PREVIEW: Class B, A and AA Boys Basketball Tournaments

3-17-22
@BrentNathaniel
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ABERDEEN, S.D. (GoWatertown.net) — The 2022 State B, A, and AA Boys Basketball Tournaments begin today across South Dakota.

From the State B at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen. Game one of the day will see the eight seed Waubay/Summit face the one seed De Smet.

Waubay/Summit are making their first appearance at the tournament as a co-op.  The last time either team made the tournament individually was 1990 for Summit and 1955 for Waubay.  The Mustangs come into the tournament with a record of 20-3 and will bring six seniors.  Waubay/Summit Coach Mark Amdahl says all of their hard work the past few years has paid off:

De Smet will come into the tournament as the defending Class B champion and will bring with them a 22-1 record.  The last Bulldog loss to a South Dakota team was February 15, 2021 to Canistota.  The only loss for De Smet this season was to Dream City Christian out of Arizona, 61-57.  De Smet has also made the past two Class B championship games losing to Clark/Willow Lake in 2019 and grabbing the B crown in 2021 over Aberdeen Christian.  Coach Jeff Gruenhagen says his boys handle their success well:

De Smet will open the tournament Thursday against Waubay/Summit.  Coach Gruenhagen talks about the Mustangs:

Mustangs Coach Amdahl says the Bulldogs are loaded:

Waubay/Summit vs De Smet will begin the B Tournament at noon Thursday.

Game two the tournament will see the four seed Potter County put their 22-1 record on the line against the defending Class B runner-up Aberdeen Christian who comes into the tournament with a 20-3 record and are the number five seed.  The Knights own a victory over the Battlers this season, 61-56. Game time 1:45 p.m.

The night session will begin with the two seed Lower Brule facing the seven seed Castlewood.  The Warriors are back in the tournament for the first time since 2012 and will bring their 17-6 record along with three seniors.  Coach Mike Thyen talks about his leaders:

Lower Brule has four players averaging ten points or more per game.  Coach Thyen says defense will be key for the Warriors:

6 p.m. tip.

The final night session game will see the three see White River, in the tournament for the 17th straight year, put their 19-2 record on the line against the six seed Freeman Academy/Marion who come into the tournament at 21-2.   White River lost to De Smet at the Hanson Classic 63-49.  Since that loss, the Tigers have rattled off 12 straight.  Freeman Academy/Marion is another team making its first appearance in the B as a co-op.  Marion was last in the B in 1999 while Freeman Academy has never appeared in the tournament.

7:45 p.m. tip.

De Smet, Waubay/Summit and Castlewood games from the Boys State B Tournament can be heard on New Country KS93 with Brent Nathaniel.

Out at the Class A Tournament at The Monument in Rapid City, the day will begin at noon mountain with the one seed Dakota Vally putting their undefeated season on the line against 14-9 and defending A champion, the eight seed Sioux Falls Christian.

The 1:45 games will see a pair of teams who have not made the tournament in almost a decade, Flandreau and Groton Area. The Flyers are the four seed with a 19-3 record and have not been to the tournament since 2004 while the Tigers are the five seed with a 20-36 record and have not been to the A since 2001.

The night session will feature newcomer Lakota Tech taking on St. Thomas More. The Cavaliers are making their fourth A tournament in a row and are the two seed heading into the tournament with a 20-2 record. The Tatanka are the seven seed with a 16-5 record.

The final game of the A Tournament will see the defending runner-up Sioux Valley take on the three see Winner. The Cossacks are 18-5, the six seed, and have qualified for state the third year in a row. The Warriors are 22-1, the three seed, and are trying to improve on an eighth-place finish last year.

At the Boys AA from the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Roosevelt will come into the tournament as the defending champions and look to make another run at the title with their undefeated record. They face Yankton in the opening round contest at Noon.

Harrisburg is the seven seed and will face the five seed Mitchell in the 1:45 p.m. matchup

Last year’s runner-up Sioux Falls O’Gorman is back in the tournament and will face Sioux Falls Lincoln to begin the night session at 6 p.m.  That will be followed at 7:45 with Sioux Falls Washington the three seed facing the six seed Sioux Falls Jefferson.