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(NewsDakota.com)- Voters didn’t have to look far when it came time to choose this year’s state Class A all-state girls basketball team.
They just dusted off last year’s team and returned three players to the elite 10.
Tylee Irwin, a 6-foot senior forward from Wahpeton and Akealy Moton, a 6-0 senior forward from West Fargo, return to the first team. Moving up from the second team is 6-foot senior Regan Dennis of Century.
Completing the first team are Megan Zander, a 5-10 sophomore from Mandan, and Lexi Robson, a 5-7 senior from Grand Forks Red River.
Seniors Mercedes Baumgartner of Legacy, Emily Dietz of Fargo Shanley, Lauren Dub of Grand Forks Central and Coral Gillette of Bismarck, plus freshman Lauren Ware of Century comprise the second team.
Irwin earned first-team all-state honors for the third straight year to complete an award-filled senior season. Earlier she was named the outstanding senior athlete in A basketball, the state Gatorade player of the year and Miss Basketball. She has signed to play college basketball at South Dakota State. She’s the younger sister of Blaze Irwin, a 2015 boys all-state player.
Irwin averaged 25.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and two steals per game while leading Wahpeton to the state tournament. She shot 46 percent from the floor, 77 percent from the free-throw line and 37 percent while sinking 20 3-pointers.
Moton, like Irwin, was a unanimous all-state selection. Moton led West Fargo to a 16-7 season while averaging 25.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 steals. She was a 58 percent shooter from the field and converted 70 percent of her free throw attempts.
Dennis averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds for Century, which finished third in the state tournament. She shot 43 percent from the field and 74 percent from the line and averaged 2.8 assists per outing.Next fall Dennis plans to play volleyball at Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D.
Zander was a rebounding dynamo for Mandan in her first season as a varsity regular.Though seldom the tallest player on the floor, she pulled down 12.3 caroms per game to go with a 15.3 scoring average, 2.6 steals per game and 67 blocked shots. She shot 41 percent from the floor and 33 percent while connecting on 50 3-pointers. She displayed 54 percent efficiency at the line.
Robson led the 17-6 Roughriders with averages of 20 points, 3.8 steals and 3.3 assists. She was an 80 percent free throw shooter and swished 38 3-pointers on 37 percent accuracy. She became just the third player in the program’s history to reach 1,000 career points, finishing with a school-record 1,404.
SECOND TEAM
Mercedes Baumgartner, a 5-5 senior guard, led state champion Legacy in scoring (13.0 ppg) and connected on 46 3-pointers. She also averaged 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Sabers. She plans to play basketball at the University of Jamestown next season.
Emily Dietz, a 6-3 senior post, was state runner-up Shanley’s top rebounder (11.2 rpg) and No. 2 scorer (13.8 ppg). The North Dakota State University recruit shot 42 percent from the field and 65 percent at the line. She blocked 67 shots
Lauren Dub, a 5-9 senior forward, averaged 19.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for Grand Forks Central while shooting 41 percent from the floor and 79 percent at the line. She sank 43 3-pointers with 34 percent accuracy while averaging 2.1 steals and 2 assists per game. he became just the third player in the program’s history to reach 1,000 career points.
Coral Gillette, a 6-foot senior guard, averaged 15.3 points for Bismarck, which finished fifth in the state tournament. She shot 44 percent from the field, 58 percent on free throws and 42 percent while connecting on 89 3-pointers. Gillette, who is headed for Montana State, averaged 3.9 rebounds an 2.6 assists.
Lauren Ware, a 6-3 freshman, proved to be a huge asset inside, blocking 106 shots and averaging 12.0 rebounds. Ware averaged 12.6 points for Century, which finished third in the state. She was a 65 percent sharpshooter from the field and shot 52 percent at the line.