For the past 17 years, the White River boys’ basketball team has qualified for the State B tournament in Aberdeen. And every year, former Aberdeen Central Athletic Director Gene Brownell has been there to help out in any way in his role as tournament director.

Those years forged a friendship that took center stage Thursday night at Wachs Arena when White River coach Eldon Marshall and assistant coach Justice Morrison surprised Brownell with a star quilt to thank him for his years of service.

“Eldon and his wife, Marc and I have become friends over the 17 straight years that they’ve been here,” Brownell said. “I’ve watched their children grow up. We’ve had a very nice friendship.”

Brownell had no idea he was going to be honored and fully understands the significance of the gift.

“It is a star quilt. If you know a little bit about the Native American culture, for them to give that to you, it is a real honor, because it has a lot of meaning to them and it has a lot of meaning for me,” he said. “To be honest, I’m shocked.”

While Brownell has received many awards through the years, he said the star quilt has added meaning because of his relationship with the Marshalls.

“This is (extra special) because it is so personal,” Brownell said. “It has to do with their relationship with me and mine with them over the years. I’m not normally at a loss for words, but with that I am.”

Back in the building

While this marks the first State B tournament for the Waubay-Summit boys’ basketball cooperative, Mustangs coach Mark Amdahl is no stranger to Wachs Arena. He guided the Summit girls’ to the State B championship at the facility more than a decade ago.

“It does bring back memories that I will never forget,” Amdahl said. “I can tell you games, I can tell you who scored, I can tell you all those things, because they’re memories that you never want to forget.”

Amdahl said many of those individuals reached out to him when the Mustangs qualified for this year’s boys’ tourney.

“I had a lot of text messages from my former players, talking about things that happened in 2009 when we won it here,” Amdahl said. “It’s a great opportunity where we’re at to be able to coach in these state tournaments. I’m just proud to be from Waubay and Summit.”

In addition to the gender difference, there is also another notable difference between those Summit girls’ squads that won three state championships in addition to a runner-up finish and the Waubay-Summit boys’ team that entered the tourney as the eighth-seed.

“At the end of our girls’ tenure, it was more of, we were supposed to win and there was a lot more pressure,” Amdahl said. “I didn’t feel the pressure today. I don’t think our team felt pressure. Being the underdogs isn’t always that bad.”

Seiler making debut as tournament director

When Dawn Seiler took the reigns from Gene Brownell as the new Aberdeen Central athletic director last fall, she also moved into the role as the director of the State B Boys’ Basketball Tournament.

Seiler has helped out at past state tourneys, but said there is a difference this time around.

“The role is a lot different because you have to get so many things ready ahead of time,” Seiler said. “I really started on this six weeks ago, calling people, saying, ‘Hey do you want to work the State Bs,’ and all those kinds of things.”

Seiler was pleased with the community response and said that everybody from Northern State to Central to volunteers from Aberdeen all work together to make the event a memorable one for those who attend.

Seiler noted that she ran into fans on Thursday that have been coming to the state tournament for more than 60 years.

“You’re putting something together like that, that’s what really makes it fun, because the people in this community and the surrounding communities really love this tournament,” she said. “It really makes all the work worth it.”

Seiler said that Brownell is still around to help out if needed.

“Of course I have Gene around, so if I have any questions, he left me all the notes, I have all of those things ready,” Seiler said, “so he left me in a good situation.”

Stepping up to the challenge

The Lower Brule Sioux has made the most of a demanding schedule this season.

The squad, which faces White River in the second semifinal game this evening, had more Class A schools on its schedule than Class B teams. The Sioux lost just three games this season and two of those were to Lakota Tech and Sioux Valley who are currently playing in the State A tournament.

“It makes you very tough down the road without a doubt,” said Lower Brule coach Brian LaRoche of the tough schedule.

The team opened the season by winning the prestigious Lakota Nation Invitational defeating White River in the championship game.

“It’s a big atmosphere just like state,” LaRoche said.

It was the team’s first LNI title since 2004.

“We just finally figured it out, how we could play,” LaRoche said. “We adjusted our game to a different way of how to play the game.”

The Sioux have taken advantage of their tough schedule and become a regular at the state tournament the past few years.

LaRoche said playing in the state tourney has been a great experience for his players, most of which are underclassmen this season.

“It’s everybody’s dream to make it to state. You don’t take this for granted. We never made it all these years until 2018,” LaRoche said.

The Sioux defeated Castlewood in overtime Thursday night to add to their state tourney memories.

“It’s just something you don’t understand until you get here. To be in this atmosphere. It’s fun for these kids,” LaRoche said. “You can’t beat this. Especially, that overtime game, to give everybody what they want.”