After a one-year hiatus, the Hoop City Classic is back on schedule.

The post-Christmas event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, but it will return to Mitchell and Sioux Falls on Dec. 28-30. The event began in 2010, and while some years have been hit with blizzard conditions, the 2020 event was the first to be canceled. 

“We are so excited,” Hoop City Classic Director Ernie Kuyper said. “There’s not too much more I can say. Just having the opportunity for the kids to play basketball and we are fired up.”

The three-day, 22-game event will again bring in-state and out-of-state talent to the Corn Palace in Mitchell and Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. The Corn Palace will host 11 games on Dec. 28-29, while the Pentagon will feature 11 games on Dec. 29-30. 

“In my opinion, there’s not two better places in the country to host a classic,” said Kuyper, who is a Mitchell native. “It’s just an honor to be able to play at both places.”

The premier matchup is Dec. 28 between Houston (Tenn.) and Totino-Grace (Minn.) at the Corn Palace. Mike Miller, a Mitchell native and former NBA swingman, is the head coach of Houston.

The Mustangs graduated a host of talent from last year’s Tennessee Class AAA state championship team. But they return juniors Mavrick Miller and Brock Vice. Miller, a 6-foot-5 forward, is Mike Miller’s youngest son. Vice is a 6-foot-10 power forward that holds offers from Division I schools Tennessee Tech and Central Arkansas.

“They are all juniors and sophomores this year,” Kuyper said about the Mustangs. “They are really young. So it’s going to be a year of development for them.”

Totino-Grace, a private Catholic high school in Minnesota, features five players ranked nationally by 247 Sports, including 2023 shooting guard Taison Chatman. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard holds offers from Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State, Marquette and Louisville. He’s a four-star prospect and ranked 31st nationally by 247 Sports.  

Demarion Watson and Ahjany Lee, a pair of 2022 forwards, recently committed to Division I programs. Watson, a 6-foot-6 small forward, committed to Iowa State over Vanderbilt, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and California. He’s a three-star prospect and ranked 139th nationally by 247 Sports.

Lee, a 6-foot-8 power forward, recently pledged to the University of St. Thomas over Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State and Minnesota. He’s a three-star prospect and ranked 175th nationally by 247 Sports. St. Thomas is transitioning from Division III to Division I and is a member of the Summit League. 

C.J. O'Hara, Patrick Bath and Tommy Humphries, a trio of 2023 prospects, are also members of the Eagles.

Kuyper built a relationship with Totino-Grace’s coach, Nick Carroll, when Miller played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kuyper and Carroll worked together to bring the Eagles in this year.

“I do a tournament in Memphis through the spring and summer,” Kuyper said. “He brought his kid’s team there. We were talking and he’s like ‘I need to do it this year.’ I am like ‘Great, we would love to have you.’ We invited them and set it up against Houston.” 

DeLaSalle (Minn.) will play against First Assembly Christian School (Tenn.) and Thunder Basin (Wyo.) on Dec. 28-29 at the Corn Palace and Pentagon, respectively. 

DeLaSalle has been an event regular since the first year and returns after last year’s cancellation. The Islanders have won 24 Minnesota state boys basketball championships. 

“They are like the Kernels of the 80s and 90s,” Kuyper said. “They are unbelievable. They are a staple of this event. They have been here every single year. It’s an awesome, storied program and they are a huge part of the Hoop City Classic.” 

Locally, the Mitchell boys and girls teams will play in the event. The Kernel teams will play Thunder Basin (Wyo.) and Campbell County (Wyo.) on Dec. 28-29 at the Corn Palace. The Mitchell boys are led by senior Caden Hinker, who is a 6-foot-6 all-state forward. 

White River and Aberdeen Christian -- a pair of 2021 State B boys basketball tournament participants -- will play in the nightcap on Dec. 28 at the Palace. White River is powered by junior Joe Sayler, who is an all-state guard committed to South Dakota State University. 

The Mitchell vs. Campbell County doubleheader is the only action at the Palace on Dec. 29. But two full days of action shifts to the Pentagon on Dec. 29-30. 

On Dec. 29, Sioux Falls Jefferson plays Houston and Sioux Falls Christian plays First Assembly Christian School (Tenn.) to conclude the six-game slate. 

On Dec. 30, the five-game schedule will feature Joe Hurlburt of Enderlin, North Dakota. The 6-foot-10 center committed to Colorado over offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Nebraska. Hurlburt is a four-star prospect and is ranked 117th nationally by 247 Sports. Hurlburt’s twin brother, Gus, is a 6-foot-9 forward that’s yet to make a college decision. 

Enderlin plays Canton to start the day. The event concludes with two matchups featuring in-state teams vs. out-of-state teams: Brandon Valley vs. Thunder Basin and Houston vs. St. Thomas More. 

“It’s going to be great seeing the best of South Dakota and the chance for these South Dakota kids to play some great national competition and see where they stack up,” Kuyper said.  

Schedule

Dec. 28 at Corn Palace

Bridgewater-Emery girls vs. Campbell County, 9 a.m.

Gregory vs. Canistota, 10:30 a.m.

First Assembly Christian School (Tenn.) vs. DeLaSalle (Minn.), noon

Yankton vs. Campbell County (Wyo.), 1:30 p.m.

Bridgewater-Emery vs. Waubay/Summit, 3 p.m.

Mitchell girls vs. Thunder Basin (Wyo.), 4:30 p.m.

Houston (Tenn.) vs. Totino-Grace (Minn.), 6 p.m.

Mitchell vs. Thunder Basin (Wyo.), 7:30 p.m.

White River vs. Aberdeen Christian, 9 p.m.

Dec. 29 at Corn Palace

Mitchell girls vs. Campbell County (Wyo.), 3 p.m.

Mitchell vs. Campbell County (Wyo.), 4:30 p.m.

Dec. 29 at Sanford Pentagon

Howard vs. Freeman Academy/Marion, 12:30 p.m.

Lower Brule vs. Viborg-Hurley, 2 p.m.

Garretson vs. Lennox, 3:30 p.m.

Thunder Basin vs. DeLaSalle (Minn.), 5 p.m.

Sioux Falls Jefferson vs. Houston (Tenn.), 6:30 p.m.

Sioux Falls Christian vs.  First Assembly Christian School (Tenn.), 8 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Sanford Pentagon

Canton vs. Enderlin (N.D.), 2 p.m.

Brandon Valley girls vs. Thunder Basin (Wyo.) girls, 3:30 p.m.

First Assembly Christian School (Tenn.) vs. Aberdeen Christian, 5 p.m.

Brandon Valley vs. Thunder Basin (Wyo.), 6:30 p.m.

Houston (Tenn.) vs. St. Thomas More, 8 p.m.