By Ryan Deal 

605 Sports

It’s about to get fun. 

The 2021-22 South Dakota high school basketball season tipped off last weekend and it ramps up as girls and boys teams take the court this weekend. 

The next four months will be filled with jam-packed gyms as communities rally around their teams across the state. It all culminates with state tournaments in mid-March.

But before all the madness ensues, here’s some notes and nuggets to get you ready for the upcoming season:

Top boys contenders

The preseason boys basketball poll tabbed last year’s state champs as the No. 1 teams in their respective classes. 

In Class AA, the class has been dominated by the state’s largest city. The Sioux Falls schools have combine for 11 Class AA state championships since 2006, including six by Sioux Falls O’Gorman. The preseason poll again points to the Sioux Falls teams, as defending champ Sioux Falls Roosevelt earned the No. 1 preseason ranking. O’Gorman, Washington and Lincoln were picked second-through-fourth. Aberdeen Central tied with Lincoln at No. 4 to round out the top-five poll. 

In Class A, Sioux Falls Christian earned the No. 1 spot in the poll. But watch out for Sioux Valley and Dakota Valley to lead a pack of teams looking to contend for the state title. The class has been owned by the Dakota XII teams in recent years, with the past five state championships coming from the conference. 

In Class B, De Smet returns a host of players from last season’s state championship team. So it’s no surprise the Bulldogs were picked No. 1 in the preseason rankings. If De Smet repeats this season, it would be the first team to win back-to-back in the class since White River in 2012 and 2013. White River and last year’s runner-up Aberdeen Christian will also be among the contenders, while we can always expect others to emerge in the state’s smallest class. 

Top girls contenders

In the girls preseason rankings, Aberdeen Roncalli’s move to Class B created a logjam of teams atop the Class A poll. 

Winner grabbed the No. 1 spot in Class A and received four first-place votes. St. Thomas More, Hamlin, West Central and Flandreau rounded out the top-five, while they all received at least one first-place vote. Winner, St. Thomas More, Hamlin and West Central have all won or played for state championships in recent years. 

In Class B, Roncalli graduated just one player from last season’s championship team and not surprisingly secured the No. 1 spot in the polls. But expect recent contenders like Corsica-Stickney, White River and Ethan to be in the mix again. 

In Class AA, Washington landed nine of the 10 first-place votes after winning last year’s state title. O’Gorman received the other first-place vote, while Brandon Valley, Rapid City Stevens and Harrisburg rounded out the top-five. 

Milestone watch

Last season, the milestone watchers had fun tracking four 2,000-point scorers during the season. 

On the boys side, Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Connor Libis, Yankton’s Matthew Mors and Dakota Valley’s Paul Bruns all finished among the top-20 scorers in boys basketball history. Libis, a current member of the Briar Cliff men’s basketball team, finished third with 2,731 career points. Mors, who is redshirting at the University of Wisconsin, finished fourth with 2,707 points. Bruns scored 2,206 career points, landing him 18th on the all-time scoring list. He’s now playing for the University of North Dakota men’s basketball team. 

On the girls side, White River’s Caelyn Valandra-Prue finished eighth on the all-time scoring list with 2,536 career points. She’s a current member of the University of South Dakota women’s track and field team. 

This season, there’s a handful of players in line for career milestones and others have continued to climb scoring lists: 

• Winner senior Bella Swedlund is nearing 2,000 career points as she’s scored a school-record 1,745 career points. She’s already holds the school record for most career 3-pointers (249). Last season, she broke the single-season school records for points (565), field goals made (219) and 3-pointers made (72) during her junior campaign.

• Despite missing half of last season due to a knee injury, Corsica-Stickney junior Avery Broughton is also nearing 2,000 career points. The University of South Dakota women’s basketball commit is already the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,429 points. She also has 749 rebounds, 230 assists, 169 steals and 153 blocked shots in her career.

• Last season, De Smet’s Kalen Garry became the program’s all-time leading scorer and has 1,615 points entering his final season. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game as the Bulldogs captured the Class B state championship. 

• Mitchell’s Caden Hinker joined an exclusive club last season. The 6-foot-8 forward scored his 1,000th career point and is one of six players in program history reach the milestone. Last season, led Mitchell in scoring (16.8), rebounds (9.7) and assists (5.0). Hinker, who will play basketball at Augustana University next season, has 1,113 career points entering his final season. The other 1,000-point scorers in Mitchell boys basketball history include: Mike Miller (1,724), Tyson Theeler (1,192), Scott Morgan (1,151), Bart Friedrick (1,149) and Beau Brown (1,081).

• Last season, Sioux Valley’s Oliver Vincent erupted for a school-record 521 points during his sophomore season and sits at 952 career points. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 20.7 points, 4 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game for the Cossacks.

• Rapid City Christian junior Olivia Kieffer has put together a brilliant girls basketball career. The 5-foot-11 all-state forward has recorded 1,368 points, 390 rebounds, 274 assists, 269 steals and 48 blocked shots. The University of South Dakota women’s basketball commit averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game last season. 

• Dakota Valley senior Rylee Rosenquist averaged 21 points per game last season and enters this season as the school’s all-time leading scorer (1,267). Last year, she also led the Panthers in assists (4.3), rebounds (7.8) and steals (3.6). Rosenquist recently signed to play basketball at Dakota Wesleyan University.

This weekend’s boys games to watch

Tea Area at Dakota Valley: The Dakota XII Conference foes clash on Friday in an early-season Class A showdown in North Sioux City. 

Dakota Valley, which placed third at state last season, was No. 3 in the preseason poll. The Titans were receiving votes in the preseason poll. Dakota Valley edged Tea Area twice last season by 66-55 and 64-58 margins. 

The perennial powers are powered by a pair of dynamic guards. Cael Lundin, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 19 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season. Lundin, who will play at Northwestern College, added 43 3-pointers, 41 steals and 12 blocked shots last season. 

Dakota Valley graduated three-time all-state guard Paul Bruns, who is averaging 11.6 points and 3.4 rebounds through 10 games at the University of North Dakota. But the Panthers return Isaac Bruns, who is Paul’s younger brother and is also an all-stater. 

Last season as a sophomore, Isaac Bruns averaged 22.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He added 44 3-pointers and 30 steals. 

Sioux Falls Lincoln at Sioux Falls Washington: In what will be one of many top-five Class AA matchups this season, Sioux Falls Lincoln plays Sioux Falls Washington on Friday. 

The Warriors were No. 3 in the preseason poll, while the Patriots were tied at No. 4 in the rankings. 

Sioux Falls Washington, which finished fourth in Class AA last season, returns one of the top point guards in Mikele Kambalo. The 5-foot-9 guard logged 12.4 points, 4 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game last season. He added 26 steals and made 40% of his 3-point attempts. Washington’s frontline is powered by 6-foot-8 senior Angok Akot, who along with Kambalo, was an all-tourney selection last season. 

On the other side, Lincoln is headlined by 7-foot-1 sophomore J.T. Rock, who already has Division I offers from Creighton, Iowa State, Nebraska, South Dakota State, Wisconsin and Iowa. Lincoln’s frontline also features 6-foot-8 senior Cameron Jackson, who will play basketball at Black Hills State University. 

Sioux Falls Roosevelt at Sioux Falls Jefferson: South Dakota’s newest school hosts last year’s Class AA state champs on Saturday. 

Preseason No. 1 Sioux Falls Roosevelt, which captured last season’s Class AA state title, plays at Sioux Falls Jefferson in the latter’s first-ever basketball game. 

Roosevelt graduated dynamic guards Tyler Feldkamp and Tucker Large from last season’s title team. But returns guard Hayden Arndt, who will play basketball at Augustana University, and 6-foot-6 post Marcus Phillips, a future Iowa Western Community College baseball player. 

Despite it being a new school, Jefferson is powered by one of the state’s top athletes in Taylen Ashley, who transferred from Sioux Falls Roosevelt in the offseason. The junior guard and quarterback is receiving interest from Missouri Valley Football Conference schools. 

This weekend’s girls games to watch

Brandon Valley at Sioux Falls O’Gorman: Two top-5 Class AA teams, headlined by two all-staters, will clash on Thursday.

Sioux Falls O’Gorman, which is No. 2 in the preseason poll, hosts No. 3 Brandon Valley in a rematch of last year’s Class AA third-place game. O’Gorman, which captured third at state, is powered by Hannah Ronsiek, who will play basketball at Colorado State. The 5-foot-10 all-stater averaged 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season. She added 62 steals and 40 3-pointers. O’Gorman sophomore guard Mahli Abdouch is committed to play basketball at South Dakota State University, while junior forward Bergen Reilly is committed to play volleyball at Nebraska. 

Brandon Valley’s Hilary Behrens returns after an all-state sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-1 junior forward registered 17 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Behrens has verbally committed to play basketball at South Dakota State University. 

Wagner at Winner: Perennial power and Class A preseason No. 1 Winner receives an early-season test at home on Friday.

The Warriors, who claimed third last season at state, are again paced by all-state guard Bella Swedlund. The 5-foot-8 guard headed to the University of Kansas averaged 22.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.1 steals per game last season. The all-state guard is a three-star prospect and No. 26-ranked point guard in the Class of 2022 by ESPN.com. 

Wagner, which hasn’t qualified for state since 2009, could be a state-tourney contender this season. The Red Raiders, who finished 9-13 last season, will be paced by Parkston transfer Emma Yost, Shalayne Nagel and Macy Koupal, among others. 

Ethan at Hanson: It’s always fun when the two Cornbelt Conference foes -- separated by 18 miles -- get together. They’ll again tip off the season on Saturday in Alexandria. 

Last season, Ethan defeated Hanson twice, including a come-from-behind 52-49 victory in the opening round of the Class B state tournament. The Rustlers are No. 4 in the preseason Class B poll, while the Beavers have moved up to Class A this season. 

The Rustlers are led by senior guard Hannah Bartscher, averaged 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2.7 assists during her all-state campaign last season. 

Hanson opened the season with a 63-37 win over Centerville on Dec. 3. Hanson’s Eliza Oltmanns logged 18 points and seven steals, while Alyssa Moschell added 17 points and five rebounds.