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A new era is set to begin for the Aberdeen Central boys basketball team as Colton McClemans takes the helm for his first season as head coach.
“I’m really excited for what we have coming up this year. We had our first practice (Monday, Dec. 1), the energy level was really high, the communication was very good, it was loud and just very energetic in the gym,” McClemans said.
Aberdeen Central boys basketball coach Colton McClemans calls out instructions during practice. McClemans begins his first season leading the Golden Eagles on Friday, Dec. 12 in Rapid City. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
He was an assistant coach under former head coach Brent Norberg, who led the Golden Eagles for 20 seasons.
“(Brent) and I had a good talk (about three) weeks ago, and it was really productive,” McClemans said. “He’s been very supportive and said if I ever needed anything to let him know.”
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Central enters this season coming off a 3-16 campaign a year ago. The new head coach knows expectations and pressure come with the job.
“I told the players (during practice) it’s not about me, it’s not about one particular player or person in any program, it’s about what we can accomplish as a collective group,” McClemans said. “I understand this is a Class AA job and they don’t come along very often, and we are the biggest school in town and, really, I look at us as a community program and representation of what Aberdeen is.”
He said while he fully embraces the fact that wins are the measuring stick for any coach, he hopes the message of what the team can become this season, and through the next several seasons, will carry throughout the city, region and state.
“Culture and identity are two things we’re trying to create. It starts with me and … getting the kids to buy into that and making sure they bring that with them every day,” McClemans said.
Central rebuild begins with defense
McClemans said playing strong defense will be important for the Golden Eagles.
“For us, things have to start defensively,” he said. “You have to be willing to guard, take some charges, not allow many offensive rebounds, just do a lot of the little things. If you don’t, you’re going to have a hard time competing.”
McClemans knows it will take some time to implement a new system on offense.
Central struggled shooting last season, and he said the new system aims to create easier field goal attempts.
“We’re going to try some different things along the lines of the Princeton offense where we’re constantly in motion and moving the ball,” he said. “I think that will give us a little more structure and plays to some of our kids’ strengths in certain spots. During our summer workouts, one of the focuses was shooting the ball, but also understanding what a good shot is. Is it in rhythm or one we should have passed up for a better look? Finding that balance will be key for us this season.”
The message to the team this year is a simple one.
“Everything you do is gonna be earned. And not just one week or one game, every week in practice and every game,” he said. “We’re going to challenge our guys to continue to compete and work hard, and hopefully they can all raise their games to help us get where we want to be.”
McClemans to face familiar foe from Watertown
Watertown head coach Pat McClemans looks on during his team’s game against Aberdeen Central last season. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
One coach in the Eastern South Dakota Conference McClemans knows a little something about leads the Watertown squad.
The Arrows are coached by McClemans’s father, Pat.
“I was just home for Thanksgiving and we really didn’t talk too much about the season,” Colton McClemans said. “One thing, though, I am grateful for is that if I ever have a question I can call him up and he’s always willing to listen and help with whatever it is I need. Even now, with me being the head coach, he’s always willing to help.”
His younger brother Jackson is a senior for the Arrows, setting up a unique rivalry.
“I mean, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We both agreed that it’s not about us as coaches, it’s about the kids and giving them the opportunity to get better and seeing what they can do on the floor,” Colton McCleman said.
Central opens the 2025-26 season in Rapid City on Friday, Dec.12 against Rapid City Central before playing at Rapid City Stevens Saturday, Dec. 13.
“I want our kids to be resilient and show up and play hard, play your best. If you do that you put yourself in a position to come back and win the game,” McClemans said. “I think our first two games out west, it’s never an easy trip to make. Stevens has a new coach, so you’re not sure what they’re going to run. Central has a bunch of kids that come in and out throughout the year, so you’re not sure how to prepare for them. We just have to focus on what we need to do to help ourselves — rebounding, defense, taking care of the ball — and just get better each day.”
Aberdeen Christian set for another run at state tournament
Aberdeen Christian boys basketball head coach Matt Rohrbach returns four starters from last year’s squad that finished 19-7 and captured seventh place at the State B tournament in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Christian’s Brooks Jett goes up for a layup during last year’s State B boys tournament game against Dell Rapids St. Mary at the Barnett Center. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
This year’s goal is a return trip to Wachs Arena.
“Definitely, you want that to be the case every year, but you have to be wary that if the kids start thinking about that as the only goal this season a little too early, you may get a matchup that’s a little tricky and you lose,” Rohrbach said. “Sometimes you hit shots, sometimes you don’t. The goal, really, is just to get better every day. If we do that, the results will take care of themselves.”
Leading scorer Brooks Jett returns, but might miss a game or two at the start of the season. He’s coming off a shoulder injury he suffered during football season, but Rohrbach likes where Jett’s recovery is as the season looms.
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“He’s been practicing with us and shooting with no contact, but he looks a lot like Brooks Jett,” Rohrbach said. “Really, the only thing he’s not doing are the cock-it-back dunks, but he’s close.”
Jett will be a focal point of the Knights offense, but Rohrbach also wants to see balanced and timely scoring.
“We’re pretty much an equal opportunity team that plans on taking advantage of matchups we try to create in the concept of our whole offense. I actually get mad at the guys if they don’t get aggressive within the structure of our offense. I can’t handle a player not being aggressive when it’s his time to be. We’re trying to put all our guys in positions to score and need them to take advantage of that opportunity,” he said.
Pressure and solid man-to-man defense in the half court will again be a focal point for Christian when the opponent has the ball.
Offensively, Rohrbach said he’s undergone a philosophical change.
“Last year, we were a limit possessions team. We felt like if we could outsmart you for 50 possessions, we’re going to win the game,” he said. “This year, our mindset is completely different. We want 80 possessions and will see if teams can stick with us for those 80 possessions. If I have to go eight or nine (players) deep in order to maintain that pace, I’m going to.”
That said, it’s a good thing depth should be a strength for the Knights.
“We love our six through nine guys coming off the bench. They’re all 6-foot or taller and each gives us something different —shooting, playmaking, hustle — and they’ve been the primary guys going up against our starters, so they’re going to get the most varsity minutes this year,” Rohrbach said.
Christian opens the season Tuesday, Dec. 16 against Warner at 8 p.m. at the Aberdeen Civic Arena.
Aberdeen Roncalli head coach Dan Gallagher draws up a play during a timeout last season against Milbank. The Cavaliers open the boys basketball season Friday, Dec. 12 in Redfield. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
Gallagher set for new challenges in fifth season at Roncalli
Beginning his fifth season as boys basketball head coach at Aberdeen Roncalli, Dan Gallagher understands he has his work cut out for him.
The Cavaliers lost four starters to graduation and their top two substitutes from a squad that went 9-11 last year.
“It’s a different type of season,” Gallagher said. “We knew that and really started working the core group of guys we do have coming back, and we realize we have a lot of young talent, too, and they know there are a lot of openings on the table for some guys to prove themselves.”
Aberdeen Roncalli’s Jesse Hernandez takes a jump shot over Milbank’s Jack Howard during last year’s Region 1A semifinal at the Roncalli. Gym. Hernandez is the only returning starter for the Cavaliers this season. Aberdeen Insider photo by Robb Garofalo.
One area that will need to be addressed post play. Two 6-foot-7 big men — Parker Grieben and Cam Olson — graduated.
“We’re not…tall, let’s just say that,” Gallagher said. “We’ve got some physical play inside. Without that height, we know we have to play a lot of guards. Jesse Hernandez, our lone returning starter, is going to play heavy minutes for us. Sam Larson, Austin Fisher are two guards who saw some time last year, they’ll have a bigger role.”
Without much size, the Cavaliers will have to depend on something different to start the season — speed.
“The best buckets for us come from advantages, so if we can play fast, up tempo and create those advantages that give us easier buckets and keep that basketball moving, that’s ideally where we want to be. We’re going to rely on our guards to push the pace and get the ball up the floor. We need them to move the ball, but play with confidence and allow each guy to contribute,” Gallagher said.
He said limiting other teams’ possessions will be critical and that starts on the defensive end.
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“We really have to limit shot attempts and, when we can, possessions for our opponents,” Gallagher said. “We’re going to play a different style of basketball than we have in my first (four) years based on the personnel we have. We have to win the possession battle because our biggest Achilles’ heel is the rebounding game.”
He said the Cavaliers will need to attack the glass with multiple players, sometimes all five, to try and maintain the ball on offense and create more scoring opportunities.
“We’re not always going to send someone back in transition defense because we’re going to prioritize keeping the ball in our hands as often as possible. With the chaos we try to create defensively, yeah, you may give up a few transition baskets the other way. We’re gonna gamble a little and try to get five to 10 extra possessions through offensive rebounds,” Gallagher said.
He said this will be, without a doubt, his most challenging season as a coach because of the inexperienced roster.
“I just want to see success in terms of my coaching idol John Wooden, who said, ‘You’re at your best when you’re working to the best of your capability,'” Gallagher said. “If we win 10 games and we were a 10-win team based on our capabilities, we did our job. If we win 10 games but we had the potential to win 12, we did not do our job. It’s about competing to become the best version of ourselves as players and young men.”
Roncalli opens its season Friday, Dec. 12 at Redfield.
Preseason polls
The high school boys basketball preseason polls compiled by the South Dakota media follow.
Class AA
1. Sioux Falls Lincoln (11) 78, 2. Brandon Valley (6) 58; 3. Huron 43; 4. Mitchell 38; 5. Sioux Falls O’Gorman (1) 15. Receiving votes: Sioux Falls Jefferson 13, Harrisburg 12, Sioux Falls Washington 6, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 3, Spearfish 2, Tea Area 2.
Class A
1. Sioux Falls Christian (16) 176, 2. Lennox 135, 3. West Central (2) 127, 4. Clark/Willow Lake 103, 5. Hamlin 86, 6. Pine Ridge 68, 7. Rapid City St. Thomas More 62, 8. Groton Area 46, 9. Rapid City Christian 40, 10. Dakota Valley 37. Receiving votes: Dell Rapids 29, Vermillion 21, Winner 17, Madison 16, Baltic 12, Flandreau 5, Hill City 4, Mobridge-Pollock 4, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 1, Mahpiya Luta 1.
Class B
1. Castlewood (10) 149, 2. Wessington Springs (2) 124, 3. Dell Rapids St. Mary (4) 110, 4. Wall (1) 109, 5. Viborg-Hurley (1) 108, 6. Freeman 98, 7. Lyman 54, 8. Aberdeen Christian 50, 9. De Smet 37, 10. Parkston 35. Receiving votes: Sully Buttes 31, Bridgewater-Emery 25, Howard 17, Leola/Frederick 14, Gregory 9, Wolsey-Wessington 7, Lemmon 6, Estelline/Hendricks 5, Deubrook Area 2.
