Becca Dahlman, Anders Broman contend for Minnesota scoring record

Dahlman's Story Becca's family is filled with three generations of basketball blue bloods. Start with her maternal grandfather, 96-year-old John Kundla, who led the Minneapolis Lakers to five NBA titles, later coached at the University of Minnesota and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Her mother Kathleen and father Nate both played and coached basketball. And all six of their children (four boys, two girls) have excelled at the sport. In fact, Isaiah, the oldest son, held the state scoring record (3,366 points) when he graduated before heading for Michigan State University. He still ranks No. 4. Isaiah and Noah won three state titles and Becca has won once.

She fondly recalls her times with grandpa Kundla.

"He tells me to play defense like you drive a car, because it's so important," she related. "His stories — I could sit down with him for hours and hours. He is so proud of me and has had such a huge impact."

When Becca was in fifth grade, her father predicted that she would be the best player in his family. She had started playing organized basketball in first grade and always played with much older girls. She was also toughened up every day by tangling with her older brothers.

Nate recalled that when he was coaching, Becca never shied away from older competition.

"She ran sprints with our older girls. She is the most fearless kid I've ever met," he said. "They (her brothers) were really tough on her. Anytime you play a game, there's no mercy. She took lots of bumps and bruises, but she gave them out, too. I don't think she has more skill than a lot of players, but nobody is tougher than her."

As a seventh grader she was already playing varsity basketball and became a regular early in the year following an injury to an upper classman. She finished the year by averaging 13.1 points.
 
She admitted, "I did feel a lot pressure. I was so immature and so little (5-5). I was scrawny and weak, but I could play defense. I wasn't afraid of getting after it. I would not back down. I fear to lose. I hate losing and I'll do anything to get that 'W'."

As an eighth grader, Becca averaged 18.8 points and received her first scholarship offer — from the University of Iowa.

"I was getting my name out there," she said. "I was like, 'Wow, this is really happening.'"

Entering her freshman year, Becca got a new coach, Tim Malone, who was actually recruited by her father.

Malone calls her "very much a gym rat. Her game is modeled after a boy's game. I wouldn't be surprised if she could start on a lot of boys teams. She's had very good coaching and has an unbelievable work ethic and drive. (As a ninth grader) her skills were phenomenal."

Becca raised her scoring average to 27.3 as a freshman and helped her team (28-5) finish second in the Class 2A state tournament.

The Bombers took it one step farther during her sophomore year and captured their first state title with a sparkling 31-2 record. She again raised her scoring average — this time to 29.4 — and won her first of two Minnesota Player of the Year awards from the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

"That was by far the best team I've ever played with," Becca said. "We had so much chemistry. Every day we pushed ourselves to the max and it paid off. It felt unbelievable. It was our first title ever."

She again raised her scoring average as a junior, to 35.5, as the Bombers posted a 29-2 record. During that season she exploded for a career-high 56-point game and set the girls state career record with one year left.

"I was focused," she said of the 56-point effort. "When I'm in a zone ... I remember that game like no other."

This year Becca is averaging 33.3 points and the Bombers are off to a surprising 12-0 start. In one game she shot a perfect 19-for-19 from the free throw line.

"I get to the free throw line a lot," she said. "You just attack and don't back down. I have a really quick first step. My junior year I fouled out a lot. Not this year. I still get a lot of charging calls on me, because I attack the rim."

Becca already holds state records for free throws attempted (1,288) and made (972).

Her father calls those records "just phenomenal. They may never be broken. She really attacks the basket and is pretty explosive. She's not a beefy girl, but very strong. What she was given is a gift from God and she is learning to give thanks. She is a little girl who has grown up to be a warrior and is very independent."

The Dahlman family began a Christmas tradition three years ago — a game of "HORSE". Becca hasn't won it yet and she's definitely not a happy camper, because she had Isaiah down this year (she had "H" and he had "S") and he beat her with "junk" shots.

They don't play as many 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 games as they used to, but Becca points out when they do play the games are always competitive and full of "trash talk."

Ironically, Becca's great career has probably been enhanced by the fact that her family has no computer or television set. The computer was taken out by her parents because it wasn't being used properly by at least one family member and when the TV set went out it simply was not replaced.

"I just stay productive and go to the gym more. I guess it's helped my game," she said, laughing.

She lists her idols as older brother Isaiah and Ohio State University star Tayler Hill, whose state career scoring record she has surpassed.

Becca carries a 3.9 GPA and has accepted a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University, where she plans to study accounting.

Despite all the trick defenses she has faced during her career, Becca may have a weakness that has not yet been exploited.

"I love wearing different headbands," she revealed. "I have every color of the rainbow. I could not play without a headband."

So, there it is, defense. Steal all of her headbands and then you have her right where you want her. It will be just like cutting Samson's hair.