Alexis Yackley - South Dakota Ms. Basketball

[Cydar]

Congratulations to future Cyclone Alexis Yackley for being named South Dakota Ms. Basketball!!

Ames Trib Article:

Future Cyclone becomes Ms. Basketball
By: Bobby La Gesse
05/06/2008

Updated 05/06/2008 12:38:36 PM CDT


Not even a knee injury could slow down Alexis Yackley.

The Iowa State women's basketball signee overcame a torn ACL in June to win the South Dakota Ms. Basketball award in a banquet Sunday after leading Sully Buttes to their second consecutive Class B state title.

"It was just unbelievable, everything that has happened," Yackley said. "Coming off the injury, winning this honor is great and this being my senior year was even more special."

The knee injury kept Yackley, a point, guard, on the sideline until December. But when she returned, Yackley picked up where she left off, averaging 18 points, seven assists and five steals to win the Ms. Basketball award her mother, Kristi and her aunt, Kelli, were both finalists for during their playing days.

Yackley played high school ball as an eighth grader, starting every game except for her first. She led Sully Buttes to five straight state tournament appearances. She was named the South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year this season and earned all-state honors three times.

For her career, Yackley scored 1,748 points, grabbed 443 rebounds and set a school record for assists (739) and steals (557).

"We are all excited for Alexis and her family," ISU coach Bill Fennelly said. "This is a great honor, especially after coming back from an injury. It is a special way to end a tremendous high school career."

The 6-foot guard said it took her until the end of the state tournament to start playing like she did before the injury. And since her season ended, Yackley has been shooting 400 to 500 shots a night while continuing to strengthen her knee with an assortment of exercises so she'll be ready for her first season in Ames.

"I felt my best in March," Yackley said. "It happened at a good time for my team. My knee feels real good now. I can't wait to get to Iowa State."

[Legend12]

Good article, but she is about 5-6 or 5-7, not 6-0.

[C.John]

Congrats to her on the award.

[IsUaClone2]

Originally Posted by Legend12

Good article, but she is about 5-6 or 5-7, not 6-0.

Maybe she has High Heel Sneakers. <sings> "put on your high heel sneakers....".

[CyValley]

Originally Posted by Legend12

Good article, but she is about 5-6 or 5-7, not 6-0.

I noticed that, too, but only because the Trib's recent Anna Prins story, in which Alexis's keen passing abilities are prominently mentioned, lists Alexis's height at 5-7.

My long-ago newspaper background tells me the Trib is too small to employ a sports-only copy editor, so the story possibly made it's way through a universal copy desk where editors do not have specific sports knowledge and weren't able to catch the discrepancy. (The "6-0" figure must have come from the press release announcing the award.)

But, maybe I've got it wrong. Won't be the last time.

You're sure Alexis did not have a growth spurt in the last year? Maybe she was 5-7 when she committed to ISU and today she's 6-0? Young men see such growth spurts, how common is this for young women?

Regardless, the 2008 and 2009 wbb recruiting classes are looking darn good. Now, if Anna Prins decides that the Cyclones are the basketball family for her, wow. . . .

[jdoggivjc]

If certain members of this site have anything to say about it we shouldn't expect too much out of her considering she is Ms. Basketball of a state that has an even smaller population than Nebraska...

Congratulations, Ms. Yackley, and welcome to the Twister Sisters. We're expecting big things out of you, especially by the time Fennelly gets done with you

[EHdakota]

Her first cousin was Mr Basketball this year.

Mike Miller is also from South Dakota.