Exhibits showcase state champions, venues

     The South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame’s presence at the Sanford Pentagon has been significantly enhanced by the recent progress that has been made on three important projects.

     Six panels featuring 8 x 10-inch images of state championship teams are now on display in corridors along the second floor. Each panel is 40 x 70 inches. Pictures depict each boys and girls champion from the first one-class tournament in 1912 through the end of the two-class system in 1985. A seventh panel will soon recognize champions of the Catholic state tournament that played a prominent role in South Dakota basketball history from 1937 through 1964.

     A separate display recognizes those special teams which compiled undefeated records during their title seasons. This exhibit was made possible by the generosity of Nancy Swett, wife of the late Hall of Fame member Rex Swett.

      Another display chronicles the evolution of venues that have served as sites of state tournaments. Included are rare photos of Daum’s Auditorium in Huron, where the first tournament was held in 1912, and Spafford Hall in Aberdeen.

     The Hall of Fame’s main exhibit area is on the first floor of the Pentagon near the main entrance.