Dell Rapids, Groton Area battle for state tournament on livestream Game of the Week

WATERTOWN, S.D. (KELO) — A spot in the class ‘A’ state tournament is up for grabs Tuesday, when the Groton Area boys meet Dell Rapids in the SoDak 16.

The game will be this week’s KELOLAND Sports Livestream Game of the Week.

Tuesday’s contest is the eight seed vs. nine seed matchup, with Groton Area being the technical home team on a neutral court.

This SoDak 16 contest will feature two of the top ten teams in class ‘A’, while also showcasing two of the top players in the state.

Groton Area has been led by senior Lane Tietz. He is scoring 21.2 points per contest, while leading his team in steals with 58.

On the flip side, Jack Henry is posting 20.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.

Both players have established themselves as leaders and players to watch in Tuesday’s SoDak 16 matchup.

Along with having great players, the two teams also have near identical records. Dell Rapids is 17-5, while Groton Area boasts an 18-4 mark.

The two teams haven’t played each other, but they do have common opponents. Those teams include Aberdeen Roncalli, Dakota Valley, Hamlin, Milbank, Vermillion and West Central.

Dell Rapids is 5-2 against those teams, having played Milbank twice. They own a +3 scoring margin in those games, having suffered a 32 point loss to Hamlin and a 17 point defeat to Dakota Valley.

Groton Area is 5-3 against those common opponents, having played Aberdeen Roncalli and Dakota Valley twice. They own a +70 scoring margin in those eight games. They lost to Hamlin by 22, but big wins over Dakota Valley (17) West Central (17) and Milbank (33) help lift their numbers.

Tuesday’s game will tip-off at 6 p.m. in Watertown and you can livestream the game on KELOLAND.com.

Play-by-play will be provided by KELOLAND Sports Director Grant Sweeter.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.