By Ryan Deal 

605 Sports

Two top-five teams — Lower Brule and West Central — will collide in Saturday’s nightcap at the Sacred Hoops/Sun Gold Sports Classic at the Corn Palace. Lower Brule is No. 3 in Class B, while West Central is No. 5 in Class A.

For both teams, it’s another tough opponent on their respective schedules. Lower Brule, which captured its first Lakota Nation Invitational since 2004, has defeated Class B powers White River and Viborg-Hurley this season. The Sioux are coming off a 53-52 defeat against Class A Clark/Willow Lake at the Huron Holiday Classic. 

Lower Brule (5-1) will also play in the Dakota Oyate Challenge, Dakota Wesleyan University Classic and Warner Classic this season. 

West Central (4-1) began the season with an 85-74 win over 2021 Class A state champ Sioux Falls Christian. It also recorded wins over Mount Vernon/Plankinton, Garretson and Dell Rapids. The Trojans, who dropped a 67-55 decision against Winner, will play No. 1 Dakota Valley on Jan. 11. The remainder of the daunting Dakota XII Conference schedule also looms for West Central.

The entire Sacred Hoops/Sun Gold Sports Classic schedule:

Crow Creek vs. Kimball/White Lake (boys), 9 a.m.

Madison vs. Pine Ridge (girls), 10:30 a.m.

Madison vs. Winner (boys), noon

Kimball/White Lake vs. Lower Brule (girls), 1:30 p.m.

Custer vs. Parkston (boys), 3 p.m.

Lennox vs. Pine Ridge (boys), 4:30 p.m.

Custer vs. Crow Creek (girls), 6 p.m.

West Central vs. White River (girls), 7:30 p.m.

West Central vs. Lower Brule (boys), 9 p.m.

Vincent joins Sioux Valley 1,000-point club

Sioux Valley junior Oliver Vincent recorded his 1,000th career point on Dec. 29 against Baltic. 

The all-state guard scored 15 points to reach the milestone and joined an impressive list of 1,000-point scorers in Cossack history. 

Vincent joins the likes of Tayt Vincent (1,837), Ben Miller (1,434), J.F. Jensen (1,388), Trevor Olson (1,372), Max Nielson (1,338), Collin Kramer (1,223), Trevor Hanson (1,196) and Andy Kleinjan (1,159) as some other Cossacks to reach 1,000 career points. 

No. 2 Sioux Valley (3-1) will again play Baltic on Thursday in the opening round of the Big East Conference tourney in Volga. 

Hinker continues climb up Kernel scoring list

Mitchell’s Caden Hinker continued his climb up the Kernel boys basketball scoring list. 

The all-state forward logged 28 points in Mitchell’s 84-79 win over Campbell County, Wyoming, at the Hoop City Classic on Dec. 29. 

Hinker has 1,202 career points, surpassing Tyson Theeler (1,192) for second on the Kernel all-time scoring list. Mitchell Kernel great Mike Miller is No. 1 with 1,724 career points. 

The other 1,000-point scorers include: Scott Morgan (1,151), Bart Friedrick (1,149) and Beau Brown (1,081).

The Kernels host Harrisburg tonight at the Corn Palace.