MITCHELL — The 43rd annual boys basketball Hanson Classic is Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Corn Palace. 

The eight-game event features nine teams either ranked or receiving votes in the latest South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll. 

The classic starts at 10 a.m. with White River vs. Gregory and concludes with Rapid City Christian vs. Hamlin at 8:30 p.m.

The classic will be livestreamed for $15 at www.beavers.liveticket.tv.

Here are five matchups to watch at this year’s Hanson Classic 

St. Thomas More vs. Dakota Valley

East meets west as two Class A powers will face off at 2:30 p.m.

St. Thomas More and Dakota Valley, a pair of Class A state tourney regulars, will play for the first time since 2022. 

The Cavaliers (9-3) are paced by Noah Wald, Broeden Sales, Baron Slusarski, Wyatt Gylten, Max Speed and Ashton Paulsen. On Tuesday against Lead-Deadwood, Wald scored 14 points and Sales added 12 points. 

Dakota Valley (8-2) is led by all-stater Luke Bruns, who averages 24.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Logan Collette (16.1 ppg) also averages in double figures. 

Lennox vs. Clark/Willow Lake 

Lennox and Clark/Willow Lake will get reacquainted on the basketball court at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Orioles and Cyclones played six times from 2014-18, but discontinued their series the past few seasons. They’ll renew their series at 4 p.m.

Class A No. 4 Lennox (7-2) is paced by Boston Katzer, Aiden Hanssen and Teegan Musser. The trio combined for 42 of Lennox’s 58 points in a win over Vermillion on Jan. 16. 

Clark/Willow Lake (8-2) is led by Emmerson Larson, Chris Bevers, Bo Begeman and Sullivan Felberg. Felberg, a 6-foot-7 freshman forward, tallied 25 points and six rebounds in a recent win over Deuel. 

Dell Rapids St. Mary vs. Parkston 

Parkston, a new Class B team, will play No. 2 Dell Rapids St. Mary at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Parkston (9-1) dropped down from Class A to Class B this season, and the Trojans have put together a nice season so far. The Trojans have wins over Class A teams Tri-Valley, Chamberlain, Aberdeen Roncalli, Winner, Hanson, Miller and Wagner. 

The Trojans will now play Dell Rapids St. Mary (10-1) in a key Class B tilt. 

Parkston is led by sophomore guard Brycen Bruening, who tallied 30 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals against Wagner on Jan. 16. 

The Cardinals, meanwhile, will conclude their week with another big Class B matchup. Dell Rapids St. Mary lost to No. 1 Castlewood (63-59) on Jan. 21. The Cardinals are powered by all-state guard Trevon Beckman, who tossed in 42 points in a 78-72 win over Dawson-Boyd, Minnesota, on Jan. 18. Six-foot-6 Maverick LeBrun, a future SDSU football player, also headlines the Cardinals. 

Viborg-Hurley vs. Castlewood 

Here we go again.

Last season, Castlewood and Viborg-Hurley played a 55-54 thriller at the Hanson Classic. The Cougars outlasted the Warriors, rallying back from an 18-point deficit for the win. The teams also played in the 2023 state tournament, a 46-41 Castlewood win for the consolation championship

For No. 1 Castlewood (10-1), it continues a big week for the Warriors. Castlewood edged Class B No. 2 Dell Rapids St. Mary (63-59) on Jan. 21. 

The Warriors are headlined by all-state senior center Bryon Laue, a 6-foot-9 post headed to the University of Sioux Falls. Laue tallied 19 points and 23 rebounds against DRSM. Brody Bass (20 points), Kamden Keszler (nine points), Jamison Keszler (seven points) and Luke Baumberger (five points) also contributed to the win. 

No. 3 Viborg-Hurley (10-1) has a post player that can contend with Laue, in 6-foot-8 senior Nick Hanson. Hanson was also an all-stater last season, averaging 23.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. The Cougars are also led by Braydyn Morrison, Brenner Gerdes, Jake Austin, Nolan Kolthoff, Brady Schroedermeier and Owen Niederbaumer. 

The matchup also features two Castlewood High School alums as head coaches, in Paul Raasch (Castlewood) and Shane Warwick (Viborg-Hurley). 

Rapid City Christian vs. Hamlin 

Another Saturday, another marquee Class A matchup. 

On Jan. 11, No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian defeated No. 2 Hamlin and followed it up with a win over No. 3 Rapid City Christian on Jan. 18. On Jan. 25, No. 2 Hamlin will play No. 3 Rapid City Christian in another key Class A contest. 

Hamlin (8-2) is headlined by all-state point guard Easton Neuendorf, who scored his 1,000th career point this season. Neuendorf tossed in 19 points and five 3-pointers in Hamlin’s 88-47 win over De Smet on Jan. 21.

The Chargers nailed 18 3-pointers in the win. Against De Smet, Jackson Wadsworth scored 20 points and hit six 3-pointers. Zac Van Meeteren tallied 16 points. Evan Stormo scored 14 points. Boden Stevenson scored nine points and Dawson Noem had five points.

Rapid City Christian (10-1) is led by a host of guards, including Benson Kieffer, Simon Kieffer, Wes Schlabach and Aiden Roberts. Julius Frog, a 6-foot-5 forward, gives Rapid City Christian production in the post. 

The pairings are listed below

White River vs. Gregory, 10 a.m.

Mobridge-Pollock vs. Sioux Valley, 11:30 a.m.

Leola/Frederick Area vs. Hanson, 1 p.m.

St. Thomas More vs. Dakota Valley, 2:30 p.m.

Lennox vs. Clark/Willow Lake, 4 p.m.

Dell Rapids St. Mary vs. Parkston, 5:30 p.m.

Viborg-Hurley vs. Castlewood, 7 p.m.

Rapid City Christian vs. Hamlin, 8:30 p.m.