RAPID CITY, S.D. — Top-seeded Sioux Falls Christian left little doubt in its Class A state tournament opener Thursday, using a blistering offensive performance to run past No. 8 St. Thomas More 82-59 at Summit Arena.
The Chargers (21-1) shot a scorching 60 percent from the field and never trailed, steadily building separation each quarter to punch their ticket to the semifinals.
Sioux Falls Christian set the tone early, jumping out to a 20-15 lead after one quarter behind efficient interior scoring from Brant Wassenaar. The Cavaliers (17-5) kept things within reach early, getting strong play from Wyatt Gylten and Broeden Sales, but the tide turned decisively in the second quarter.
The Chargers dominated the middle eight minutes, outscoring St. Thomas More 22-10 to take a commanding 42-25 halftime lead. Sioux Falls Christian shot better than 64 percent in the quarter and repeatedly found success in the paint, while also getting a spark from the bench.
Wassenaar led the charge with a game-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, consistently finishing around the rim and facilitating offense with six assists. Canyon Prins added 14 points off the bench, while Mitchell Hofer chipped in 11, including three 3-pointers.
The Cavaliers struggled to keep pace offensively, particularly from beyond the arc where they shot just 4-of-21 (19 percent). Gylten paced St. Thomas More with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Sales added 16 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting night.
Any hopes of a second-half comeback were quickly erased. Sioux Falls Christian extended its lead to 61-41 by the end of the third quarter, continuing to capitalize on high-percentage looks and ball movement. The Chargers finished with 14 assists and outscored the Cavaliers 52-40 in the paint.
Sioux Falls Christian’s depth also proved decisive, outscoring St. Thomas More 28-6 in bench points and maintaining fresh legs throughout the game.
The Chargers pushed the lead to as many as 26 in the fourth quarter before emptying the bench in the final minutes.
Key Stats:
-
Sioux Falls Christian: 60% FG, 7-15 3FG (46.7%), 82 points
-
St. Thomas More: 42.6% FG, 4-21 3FG (19%), 59 points
-
Points in the paint: SFC 52, STM 40
-
Bench points: SFC 28, STM 6
Up Next:
Sioux Falls Christian advances to the Class A semifinals Friday, while St. Thomas More moves to the consolation bracket.