The Preseason South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll is here. Teams are ranked by points received and first-place votes are in parentheses. 

Boys

Class AA

  1. Lincoln (11) 78
  2. Brandon Valley (6) 58
  3. Huron 43
  4. Mitchell 38
  5. O’Gorman (1) 15

Receiving votes: Jefferson 13, Harrisburg 12, Washington 6, Roosevelt 3, Spearfish 2, Tea Area 2. 

 

Class A

  1. SF Christian (16) 176
  2. Lennox 135
  3. West Central (2) 127
  4. Clark/Willow Lake 103
  5. Hamlin 86
  6. Pine Ridge 68
  7. St. Thomas More 62
  8. Groton Area 46
  9. RC Christian 40
  10. Dakota Valley 37

Receiving votes: Dell Rapids 29, Vermillion 21, Winner 17, Madison 16, Baltic 12, Flandreau 5, Hill City 4, Mobridge-Pollock 4, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 1, Mahpiya Luta 1.  

 

Class B

  1. Castlewood (10) 149
  2. Wessington Springs (2) 124
  3. St. Mary’s (4) 110
  4. Wall (1) 109
  5. Viborg-Hurley (1) 108
  6. Freeman 98
  7. Lyman 54
  8. Aberdeen Christian 50
  9. De Smet 37
  10. Parkston 35

Receiving votes: Sully Buttes 31, Bridgewater-Emery 25, Howard 17, Leola/Frederick Area 14, Gregory 9, Wolsey-Wessington 7, Lemmon 6, Estelline/Hendricks 5, Deubrook Area 2. 

 

Girls 

Class AA

  1. O’Gorman (16) 88
  2. Brandon Valley (2) 72
  3. Washington 45
  4. Jefferson 26
  5. Stevens 17

Receiving votes: Mitchell 16, Spearfish 3, Aberdeen Central 2, Rapid City Central 1. 

 

Class A

  1. SF Christian (11) 173
  2. Mahpiya Luta (7) 160
  3. Hamlin 120
  4. Dakota Valley 119
  5. Sioux Valley 94
  6. Wagner 88
  7. Vermillion 62
  8. Mobridge-Pollock 52
  9. Lennox 39
  10. Flandreau 29

Receiving votes: West Central 19, Aberdeen Roncalli 11, Clark/Willow Lake 6, St. Thomas More 4, Groton Area 4, Mount Vernon/Plankinton 3, Miller 2, Canton 2, Lakota Tech 2, Pine Ridge 1. 

 

Class B 

  1. Bennett County (15) 176
  2. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket 131
  3. Centerville (3) 108
  4. Lyman 106
  5. Parkston 96
  6. Harding County 75
  7. Ethan 72
  8. Deubrook Area 39
  9. Colman-Egan 37
  10. St. Mary’s & Freeman 31

Receiving votes: Corsica-Stickney 23, Arlington 21, Lemmon 11, De Smet 11, Kadoka Area 6, Waubay-Summit 6, Gayville-Volin 5, Warner 2, Northwestern 1, Chester 1, Avon 1.

Mitchell

The Kernels each received many votes in the preseason poll for the 2025-26 season. Last season, the Mitchell boys were voted to the top spot in the preseason poll coming off their state championship season in 2023-24. All teams who finished ahead of the boys are teams who they faced in the state tournament this past season including Huron (3), Brandon Valley (2) and Sioux Falls Lincoln (1). The Mitchell girls were not ranked last year and did not receive votes either but coming off their Consolation Championship this past season where they finished fifth at State, they managed to make the receiving votes category with 16 votes. Just one shy of the Top 5 in Class AA.

See the 2024-25 poll here.

Key losses for the Mitchell teams include: Markus Talley (All-ESD, All-State First Team & AA Player of the Year), Gavin Hinker (All-ESD & All-State Second Team), Carsyn Weich & Lauren VanOvershelde. (all awards from 2024-25 only)

Key returners: Addie Siemsen (All-ESD & All-Tournament) & Colton Smith (All-State Second Team).

Additional Players to Watch: Collin Weier (Junior), Owen Schelske (Sophomore), Luke LeBrun (Senior), Carter McCormick (Senior), Londyn Hajek (Sophomore), CeCe Morgan (8th) & Nia Talley (8th).