Tight Races Shaping South Dakota High School Basketball Postseason Picture
February is here, signaling a quickening pace in the race for postseason positioning in South Dakota high school basketball. The first girls regional playoff games are less than three weeks away, followed closely by the boys.
Certain regions are proving particularly competitive, elevating the importance of seeding and creating intense battles before the statewide SoDak 16 tournament. The South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) oversees the development and conduct of these tournaments.
Let’s begin with what is shaping up to be the most high-stakes region in all of South Dakota high school basketball: Region 4B on the boys side.
Boasting a top trio of Viborg-Hurley, Parkston and Freeman, Region 4B is home to three of the top five teams in the overall Class B seed-point standings. Viborg-Hurley currently leads, with Parkston and Freeman in fourth and fifth place, respectively. According to recent poll rankings, Viborg-Hurley is No. 3, Freeman is No. 4, and Parkston is No. 7.
The Cougars, Trojans and Flyers have a combined record of 37-7, but only two teams from each region qualify for the statewide postseason, guaranteeing one of these top teams will not advance. In their only head-to-head matchup this season, Viborg-Hurley edged Freeman in double-overtime in the season opener.
The rest of the region is also competitive, with Irene-Wakonda and Centerville both holding nine wins, and Gayville-Volin with eight. Centerville is the only Class B team to have defeated Viborg-Hurley this season.
Last year, Viborg-Hurley advanced out of the region as the top seed, and Freeman knocked off Parkston in a closely contested region semifinal on Parkston’s home court. Both the Cougars and Flyers then made it to the Class B state tournament.
Turning to the girls’ competition, Region 2A features three of the top four teams in the overall Class A standings: Hamlin, Clark/Willow Lake and Sioux Valley.
Sioux Valley defeated Clark/Willow Lake in the season opener, but the Cyclones haven’t lost since. Hamlin handled Sioux Valley early in the season. Hamlin currently leads with 46.385 seed points, followed closely by Clark/Willow Lake with 45.462 and Sioux Valley with 45.214.
The Cossacks have the easier road to the finish line, as every team remaining on their schedule has at least five losses. Hamlin’s schedule is more challenging, including upcoming matchups with Lennox, Aberdeen Roncalli, and Sioux Falls Christian, in addition to Clark/Willow Lake.
Region 2A has been well-represented in the statewide playoffs in recent years, with two of the three top teams advancing in each of the past three seasons.
In Class B, Region 2B is proving to be a strong contender. Castlewood and De Smet are currently second and third overall in Class B, separated by a very small margin in seed points. Deubrook Area is 10th, Estelline/Hendricks is 11th, and Wessington Springs is 16th. These five teams boast a combined record of 56-5.
Last season, Castlewood, as the top seed, needed overtime to defeat De Smet by two points in the region tournament.
Region 3B is also highly competitive, led by Sanborn Central/Woonsocket. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket is currently ninth in the overall Class B standings, with a narrow lead over the rest of the region. Bridgewater-Emery, Sioux Falls Lutheran, Howard, and Ethan are all vying for the No. 2 spot, separated by less than 0.85 seed points.
The State Girls Basketball Tournaments are scheduled for March 12-14, 2026, in Rapid City and Watertown. The State Boys Basketball Tournaments will follow on March 19-21, 2026, in Rapid City, Watertown, and Aberdeen.
