White River’s Joe Sayler and De Smet’s Damon Wilkinson headline this season’s Class B all-state team, which is selected by the South Dakota High School Basketball Coaches Association. 

Sayler is the Class B player of the year and is making his third consecutive first-team selection. Wilkinson was a second-team honoree last season.

They’re joined on the first team by Lower Brule’s Brian LaRoche Jr., and Gavin Thigh, Aberdeen Christian’s Ethan Russell and Bridgewater-Emery’s Sutton Arend. 

A 6-foot-3 guard, Sayler averaged a Class B-best 30.8 points per game and racked up 769 points this season. The bouncy shooting guard also posted 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while throwing down a number of highlight reel dunks. 

He broke the White River school record for 3-pointers in a game (13) and season (106). Sayler tossed in a career-high 51 points this season against Kadoka Area. Sayler scored 2,702 career points, the fifth most in South Dakota boys basketball history. Sayler led White River to its 18th consecutive Class B state tournament berth, where it finished fourth this season. 

He will play college basketball at South Dakota State University.

De Smet's Damon Wilkinson celebrates winning the Class B state championship this season. (Matt Gade / For 605 Sports)

Wilkinson anchored the post for De Smet, which won its third straight Class B state championship this season. The 6-foot-10 Wilkinson logged 22 points and 13 rebounds per game this season, while he swatted 43 shots on defense and threw down a number of slam dunks. He posted a number of double-doubles this season, including 18 points and 20 rebounds in the state championship win over Lower Brule. 

Wilkinson scored 530 points and collected 332 records this season. Wilkinson finished his career with 1,188 points and 785 rebounds, the most in De Smet boys basketball history. The Bulldogs went 94-7 during Wilkinson’s varsity career.

Wilkinson will play college basketball at South Dakota State. 

LaRoche and Thigh — the Sioux’s two dynamic senior scoring guards — powered Lower Brule to two straight Class B runner-up finishes. LaRoche was third-team selection last season, while Thigh is making his first-ever all-state team. 

Lower Brule's Gavin Thigh (5) fights to the basket as White River's TJ Beardt (22) defends during a game in the semifinals on the second day of the Class B State tournament. (Matt Gade / For 605 Sports)

LaRoche recorded 24.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, while totaling 83 steals on defense. He erupted for a career-high 57 points and 12 3-pointers in a win over Cheyenne-Eagle Butte this season. A 6-foot-1 guard, LaRoche racked up 611 points this season and scored his 1,000th career point last season. 

Thigh tallied 18.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, while racking up 65 steals on defense. Thigh poured in a career-high 42 points against Little Wound this season. A 5-foot-11 guard, Thigh piled up 471 points this season and scored his 1,000th career point midway through the year.  

Russell was a second-team honoree last season. A 6-foot-7 senior forward, Russell logged 16.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season. Russell scored his 1,000th career point this season. He led the Knights to a third-place finish at the state tournament. 

Arend is making his first-ever appearance on the all-state team. A 6-foot-4 senior guard, Arend logged 22 points and nine rebounds per game for the Huskies. Arend, who will play at Mount Marty University, scored his 1,000th career point this season. 

The second team consists of Aberdeen Christian’s Malek Wieker, Harding County’s Keegan Hett, Viborg-Hurley’s Nick Hanson, Castlewood’s Bryon Laue and Lane Tvedt and Faith’s Jackson Schauer. 

The third team includes Gregory’s Daniel Mitchell, Canistota’s Tage Ortman, Ethan’s Riley Endres, White River’s Nicolas Marshall, Faulkton Area’s Layne Cotton and Herreid/Selby Area’s Tray Hettick. 

CLASS B

First Team

Joe Sayler, White River, 6-3, sr., G (30.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.7 apg)

Damon Wilkinson, De Smet, 6-10, sr., C (22 ppg, 13 rpg)

Brian LaRoche Jr., Lower Brule, 6-1, sr., G-F (24.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 83 steals)

Ethan Russell, Aberdeen Christian, 6-7, sr., G-F (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg)

Gavin Thigh, Lower Brule, 5-11, sr., G-F (18.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 65 steals)

Sutton Arend, Bridgewater-Emery, 6-4, sr., G (22 ppg, 9 rpg)

Second Team

Malek Wieker, Aberdeen Christian, 6-1, sr., G (15 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.4 apg)

Keegan Hett, Harding County, 6-1, sr., G (19.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 96 steals)

Nick Hanson, Viborg-Hurley, 6-6, so., C (16.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 55 blocks)

Bryon Laue, Castlewood, 6-8, so., C (14.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 62 blocks)

Lane Tvedt, Castlewood, 6-0, jr., G (16.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 64 steals)

Jackson Schauer, Faith, 6-1, jr., G (20.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 66 steals)

Third Team

Daniel Mitchell, Gregory, 6-7, jr., F (15 ppg, 8.4 rpg)

Tage Ortman, Canistota, 5-11, jr., G (18.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.5 apg)

Riley Endres, Ethan, 6-0, sr., G (15.2 ppg, 7 rpg)

Nicolas Marshall, White River, 6-1, jr., G (17.8 ppg, 4 rpg, 5.3 apg, 82 steals)

Layne Cotton, Faulkton Area, 6-3, jr., F (23.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg)

Tray Hettick, Herreid-Selby Area, 6-2, sr., G (18.8 ppg, 5 rpg, 7 apg)

• Repeat Selections — 2022 (Sayler and Wieker, first team; Wilkinson, Mitchell and Russell, second team; LaRoche Jr., third team); 2021 (Sayler, first team; Wieker, second team; and Mitchell, third team).

• Player of the Year — Sayler.