South Dakota Playoff Central: March 2
Catch your breath South Dakota. You had a big day Tuesday of playoff action and now there is back to back days of important games to enjoy. Dig in with PHD Playoff Central!
The Big Stage! Elmen Center. Deciding a Sweet 16! The eyes of South Dakota will be on the back to back Region 3A games when four ranked teams fight for survival. The games between Madison and Flandreau, as well as Dell Rapids vs SF Christian will rival Class A State Tournament first round games. Will the defending champion fail to make the Sweet 16? It’s possible as Dell Rapids has beaten a top ten team five times already this year. But SF Christian crushed them two months ago 85-61.
The Webster Armory once again is a good place to be with Sisseton taking on Milbank Area and Groton Area facing Aberdeen Roncalli in back to back games starting at 6pm. The winners move on to the Sweet 16 which will be playing
All of Class A remaining teams play tonight meaning it’s pretty much the round of 32. After tonight there will be 16 teams remaining to form the Sweet 16! Those games will be played next Tuesday.
Now, they must play for their life. AA is the only place where you get a second chance and who gets that second chance? Most noteworthy is Brandon Valley and SF Washington, both of which spent much of the season in the top five. But Harrisburg upset Brandon Valley and Lincoln once again is surging at the right time beating Washington by two. Brandon Valley and Washington fight for their life Friday. Solid teams also playing for their playoff life on Friday are Douglas, Watertown, and Aberdeen Central and all should be favorites in their games.
Upset City! Tuesday saw zero upsets in Class A. Zero. But as we said in Class AA, Harrisburg and SF Lincoln are two of the hottest teams in the state and both won their game meaning tomorrow night one of them will earn a chance to play for state! And to think that a month ago Harrisburg was 3-10 (now 11-11) while Lincoln was 4-9, but is now 10-11.
Herried/Selby Area and James Valley Christian are likely the best Class B teams that has been knocked out. They were a 14-6 team beaten by a quality Faulkton Area squad that is now 14-7.
Class B. The schedule is different all over. Teams like Langford Area and Warner (District 2), Wolsey-Wessington and Sanborn Central/Woonsocket (District 6) are playing for the District title tonight. Potter County and previously mentioned Faulkton Area are playing for the District title tomorrow as are Chester Area and Colman-Egan (District 7).
In District 5 the semi-finals are tonight and the finals will be on Saturday for one of the few Saturday games. District 13 is going back to back with White River vs Kadoka and Crazy Horse vs Lyman tonight with the final tomorrow. District 14 is following a similar plan to accommodate their teams and communities.
Hat Tip to a Great Career. Eric Hasart had a really nice career for the Vikings of JVC. The 6-foot-3 forward had several double-double nights including the 27 and 15 against Kimball, the 26 and 12 against Estelline, and the 26 and 13 he recorded vs Highmore/Harrold. It was a great senior year for Hasart