The Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament is set for March 19-21 in Aberdeen.
No. 8 Lyman 49, No. 1 Viborg-Hurley 44
Eighth-seeded Lyman delivered the first upset of the Class B Boys State Basketball Tournament, knocking off top-seeded Viborg-Hurley 49-44 in Thursday’s opening quarterfinal.
The Raiders used a dominant third quarter and timely free-throw shooting down the stretch to improve to 18-6 and advance to the semifinals.
After trailing 22-20 at halftime, Lyman seized control coming out of the break. The Raiders outscored Viborg-Hurley 17-10 in the third quarter, turning a two-point deficit into a 37-32 lead heading into the final period.
MJ Diehm led the way for Lyman with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Dawsen Volmer added 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Josiah Vaad provided a key spark off the bench with 10 points, including a pair of second-half 3-pointers.
Cole Kieffer chipped in nine points and six rebounds, helping Lyman control the glass and generate second-chance opportunities. The Raiders finished with an 11-4 edge in second-chance points and shot 81 percent (13-of-16) from the free-throw line.
Viborg-Hurley, which entered the tournament at 20-3, struggled offensively throughout, shooting just 31 percent from the field. Jake Austin paced the Cougars with 15 points, while Brady Schroedermeier added 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Cougars made a late push in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to one at 41-40 with five minutes remaining. But Lyman answered with a 3-pointer from Vaad and a key bucket from Kieffer to stretch the lead back to six.
From there, Diehm sealed the game at the free-throw line, scoring four points in the final 31 seconds to keep Viborg-Hurley at bay.
Lyman’s defense also played a key role, forcing 12 turnovers and holding the top seed to just 5-of-19 shooting from beyond the arc.
With the win, Lyman advances to Friday’s semifinals, while Viborg-Hurley drops into the consolation bracket.
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No. 5 Castlewood 53, No. 4 Aberdeen Christian 50
n a game of swings and late-game shot-making, fifth-seeded Castlewood delivered when it mattered most.
Behind a dominant second half from Kamden Keszler, Castlewood erased a halftime deficit and surged late to knock off No. 4 Aberdeen Christian 53-50 in the opening round of the Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament on Thursday.
Castlewood (21-3) advances to the semifinals, while Aberdeen Christian’s season ends at 20-4.
The matchup lived up to its billing early, with both teams trading runs through the first half. Aberdeen Christian controlled much of the opening two quarters, taking a 30-23 lead into halftime behind balanced scoring and strong perimeter shooting. Jett Johnson knocked down three first-half triples, and the Knights capitalized on Castlewood turnovers to build a seven-point cushion.
But the momentum flipped coming out of the locker room.
Castlewood tightened defensively and began to find its rhythm offensively in the third quarter. Keszler, who finished with a game-high 30 points, started to take over — scoring from all three levels and igniting a comeback. A deep 3-pointer from Keszler in the closing seconds of the third tied the game at 38-38 and set the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter.
Aberdeen Christian briefly regained the lead early in the fourth on a Dylan Hofer bucket, but Castlewood responded with a decisive run. Keszler scored 10 straight points during a critical stretch, including back-to-back 3-pointers, to push the Warriors ahead 50-40 with just over three minutes remaining.
The Knights didn’t go quietly.
A late push trimmed the deficit to one after a Loyall Smith-Wade basket and a Luke Kaiser score made it 51-50 in the final seconds. But Castlewood sealed the win at the free-throw line, where Brody Bass knocked down two clutch free throws with nine seconds left.
Aberdeen Christian had one final opportunity, but a last-second 3-point attempt missed as time expired.
Keszler led all scorers with 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Bass added eight points and six rebounds, while Leonard Wernke contributed eight rebounds and key defensive plays.
Aberdeen Christian was led by Kaiser with 11 points, while Brooks Jett added 10 and Johnson finished with nine. The Knights struggled from deep in the second half, finishing just 5-of-22 from 3-point range.
Castlewood shot 47.5% from the field and made six 3-pointers, while also forcing 17 turnovers that led to key scoring opportunities.
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No. 2 Freeman 63, No. 7 Sully Buttes 55
Second-seeded Freeman used a fast start and timely shooting to hold off a late push from No. 7 Sully Buttes, earning a 63-55 victory in the opening round of the Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament on Thursday evening.
Freeman (22-2) came out firing, knocking down four first-quarter 3-pointers to build a commanding 24-11 lead after the opening eight minutes. Tayden Kerrigan sparked the early surge with a pair of triples, while Tate Sorensen and Tannen Auch also connected from deep as the Flyers seized control.
Sully Buttes (18-6) struggled to find rhythm early but settled in during the second quarter behind Wesley Wittler, who scored inside and at the free-throw line to help trim the deficit. Still, Freeman maintained a 32-21 halftime advantage.
The Chargers made their move in the third quarter. Wittler continued to dominate offensively, and a balanced effort from Jett Yackley and Gavin Colson helped Sully Buttes close within four, 43-39, heading into the final period.
But each time Sully Buttes threatened, Freeman had an answer.
Kerrigan opened the fourth quarter with another 3-pointer, and Luke Miller followed with one of his own to push the lead back to double digits. Sully Buttes rallied again, cutting the deficit to three midway through the quarter after a Yackley basket made it 51-48.
Freeman responded with composure down the stretch. David Waltner scored key baskets in the lane and converted free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
Kerrigan led Freeman with 17 points, knocking down five 3-pointers. Waltner added 15 points and seven rebounds, while Sorensen recorded a double-double with eight points and 10 boards. Miller chipped in 10 points, and the Flyers finished 12-of-30 from beyond the arc.
Wittler paced all scorers with 28 points for Sully Buttes, adding eight rebounds. Yackley contributed 15 points, while Colson added 10. The Chargers shot just 24 percent from 3-point range (6-of-25), which proved costly despite their second-half push.
Freeman advances to the state semifinals, while Sully Buttes moves into the consolation bracket.
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No. 6 Wall 60, No. 3 De Smet 57
Wall rallied in the second half to overcome a four-point deficit and knock off No. 3 De Smet 60-57 in the Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament on Thursday night.
Teelan Kjerstad led the Eagles with 31 points, hitting 10 of 19 shots, including 2 of 6 from three-point range, and going a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Grant Wilkinson scored 40 points for De Smet, dominating inside with 19 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to secure the victory.
Wall jumped to an early lead in the first quarter, outscoring De Smet 20-11, but the Bulldogs fought back in the second, closing the half trailing just 31-30.
The third quarter saw back-and-forth scoring, with De Smet briefly taking the lead, but Wall’s late rally in the fourth, capped by clutch free throws from Kjerstad and a key three-pointer by Emmet Dinger, sealed the win.
Dawson Handcock added six points and four assists for Wall, while Jace Mohr chipped in six points and a pair of free throws at critical moments. For De Smet, Noah Leuthmers added 11 points, and Kolby Sinclair contributed four.
The Eagles improved to 20-4 with the win, while De Smet fell to 19-5.
Wall will face No. 2 Freeman in the semifinals on Friday at 6:45 pm