RAPID CITY — The Dak-XII Conference holds down the top of the field heading into the Class A state tournament.

Sioux Falls Christian, the defending Class A state champions, earned the No. 1 seed with a 20-1 record. Its only loss came against the No. 2 seeded West Central Trojans, which is riding a perfect record (22-0) into the Summit Arena at the Monument.

The Chargers will open the state tournament against No. 8 St. Thomas More on Thursday at 11 a.m., MT, followed by No. 4 Hamlin taking on No. 5 Groton Area at 12:45 p.m., MT. The night session includes No. 2 West Central playing No. 7 Cheyenne-Eagle at 5 p.m., MT, closing out the night with No. 3 Clark/Willow Lake taking on No. 6 Stanley County at 6:45 p.m., MT.

Here’s a look at all eight teams in the field:

No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian

Record: 20-1

Coach: Mike Schouten

Key Players: Brant Wassenaar (22 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg), Cooper Goodbary (12 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg), Ryan Dieleman (7 ppg, 5 rpg), Carson Nickles (11 ppg), Canyon Prins (12 ppg, 6 rpg)

Notes: No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian plays No. 8 St. Thomas More at 11 a.m., MT, in the first round. … The Chargers defeated St. Thomas More, 66-38, earlier this season. … SFC is the defending Class A state champions after defeating Hamlin (61-51) in the title game last season. … Wassenaar, a 6-foot-4 junior guard, holds offers from Division I teams including South Dakota State, the University of South Dakota and Drake. … Wassenaar recently eclipsed 1,000 career points against Dakota Valley on March 6. … Goodbary, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, will play basketball at Northern State next season. … Dieleman, a 6-foot-9 sophomore center, holds an offer to play basketball at Augustana. … Nickles, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, will play basketball at Morningside University next season. ... Schouten recently earned his 500th career coaching win earlier this season.

No. 8 St. Thomas More

Record: 17-5

Coach: Tony Young

Key Players: Buzzy Gylten (18.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg), Ashton Paulsen (12.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.1 spg), Baron Slusarski (8.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg), Broeden Sales (6.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 spg), Max Speed (6.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg).

Notes: No. 8 St. Thomas More plays No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian at 11 a.m., MT, in the first round. … The Cavaliers lost to Sioux Falls Christian, 66-38, earlier this season. … St. Thomas More defeated Lead-Deadwood (54-37) in Region 8A play. The Cavaliers qualified for the state tournament after beating Lennox (57-55) in the SoDak 16. … STM is making its first appearance in the state tournament since 2022 when it took third place.  

No. 4 Hamlin

Record: 20-3

Coach: Todd Neuendorf

Key Players: Jackson Wadsworth (21 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.3 rpg, 1.9 spg), Boden Stevenson (17.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.5 spg), Jack Stormo (7.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.2 apg), Aiden Abraham (7.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.2 spg).

Notes: No. 4 Hamlin plays No. 5 Groton Area at 12:45 p.m., MT, in the first round. … Hamlin lost to Groton Area, 55-50, in the first game of the season. … Wadsworth, a 6-foot-3 senior forward, will play basketball at Northern State next season. … Hamlin defeated Florence-Henry (73-33) and Sioux Valley (67-44) in Region 2A play. The Chargers qualified for the state tournament with a 65-33 win over Rapid City Christian in the SoDak 16. … The Chargers have made it to the state championship each of the last two seasons, winning the Class A title in 2024.

No. 5 Groton Area

Record: 18-4

Coach: Greg Kjellsen

Key Players: Ryder Johnson (14.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.5 apg), Karson Zak (12.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.2 apg), Keegen Tracy (12.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.8 apg), Gage Sippel (10.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 bpg).

Notes: No. 5 Groton Area plays No. 4 Hamlin at 12:45 p.m., MT, in the first round. … The Tigers defeated Hamlin back on Dec. 12, 55-50, in Groton. … Groton Area defeated Millbank (61-35) in Region 1A play. The Tigers qualified for the state tournament with a 62-54 win over Pine Ridge in the SoDak 16. … Groton Area took seventh place in the state tournament last season. … This will be Groton Area’s third-consecutive trip to the state tournament, and fourth in the last five years. 

No. 2 West Central

Record: 22-0

Coach: Dave Hollenbeck

Key Players: Conner Mebius (17.8 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.4 rpg, 2.5 spg), Will Kuhl (16 ppg 6.9 rpg, 1.2 spg), Hayden Heier (10.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 spg).

Notes: No. 2 West Central plays No. 7 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte at 5 p.m., MT, in the first round. … Kuhl, a 6-foot-10 senior forward/center, will play basketball at Northern State next season. … West Central defeated Dell Rapids (71-46) in Region 3A play. The Trojans qualified for the state tourney after beating Webster Area (73-39) in the SoDak 16. … West Central won the consolation championship at the state tournament last season, its first appearance since 2001.  

No. 7 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte

Record: 20-3

Coach: Galen Eberhard

Key Players: Damien Clown (13.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2 apg, 1.9 spg), Levi Elk Nation (13.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.7 spg), Nehemiah Veaux (9.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.8 spg), Kobe White (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.4 spg), Nicholas Woods II (7.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.7 spg).

Notes: No. 7 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte plays No. 2 West Central at 5 p.m., MT, in the first round. … Cheyenne-Eagle Butte defeated Crow Creek (86-23) and Mobridge-Pollock (46-30) in Region 6A play. The Braves qualified for the state tournament after knocking off Mahpiya Luta (70-57) in the SoDak 16, avenging a double-overtime defeat in the Lakota Nation Invitational championship. … The Braves are making its first appearance in the Class A state tournament since 2014. 

No. 3 Clark/Willow Lake

Record: 20-2

Coach: Jerome Nesheim

Key Players: Sullivan Felberg (16.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1 bpg), Chris Bevers (15 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 spg), Emmerson Larson (11.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.6 spg), Bo Begeman (9.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2 apg, 1.2 spg).

Notes: No. 3 Clark/Willow Lake plays No. 6 Stanley County at 6:45 p.m., MT, in the first round. … Felberg, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, holds a college basketball offer from Northern State. … Clark/Willow Lake defeated Elkton-Lake Benton (93-35) in Region 2A play. The Cyclones qualified for the state tournament by beating McCook Central-Montrose (77-41) in the SoDak 16. … Clark/Willow Lake is making a second-straight appearance in the Class A state tournament since winning the Class B state tournament in 2019. Clark/Willow Lake took eighth place at the state tournament last season.

No. 6 Stanley County

Record: 20-2

Coach: Joey Fischer

Key Players: Eddie Duffy (19.7 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.2 spg, 2 apg), Paxton Deal (16.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2 spg, 2 apg), Teegyn Breitag (9.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1 spg).