The Class AA Boys Basketball State Tournament is set for March 19-21 at the Monument Ice Arena in Rapid City
No. 1 Sioux Falls Lincoln 69, No. 9 Tea Area 44
Top-seeded Sioux Falls Lincoln showed why it entered the Class AA state tournament unbeaten, pulling away in the second half to defeat Tea Area 69-44 in Thursday’s opening round at the Monument Ice Arena.
The Patriots (21-0) broke open a tight game with a dominant third quarter and an explosive finish, outscoring the Titans 41-18 after halftime to advance to the semifinals.
Tea Area (13-8) kept things competitive early, trailing just 28-26 at the break. The Titans briefly grabbed the lead in the second quarter behind aggressive play from Gavin Shawd and Lane Sieber, but Lincoln answered late to take a slim halftime edge.
The turning point came in the third quarter.
Lincoln’s defense tightened and its rebounding advantage began to show, led by Samuel DeGroot, who controlled the paint. The Patriots opened the half on a 14-5 run and held Tea Area to just two field goals in the quarter, building a 42-31 lead heading into the fourth.
From there, Lincoln put the game away.
The Patriots erupted for 27 points in the final period, shooting over 70 percent from the field in the quarter. Brody Nour and Owen Duffy fueled the surge in transition, while DeGroot continued to dominate inside and at the free-throw line.
DeGroot led all scorers with 21 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds, anchoring Lincoln’s 40-31 advantage on the glass. Nour added 13 points, while Brody Schafer contributed nine points and six assists.
Lincoln’s balanced attack also featured 13 assists and just six turnovers.
Tea Area was led by Shawd’s 12 points and nine rebounds, while Mitch Grant and Sieber each added 10 points. However, the Titans struggled offensively, shooting 33 percent from the field and just 4-of-17 from three-point range.
After a competitive first half, Tea Area went cold in the third, shooting just 2-of-14 as Lincoln seized control.
Lincoln, meanwhile, finished at 45 percent from the field and hit 11-of-13 free throws, steadily extending its lead to as many as 25 in the closing minutes.
With the win, Sioux Falls Lincoln advances to the Class AA semifinals, while Tea Area drops into the consolation bracket.
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No. 4 Harrisburg 65, No. 5 Watertown 61
Harrisburg withstood a late Watertown rally and pulled out a 65-61 victory Thursday in the quarterfinal round of the Class AA boys basketball state tournament at The Monument Ice Arena, earning a spot in Friday’s semifinals.
The fourth-seeded Tigers led from early in the first quarter and never trailed, though they never fully shook the fifth-seeded Arrows, either. Harrisburg held a 12-11 edge after one quarter, a 25-22 advantage at halftime and a 43-37 lead heading into the fourth before surviving a frantic finish.
Watertown kept coming in the final period. Carter Buisker’s 3-pointer tied the game at 45, and the Arrows later drew even again at 49, 56 and 59. Each time, however, Harrisburg answered, from the free-throw line or with a timely basket in the lane.
Buisker led Watertown with 23 points, including six 3-pointers, while Jackson McClemens added 19. Kaden Decker scored six as the Arrows dropped to 16-5 on the season.
Harrisburg was led by Crayton Jibben’s 19 points, Stellen Larson’s 16 and Myles Nour’s 13. David Doe added 10 points off the bench and provided a key spark when Harrisburg needed it most.
The Tigers’ third-quarter push proved decisive. After Watertown trimmed the margin to four, Doe knocked down a 3-pointer and later added another basket to help Harrisburg rebuild separation before the game turned into a free-throw contest in the closing minute.
Watertown’s final surge came after Buisker hit another 3 to make it 60-59, but Harrisburg answered with clutch foul shooting from Jibben and Larson to close out the win.
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No. 2 Sioux Falls Roosevelt 58, No. 7 Brandon Valley 47
No. 2 Sioux Falls Roosevelt advanced in the Class AA Boys Basketball State Tournament with a 58-47 victory over No. 7 Brandon Valley at the Monument Ice Arena.
The Roughriders (18-4) relied on balanced scoring and timely shooting to build a lead they would maintain throughout the contest. Roosevelt opened the game with an 11-8 advantage after the first quarter, with Memphis Bylander contributing a 2-pointer and a pair of free throws. Capital Schmaus added early buckets, and Roosevelt’s defense pressured Brandon Valley into turnovers that led to easy transition points.
Brandon Valley (13-9) tried to keep pace in the second quarter, with Brayden Knutson hitting a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 12-11. But Roosevelt responded with points from Bryson Skogsberg and Akol Thyab, ending the first half with a 25-19 advantage. Roosevelt’s bench production proved key in the quarter, outscoring Brandon Valley 6-0.
In the third quarter, Roosevelt continued to pull away. Skogsberg’s 3-pointer extended the lead to 31-21, and Deondre Painter and Caelen Christion added inside points to keep Brandon Valley at bay. Brandon Valley’s Austin Dowd scored on consecutive drives to keep the Trojans within striking distance, but Roosevelt led 43-35 entering the fourth.
The Roughriders sealed the win in the fourth quarter behind strong shooting from Skogsberg, Bylander, and Justin Bilal. Roosevelt’s defense limited Brandon Valley to just 12 points in the quarter, forcing turnovers and controlling the boards. Brandon Valley cut the deficit to eight with a late 3-pointer from Lincoln McInerney, but Roosevelt maintained composure at the free-throw line and finished with a 58-47 victory.
Bylander led Roosevelt with 14 points, including key 3-pointers in the first half, while Skogsberg added 12 points and six rebounds. Schmaus scored 13 points with three assists, and Justin Bilal contributed seven points and three steals.
For Brandon Valley, Ayuel Deng, Briggs Knutson, and Lincoln McInerney each scored 10 points, but the Trojans struggled to convert from beyond the arc, hitting just five 3-pointers on 22 attempts.
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No. 3 Huron 60, No. 6 O’Gorman 45
Huron advanced in the Class AA boys basketball state tournament with a 60-45 victory over O’Gorman at the Monument Ice Arena.
The No. 3 Tigers (18-4) broke open a tight first half by outscoring the No. 6 Knights (13-9) 39-26 in the second half. Huron controlled the boards, finishing with 33 rebounds to O’Gorman’s 25.
Blake Ellwein led Huron with 16 points, six rebounds and four steals. Anderson Porisch added 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Davis Chase contributed 13 points and four assists.
For O’Gorman, Mason Clark scored 14 points, including three 3-pointers, and Jaxson Weeldreyer added 10 points. The Raiders shot 33% from the field, compared with Huron’s 46%, and struggled to keep pace inside the paint.
Huron will face the No. 2 seed SF Roosevelt in Friday’s semifinals at 7:45 pm CST