ABERDEEN — While the Wessington Springs Spartans played a solid game, the stars of the top-seeded Castlewood Warriors shone brightly in a 64-45 victory in championship semifinal action in the South Dakota Class B State Boys’ Basketball Tournament at Don Meyer Court in the Barnett Center in Aberdeen.

The Warriors came out and quickly established 6-foot-9 center Bryon Laue as he sealed off the defender and made a bucket and was fouled. He did miss the free throw, but after a defensive stop, Jamison Keszler hit a free throw line jumper to quickly make it 4-0.

Springs worked the inside/outside game and Sam Poncelow ended up with a three, but Kamden Keszler snuck underneath for a putback bucket. Ryder Michalek drove down the lane and put it in on his own putback to bring the Spartans within 6-5.

Laue got a hoop and harm, but he again missed the foul shot. After a block on the defensive end by the Warriors, they got a three ball from Kamden Keszler to make it 11-5 at the first media timeout.

After both teams went scoreless for more than two minutes, Luke Baumberger got a pass on the inbounds and was fouled, hitting both free throws. Michalek answered with a three to make it 13-8 with 2:17 left in the first.

Jamison Keszler hit one of two free throws and then Colby Flowers hit a free throw line jumper with Laue guarding him to bring Springs within 14-10.

Michalek would close it to a two-point lead with a turnaround shot.

Jamison got a bucket and Flowers immediately got a bucket on a drive to keep the score 16-14. Jamison Keszler pulled up at the top of the key as time ran out for three to make it 19-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Laue got caught deep under the hoop and used his long arms to flip the ball into the basket for the first score of the second quarter, but Poncelow responded with a three to keep it 21-17.

Jamison Keszler hit a pair of free throws. After a missed three by Castlewood, Karter Mebius got by the defender for a basket to make it 23-19.

Brody Bass knocked down a long-range shot for the Warriors to make it 26-19 at the second media break of the game.

Luke Larson got a basket for Springs out of the media break, but Jamison Keszler drew a shooting foul and hit one of two free throws.

Michalek hit a short jumper, and Castlewood called a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Warriors got the ball inside to Laue for a turnaround bucket to make it 29-23.

Flowers was fouled on the drive and made one of two. Jamison Keszler took it hard to the hoop for a bucket to keep it 31-24.

Michalek hit a fadeaway jumper, but Laue drew contact on a made hook shot and hit his first free throw to push the Castlewood lead to 34-26 with 27 seconds left in the first half. Laue would have a putback right at the buzzer to send the teams to the locker rooms with the Warriors holding a 10-point lead, 36-26.

Laue opened the second half with a turnaround in the lane and Jamison Keszler hit a jumper to quickly make it 40-28 to open the second half.

Wesley Molner attacked the lane and hit a floater but Keszler was able to get right to the hoop for two to make the score 42-28 with 6:44 left in the third.

Baumberger nailed a three from the corner to make it 45-28, and Wessington Springs coach Joey Mitchell called a timeout, hoping to keep the game from getting away from his squad.

Michalek got to the hoop out of the timeout and then after a miss by Castlewood, Flowers was able to get a left-handed hook shot over Laue to quickly get the Spartans to 48-32.

Baumberger connected from the left wing for three, and the third quarter media timeout was called with Castlewood leading 48-32.

Flowers got a steal and dished off to Mebius for a lay-in. Mebius then hit a deep three to cut the Warrior lead to 48-37 with 2:47 left in the quarter.

Kamden Keszler got a jumper in the lane to fall. Springs had a few shots in the final possession of the quarter, but they came up short, leaving the Warriors with a 50-37 margin heading into the fourth.

Flowers hit a high-arching bank shot to open the fourth, but Kamden Keszler got a bucket quickly for Castlewood. Laue got the hoop and the harm to push the lead out to 55-41.

Flowers was able to get a bucket around Laue then was fouled on a jumper and hit both free throws, bringing the Spartans within 55-43 with 5:21 left in the game.

Laue went one of two at the line and Bass nailed a three from the deep wing to make it 59-43 with 3:29 remaining in the game.

Flowers got a spin move around Laue to go, but too many shots did not fall for Springs. Bass got a jumper to fall with 90 seconds remaining. Both teams cleared the benches with one minute remaining. Castlewood would finish out a 64-45 win.

The Warriors would move to 23-2 behind 19 points and 13 rebounds from Laue. Jamison Keszler would finish with 17 points.

The Spartans were led by Flowers with 15 points. Michalek added 13 points and hauled in 11 rebounds for Springs.

Wessington Springs will play for third place at 6 p.m. tonight.

Wessington Springs 14 26 37 45
Castlewood 19 36 50 64

Wessington Springs (22-3): Karter Mebius 3 0-0 7, Wesley Molnar 1 0-0 2, Sam Poncelow 2 0-0 6, Colby Flowers 6 3-4 15, Ryder Michalek 6 0-0 13, Luke Larson 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 3-4 45.

Castlewood (23-2): Kamden Keszler 4 0-0 9, Brody Bass 3 0-0 8, Jamison Keszler 6 4-6 17, Luke Baumberger 2 2-2 8, Bryon Laue 8 3-6 19, Bennett Johnson 1 0-0 3. Totals: 24 9-14 64.

FG: WS - 19/54 35%; C - 24/42 57%. 3-pt FG: WS - 4/13 (Poncelow 2, Mebius, Michalek); C - 7/11 (Bass 2, Baumberger 2, KKeszler, JKeszler, Johnson). Rebounds: WS 26 (Michalek 11), C 30 (Laue 13). Assists: WS 13 (Molnar 3), C 13 (JKeszler 5). Blocks: WS 2 (CFlowers), C 4 (Bass, Laue 2). Steals: WS 7 (CFlowers 3), C 4 (KKeszler 2). Turnovers: WS 10, C 10. Fouls: WS 13, C 8.