Dethman’s Return To Montana Works On, Off Court

They say, “There’s no place like home.” For former Froid/ Lake Red Hawk high school standout Sydney Dethman, returning to her home state of Montana was exactly what her basketball game needed to reach its potential.

After three solid seasons of playing for Fresno State in California, the 6-3 versatile athlete decided to transfer to Rocky Mountain College in Billings.

“I wanted to be back in Montana and have my support system,” Dethman said during an interview last week.

The change went almost perfectly as she was thrilled to play in front of many family members and friends throughout the season. “It was awesome,” she said. “My grandma even made a few games, which means a lot for me. It was absolutely everything I could’ve asked for.”

Making the transition even easier was developing close relationships with teammates including Madeline Heggem and Isabelle Heggem of Winifred, Paige Wasson of Whitewater and Gracee Lekvold of Scobey.

“I felt so welcomed and appreciated,” Dethman said. “You can’t pass on the chance of being with hard-working Class C Montana girls.”

On the court was also a success for Dethman. She earned Frontier Conference Player of the Week recognition during the season. Her campaign included a game at Dickinson State University in North Dakota where she was a remarkable six for six from two-point range, three for three from three-point range and five for five from the foul stripe.

“I had no idea,” Dethman said about not missing a shot during the game. “I seriously just had fun. It was awesome.”

She finally found out after the game of her accomplishment when being told by teammates and family members.

“They found me and I just finished it,” Dethman said of her teammates. “I was being aggressive and assertive.”

Other season highlights included 27 points against Valley City State of North Dakota, 23 points against Park-Gilbert Ariz., and six other 20-point plus performances.

She led the Battlin’ Bears with a scoring average of 16.2 points a game and was second on the team with an average of 5.7 boards per contest. The team advanced to the NAIA national tournament held in Iowa.

Dethman’s favorite game, however, was beating Montana State-Northern for senior night and scoring 25 points in the victory.

“The crowd was awesome,” Dethman said. It meant a lot for her to have family members and friends celebrating the night. “They just showered me with love.”

After the season, Dethman received the surprising news of being selected to the NAIA All-American third team.

“Rocky put a lot of trust in me,” Dethman said. “It was the right decision. It was rewarding.”

After graduating from Rocky on April 26 with a degree in psychology, she plans earn a masters degree at MSU Billings in rehabilitation and mental health counseling. She hopes to help young athletes with mental health obstacles. “I want to help other athletes with these challenges,” Dethman said.