A milestone season for Huron basketball
Blake Ellwein, a senior guard from Huron, was selected as the 2026 South Dakota Mr. Basketball, an honor decided by every boys basketball coach across the state.
His senior year culminated in a 20‑4 record and the Class AA state championship, where he sank 25 of 27 free‑throw attempts during the tournament.
Ellwein finished the season averaging 21.5 points per game and added 1,535 career points to become the all‑time leading scorer in Huron High history.
The accolade marks his third consecutive Class AA all‑state selection and his third All‑Eastern South Dakota Conference honor, underscoring a consistency that has defined his career.
He joins Rod Merriam (1980) and Eric Hall (2004) as the third Huron player to receive the Mr. Basketball distinction, a testament to the program’s enduring talent pipeline.
Ceremony and legacy
The award was presented at a ceremony in the Huron Arena on Thursday, May 14, where founders Richard Hansen and Dave Anderson of Hansen Anderson Basketball were recognized for their long‑standing support of the sport.
State officials and former winners gathered to celebrate not only Ellwein’s achievements but also the broader tradition of excellence that the Mr. Basketball award represents.
As the new honoree looks ahead to college recruitment and the next chapter of his career, the basketball community anticipates how his style of play will influence future generations in South Dakota.