The Genz

Postseason play for South Dakota prep boys basketball is underway. As such, it is time for The Genz to take a look at the matchups and offer a little hoop insight. In all likelihood, the three-time defending AA champions, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, who actually have won five titles in seven years and appeared in seven of the last nine state title games, will go home early. At 6-14, the Knights have struggled but remember, a champion is not easily dismissed. Look for them to battle #1 Sioux Falls Roosevelt tough as the districts open. I do believe top-ranked Sioux Falls Roosevelt (19-1) is going to win its first AA crown since 2000 when, they edged Rapid City Central, 55-54. However, #2 Brookings (15-5) and #3 Pierre (15-5), as well as #4 Brandon Valley, and even #5 Huron (14-6) will have something to say about who cuts down the net in March at the Sioux Falls Arena. In Class A, a number of teams have a chance to take home the title in Rapid City.  Right now unbeaten Cl...

Who says you can't get it done in DI with South Dakota talent? The USD men's track and field team, which has 23 South Dakotans on its roster, won the 2013 Summit League Track and Field Championship at the DakotaDome. It was the first Summit League title by any Coyotes program, a monstrous feat for a program in its second year in the league. The Coyote men's team finished with 190 points, well ahead of second place North Dakota State's 176.50. Overall, South Dakota had seven individual champions and one winning relay squad. Overall, USD's men placed first or second in 13 of 17 events. In addition, USD trailed for much of the meet but then took over with a run in the final five events of the meet. The South Dakotans on the USD roster cut a swath across the state, big and small schools alike, and were the core of this latest  Coyote championship team. Coach Dave Gottsleben, a native of Brookings, was named the Summit League Men's Coach of the Year. "If ...

Nate Wolters of South Dakota State University became a member of the South Dakota collegiate men's basketball 2,000-point club when he went over 2K earlier this year. He now has 2,270 with games to play. He is just one 16 collegiate players in South Dakota to  have reached the 2,000-point level. One other player, Cameron McCaffrey of Augustana, who set the Augustana school record with 1,902 points and also has games to play, needs 124 to reach the elite club. Nate Wolters of SDSU Wolters, who is a Naismith, Cousy, and Wooden Award finalist, guided the Jacks to the NCAA Tournament a year ago and has led the Jacks to first place in the Summit League with one game to play before the March 9-12 Summit League Tourney in Sioux Falls. Wolters, also up for the Lou Henson Award as the Mid-Majors' top player, increased his point total to 2,288 when he had 18 vs. Nebraska-Omaha in a Summit League regular season finale. He also owns the school's all-time assist mark with 641. ...

Numbers don't lie. Or do they? For as long as I have been messing around in sports, I have had an appreciation for numbers. As  I looked at the South Dakota prep boys basketball scene and explored various numbers from records to victory margins,  I wondered, do numbers tell us something? Do they lead us down a path where we can figure what team will win a title? I think so. As such, numbers helped me break down the favorites and contenders in the respective classes in South Dakota boys hoops for 2012-13  ( For all the girls' supporters,  I will also be breaking down the girls' classes in SD in a blog later  this week -stay tuned). Here is a breakdown on the three South Dakota boys  classes. Boys AA    Favorites -- SF Roosevelt, Pierre In the Hunt -- Brookings, Watertown, Huron, Brandon Valley Lane Severyn of Pierre Riggs Sioux Falls Roosevelt, which won its only AA title in 2000, has rolled to a 15-1 record and appear to be th...