SISSETON – Her ability to score in the paint or protect the rim have been staples for years. But what sets Sisseton standout Krista Langager apart is something you won’t find in a scorebook.

The senior, who averages 23 points and 13 rebounds per game while shooting 66 percent from the field, is a team-first leader.

“Her presence is as big as her heart – not just for the game of basketball, but for her teammates as well,” said Sisseton coach Sara Lincoln. “While she has the ability to average a double-double every game, her focus is never on personal stats. Instead, she plays for the success of the team, always striving to help everyone improve with each game.”

The two-time Class A all-state selection has helped to change the entire culture around the Redmen during her time with the squad.

“I remember when girls’ basketball in Sisseton, nobody in the stands, nobody wanting to show up for the girls’ games, only for the boys’ games,” Langager said. That is no longer the case. “Having the stands just absolutely packed, basically the whole town, for the previous two years is just absolutely insane. It’s just a feeling that it’s like indescribable. It’s just everybody there for one reason, to watch us play.”

Langager has not disappointed the local faithful. With her 6-foot-1 frame and dynamic skill set, she has drawn the attention of Sisseton fans as well as opposing defenses designed to stop her.

“It’s definitely an honor,” Langager said of facing special defenses, “but it’s motivation for me to work harder and learn a few moves that they don’t expect.”

And while she has been a team leader for one of the top teams in the state the past few seasons, Langager never stops learning.

“Every chance I get to step on that floor, I want to learn something new and get better,” she said.

Langager has been a part of the squad long before she received her first varsity uniform in eighth grade.

“Krista has been an invaluable part of our program for years,” Lincoln said. “Her journey with us began in the sixth grade when she and two of her teammates ran stats for us on the iPad, showing her dedication long before she stepped onto the court.”

Along the way her sister Chloe was there to help push her and motivate her to become the player she is today.

“Basketball is something I was born into. I started ever since second grade,” Langager said. “Definitely my role model has always been my sister, Chloe. I remember my parents telling me, ‘you’re going to let your sister beat you’ and that just lit a fire under me.”

Chloe, who graduated last year, suffered a major knee injury and missed more than a year of action. Langager, who has scored as many as 38 points in a single game, said the night her sister returned to the court still stands out as the single most memorable moment in her career.

“I think that game playing GPL (Great Plains Lutheran) after 16 months of my sister recovering from her knee was just the best night of my life, just seeing her out there being able to play again,” Langager said. “I was more nervous for her than anything. I think that night was definitely the highlight of my career, playing with my sister again.”

Langager still has two sisters on the squad, Saylor and Piper.

“They try to learn from me,” Langager said. “I learn from them, that’s for sure.”

The humble leader has had a major impact on the entire team and it has nothing to do with statistics, according to Lincoln.

“She lifts her teammates up when they’re down, bringing energy, encouragement, and an unwavering commitment to the team’s success,” Lincoln said. “Her leadership and passion make her a true asset to our program.”

Langager will take her talents to the University of Sioux Falls next season. Interestingly enough, it was a former rival that played a huge role in her decision: former Hamlin standout Kami Wadsworth.

“She’s been my rival forever. She’s such a good person, her just being my teammate is unbelievable. … I’m excited for it,” Langager said. “I’m really excited to see what my next four years have in store for me at USF.”

Before then though, Langager would like to play in one more state tournament. She has helped to lead the Redmen to back-to-back third-place finishes the past two seasons. While falling short of the ultimate goal of winning a state championship, Langager understands how special it is to play in a pair of state tourneys.

“Many people don’t make it there. It was honestly great to be here,” she said. “When we finished third last year it was indescribable how disappointed we were, but once I looked back I’m like, Holy heck, we made it there. We did that. It’s something to be proud of.”

Regardless of what happens this postseason, Langager knows that her time as a member of the Sisseton program is fast coming to end. She talked about the moment when she will walk off the court for the final time as a member of the Redmen.

“It’s definitely going to break my heart more than I like to say,” Langager said. “It’s going to be different going from a team I spent my life with to never playing with again. It’s definitely going to be different. Everything good eventually comes to an end, sadly.”

While Langager will miss the Redmen, it’s nothing compared to how much they will miss her and all that she has meant to the program through the years.

“She will be missed as our power house next year,” Lincoln said, “but more importantly she will be missed as the person that lights up the room she walks in.”