RAPID CITY – The 2026 season has come full circle for the Hamlin Chargers. And in a way, another full circle for Hamlin coach Todd Neuendorf.

The Chargers will tip off their stay at the State A Boys’ Basketball Tournament against none other than fellow Northeast Conference member Groton, the same squad Hamlin faced in its season opener.

While it’s a small case of deja vu in some sense, Neuendorf knows – and tries to impress upon his team – that being in the state tournament field is no small feat.

“It’s always good to be back there,” Neuendorf said. “I think there’s a lot of fans that take the state tournament for granted. It’s hard to get there and it takes a lot of work by everyone involved. So to get there is quite a feather in the hat and the kids should be proud of that.”

Hamlin enters this year’s tournament as the No. 4 seed after reaching the title game the previous two seasons and winning it all in 2024. The Chargers, however, have had to make a few changes to even get back to the tournament.

“We had to do things differently offensively and defensively this year than we have in the past,” Neuendorf said. “Not better or worse, just different. We’ve had to teach a lot more with a younger group, so we did that. Kudos to the kids for putting themselves in a spot to compete again.”

For instance, Hamlin moved Jackson Wadsworth into the point guard position this season, a change from his shooting guard spot of the last two seasons. Boden Stevenson is playing a bit more methodically, Neuendorf said, but with more range, while players like Aiden Abraham and Jack Stormo have really grown into their roles after seeing little or no court time last season. Notably, 6-foot-5 freshman Trig Heinrich was the team’s ball boy last year and is a starter in the state tournament this year.

“Somebody asked me, I think we kind of exceeded expectations from people,” Neuendorf said. “Not necessarily our coaches or our kids, but outside people, I think, thought maybe we were not going to get this opportunity. … But the kids worked and got themselves back in the mix.”

Hamlin’s reward is a date with a familiar foe in Groton, which is coached by Greg Kjellsen, who previously had coached the Tigers when Neuendorf was coaching at Aberdeen Roncalli.

“I don’t know how many times we’ve played (each other),” Neuendorf said. “We played a lot back in the day when I was at Roncalli and Coach Kjellsen was at Groton. I think everybody kind of thought well we got rid of both those guys. … It’s kind of like a rash, we both come back and we end up playing each other.”

While the opponent is familiar, the result is still up for grabs. Groton claimed that season-opening meeting by a 55-50 count before ending the year at 18-4. Hamlin comes in at 20-3, its other two losses coming to No. 2 West Central and No. 3 Clark-Willow Lake.

“We break it down into chunks,” Neuendorf said. “First of all you’ve got to get there. We tell the kids that. If you want to win it, you’ve got to get in it, so you gotta get there. OK, now we’re here, now our goal is to get to the night session.”

But to do that, the Chargers will need a steady effort against a Tiger squad that also knows what’s at stake.

“We’ve had a lot of battles and it’ll be fun to do that again,” Neuendorf said. “(Kjellsen) will have his team ready to go, they’re very good and athletic. We’ll have our hands full. This time of the year, that’s the way it is. Everybody is good.”

The two teams square off in the 1:45 p.m. (CDT) contest at the Monument.