Tuesday Night Preview: South Dakota’s Best Match-Ups
What are the must-see games tonight complete with the must-see player match-ups? PHD gives you the answers with previews today.
#3 Huron at #2 Yankton
The Skinny: The Tigers are on a six game winning streak gaining some big wins and also playing down to their competition a time or two. Tonight Huron needs to play up to the competition when defending state champion Yankton comes to town. The Bucks have been on some highs and lows knocking off top teams from Minnesota and Wisconsin over the holiday but then losing to Lincoln by 16. Tonight we get a legit second ranked team in the state.
Top Match-Up: Teegen Evers vs Matthew Mors. With Kobe Busch injured Evers has stepped up to be the go to guy. He had 26 in the win over Mitchell and now he gets the test of his basketball life using his 6-foot-4 wing body against Mors. Matthew has 22 in the loss to Lincoln but of his 8 of 21 from the field, 4 of 12 of it was at the arc.
Top Prospect to See: Well of course it’s Matthew Mors, a nationally ranked top 40 player in the 2021 class. Mors made national news winning games in the Hoop City Classic but the entire Bucks team was brought back down to life losing to Lincoln.
Prediction: Cooper Cornemann, Rex Ryken, and Cole Sawatzke have what it takes to try and limit the Huron guards while Mors is about to come at Huron in an angry way. Yankton by eight.
#7 Dell Rapids at #2 SF Christian
The Skinny: Tea Area and Sioux Falls Christian are the leaders in this Class A marathon and nobody is really that close. The only way a team like Dell Rapids makes up ground is by putting together an upset bid tonight.
Top Match-Up: Drew Van Regenmoter vs Gavin Schipper. Drew is the motor that will defend, score, and board with all of his being. Tonight he could be the guy that Dell Rapids puts on Gavin Schipper hoping to limit one of the best shooting touches in the state.
Top Prospect to See: Mitchell Goodbary. Goodbary is a top five senior in the state going against one of the state’s top big man prospects in 6-foot-9 Logan Heim. Goodbary is the more talented player but Heim has the size edge.
Prediction: The Chargers have beaten up everyone, not just beaten them. They throttled a team from Minnesota that has been to state the last two years and has their top guys back, their Iowa opponent was no challenge, and only Lennox gave them more than a half of a fight. We say SF Christian by 15.
Hamlin vs Sioux Valley
The Skinny: This is close to a must win game for both if they want to accomplish their preseason goals. Hamlin is .500 on the year at 3-3 while the Cossacks are 6-3 beating who they are supposed to. Beating who you should is part of the job but the only good win that Sioux Valley has on paper (Parker) recently was balanced out with a loss to that same school. A win is needed tonight.
Top Match-Up: Connor Bawdon vs Noah Puetz. Connor is a big bigger than Noah, likely by about an inch (Bawdon listed at 6-foot-3) and he’s coming off an 18 point game in a win over Groton Area. Max Nielson is the guy that will likely get the points for Sioux Valley but he, Noah, and others have to slow Bawdon.
Top Prospect to See: Oliver Vincent. Maybe not “prospect” yet but everyone is curious to see the 8th grade 5-foot-10 guard from Sioux Valley who is playing solid varsity minutes and scoring reasonably well.
Prediction: Sioux Valley gets the needed win by 11.
Tri-Valley at # 1 Tea Area
The Skinny: For the Mustangs it’s their shot. It’s a long shot but it’s their turn to take a shot at the state’s number one team Tea Area. Tri-Valley is 4-2 on the year with a rough loss to Madison but they did beat Vermillion. This year the only South Dakota team to give Tea Area a game was Dakota Valley in the opener. Everything else has been rough on the opposition.
Top Match-Up: Gabe Krump vs Noah Freidel. Gabe is 6-foot-3 as a forward and he’s put together a couple double-doubels this year so things are going solid. Krump and fellow senior Will Kulzer lead the way as frontcourt seniors. Tonight’s task against Freidel will be different though. Noah is the biggest player on the Tea roster but it will be tough for the Mustangs to match the size on the perimeter.
Top Prospect to See: Noah Freidel and Justin Hohn. Two division one guys, everybody wants to watch them play. It’s the way it is. Get out and see this team that is talented and plays such good team basketball. It’s worth your time.
Prediction: Tea Area wins by 23 points.