The 2025 Hoop City Classic kicks off Dec. 29 with three days of basketball at the World’s Only Corn Palace in Mitchell.

You can stream all three days of the classic through a pay-per-view subscription at https://hoopcity.liveticket.tv/.

The event again includes plenty of in-state and out-of-state teams, while also featuring a number of talented players. 

Here’s a look at players to watch at this year’s Hoop City Classic.

Players to Watch

Marvin Richard III, Pine Ridge: A 6-foot-1 senior guard, Richard III is a scoring machine for the Pine Ridge Thorpes. Richard III averaged nearly 35 points per game last season and started his senior year recording his 2,000th career point. Richard III will play college basketball at the University of South Dakota.

Brady Schroedermeier, Viborg-Hurley: A 6-foot-1 senior guard, Brady Schroedermeier was an all-state second team selection last season. Schroedermeier averaged 11.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game with 57 steals as a junior for the Cougars. Schroedermeier will play football at South Dakota State University.

David Walter, Freeman: A 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, David Walter was an all-state third-team selection last year. Walter averaged 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game for the Flyers.

Ben Weber, Bridgewater-Emery: A 6-foot-5 senior forward, Ben Weber was an all-state second team selection last year. Weber averaged 19.3 points, 10 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game last season.

Brycen Bruening, Parkston: A 6-foot-1 junior guard, Brycen Bruening was an all-state honorable mention last season. Bruening averaged 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Trojans last season.

Tate Gerdes, Lennox: Gerdes, a 6-foot-3 senior forward, was a second-team all-stater last season. He averaged 15.5 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game. 

Blake Ellwein, Huron: A 6-foot-10 senior guard, Blake Ellwein was an all-state first team selection last season. Ellwein averaged 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Tigers last year. For his career, Ellwein has totaled 1,061 points, 363 rebounds, 165 assists, 92 steals and 78 blocked shots. Ellwein will play basketball at South Dakota State University.

Brant Wassenaar, Sioux Falls Christian: A 6-foot-5 junior guard, Wassenaar is one of the best players in South Dakota boys basketball. The returning all-stater played an important role in the Chargers’ banner season last year averaging 14.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Wassenaar has college basketball offers to South Dakota State, the University of South Dakota, Augustana, Northern State and Dordt.

Cooper Goodbary, Sioux Falls Christian: A 6-foot-5 senior forward, Goobary is a viable piece to the Chargers’ lineup. Goodbary was an all-state honorable mention selection last season for the defending Class A state champions. Goodbary will play college basketball at Northern State University.

Connor Mebius, West Central: A 5-foot-10 junior guard, Mebius was a third-team all-stater in 2025. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 assists and three rebounds per game. 

Will Kuhl, West Central: A 6-foot-9 senior forward, Kuhl was an honorable mention all-state selection in 2025. He averaged 13.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. He will play college basketball at Northern State University.

Colton Smith, Mitchell: A 6-foot-5 senior forward, Colton Smith was an all-state second-team selection last season. Smith averaged 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists last year for the Kernels. Smith began his senior season becoming the eighth player in Kernel boys basketball history to score 1,000 career points.

Addie Siemsen, Mitchell: A 5-foot-8 senior guard, Addie Siemsen was an all-state honorable mention last season. Siemsen tallied 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and two assists per game as a junior. Siemsen will play college basketball at Augustana.

Mak Scott, Lyman: A 6-foot senior, Scott was a first-team all-state selection last season. She averaged 18.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game last year. Scott has scored 1,681 career points through her junior year, a Lyman girls basketball record.

Toni Bryant, Zephyrillis Christian Academy (FL): A 6-foot-9 senior power forward, Bryant is the 23rd ranked player in the nation according to 247Sports.com. Bryant will play college basketball at the University of Missouri.

Traymaine Belanger, Zephyrillis Christian Academy (FL): A 6-foot-7 senior small forward, Belanger is committed to play basketball at Austin Peay.

Evan Roberts, Zephyrillis Christian Academy (FL): A 6-foot-1, senior point guard, Roberts has offers to Florida Gulf Coast, Kansas City, Stetson and Tennessee State.

Cortez Redding, Jonesboro (GA): A 6-foot senior guard, Cortez Redding will play college football for the University of Miami.