The Class AA Girls Basketball State Tournament at the Summit Arena in Rapid City.
All Times are Central
Saturday, March 14, 2026
No. 2 O’Gorman 59, No. 1 Brandon Valley 53 – State Championship
Dominance continued for the O’Gorman girls basketball program Saturday night.
Behind a sensational performance from Sydney Terveen, O’Gorman defeated Brandon Valley 59-53 in the Class AA state championship game, securing the Knights’ third consecutive state title at the Summit Arena.
The victory capped another remarkable season for O’Gorman, which finished 22-1 and has now gone 71-1 over the past three seasons. The Knights’ only loss during that stretch came to Brandon Valley in the season opener this winter — a defeat they avenged in the biggest game of the year.
The championship is the sixth state girls basketball title in program history and the fourth in the past five seasons.
Terveen delivered one of the tournament’s most impressive performances, pouring in 33 points while shooting 7-of-9 from three-point range. She scored from all over the floor and repeatedly answered Brandon Valley runs in the second half.
O’Gorman came out sharp early, hitting three 3-pointers in the opening quarter to build a 23-13 lead. Terveen connected twice from deep during the stretch, while Sadie Mehrman and Ruby Moore also contributed baskets as the Knights seized early momentum.
Brandon Valley battled back in the second quarter. London Geiver knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Ava Kellenberger added another triple as the Lynx rallied to briefly take the lead. But Terveen answered with a late three and a free throw to give O’Gorman a 29-26 halftime advantage.
The Lynx continued to pressure in the third quarter behind Gracie Salter, who dominated inside. Salter scored repeatedly in the paint as Brandon Valley cut the deficit to three points heading into the fourth quarter, trailing 42-39.
Each time Brandon Valley threatened, however, Terveen delivered another clutch shot.
She opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer and later buried two more from long range to push the Knights’ lead back to nine points. O’Gorman then sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final minute.
Terveen finished with 33 points and six rebounds to lead the Knights. Moore added nine points, while Mehrman scored eight and Ellie Meyer chipped in seven points with four blocks.
Brandon Valley was led by Salter’s 18 points and 15 rebounds. Kellenberger and Alyvia Padgett each added 13 points, while Geiver scored nine.
Despite the loss, the Lynx finished a strong season at 23-1.
But the night once again belonged to O’Gorman, whose sustained excellence has turned the Knights into the state’s premier girls basketball dynasty.
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No. 3 Sioux Falls Washington 65, No. 5 Aberdeen Central 42 – Third Place
Sioux Falls Washington used a dominant second quarter and balanced scoring to pull away from Aberdeen Central for a 65-42 victory Saturday in the Class AA Girls State Basketball Tournament.
The Warriors broke open a tight contest late in the first half and never looked back, improving to 18-5 on the season while holding Aberdeen Central to just four points in the fourth quarter.
Aberdeen Central started quickly as Ava Yeske knocked down a 3-pointer on the first possession and Lauryn Burckhard added another triple to help the Golden Eagles jump ahead early. But Sioux Falls Washington responded with a late run in the opening period, capped by Dana Harpe’s steal and basket in the final seconds to give the Warriors an 18-15 lead after one quarter.
Washington took control in the second quarter.
After Aberdeen tied the game at 18 on Yeske’s second 3-pointer, the Warriors surged with a 20-4 run fueled by their defense and inside scoring. Layla Berte and Jersey Peterson scored in the paint during the stretch, while Josie Biteler added a 3-pointer to extend the lead.
By halftime, Washington had built a commanding 38-22 advantage.
Aberdeen Central attempted to rally in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to five points after baskets from Taryn Hermansen and Burckhard made it 38-33. The Warriors quickly answered. Harpe scored five straight points and Biteler knocked down another 3-pointer to push the lead back to double digits.
Washington carried a 56-38 lead into the fourth quarter and comfortably closed out the game.
Harpe led Sioux Falls Washington with 21 points, while Biteler added 17 points and Berte contributed nine. Rylan Kennett also scored nine for the Warriors.
Hermansen paced Aberdeen Central with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Burckhard finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Yeske added six points, all on 3-pointers.
Washington shot 44 percent from the field and forced 20 Aberdeen Central turnovers, converting them into 25 points.
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No. 7 Mitchell 59, No. 4 Rapid City Stevens 53 – Fifth Place
Mitchell built a double-digit lead through three quarters and withstood a late rally from Rapid City Stevens to secure a 59-53 victory Saturday in postseason play in Rapid City.
The Kernels controlled the game early, leading 14-9 after the first quarter and 28-20 at halftime before stretching the advantage to 46-34 entering the fourth quarter.
Addie Siemsen led Mitchell with 21 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field, while Londyn Hajek added 12 points, including a pair of three-pointers.
Nia Talley recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and CeCe Morgan contributed 11 points and nine rebounds as the Kernels dominated the paint with 34 points inside.
Mitchell used balanced scoring to build its lead in the third quarter. A three-pointer by Mia Larson early in the period pushed the margin to 31-20, and baskets from Siemsen and Morgan helped extend the advantage to 46-34 by the end of the quarter.
The Kernels pushed the lead to 51-35 early in the fourth after a three-pointer by Hajek and a basket from Siemsen.
Rapid City Stevens mounted a late comeback behind Mackenzie Schreiber, who finished with 16 points and four three-pointers, and Marley Seumanutafa, who added 13 points and four rebounds.
The Raiders trimmed the deficit to 55-50 with just over a minute remaining after a basket by Seumanutafa.
Mitchell responded at the free-throw line in the closing seconds, as Morgan and Hajek combined to hit key free throws to seal the victory.
Rapid City Stevens also received nine points from Haley Falcon, while Finley Love added four points and four assists.
Mitchell shot 57% from the field (22-of-38) and held Stevens to 39% shooting, helping the Kernels close out the six-point win.
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No. 8 Tea Area 69, No. 6 Sioux Falls Jefferson 55 – Seventh Place
Tea Area used a dominant second quarter and a hot shooting night from beyond the arc to defeat Sioux Falls Jefferson 69-55 Saturday in the Class AA girls state tournament in Rapid City.
The Titans broke open a tight game in the second quarter, outscoring Jefferson 21-6 to turn a 22-21 deficit after the first quarter into a 42-28 halftime lead. Tea Area knocked down several key three-pointers during the surge and never allowed the Cavaliers to fully recover.
Anna Binde led Tea Area with 19 points, hitting 3-of-4 from three-point range and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. Emma Lingren added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Ellie Clayberg scored 15 points and buried five three-pointers.
Jaycie Babb contributed six points, nine rebounds and six assists, and Jayna VanLaecken added seven points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Jefferson opened the game strong behind Brinley Altenburg, who scored 11 first-quarter points as the Cavaliers took a 22-21 lead after the opening period.
But Tea Area caught fire in the second quarter. Three-pointers from VanLaecken, Binde, and Clayberg fueled a 17-point run, stretching the Titans’ lead to 39-22 midway through the period.
Jefferson tried to chip away in the second half behind Altenburg, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, and Samantha Hofer, who added nine points while hitting three three-pointers.
The Cavaliers cut the deficit to 57-42 late in the third quarter, but Tea Area responded early in the fourth with another three-pointer from Clayberg and a basket by Lingren to push the lead back to 17 points.
Jefferson never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Tea Area finished 12-of-26 from three-point range (46%), a key factor in the victory. The Titans also held a 38-37 rebounding edge and converted 17 points off Jefferson turnovers.
Sioux Falls Jefferson shot 33% from the field and was led by Altenburg’s 24-point performance and Brianna Kindvall, who added nine points and eight rebounds.