Guards rule the Class B all-state boys basketball first team. 

The team, which was chosen by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association, is headlined by six first-team guards. 

De Smet’s Kalen Garry, White River’s Joe Sayler, Potter County’s Grant Luikens, Lower Brule’s Keshaume Thigh, Aberdeen Christian’s Malek Wieker and De Smet’s Rett Osthus make up the first team. 

Garry is the repeat Class B Player of the Year and is making his fourth all-state team. Garry was selected to his third straight first team, while he was a second-team honoree in 2019. 

Garry, along with Osthus, powered the Bulldogs to their second straight Class B state championship. A 6-foot-3 shooting guard, Garry recorded 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists per game and hammered down countless slam dunks this season. He graduates as De Smet’s all-time leading scorer with 2,093 career points, which is also 25th on the state’s all-time scoring list. Garry, who will play basketball at South Dakota State University, received the prestigious Spirit of Su award at the state tournament. 

Sayler was selected to his second straight all-state first team. A 6-foot-3 bouncy junior guard, Sayler averaged a Class B-best 29.1 points per game and collected six rebounds a contest. He added 60 steals and threw down countless dunks during the season. Sayler was an all-tourney selection for the Tigers, who finished third at the state tournament. He’s committed to play basketball at South Dakota State University.

Luikens was a third-team selection last season. He paced the Battlers with 21.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and three assists per game, while racking up 67 steals. He was an all-tourney selection for the Battlers, who finished fourth at state. He recorded his 1,000th career point this season. 

Thigh is making his first all-state team. A 6-foot-2 guard/forward, Thigh powered the Sioux to a runner-up finish at the state tournament. He logged 18.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 79 steals this season. The all-tourney selection recorded his 1,000th career point this season. 

Wieker landed on the first team after earning second-team honors last season. A 6-foot guard, Wieker recorded 17.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for Aberdeen Christian, which finished seventh at the state tourney. Wieker, who was an all-tourney selection, broke Aberdeen Christian’s school record for most 3-pointers made in a season. 

Osthus was a second-team all-stater last season. The heady point guard engineered De Smet’s offensive attack and regularly defended the opposing team’s top perimeter player. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 10.1 points, five assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. Osthus, who finished with 1,022 career points, will play basketball next season at Dakota Wesleyan University.

Waubay/Summit’s Damon Opdahl, De Smet’s Damon Wilkinson, Gregory’s Daniel Mitchell, White River’s Dylan Marshall, Potter County’s Cooper Logan and Aberdeen Christian’s Ethan Russell were second-team all-staters. 

Burke’s Bryce Frank, Platte-Geddes’ Caden Foxley, Wessington Springs’ Mason Schelske, Timber Lake’s Hank Kraft, Lower Brule’s Brian LaRoche Jr., and Freeman Academy/Marion’s Quincy Blue were third-team all-staters. 

2021-22 Class B All-State Boys Basketball Team

Chosen by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association

CLASS B

First Team

Kalen Garry, De Smet, 6-3, sr., G (21 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3 apg)

Joe Sayler, White River, 6-3, jr., G (29.1 ppg, 6 rpg, 60 steals)

Grant Luikens, Potter County, 6-3, sr., G (21.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3 apg, 67 steals)

Keshaume Thigh, Lower Brule, 6-2, sr., F-G (18.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 79 steals)

Malek Wieker, Aberdeen Christian, 6-0, jr., G (17.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.5 apg)

Rett Osthus, De Smet, 6-1, sr., G (10.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5 apg)

Second Team

Damon Opdahl, Waubay-Summit, 6-0, jr., G (17.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5 apg, 78 steals)

Damon Wilkinson, De Smet, 6-9, jr., C (14.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 43 blocks)

Daniel Mitchell, Gregory, 6-7, so., F (19.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 48 blocks)

Dylan Marshall, White River, 6-0, sr., G (15.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.5 apg, 57 steals)

Cooper Logan, Potter County, 6-1, sr., G (19.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 57 steals)

Ethan Russell, Aberdeen Christian, 6-6, jr., F (14.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg)

Third Team

Bryce Frank, Burke, 6-4, sr., G (20 ppg, 4 rpg, 6 apg, 6 spg)

Caden Foxley, Platte-Geddes, 6-5, sr., C (16 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 63 blocks)

Mason Schelske, Wessington Springs, 6-6, sr., F (21.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.5 apg)

Hank Kraft, Timber Lake, 5-8, sr., G (16 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 54 steals)

Brian LaRoche Jr., Lower Brule, 6-1, jr., G-F (15.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 58 steals)

Quincy Blue, Freeman Academy-Marion, 6-0, sr., G (16.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

• Repeat Selections — 2021 (Garry, first team and Player of the Year; Sayler, first team; Osthus and Wieker, second team; Foxley, Luikens and Mitchell, third team); 2020 (Garry, first team and Player of the Year); 2019 (Garry, second team).