Sam DeGroot of Sioux Falls Lincoln capped a stellar season by earning Player of the Year honors on the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association’s 2025-26 All-State boys basketball teams.
The Class AA first team features six standout performers, including DeGroot, a 6-foot-7 senior forward who averaged 20.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Joining him are Blake Ellwein of Huron (22.6 points per game), junior guard Gavin Shawd of Tea Area (21.2), Harrisburg senior forward Stellen Larson (14.3), Watertown senior guard Carter Buisker (18.8) and junior guard Brody Schafer of SF Lincoln (9.8).
The second team includes Colton Smith of Mitchell, Davis Chase of Huron, Ayuel Deng of Brandon Valley, Sam Ericsson of SF Lincoln, Colby Nuttbrock of SF Jefferson and Grifin Wiebenga of Tea Area.
Honorable mention selections were Jackson McClemans of Watertown, Mason Clark of O’Gorman, Memphis Bylander and Justin Bilal of SF Roosevelt, Hayden Rock of Sturgis and Bergan Tetzlaff of Brookings.
Several players earned repeat recognition. Ellwein, DeGroot and Ericsson were first-team selections last year, while Schafer, Smith and Wiebenga made the second team. Ellwein and Smith also appeared on the 2024 first team.
First Team
Sam DeGroot, SF Lincoln, 6-7, sr., F (20.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Blake Ellwein, Huron, 6-10, sr., G (22.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Gavin Shawd, Tea Area, 6-1, jr., G (21.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Stellen Larson, Harrisburg, 6-3, sr., F (14.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Carter Buisker, Watertown, 6-3, sr., G (18.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.9 apg)
Brody Schafer, SF Lincoln, 6-0, jr., G (9.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 6.3 apg)
Second Team
Colton Smith, Mitchell, 6-5, sr., G-F (17.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3 apg)
Davis Chase, Huron, 6-8, jr., F (15.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Ayuel Deng, Brandon Valley, 6-3, sr., G (13.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 apg)
Sam Ericsson, SF Lincoln, 6-3, sr., G (13.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Colby Nuttbrock, SF Jefferson, 6-5, jr., F (19 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Grifin Wiebenga, Tea Area, 6-4, jr., F (16.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Honorable Mention
Jackson McClemans, Watertown, 6-5, sr., G-F (14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.0 apg)
Mason Clark, O’Gorman, 6-0, sr., G (13.1 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.3 apg)
Memphis Bylander, SF Roosevelt, 6-5, sr., F (11.2 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Justin Bilal, SF Roosevelt, 6-5, sr., F (10.2 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Hayden Rock, Sturgis, 5-11, sr., G (21.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Bergan Tetzlaff, Brookings, 6-6, sr., F (15.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.2 apg)
• Player of Year — DeGroot.
• Repeat Selections — 2025 (Ellwein, DeGroot and Ericsson, first team; Schafer, Smith and Wiebenga, second team; 2024 (Ellwein and Smith, first team).
