Ten Watertown and Aberdeen area schools playing in SoDak 16 games

What's wrong with boys basketball in northeastern South Dakota?

Nothing, apparently. Nine of the 16 Class A and B SoDak 16 state-qualifying games on Tuesday involve either Watertown or Aberdeen area teams.

And with three-time defending state B champion and No. 3-ranked De Smet, No. 1-ranked Class B Castlewood, No. 2-ranked Class A Hamlin and No. 4-ranked Class A Sioux Valley, there's a good chance that a number of area teams will advance.

Tuesday's winners qualify for the state tournaments March 14-16 at Rapid City (Class A) and Aberdeen (Class B).

Here's a look at Tuesday's SoDak 16 games involving area teams on Tuesday:

Class A (No. 2 seed Hamlin vs. No. 15 Hanson)

The game between the Chargers (19-3) and the Beavers (14-8) was originally scheduled to be played in Arlington but has been moved to Madison High School at 7:30 p.m.

Yes, Hanson does have junior twins A.J. and Ben Wilber and younger brother Nathan (a sophomore) who happen to be the sons of Dakota Wesleyan University head men's basketball coach Matt Wilber.

It likely won't be enough to handle a Hamlin team that finished third in its first trip to state in 30 years last March and has been on a mission all season under the direction of head coach Todd Neuendorf. Hamlin suffered a loss to Cordova (Tenn.) in late December and two losses to top-rated and top-seeded Sioux Falls Christian. All three were close games.

Senior Tyson Stevenson; a talented junior class led by Easton Neuendorf, Evan Stormo and Zac VanMeeteren: and sophomore Jackson Wadsworth lead a loaded Hamlin team.

Class A (No. 3 Sioux Valley vs. No. 14 Lakota Tech)

The Cossacks (20-2) will shoot for a fifth-straight trip to state when they face the 11-10 Tatanka at 5:30 p.m. at Chamberlain High School.

Junior guard Gilbert White Jr. (20 points per game) and sophomore guard Riley Casey (14.5 ppg., 6.9 rebounds per game) are the leaders for a Lakota Tech that should have its hands full trying to stop the Cossacks.

Alec Squires, a 6-foot-10 senior South Dakota State recruit, won't be easy to stop for Coach Bill Vincent's squad that also features senior guard Maxwell Engebretson, junior guard Maverick Nelson, senior forward Hudsyn Ruesink and others.

The Neuendorfs: Two coaches, three players from same family part of resurgence for Hamlin hoops

Class A (No. 12 McLaughlin vs. No. 5 Dakota Valley)

The Mustangs (16-6) will attempt to secure their first state-tourney berth since 2009 when they meet two-time defending champion Dakota Valley (19-3) at 5:30 p.m. in the Corn Palace at Mitchell.

McLaughlin's focus must be on stopping 6-7 senior Jaxson Wingert (27.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg) and 6-2 junior Luke Bruns (18.9 ppg).

Senior guards Raymin Yellow Earrings and Cassidy Demery are among the leaders for coach Ray Taken Alive's Mustangs.

Class A (No. 10 Milbank vs. No. 7 Rapid City Christian)

The Bulldogs (17-5) and the Comets (19-3) square off at 6 p.m. at Pierre High School in a game that could end a long state-tourney drought for one school. Milbank hasn't been to state since winning the 2005 state A title. Rapid City Christian's only state-tourney trip came in Class B in 2003.

Rapid City Christian's losses have come to No. 3 seed Sioux Valley (20-2), No. 4 Pine Ridge (20-1) and No. 6 Hot Springs (18-3).

Coach Logan Diede's Milbank team is led by 6-3 seniors Garrett Mertens and Jaxson Wildung and 6-6 senior Joe Schulte.

Class A (No. 8 Groton Area vs. No. 9 Dell Rapids)

The Tigers (18-4) and Quarriers (17-5) meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Watertown Civic Arena, a place that has some history for each team. Groton Area lost to Sioux Valley in a SoDak 16 game last March and is coming back for the second-straight year.

Dell Rapids is coached by Ty Hoglund and his father Mick, a former Hamlin star who hit at least one memorable game-winning shot in the Civic Arena back around 1980.

Seniors Lane Tietz and Jacob Zak and sophomore Ryder Johnson lead Groton Area. The Tigers will have to find a way to handle Dell Rapids' 6-9 senior Rhett Kloth.

Both teams have beaten Aberdeen Roncalli comfortably and also lost handily to Hamlin.

Class B (No. 2 De Smet vs. No. 15 Timber Lake)

Former Timber Lake standout Tucker Kraft had a fine rookie season with the NFL's Green Bay Packers, but the Panthers (13-9) would like needs a lot more to handle the Bulldogs (19-3) when they meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Miller.

After back-to-back losses to Class A Hamlin and Class B Castlewood in January, coach Jeff Gruenhagen's Bulldogs have won 10-straight games. De Smet seems likely to make state for the fifth-straight year and can't be ruled out at making a run for a fourth-straight state title.

Senior guards Tom Aughenbaugh and Kadyn Fast provide the outside punch with 6-4 senior Britt Carlson, 6-6 senior George Jensen, 6-4 senior Trace Van Regenmorter and 6-8 sophomore Grant Wilkinson providing the size.

Class B (No. 3 Castlewood vs. No. 14 Centerville)

The Warriors (19-3) and Tornadoes (14-8) kick off the Hamlin County doubleheader at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Madison High School, with Class A Hamlin facing Hanson in the second game.

Not sure the matchup on the court is going to be as close to enticing as the matchup of coaching legends on the sidelines. Castlewood coach Paul Raasch is getting close to 600 career wins and Centerville coach Bill Marquardt recently recorded his 500th win. Gary Munsen of Mitchell and Larry Luitjens of Custer each had more than 600 career wins when they faced each other in the 2011 Mike Miller Classic, but there can't be many more previous games in state history matching coaches with close to 1,100 career wins combined.

Castlewood has suffered first-round losses to Lower Brule in each of the past two State B tournaments and have designs for much more this year with a cast led by senior guard Lane Tvedt, junior guard Jamison Keszler and 6-9 junior center Bryon Laue. It'd be a shock if the Warriors didn't get the chance.

Class B (No. 13 Waverly-South Shore vs. No. 4 Wessington Springs)

Another game where either the Coyotes (16-6) or Spartans (21-1) are going to end a lenghty state-tourney drought. when they battle at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Huron Arena.

Waverly last made it to state in 1926 and neither South Shore or the Waverly-South Shore co-op has made it to state. The Spartans made to the State B in 1967 and the State A in 1994 and that's it.

Wessington Springs has won 20-straight games, including a 77-48 win over Hitchcock-Tulare, since falling to Howard 38-33 in the second game of the season. Waverly-South Shore also beat Hitchcock-Tulare 56-35.

The Coyotes avenged a regular-season loss to Aberdeen Christian in the Region 1B semifinals and have a solid junior cast led by 6-4 Sam Appelhof, 6-5 Zach Ries, 5-10 Colton Kranz and 6-3 Brady Eschen.

More: Merriam: To late subs everywhere, the game's over so why not let it fly?

Class B (No. 6 Leola-Frederick Area vs. No. 11 Potter County)

It might be time to remember the Titans, who are unranked despite a 21-1 season record that include a lone loss to Faulkton Area. Brock Pashen's squad will take a nine-game win streak into Tuesday's game against the Battlers (15-7) at 6 p.m. in Northwestern High School at Mellete.

Leola-Frederick Area already owns a 72-41 win over PC in December and gets a lot of production from 5-11 senior Brayden Sumption and 6-3 junior Noah Kippley. The Titans are a win away from returning to state for the first time since making back-to-back appearances in 2004 and 2005.

Seniors Carter Luikens and Ryder Falkenhagen are among the leaders for coach Bryce Hall's PC team.

Tuesday's Other SoDak 16 Games

CLASS A (All Times Central)

No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian (22-0) vs. No. 16 Sanborn Central-Woonsocket (11-11), 7 p.m. at Hartford

No. 4 Pine Ridge (20-1) vs. No. 13 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte (14-7), 7 p.m. at Douglas High School

No. 6 Hot Springs (18-3) vs. No. 11 Vermillion (15-7), 6:30 p.m. at Kadoka

CLASS B (All Times Central)

No. 1 White River (20-2) vs. No. 16 Highmore-Harrold (13-9), 7 p.m. at Fort Pierre

No. 5 Howard (19-3) vs. No. 12 Philip (15-7), 7 p.m. at Chamberlain

No. 7 Faith (19-3) vs. No. 10 Viborg-Hurley (17-5), 5 p.m. at Fort Pierre

No. 8 Dell Rapids St. Mary (18-4) vs. No. 9 Gregory 18-4), 7 p.m. at the Corn Palace in Mitchell

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Preview of area SoDak 16 Class A and B boys basketball games