MOBRIDGE – Whether on a football field, a basketball court or a track complex, it’s easy to spot Shane Henderson.

The 6-foot-6 220-pound senior for Mobridge-Pollock has a way of making his presence felt and others have noticed.

Henderson had an interesting decision to make this winter and it hasn’t been easy. He was torn between playing college football and basketball.

“I was undecided up until just this last month or two,” Henderson said.

He actually changed in his mind during the process.

“Basketball was the plan,” Henderson said, “but I just wasn’t getting as much attention as football, especially this last year.”

First came a Game-Day visit to Iowa State, and soon other colleges joined the chase. Henderson liked his experience at the University of Sioux Falls, before ultimately deciding to attend South Dakota State.

“Both of my parents went to South Dakota State,” Henderson said, “so it’s always been a dream of mine to play sports – whether it be basketball or football – there.”

Henderson’s dad was a member of the SDSU football team, while his mother Rose was an All-American volleyball player, later becoming a member of the SDSU Hall of Fame.

Interestingly enough, Henderson plans on playing tight end for the Jackrabbits. He knows all about the recent SDSU players who manned that position and where they ended up: former Britton-Hecla standout Dallas Goedert, now a member of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, and former Timber Lake standout Tucker Kraft, now a member of the Green Bay Packers.

He understands the expectations of the tight end position.

“They’re pretty high right now. I’ve got to fill those shoes, man … I feel it’s just going to be a lot of working in the offseason,” Henderson said. “I actually watched Tucker Kraft play a couple football games in high school. My dad was buddies with his dad, before he died. He kind of knew Tucker a little bit. I watched him play basketball and everything. The one thing that stood out to me was how much work he put in. … He put in so much extra work. He got so much faster and quicker, bigger.”

While basketball still has Henderson’s main attention, he has also started to work on what his next job will be with the Jacks.

“I’ve been eating a lot more,” he said, “prepping for football.”

However, before then, Henderson will do everything he can to help the Tigers make a strong postseason run in basketball starting tonight. He is a key member of the squad, averaging a double-double, with more 700 points and 600 rebounds to his career ledger.

“Right now it’s basketball season. I lift a little bit just to keep the strength, but I’m always in the gym helping out my teammates. In practice just kind of keep working hard,” Henderson said. “Our practices have definitely gotten a lot more intense coming closer to the postseason. That’s a good thing. Right now, where we sit, we feel we have a good chance of making a Sweet 16 play, or maybe pulling off an upset.”

Henderson’s skill set ranges from posting up to shooting 3-pointers, making him a tough matchup for opponents.

The three-year starter has learned through the years when to kick the ball out to open teammates and how to beat double teams sent his way.

“A lot of that just has to come down to positioning yourself,” Henderson said, “so, you just can catch the ball and go right up with before the double team gets there.”

Henderson also competes in track and field for the Tigers, although this year may be a different than the others.

“I’m in a delima here,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m going to run what I used to run.”

In the past Henderson has run the 400 and 800, but he is getting bigger on purpose so that means training might get more difficult.

“To train for the 800, I’ve got to run a lot of miles and I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do that trying put on weight,” Henderson said. “I want to be going into SDSU up at least another 5 or 10 pounds, so that way I’ve got a start.”

While Henderson has an pristine opportunity lying before him, he also knows there is a lot of work to be done and is keeping things in perspective.

“Right now my goal is to just earn a starting spot,” Henderson said of joining the SDSU squad.

He is heading there with plenty of motivation and something to prove.

“My stats as a high school football player weren’t very good,” Henderson said. “Hopefully, I’m able go out there and show them that I can play football as a good as anybody else.”