The Weekend Menu – March Madness in February? Three top 5 games

The South Dakota weekend is highlighted by three match-ups between top five teams, one in each class.  Welcome to the Weekend Menu.  Tasty Appetizer.  The 5pm tip-off between Milbank and Tiospa Zina might be a bit bigger than people realize.  Ever since Milbank knocked off Florence/Henry they have been on a terror.  The Bulldogs have won seven of eight games and five of those games were by double digits.  Junior guard Bennett Schwenn Bennett Schwenn 6'1" | SG Milbank | 2022 State SD has been playing excellent basketball for Milbank while Tiospa Zina has the right counter in 6-foot-1 junior guard Juron Adams.  T-Z has won five of six.  Specials. There are a pair of day long events this weekend.  The GPC Classic will be played at Gayville-Volin High School and showcases six games starting at 11am and finishes up with the Burke vs Corsica-Stickney at 6pm (approximately).  Burke is 13-3 while Corsica-Stickney is 12-5 on the year.  Both teams are battling for spots in Region 6 along with Platte-Geddes.  Then there is also the Warner Classic, the games being played at Warner High School.  One of the games highlighting this event is the 12:30 match-up between Florence-Henry (13-4) and Wolsey-Wessington (10-6) who has been struggling as of late.   Main Course. There will be a lot of eyes on Mitchell and Yankton tonight.  You have the number one senior prospect in the state ( Matthew Mors Matthew Mors 6'7" | SF Yankton | 2021 State #82 Nation SD ) taking on the number one junior prospect in South Dakota ( Caden Hinker Caden Hinker 6'7" | PF Mitchell | 2022 State SD ).  The basketball lovers of the state will watch this game for the entertainment up front ( Zane Alm Zane Alm 6'11" | C Mitchell | 2021 State SD up front too of course) but this is a key game.  Yankton is ranked third in the state while Mitchell is 4th.  The Kernels have lost two of their last three games while Yankton lost to Harrisburg by a score a week ago.  Both of these teams need a win to step away from recent losing skids.  These are state title contenders that want to head into the post-season on a good note.  Dessert.  Sioux Valley vs Sioux Falls Christian is about as good as it gets for dessert.  The second and fourth ranked teams in the state is basically having your cake for dinner.  The guard trio of Kelton Vincent Kelton Vincent 6'0" | PG Sioux Valley | 2021 State SD , Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD , and Parker Puetz Parker Puetz 6'3" | SF Sioux Valley | 2022 State SD going at Xavier Van Beek Xavier Van Beek 6'0" | SG Sioux Falls Christian | 2021 State SD , Tyler Prins Tyler Prins 6'3" | SF Sioux Falls Christian | 2021 State SD , and Brooks Nelson Brooks Nelson 6'3" | SF SF Christian | 2022 State SD .  Can the Cossacks handle the Chargers up front?  That’s the ultimate factor, that and the execution of these teams.  Hayden Ruesink Hayden Ruesink 6'5" | SF Sioux Valley | 2022 State SD and likely Parker Puetz Parker Puetz 6'3" | SF Sioux Valley | 2022 State SD will have to step up and try and limit what Jaden Witte and Noah Van Donkersgoed Noah Van Donkersgoed 6'5" | PF Sioux Falls Christian | 2021 State SD can do.  Should be an excellent game.  There is a third top five game this weekend.  Third ranked Canistota and 5th ranked Howard tip off at 7:30 on Saturday night.  Yet another barn burner this weekend highlighted by dynamite duos: Chase Merrill Chase Merrill 6'3" | SG Canistota | 2021 State SD and Tyce Ortman Tyce Ortman 5'11" | PG Canistota | 2021 State SD of Canistota, Tisyn Spader Tisyn Spader 6'4" | SF Howard | 2021 State SD and Sam Aslesen Sam Aslesen 6'7" | SF Howard | 2021 State SD of Howard.  It seems like March Madness in February.