MITCHELL — As a new season of high school basketball tips off across South Dakota, the inaugural set of South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls for 2024-25 has been unveiled.
Four defending state champions from last season start with No. 1 rankings, including all three girls title winners from a year ago. Three of the six classes have clear preseason favorites, while the other three races for the top spot were decided by just a couple of votes.
Here are the preseason polls and a breakdown of the initial rankings.
The preseason South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls for the week of Dec. 9, 2024, are listed below, ranking the top-five teams in each class. First-place votes are indicated in parentheses and teams are ranked by total points received.
Boys
Class AA
1. Mitchell (13) 69; 2. Sioux Falls Washington 49; 3. Sioux Falls Lincoln 24; 4. Huron 23; 5. O’Gorman 15.
Others receiving votes: Brandon Valley 14, Harrisburg (1) 9, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 4, Sioux Falls Jefferson 3.
Kernels in control: With much of its roster returning following a 23-1 state championship season a year ago, Mitchell opens as a heavy favorite in the Class AA boys ranks, collecting 13 of 14 first-place votes and checking in 20 votes clear of No. 2 Sioux Falls Washington. Last season, the Kernels took over the No. 1 ranking on Jan. 22 and held it over the final five weeks of polling.
Behind Washington, which was fourth at the 2024 state tournament, Sioux Falls Lincoln and O’Gorman slotted in at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, though neither qualified for the state tournament. Huron, which finished seventh, starts at No. 4. Harrisburg, the No. 2 seed (and third-place finisher) at last season’s state tournament and the lone team to defeat Mitchell in 2023-24 (a 62-53 overtime final), was not among the top five but did receive the only first-place vote that didn’t go to the Kernels.
Class A
1. Sioux Falls Christian (8) 64; 2. Hamlin (6) 62; 3. Dakota Valley 31; 4. Rapid City Christian 23; 5. Pine Ridge 16.
Others receiving votes: Lennox 9, Sioux Valley 2, Dell Rapids 1, Vermillion 1, St. Thomas More 1.
Let’s try this again: A year ago, Sioux Falls Christian opened as the preseason Class A boys No. 1 and maintained that position from start to finish with a 20-0 regular-season record. The Chargers did not graduate a single player from their 2023-24 varsity roster that made the state championship game and went 25-1, with the returners headlined by South Dakota State commit Griffen Goodbary. SFC received eight top votes, edging out defending champion Hamlin for the No. 1 ranking.
Hamlin defeated SFC 53-50 in overtime for the state title last season, finishing 23-3, and similarly brings back a large core of its roster. Behind the two Chargers squads, Dakota Valley is No. 3, followed by No. 4 Rapid City Christian and No. 5 Pine Ridge. All five teams were in the top six places at last season’s state tournament.
Class B
1. Castlewood (8) 62; 2. Viborg-Hurley (5) 60; 3. Gregory 27; 4. Dell Rapids St. Mary 26; 5. Wessington Springs 15.
Others receiving votes: Howard 11, De Smet (1) 6, Aberdeen Christian 2, Leola-Frederick Area 1.
You’re new here: For the first time since 2018, the top Class B boys team in the preseason poll isn’t De Smet or White River, as Castlewood claimed the No. 1 ranking. Last season, the Warriors started the season ranked No. 2, appeared in every poll, took third place at the state tournament and posted a 22-4 record.
Castlewood garnered eight first-place votes and 62 vote points, followed closely by Viborg-Hurley with five top votes and 60 vote points. De Smet, which has appeared in five consecutive state title games, received the remaining first-place vote but was not among the top five. Elsewhere in the top five, Gregory, Dell Rapids St. Mary and Wessington Springs slotted in at slots 3-4-5, respectively. Defending champion Howard was just outside of the rankings as the top vote-getter beyond the top five.
Girls
Class AA
1. O’Gorman (3) 59; 2. Brandon Valley (9) 58; 3. Sioux Falls Washington 31; 4. Rapid City Stevens 28; 5. Sioux Falls Jefferson (2) 22.
Others receiving votes: Harrisburg 8, Pierre 3, Spearfish 1.
Close call: After completing the only unbeaten season in South Dakota high school hoops last season, O’Gorman begins a new campaign as the slight Class AA girls favorite. The Knights received three first-place votes and 59 vote points, sliding in just ahead of Brandon Valley, last season’s runner-up, which grabbed nine top votes and 58 points.
Sioux Falls Jefferson nabbed the remaining two first-place votes and is No. 5 in the preseason poll, with Sioux Falls Washington at No. 3 and Rapid City Stevens at No. 4.
Class A
1. Vermillion (11) 66; 2. Sioux Falls Christian (2) 50; T-3. Hamlin (1) 20; T-3. Wagner 20; 5. Mahpiya Luta 19.
Others receiving votes: Sisseton 12, Lennox 11, Mount Vernon/Plankinton 6, Dakota Valley 5.
Tanagers take top spot: Though not ranked in the top five at the end of the 2023-24 regular season, Vermillion earned the No. 4 state tournament seed and won a state championship with a record of 22-4. Led by USD commit Brooke Jensen and rising freshman star Taylor Reuvers, the Tanagers begin their title defense with 11 first-place votes and the No. 1 ranking.
No. 2 Sioux Falls Christian and Hamlin, which tied with Wagner for the No. 3 ranking, also garnered top votes. Mahpiya Luta rounded out the rankings at No. 5.
Class B
1. Centerville (13) 69; 2. Ethan 47; 3. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket (1) 27; 4. Parkston 26; 5. Lyman 25.
Others receiving votes: Arlington 12, Gayville-Volin 2, Andes Central/Dakota Christian 1, Warner 1.
Centerville of attention: To end the 2023-24 regular season, Centerville was the top-ranked squad in the media polls, and though the Tornadoes were the No. 3 seed in the state tournament, they marched to a state title. Centerville, which earned 13 of 14 first-place votes in the preseason poll, graduated three players but brings back a strong contingent from a title-winning roster that turned in a record of 24-2.
Behind Centerville, Ethan starts at No. 2, while Sanborn Central/Woonsocket received the spare first-place vote and checked in at No. 3, just ahead of No. 4 Parkston and No. 5 Lyman.
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