Fresh off its first state championship since 2005, Mitchell landed two players on this year’s Class AA all-state boys basketball first team. The all-state teams are chosen by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association. 

The Kernels were represented on the first team by junior Markus Talley and sophomore Colton Smith. Senior Gavin Soukup was a second-team selection. 

Harrisburg’s Jacoby Mehrman and Braeden VanBockern were also first-team selections. Mehrman is the Class AA player of the year. 

Brandon Valley’s Josh Olthoff and Huron’s Blake Ellwein rounded out the first-team honorees. 

A 6-foot-1 junior guard, Talley paced the Kernels with 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. A 6-foot-5 sophomore forward/guard, Smith averaged 18.3 points, nine rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. 

Harrisburg's Jacoby Mehrman goes up for a shot at the Class AA boys basketball tournament in Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

A 6-foot-4 senior guard, Mehrman averaged 17.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He scored 1,209 career points, finishing as a top-20 scorer in Class AA boys basketball history. Mehrman, who was the Class AA Spirit of Su, will play college basketball at the University of Sioux Falls. 

A 6-foot-3 senior guard, VanBockern formed a dynamic scoring backcourt with Mehrman. VanBockern averaged 16.1 points per game and logged a Class AA-high 40 points in a game this season. Mehrman and VanBockern led Harrisburg to a third-place finish at the state tourney. 

Olthoff, a 6-foot-8 senior center, powered the Lynx to a Class AA runner-up finish this season. He averaged 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Olthoff finished his career with 683 points, 351 rebounds and 157 assists. 

Ellwein is a rising 6-foot-8 sophomore guard, who averaged 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season. He’s already garnering Division I interest, including a recent scholarship offer from the University of South Dakota. 

Here are the complete South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association Class AA all-state teams: 

CLASS AA

First Team

Jacoby Mehrman, Harrisburg, 6-4, sr., G (17.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.7 apg, 56 steals)

Markus Talley, Mitchell, 6-1, jr., G (16.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.1 apg)

Josh Olthoff, Brandon Valley, 6-8, sr., C (12.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.5 apg)

Braeden VanBockern, Harrisburg, 6-3, sr., G (16.1 ppg)

Blake Ellwein, Huron, 6-8, so., G (17.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.3 apg)

Colton Smith, Michell, 6-5, so., F-G (18.3 ppg, 9 rpg, 3.8 apg)

Second Team

Gavin Soukup, Mitchell, 6-3, sr., G (12.1 ppg, 4.2 rpog, 3.1 apg)

Dylon Rawdon, Watertown, 6-0, sr., G (14.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.1 apg)

Tommy Hoffman, SF Washington, 6-2, jr., G (13.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4 apg)

Ryan Heinert, Sturgis, 6-3, jr., F (19.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.5 apg)

Dawson Sechser, SF Jefferson, 6-1, sr., G (12 ppg, 3.1 rpg)

Hayden Goff, SF Roosevelt, 6-0, sr., G (13 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.6 apg)

Honorable Mention

Landon Dulaney, Brandon Valley, 6-1, jr., G (8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.1 apg)

Jett Zabel, Pierre, 6-5, sr., F-C (13.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg)

Cam Phipps, Harrisburg, 6-6, sr., F (12 ppg, 4.8 rpg)

Dayler Segrist, RC Stevens, 6-2, jr., G (12.6 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 50 3-pointers)

Tate Schaefer, SF Lincoln, 6-1, sr., G (12.1 ppg, 51 3-pointers)

Landon Potts, Yankton, 6-1, sr., G (17 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 60 3-pointers)