The Genz

In 38 years of coaching, Tennessee head women's basketball coach Pat Summitt has never backed down from anything or to anyone. She has always met challenges head on with a bulldog spirit enveloped in her compassionate demeanor. One of the faces of collegiate women's basketball, a sport that has grown by leaps and bounds over the past four decades, Summitt has rolled up the most wins ever in DI basketball (men or women) with a 1,098-206 record, or .842 winning percentage, (second all-time, Geno Auriemma, UConn, 802-128, .862). The Clarksville, Tenn., native has played a crucial role in the growth of women's basketball. From those days in the 1970s when few media organizations or even the public paid attention to women's basketball; to today, when ESPN carries the NCAA Tournament; Summitt has been one of the sport's most transformative figures. Summitt has been tireless as she has turned the Lady Vols program into one of the most successful and recognizable in c...

Sioux Falls O'Gorman has become the first South Dakota high school to win three consecutive boys basketball prep championships in the AA classification, established as part of a three-class system in 1986 by the SDHSAA. The Knights, now with five overall boys basketball titles, defeated Mitchell, 63-48, on Saturday night in Rapid City. O'Gorman is the fourth high school to win three or mo re consecutive championships in state boys prep basketball history. Another AA school, Yankton is the only prep team to win four straight championships in SD boys basketball history. However, the Bucks performed the feat in the old one-class system from 1922 to 1925. Webster claimed three straight titles in 1946-48 in the two-class Class B system. Mitchell also won three straight crowns from 1984-86, winning the championships in two different classifications. They won the 1984 and 1985 crowns in the Class A two-class system; and then, won again in AA in 1986 after South Dakota moved to thr...

In South Dakota prep hoops this season, the top seeds have held court. The recently completed SD AA Girls Tournament included titles by all three #1 seeds with B #1 Summit, #1 St. Thomas More and AA #1 Mitchell. Now, as the boys tournament hits the final night, the top three seeds in each class - O'Gorman in AA, St. Thomas More in A and White River in B - are in title showdowns. Also of note, two schools, St. Thomas More and Mitchell have a unique opportunity to win both the girls and boys titles. Before we look at capsules on each of those games, it is noteworthy that O'Gorman is trying for its third straight championship. It is indeed rare that a team wins three championships in succession in South Dakota hoops. Just 3, 3-Peat Squads and One, 4-time Champ  -- Across SD prep hoops history, including the various changes in classifications, just three schools have won three or more consecutive championships. The only prep team to win four straight titles in SD history ...

The South Dakota girls basketball championships are set with three #1 seeds seeking titles. In Class AA #1 Mitchell has rolled past two opponents and now meet #2 Washington in the championship. In Class A #1 St. Thomas More will try and hold off the upset-minded and #6 seed Parkston as both teams seek their first state title. In Class B, two hot teams are contesting the championship. #1 Summit, the only remaining defending champion in any of the tournaments, will try and hold off Sully Buttes, which has won 20 straight games. Here are some quick notes on the championship games. Class AA - As #1 ranked Mitchell (23-1) and #2 SF Washington (20-4) meet tonight in Frost Arena (Brookings, S.D.) for the SD Girls AA title, both seek their respective fifth overall title. Washington and Mitchell have both opened games in a rush. The Kernels own a 50-17 first quarter edge in the first two games (27-8, 23-9) while Washington holds a 23-12 edge (12-7, 11-5) in two conte...

SDSU Coach Scott Nagy has a  special place in his heart for four-year senior Griffan Callahan. Nagy likes his leadership, his spirit and of course, his ability to make plays at important moments. After South Dakota State defeated Southern Utah in a physical men's semifinal Summit League tourney battle, Nagy was relieved, perhaps a little drained, but looking forward to his team's chance to live out a dream - playing for the school's first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament. In a confident, yet cautious tone, Nagy knew his team faced their biggest challenge of the season with Western Illinois in the championship game.  To make the Big Dance, Nagy knew that his most experienced higher stepper, Callahan, would have to play a key role.   In the semifinal final tournament victory, Callahan played just 23 minutes and missed significant time in the first half due to foul trouble. While he stepped up with leadership in and took care of business in an important half...

Every March, a magic show unfolds on basketball courts across the state. Now that the contestants of this spectacle has been revealed, it is a good bet that a few magicians will unleash their own "shining moments" when the South Dakota Girls Basketball Tournament kicks off tomorrow in three sites across the state. Already, we have been treated to a few surprises and more may be under the magician's cape which will flip up on Thursday. Clearly, a lot of outstanding teams have made their way to the tournaments as joy has reached high stages in those towns. At the same time, a number of really talented teams are now on the sidelines and with it huge disappointment on the end of a season and for some of high school playing careers. On the road to the big show, Class A #1 Wagner lose to Parkston, 57-54, on a shot in the final moments of the game. Northern State recruit Devan Brecke, Jessica Doom and others lose one game in 21 outings and it keeps them from going for a...