within the days earlier than expansive AAU groups and seasons.

“…we weren’t split up into 14 different AAU teams,” Jensen stated. Teams had been in a position to follow collectively for a number of years and construct a chemistry which was a bonus,” she stated.

The similar benefit can nonetheless occur immediately at Class B colleges. “I think that is an underrated part of playing for a Class B school,” Jensen stated.

Jensen performed school basketball at Creighton and was an assistant ladies’s basketball coach on the University of South Dakota for 10 years. She is now the director of the Student-Athlete Success Center at USD.