State Tournament Preview – White River vs Dell Rapids St. Mary

<p>The game that has our eye in Class B is White River vs Dell Rapids St Mary.  A couple of highly ranked squads with star power ready to entertain.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Team Profiles</strong></p> <p><strong>Dell Rapids St. Mary</strong></p> <p>Seed/Rank/Record:  6/3/19-4</p> <p>Top 3 Wins: Elkton-Lake Benton (twice), Howard, White River</p> <p>The 3 Ls:  DeSmet, Elkton-Lake Benton, Canisota</p> <p>Previous Meeting: St. Mary knocked off White River 89-72 at the Corn Palace on January 2nd. [player_tooltip player_id="757827" first="Connor" last="Libis"] exploded with a game high 43 points highlighted by four three-pointers. [player_tooltip player_id="975607" first="Ashaun" last="Roach-Valandra"] (senior) and John Pica (junior) had 15 points each in the win.</p> <p><strong>White River</strong></p> <p>Seed/Rank/Record:  3/7/17-5</p> <p>Top 3 Wins:  Platte-Geddes, Winner, Lyman</p> <p>The 3 Ls of Note:  Dell Rapids St. Mary, Canistota, De Smet</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The Match-Ups (DR-SM – WR)</strong></p> <p>PG:  [player_tooltip player_id="757827" first="Connor" last="Libis"] (5’9 Sr)  vs  Edge - Nicolas Marshall (6’1 Fr) - <strong>DR-SM</strong></p> <p>SG: Ty Brown (5’11 Jr)  vs. Edge - Colbe Scott (6’0 Sr) - <strong>WR</strong></p> <p>SF:  [player_tooltip player_id="1130563" first="Sam" last="Palmer"] (6’3 Sr)  vs. Edge - [player_tooltip player_id="968165" first="Dylan" last="Marshall"] (6’1 Sr) - <strong>WR </strong></p> <p>PF: [player_tooltip player_id="975515" first="Max" last="Herber"] (6’4 Sr) vs. [player_tooltip player_id="963747" first="Joe" last="Sayler"] (6’3 Soph) -<strong> WR</strong></p> <p>C:  [player_tooltip player_id="975607" first="Ashaun" last="Roach-Valandra"] (6’3 Sr) vs. Kenyon Easter (6’6 Sr) Edge -<strong> DR-SM</strong></p> <p>6th Man: John Pica (6’3 Jr) vs Daice Marshall (6’9 Sr) - Edge - <strong>DR-SM</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The Match-Up to Watch</strong></p> <p>Let’s be straight on this, while they may not go head to head much, it’s Libis vs Sayler.  Not just their own scoring production, and their teams will need them to produce their share, but also the way they involve others, playmake for others.  Playmaking is more than points.  Also, this is going to be a beefy battle up front.  These teams have some big players.  Pica is 245, Roach-Valandra is 260, and Herber is 215.  Daice Marshall is 270 for White River and Easter is about 225.  Big group.  Cards are bigger up front, Tigers have more shooters around the perimeter. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Prediction </strong></p> <p>I think the Cards have more versatility to use on both ends of the court.  Sayler is the number one prospect in the game with the highest ceiling, but Libis is at the moment the player that I think can pick apart the defense better and create for others.  This could be the most fun game of any first rounder, but I say the Cards by seven.  </p> <p>Dell Rapids St. Mary 75  White River 68</p>