Ava Hanson is the perfect definition of a complete basketball player.

The Aberdeen Roncalli senior standout has the handles of a point guard, the long-range accuracy of a shooting guard, the quickness of a small forward, the size and moves of a power forward, and the strength and tenacity of a post player. Add in an insatiable desire to compete and it’s easy to see why she is a nightmare for opposing teams.

“It’s not like just a one-trick pony. She has so many physical tools,” said Roncalli coach Derek Larson. “It’s something you don’t see a lot where you can play inside, play outside, play the post, play the point. She can kind of do all those things.”

If it seems like Hanson has been around forever, she practically has.

She joined the varsity as an eighth grader and had an immediate impact. Larson recalled a tight game one evening at Hamlin that season.

“We drew up a set for her to get a good shot,” Larson said. “That was the year we won a state championship.”

Hanson’s connection to Roncalli basketball goes back even farther than that and helped her get a feel for the program.

“Being a ball girl for the previous three years truly prepared me for my future,” Hanson said. “I learned what the culture of high school sports was like. It was always fun sitting on the sidelines, traveling with the team, and spending time in the locker room during pregame and halftime.”

For certain, the future of Ava Hanson was taking shape before she first donned a varsity jersey.

“Once it was my turn to start playing, it almost felt natural – like I had been there all along,” Hanson said.

And once Hanson became a varsity player, she became an instant fixture for the Cavaliers and has continued to serve as a cornerstone for one of the top Class A teams in the state each season.

Along the way there have been numerous notable moments, like the night she nailed eight 3-pointers in a win over Faulkton.

“I don’t even remember that game. It was just a blur,” Hanson said. “I just literally went out there and shot the ball. That’s all I can remember.”

Most recently, there was a near half-court length bounce pass that hit a teammate in perfect stride for a layup.

On numerous occasions the 5-foot-10 Hanson is tasked with guarding the opposing team’s tallest, strongest players. While Hanson admits it is not her favorite thing to do, she knows that is what’s needed to help the team succeed.

By playing on the outside, yet being forced to go down low, it has helped to shine the spotlight on Hanson’s variety of abilities.

“That just makes me a more versatile player,” she said, “learning post moves, driving to the rim, attacking, I know how to post up.”

There is no denying her mental toughness. That was evident her freshman season when she scored eight points in a first-round state tournament contest, on a team that featured three teammates who went on to compete at the NCAA Division II level.

Larson recalled the game like it was yesterday.

“To be in a pressure situation and not back down,” Larson said, “you kind of knew you had a good player when she was able to step up.”

Hanson’s leadership qualities were on full display in that game, and she now speaks of the moment in matter of fact terms.

“When we were down by so much, I knew I had to step it up,” Hanson said. “I don’t care what grade you are, you’ve just got to go in and be confident and play.”

Some of that toughness and competitive desire can be traced directly to her family, which includes athletic sisters Abby, Olivia, and Ella.

“We love each other and we all love being around each other, but when we play games, it’s physical. You better watch out,” Hanson said. “You don’t know who’s winning. We can’t even pick teams, because they’re all going to be competitive no matter what.”

While Hanson was blessed with remarkable skills, Larson said there is another component to her game that very few see: a relentless work ethic.

“It’s one thing to see what she can do on the floor, it’s another thing to see what she’s done outside of the season,” Larson said. “So many times, she’s asking to get in the gym, 2-3 nights a week.”

He said her time spent putting up shots is off the charts.

“Everyone kind of thinks it comes natural to her, and she’s just a good player, because she’s a good player,” Larson said, “but she’s probably put in more shots in our school than anyone else I’ve ever had. And we’ve had a lot of good players.”

Hanson was also a standout volleyball player for the Cavaliers, but said roles are much more specific in that sport compared basketball.

“It’s a whole different game. Your role in basketball and volleyball is completely different,” Hanson said. “If you’re a passer, you’re strictly a passer, you’re not going to hit the ball. In basketball, you can shoot, you can defend, you can pass, everything.”

Hanson surprised herself by committing to play basketball at Northern State next season. It was certainly not on her initial radar.

“I would have never ever imagined myself at Northern. Ever,” Hanson said. “I didn’t want to go, and then I toured campus, and I toured other schools. And they say you get the feeling, and you get the feeling. It was just, I knew I had to go there.”

Before she joins the Wolves however, there is this matter of getting back to the state tournament, which has eluded Hanson and the Cavaliers for the past two seasons.

As a leader of the squad, Hanson is determined to do whatever she can to help the team get back there this year.

“It’s not easy. It’s not easy at all,” Hanson said of being the vocal leader of the team. “Some days you feel like you’ve got all the weight on you, and other days you’re just accepting it. That’s what you do. You gotta battle through it.”

While the Cavaliers have a balanced squad with other key contributors, Larson knows that there is one person who sets the tone for the rest of the squad and that’s Hanson.

“If she’s going to give her best effort,” Larson said, “everyone else is going to follow her lead.”