RAPID CITY, S.D. — Top-seeded Sioux Falls Christian leaned on its inside dominance and depth Friday night to defeat No. 4 Hamlin 58-47 in the Class A boys basketball state semifinals at the Summit Arena.
The Chargers (22-1) advanced to the championship game for the fourth straight season, continuing a remarkable three-year run that now stands at 71-3.
Sioux Falls Christian controlled the game from the outset and never trailed, building a 29-22 halftime advantage behind a strong interior presence. The Chargers scored 38 points in the paint and added 13 second-chance points, consistently wearing down Hamlin’s defense.
Brant Wassenaar led the way with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, anchoring the Chargers’ attack inside. Canyon Prins provided a major lift off the bench with 14 points and nine rebounds, helping Sioux Falls Christian win the rebounding battle 36-24 and outscore Hamlin’s bench 17-0.
Hamlin (21-4) kept things close in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to one point at 29-28 on a 3-pointer by Jack Stormo. The Chargers responded with a surge, closing the period on a 13-9 run capped by a Cooper Goodbary 3-pointer at the buzzer to take a 42-37 lead into the fourth.
Sioux Falls Christian put the game away midway through the final quarter. Back-to-back baskets from Prins and Wassenaar pushed the lead to double digits, and the Chargers capitalized on turnovers to extend the margin to 51-39 with 2:31 remaining.
Hamlin briefly rallied behind Aiden Abraham and Jackson Wadsworth, who combined for 26 points, cutting the deficit to seven. But Sioux Falls Christian sealed the win at the free-throw line, knocking down 6 of 8 attempts in the final minute.
Wadsworth led Hamlin with 15 points, while Abraham added 11 and Stormo finished with eight. The Chargers held Hamlin to 38.6 percent shooting and forced 12 turnovers.
The victory adds another chapter to a budding Class A rivalry. Sioux Falls Christian defeated Hamlin in last year’s championship game, while Hamlin claimed the 2024 title meeting between the two programs.
Now, the Chargers will have a chance to defend their crown.