Class of 2024 will enter Hall of Fame on Aug. 24

        Three former Huron stars are among the 14 greats who will be inducted into the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame during a banquet to be held on Aug. 24.

        Denny Busch, Brian Shanks and Jay Ellwein represent different decades of Huron basketball. Each played an important role in helping the Tigers to a state title. In the submitted 1958 photo at right Busch holds the championship trophy Huron won that season.

        Jill (Young) Sargent, in the photo at left, set the girls state record for most career points while starring at Mitchell Christian. She is also a member of the Class of 2024. Induction will occur during the Hall of Fame’s 14th annual banquet at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls.

        The undefeated Armour Packers of 1978 will be recognized by the Hall of Fame during the banquet as a Team of Excellence. Burnell Glanzer coached Armour to a Class B state championship and a perfect record of 26-0. That season started the Packers on their way to what would eventually become a state boys record 64-game winning streak.

        Banquet details as well as information about purchasing tickets will be made available to the public soon on this Hall of Fame website.

        The Class of 2024:

        DENNY BUSCH (Huron 1959): The late Busch was a versatile performer as Huron won the Class A championship in 1958 and finished 22-0. The following season Busch was a senior and the Tigers took third in the state tournament. Busch was a veteran guard on the South Dakota State team that won the NCAA College Division national title in 1963.

        JAY ELLWEIN, Huron (Huron 1994): Huron was Class AA champion in 1993 as Ellwein led the Tigers with 19 points per game. A year later as a senior he averaged 24 points per game to conclude his career with 1,383 points and earn Gatorade Player of the Year recognition. Ellwein played collegiately for Huron University and Augustana.

        WAYNE FIX (Aberdeen Central 1953): The late Fix was a dominating presence in the Aberdeen Central lineup as the Golden Eagles reached the Class A state tournament in 1952 and 1953. Fix was all-tourney both years with Aberdeen Central winning the championship when he was a senior. Fix earned three varsity letters at the University of Minnesota.

        KAY (STORMO) FREUND, Georgetown, Texas (Watertown 1978): Freund was a Watertown mainstay as the Arrows took second in the Class A tourney in 1975 and won the title in 1976. She averaged 17 points per game as a senior. Freund was an elite runner who excelled in track and cross country at Watertown and the University of Iowa.

        ROGER HAMMERBECK, Hamill (Chamberlain 1966): Chamberlain was the smallest school in Class A when Hammerbeck led the Cubs to the state tournament when he was a senior. He averaged 20 points per game that season. Hammerbeck attended the University of South Dakota where he competed in both basketball and football.

        DALE JACOBSEN (Lake Norden 1954): The late Jacobsen was a four-year standout for Lake Norden. He averaged 19 points per game as a senior while also leading the Bluejays in rebounding. Jacobsen was noted as a tenacious defender who drew the opponent’s top scorer as his defensive assignment. Jacobsen played at South Dakota State.

        DERRICK McCAULEY, Waubay (Aberdeen Central 2004): McCauley was a premier ball-handler who produced 21 points per game for Aberdeen Central during his senior season. When he was a junior he averaged 25 points per game at Waubay before transferring. McCauley went on to an outstanding career at Sisseton Wahpeton College.

        DICK PADRNOS, Boulder, Colo. (Lake Andes 1951): Lake Andes made its first trip to the Class B state tournament when Padrnos was a senior. The Eagles won the third-place game behind 31 points from Padrnos. He averaged 23 points per game that season and Lake Andes went 30-1. Padrnos went on to play at the University of South Dakota.

        JOELLEN (HOFER) SALMEN, Tulare (Hitchcock 1994): A five-year Hitchcock starter, Salmen totaled 2,564 career points. During her senior season she averaged 28 points per game for the Bluejays. Salmen played two seasons for Huron University and then transferred to Black Hills State where she was named MVP of the SDIC in 1997.

        JILL (YOUNG) SARGENT, Waynesville, Ohio (Mitchell Christian 2007): Mitchell Christian won the Class B title when Sargent was a junior in 2006. Sargent was Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior when she averaged 29 points per game. Her career total was a record 3,317 points. Sargent played at South Dakota State.

        TROY SCHAEFER, Rapid City (Pierre 1983): One of the state’s finest all-around athletes, Schaefer led Pierre to the Class A title in 1982. The Governors finished second when Schaefer was a senior and averaged 19 points per game. He was named co-Mr. Basketball and also excelled in football and tennis. Schaefer played football at Augustana.

        BRIAN SHANKS, Elk Point (Huron 1974): Shanks led Huron to the Class A championship in 1973 when he averaged 22 points per game. The following season Shanks was a senior and scored 26 points per game. His career total while at Lake Preston, and then Huron, was 1,800 points. Shanks played at South Dakota State and Northern State.

        DENNIS SMITH, Tulare (Glenham 1967): With a career scoring average of 25 points per game, Smith concluded his four seasons starring for Glenham with a total of 2,186 points. He produced 32 points per game as a senior for the Eagles. His single game high was 51 points. Smith earned all-SDIC honors while playing at Northern State.

        TARA (BATCHELLER) VOLESKY, Mitchell (Mobridge 1978): Volesky was a multi-position player who averaged 24 points per game as a senior. She also was medalist for Mobridge in the Class B state golf tournament in 1977. Volesky played golf at Brigham Young University and then transferred to Northern State to play basketball for the Wolves.