MITCHELL — Maybe extra so than the women schedule earlier than it, the boys version of the Hanson Traditional on Saturday, Jan. 21 is stacked with groups on the lookout for a win that would assist outline the season.
Highlights of this yr’s basic embody a three-game sequence that includes six ranked groups, rematches of each Class A and Class B state championships from final season and a pair of No. 1 and No. 2 matchups. groups in opposition to one another in lessons A and B for the second yr in a row.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., No. 3 De Smet and No. 4 Decrease Brule meet within the 2022 Class B title sport. Then at 7 p.m., No. 1 Dakota Valley vs. No. 2 Aberdeen Christian, a rematch of the 2022 Class A championship, will probably be adopted by No. 1 White River vs. No. 2 Aberdeen Christian at 8:30 p.m.
There are a number of storylines to deal with that occur within the Corn Palace.
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Every group brings a big quantity of star energy to this yr’s occasion, which ought to produce some memorable particular person efforts because the groups search for signature victories. Right here are some things you must know:
Sutton Arend, Bridgewater-Emery – To date this season, the 6-foot-4 senior guard has averaged 21.2 factors per sport and shot 51% from the sector to steer the Huskies.
Keegan Hett, Harding County – One in all three 6-foot-1 senior guards for the Ranchers, Hett is averaging 20.7 factors on 54% capturing whereas including 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 4.7 steals per sport.
Daniel Mitchell, Gregory – The 6-foot-7 small ahead and second-team all-state choice a season in the past is placing up 14 factors (61% capturing) with 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per sport to this point this season.
Ethan Cheeseman, Hanson – The 6-foot-3 ahead performs greater than the roster and has often led the Beavers in scoring this season, posting 25 factors and 13 rebounds in opposition to Ethan earlier this month.
Reed Rus, Mount Vernon/Plankinton – As a junior final season, the 6-foot-4 guard was a second-team all-state choice after posting 20.5 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists per sport.
Blake Vollmer, Winner — The 6-foot-3 senior guard was a first-team all-state choice a yr in the past and began this season averaging 17.1 factors, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 6 double-doubles with 1.3 steals per sport.
Caleb Hollenbeck, St. Thomas Extra — The 6-foot-3 ahead averaged 14.7 factors and 5.3 rebounds per sport on the second group final season.
Damon Wilkinson, Smith – There are few forces just like the 6-foot-10 middle at any degree of South Dakota prep basketball. Final season, the second-team all-state choice averaged 14.4 factors and eight.5 rebounds for the Class B champions and took one other step ahead in his senior season.
Brian LaRoche Jr., Decrease Brule – Made a breakthrough in his senior season, averaging 25.5 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a couple of.8 steals per sport for a high-octane offense complemented by the play of fellow 6-foot-1 guards Gavin Thigh and Lane Grey collects.
Joe Sayler, White River – The two,200-point profession scorer, a 6-foot-4 guard and South Dakota State commit, is averaging 31.4 factors, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals per sport in a gifted backcourt that additionally consists of Nicholas Marshall.
Malek Wieker, Aberdeen Christian – Final season, a first-team all-state choice, the 6-foot-1 senior guard, second-team all-state choice and 6-foot-7 senior ahead averaged 15.1 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a couple of.7 assists per sport final season. is stealing. Ethan Russell.
Isaac Bruns, Dakota Valley — The 6-foot-4 guard is the Class A Defensive Participant of the Yr and is averaging 26.9 factors, 7.8 rebounds and a couple of.5 steals per sport. The Panthers even have a loaded lineup that options first-team all-state guard and triple-double menace Randy Rosenquist, one other backcourt mate in Jaxon Hennies and 6-foot-7 Jaxson Wingert within the frontcourt.
Oliver Vincent, Sioux Valley – One other returning first-team all-state honoree, the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 17.5 factors, 6.8 assists and 4 rebounds per sport final season and has dedicated to Alec Squires, one of the crucial gifted massive males within the state of South Dakota. State at 6-foot-10.
Landon Dierks / Mitchell Republic
Realizing the matchups and a few previous historical past of the Hanson Traditional, here is a take a look at among the professionals about this yr’s video games:
- For the fifth yr in a row, the highest two groups in Class B have participated within the occasion and it’s the third time since 2019 that they’ve performed one another. In 2020, No. 2 De Smet defeated No. 1 Viborg-Hurley 67-56, and in 2021, No. 1 De Smet defeated No. 2 Platte-Geddes. , 64-51.
- The highest 4 groups in Class B take part on this yr’s occasion with No. 1 White River, No. 2 Aberdeen Christian, No. 3 De Smet and No. 4 Decrease Brule. That is since 2019, when all the prime 5 have been prepared, and all the prime 4 groups in Class B are within the basic. That features #1 Bridgewater-Emery, #2 Clark/Willow Lake, #3 White River, #4 Timber Lake and #5 Aberdeen Christian.
- The Sioux Valley Cossacks are used to the final sport of the evening on the Hanson Traditional. The 2023 occasion marks the fourth time within the final six years that they’ve performed within the closing sport of the evening. Since 2014, the Cossacks have performed in considered one of three finals appearances in all however one yr, and that It is the fourth consecutive season that Sioux Valley has performed in a ranked match on the Corn Palace. (In 2021, the Cossacks performed No. 1 seed Dakota Valley, 86-73.)
- Maybe not a shock given their success, although De Smet has received 4 straight on the Hanson Traditional By 2018, adopted by wins in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- Since 2012, 15 groups have entered the Hanson Traditional ranked No. 1 within the media basketball ballot. No. 1 groups are 10-5 in these video games. Solely twice in that span has No. 2 defeated No. 1, No. 2 Canistota over No. 1 White River 50-32 in Class B in 2013 and No. 2 De Smet in 2020. Viborg-Hurley (as listed above). The opposite three losses fell to groups numbered 3, 4 and 5 in B class.
- The No. 1 ranked group in Class A boys on the Hanson Traditional is hard to beat. The final time that occurred was in 2009, when No. 4 Platte-Geddes beat No. 1 Madison 64-59, and the No. 1 group within the class has gone 11-0 since then.
This is a take a look at the group’s finest performances of the week:
- Daughters of Florence/Henry: Among the many most spectacular showings on the women Hanson Traditional have been the undefeated Falcons. Florence/Henry, which can have flown beneath the radar firstly of the occasion, received each video games by no less than 21 factors earlier than coming to Mitchell over Class B No. 5 Warner on Friday evening and dispatching high quality Class A foe Parkston. The Falcons are on the verge of incomes a Class A rating, with the one impediment being an equally gifted group on the prime.
- The Decrease Brule Boys: Over the previous three weeks, few groups have performed higher than the Sioux. Since falling to No. 2 Aberdeen Christian within the Hoop Metropolis Traditional on Dec. 28, Decrease Brule has received 4 straight, every spectacular in its personal means. Throughout that span, the Sioux outrebounded Howard by 19, Class A Parkston by 26, Class B No. 5 Castlewood on Brian LaRoche Jr.’s 3-pointer and a 114-46 victory over Cheyenne. Eagle Butte, which noticed LaRoche rating 57 factors.
- Sioux Falls Christian Boys: With Dakota Valley and Sioux Valley atop the Class A ranks, the Chargers are one of many few undefeated groups ready. Final week, SFC took out the ranked Dell Speedy squad earlier than taking over Class AA Watertown. Going additional again, the Chargers beat Thunder Basin (Wyo.) within the Hoop Metropolis Traditional, and an 18-point win over Elk Level Jefferson on Dec. 16 stays EPJ’s solely loss.
Landon Dierks / Mitchell Republic
Listed below are three video games to look at subsequent week, excluding Saturday’s Hanson Traditional.
- Mitchell Boys at Sioux Falls Lincoln, Saturday, January 21: After a press release Tuesday evening with a 64-44 win over Sioux Falls Roosevelt on the Maize Palace, the fourth-ranked Kernels return to tackle No. 2 Patriot on Saturday afternoon with an opportunity to win the Class AA ballot.
- Florence/Henry women at Hamlin, Saturday, Jan. 21: The newest in a string of powerful opponents for the Falcons involves a head this weekend as they tackle the No. 1 ranked group in Class A in a Area 2A battle. Somebody has to take their first lack of the season. Bonus, F/H, returns to host a Jan. 24 contest in opposition to Arlington, a Class B #3 Centerville-promoting group, within the Hanson Traditional.
- De Smet boys at Castlewood, Monday, January 23: After a ranked Class B match on the Hanson Traditional, No. 3 De Smet awaits one other because it goes on the highway to face No. 5 Castlewood. Every lately suffered a one-basket loss to a different opponent and will probably be on the lookout for a press release win because the season heads into February.
