RAPID CITY, S.D. — Perfection is complete for West Central.
Behind a balanced scoring attack and a decisive second-half surge, the Trojans finished off an unbeaten season Saturday night with a 66-56 victory over Sioux Falls Christian in the Class A boys basketball state championship at Summit Arena.
West Central (25-0) secured its third state title in program history — and first since back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001 — while becoming the only undefeated boys or girls team in South Dakota this season.
Sioux Falls Christian, making its sixth appearance in the past seven Class A title games, finished 23-2, with both losses coming against the Trojans.
West Central never trailed, building a steady advantage behind efficient shooting and strong interior play. The Trojans shot 56 percent from the field and went 16-for-18 at the free-throw line.
Connor Mebius led the way with 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting while adding eight free throws. Will Kuhl contributed 15 points and four rebounds, and Hayden Heier added 13 points, including three 3-pointers. Boche Knight chipped in nine points and four assists.
After taking a 15-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, West Central pushed its advantage to 24-22 at halftime in a tightly contested opening half.
The Trojans created separation in the third quarter.
West Central opened the second half on a run fueled by inside scoring from Kuhl and Mebius, along with a late 3-pointer from Heier that helped stretch the lead to 44-37 entering the fourth.
Sioux Falls Christian briefly threatened in the final period. A basket by Canyon Prins and a steal-and-score from Cooper Strande cut the deficit to 49-47 with just over three minutes remaining.
But West Central responded immediately.
Heier knocked down a key 3-pointer to halt the momentum, and Mebius followed with back-to-back baskets to extend the lead. The Trojans then sealed the game at the free-throw line, where they were nearly perfect throughout the night.
Sioux Falls Christian was led by Ryan Dieleman, who scored 16 points and hit four 3-pointers. Prins added 13 points off the bench, and Carson Nickles finished with 12 points, including three 3-pointers. Brant Wassenaar added nine points and five rebounds.
Despite shooting a solid 51 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc, the Chargers struggled at the free-throw line (5-of-9) and committed 13 turnovers, which West Central converted into key scoring opportunities.
West Central also held a 34-28 edge in points in the paint and maintained control down the stretch, closing the game on a 17-9 run over the final three minutes.
With the win, the Trojans completed a wire-to-wire dominant season, ending any doubt about the state’s top team while denying Sioux Falls Christian another championship in its recent run of title-game appearances.