The South Dakota high school hoops season is special. 

From December to March, South Dakota fans rally around their teams like no other sport and it was more of the same this season. The 2022-23 season was full of epic games, dazzling individual performances and jam-packed gyms. 

Before we flip the page toward spring sports season, here’s a look back at some of the best moments of the 2022-23 season.

De Smet celebrates winning the state championship in Aberdeen. (Matt Gade / For 605 Sports)

Best atmosphere 

Wachs Arena

The electric Wachs Arena atmosphere keeps raising the bar. 

A staple in Aberdeen since 1995, the Class B boys basketball tournament is the best atmosphere for any state tournament and it didn’t disappoint this season. 

The annual three-day tournament regularly draws the best crowds and it was no different this season. The atmosphere reached a fever pitch during the semifinal and championship sessions. 

On Friday, fans flocked to watch Lower Brule outlast tourney regular White River and defending champion De Smet defeat local favorite Aberdeen Christian. 

On Saturday, De Smet and Lower Brule played in a state championship rematch as the 8,000-seat arena was buzzing with anticipation. After a tight first half, the Bulldogs pulled away from the Sioux for their third straight Class B state championship.   

Best championship performance 

Coral Mason, Viborg-Hurley 

After a relatively quiet first two games, Viborg-Hurley’s Coral Mason saved her best for last. 

In Viborg-Hurley’s 71-61 win over Wall, Mason logged 28 points and 16 rebounds to power the Cougars to their second consecutive Class B state championship. Mason didn’t attempt a single 3-pointer and instead did most of her damage in the paint. She finished 9 of 22 from the field and 10 of 14 at the free-throw line. She collected eight offensive rebounds and eight defensive rebounds. 

Mason, a 5-foot-10 senior guard/forward, averaged 14.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game during the state tournament. She was recently selected as the Class B player of the year. 

Best upset 

Mitchell Girls

The Mitchell Kernels sent shock waves across the state on March 3. 

But before we get to that, let’s talk about Mitchell leading into the SoDak 16 contest against Brandon Valley. 

Mitchell lost six straight games between Feb. 7 and Feb. 25, including a 55-33 defeat against Brandon Valley in Brandon. Mitchell entered the postseason as the No. 12 seed and a below .500 record (8-12).

The Lynx, meanwhile, were the No. 5 seed, sported a 14-6 record and just defeated Mitchell by 22 points on Feb. 25 in Brandon. They had championship aspirations and were riding a nine-game winning streak. 

That brings us back to March 3. The underdog Kernels built a 12-point lead and withstood a Brandon Valley rally, holding off the Lynx for a 53-49 state-tournament clinching victory. Junior all-stater Sawyer Stoebner led the Kernels with 25 points and 14 rebounds. 

The Dave Brooks-coached Kernels placed sixth at the Class AA state tournament.  

Best game

Wall vs. Wolsey-Wessington 

On March 10, Wall and Wolsey-Wessington traded shot for shot in a wildly entertaining Class B girls basketball semifinal game at an electric Huron Arena. The Eagles held off the Warbirds, 76-72, in a seesaw affair with nine ties, 12 lead changes and six double-digit scorers. Wall’s nine-point, second-quarter advantage represented the game’s largest lead. 

Nora Dinger paced Wall with 24 points and hit five 3-pointers, while Paige Kjerstad added 17 points and eight boards. Rhea Tucker logged 16 points and 15 of the team’s 38 rebounds.

Wolsey-Wessington’s Mallory Miller logged 20 points and 15 rebounds. Wolsey-Wessington’s Mya Boomsma scored 21 points and hit four 3-pointers. Leah Williams added 20 points for the Warbirds.

The 148 total points fell 13 shy of tying the Class B girls basketball tournament record for most points by both teams, set by Wakonda (98) and Timber Lake (63) in 1988. 

It also catapulted Wall into its first-ever state championship game appearance. 

“This year there were a lot of firsts for us,” Wall coach John Hess said afterward. “Now again we’ve got another first. It’s awesome. I can’t say how proud I am of this group of kids.”

Best individual performance

Spencer Barr, Aberdeen Central 

There were a handful of 50-point individual scoring outbursts this season, but Aberdeen Central’s Spencer Barr stands out above the rest. 

In an 84-82 double overtime win over then-No. 4 Pierre, Barr erupted for a career-high 51 points at Golden Eagles Arena. The 5-foot-11 guard finished 17 of 27 from the field, 7 of 14 at the 3-point line and 10 of 13 at the three-throw line. 

He also shot up the Class AA individual game scoring list. Barr’s 51-point performance is tied with Rapid City Stevens’ Eric Piatkowski for the fourth highest individual scoring game in Class AA boys basketball history. Eric Kline holds the Aberdeen Central school record with 59 points, the highest individual scoring game in Class AA boys basketball history.

Barr will play college basketball next season at the University of Jamestown. 

Best dynasty 

De Smet Boys, Dakota Valley Boys

The 2022-23 season was eerily similar to the 2021-22 season, at least in Class B and Class A boys. 

The De Smet and Dakota Valley boys basketball team again claimed state championships, cementing their place in South Dakota basketball lore. 

De Smet became the first Class B boys basketball team to three-peat since Webster (1946-48). In its storied basketball history, De Smet has played in 11 state championship games, winning Class B titles in 1970, ‘71, ‘87, ‘95, 2021, ‘22 and ‘23. The Bulldogs won the 1999 Class A state championship.

In the past five seasons, De Smet is 117-10, won three state championships, finished runner-up in 2019 and was the No. 1 seed entering the later-to-be canceled 2020 state tournament. 

Dakota Valley, meanwhile, concluded another undefeated championship campaign. The Panthers are the first Class A boys basketball team to repeat since Madison in 2013 and ‘14. The Panthers have won 53 straight games, a Class A boys basketball record. 

Viborg-Hurley's Molly Mason, left, and the Cougars celebrate the state championship at the Huron Arena. (Matt Gade / For 605 Sports)

Best quote

Coral Mason, Viborg-Hurley

Viborg-Hurley’s 71-61 win over Wall in for the state championship also doubled as coach Molly Mason’s swan song. 

Mason confirmed after the game it was her last season coaching the Cougars, but what a ride they took her on. Viborg-Hurley became the 10th Class B girls basketball team to repeat as state champs and the first to repeat since Sully Buttes in 2016 and ‘17. 

Molly’s daughter, Coral, summed up the past two seasons by her mom’s side after winning the 2023 state championship. 

“It’s amazing,” Coral said. “It’s one thing winning a title with your team, but with your mom by your side two times in a row, there’s nothing that can top that.”

Just like nothing can top the South Dakota basketball season.

See ya next year.