Mahli Abdouch, a senior for the Sioux Falls O’Gorman Knights, dominated the South Dakota girls’ basketball scene this 2023-2024 season. Mahli is the daughter of 1998 Wagner Community School graduate, Matthew Abdouch and his wife, Tasha. She is also the granddaughter of Tom Abdouch and Irene Sully (Wagner); Patricia Abdouch and Dick Fuchs (Pickstown); and Debra and Kim Thomas.

Mahli first started playing basketball in second grade with the Big Sioux basketball team. Even from the beginning, she was drawn to the game and once she started playing, she never really stopped. It was an even better experience for Mahli when in her younger years, her mom, Tasha, became her coach. Tasha has always been Mahli’s basketball roll model. Tasha inspired Mahli and helped her develop into the player that she is today; Mahli learned a lot from her mom during her younger years when she was developing her basketball skills. Mahli attributes her basketball success to her mom.

Mahli’s favorite aspects of basketball are the competition and the people that she has gotten to meet throughout her years of playing. Her two favorite moves are a spin move layup or a stepback 3-pointer. When asked if she preferred to play offense or defense, Mahli surprisingly said defense. Mahli gets many of her points off of defensive steals and finds it much more fun than playing offense. She played all four years of her high school basketball career for O’Gorman and has been a starter for the team since she was a sophomore. Her all-time highest points scored in a game is 29 against Aberdeen where she also scored her 1,000th point. Mahli could not have asked for a better ending to her senior season as she led the O’Gorman Knights to a 24-0 season and the 2024 Class AA State Championship title. She ended her senior season with an average of 16 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game, and 3.4 steals per game.

Awards and honors that Mahli has received throughout her high school career include 2022-2024 All State 1st Team, Class AA All-Tournament Team 2021-2024, All-Metro 1st Team 2022-2024, Class AA Co-Player of the Year 2023, Class AA Player of the Year 2024, Class AA State Tournament 3rd place, Class AA State Basketball Champions 2022, Class AA State Basketball Runner-Ups 2023, Class AA State Basketball Champions 2024, 2024 McDonald’s All-American nominee, 2024 Academic All-State, Max Preps Player of the Year 2024, 2024 SD Coaches Association Class AA Player of the Year, 2024 Sioux Falls Live Player of the Year, 2024 Class AA Midco Sports Player of the Year, 2024 Argus Leader Sports Player of the Year, 2024 Keloland Player of the Year and 2024 SD Miss Basketball.

The Class AA state championship game against Brandon Valley had to be the highlight of her season as both her favorite game and favorite memory. Mahli feels very honored to have been awarded so many top honors her final high school basketball season. She is also immensely grateful to have gotten the opportunity to accomplish what she and her team did this season and receiving these awards was just icing on the cake. Mahli has some final thoughts on her final season with the Knights. She is extremely proud of her teammates and is sad that this season has come to an end. Mahli has had so much fun throughout the last four years with the Knights and she cannot wait to see what the next few years has in store.

As an elite girls’ basketball player, Mahli was scouted by and received offers from many Division 1 schools, but ultimately decided that South Dakota State University (SDSU) will be the home of the next chapter of her life in both the classroom and on the court. Mahil will be pursuing a degree in nursing as well as continuing her basketball career with the Jackrabbits.

Congratulations Mahli on an incredible senior basketball season and high school career. We look forward to following your college career on the court with SDSU.