Two boys and three girls basketball teams break into state rankings

Five new teams have jumped into the ratings in the South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll released on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.

New teams in the ratings include Watertown, No. 5 in Class AA boys; Parkston, No. 10 in Class B boys; Rapid City Stevens, No. 5 in Class AA girls; Clark-Willow Lake, No. 9 in Class A girls; and Corsica-Stickney, No. 9 in Class B girls.

Sioux Falls Lincoln (Class AA), West Central (Class A) and Viborg-Hurley (Class B) continued to lead their resepective divisions in boys basketball.

Brandon Valley (Class AA), Mahpiya Luta (Class A) and Lyman (Class B) remain No. 1 in girls basketball.

High School Basketball

The South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll for the week of Jan. 19 is listed below, ranking the top-five teams in Class AA, top-10 teams in Class A and Class B, the team’s record, points received and ranking in the previous poll. First-place votes are listed in parentheses.

CLASS AA BOYS

1. Sioux Falls Lincoln (23) 9-0 115 1
2. Sioux Falls Roosevelt 8-1 92 2
3. Harrisburg 5-2 53 3
4. Spearfish 5-0 37 4
5. Watertown 8-1 20 RV

Receiving votes: Huron 15, Tea Area 9, Mitchell 4.

CLASS A BOYS

1. West Central (23) 9-0 230 1
2. Sioux Falls Christian 8-1 205 2
3. Clark-Willow Lake 8-0 184 3
4. St. Thomas More 7-1 142 4
5. Mahpiya Luta 10-0 139 5
6. Hamlin 6-1 115 6
7. Groton Area 8-3 81 7
8. Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 8-1 59 9
9. Lennox 5-3 57 10
10. Vermillion 6-3 33 8

Receiving votes: Stanley County 6, Flandreau 5, Dakota Valley 2, Madison 1, Pine Ridge 1.

LAST WEEK'S POLL: West Central's boys, Lyman's girls rated No. 1 in new basketball ratings

CLASS B BOYS

1. Viborg-Hurley (22) 10-0 228 1
2. De Smet (1) 8-0 197 2
3. Castlewood 8-2 186 3
4. Sully Buttes 7-1 156 4
5. Wessington Springs 8-2 112 6
6. Wall 7-3 103 7
7. Freeman 7-2 94 8
8. Aberdeen Christian 7-2 65 5
9. Deubrook Area 7-1 47 9
10. Parkston 8-2 34 RV

Receiving votes: Lyman 26, Estelline-Hendricks 10, Timber Lake 5, Bridgewater-Emery 2.

CLASS AA GIRLS

1. Brandon Valley (23) 8-0 115 1
2. O’Gorman 6-1 92 2
3. Sioux Falls Washington 7-1 57 3
4. Aberdeen Central 8-1 56 4
5. Rapid City Stevens 8-2 23 RV

Receiving votes: Tea Area 2.

CLASS A GIRLS

1. Mahpiya Luta (23) 10-0 230 1
2. Lennox 11-1 207 2
3. Hamlin 8-1 161 3
4. Wagner 8-2 144 T-5
5. Sioux Valley 7-1 123 4
6. West Central 8-1 115 8
7. Sioux Falls Christian 8-2 97 T-5
8. Aberdeen Roncalli 8-1 66 9
9. Clark-Willow Lake 8-1 54 RV
10. Mobridge-Pollock 6-2 21 10

Receiving votes: Lakota Tech 18, St. Thomas More 14, Rapid City Christian 9, Dakota Valley 6.

GIMME 5 OR 10 LINKS: Roger Merriam's look at the top athletes for all area high schools since December of 1984

CLASS B GIRLS

1. Lyman (20) 7-0 226 1
2. Parkston (3) 9-1 193 2
3. Bennett County 7-2 191 3
4. Ethan 8-1 151 4
5. Centerville 9-2 120 5
6. Colman-Egan 8-0 114 7
7. (Tie) Chester 9-1 77 8 and Sanborn CentralWoonsocket 7-1 77 9
8. See above
9. Corsica-Stickney 7-2 38 RV
10. Harding County 9-1 35 6

Receiving votes: Gayville-Volin 24, Highmore-Harrold 13, Waubay-Summit 4, Deubrook Area 1, Lemmon 1.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: S.D. Prep Media high school boys and girls basketball polls