SIOUX FALLS –– The Clark/Willow Lake Cyclones had a six-point lead heading into the final quarter against the Hill City Rangers, but an incredible shooting display in the final period pulled out a 68-63 victory for the Rangers in consolation semifinal play Thursday at the South Dakota Class A State Boys’ Basketball Tournament held at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls.

Griffin Musser found Bo Begeman underneath for a basket to open the game for Clark/Willow Lake. After a turnover by each team, Devin Buehler drove into the lane for a basket to tie the score at two.

Sullivan Felberg connected from deep, but Zane Messick answered right back for Hill City with a long ball of his own. Messick hit another three coming out of the media timeout to give the Rangers an 8-5 lead.

Begeman was able to get a putback basket and was fouled. After the free throw, the game was tied at 8. Emmerson Larson got on the board for the Cyclones with a short basket.

Buehler made one of two to bring Hill City within one, but Chris Bevers got into the lane for a basket as the three-minute mark of the first quarter passed.

Buehler hit a pair of free throws and Messick got one of two free throws as the duo attempted to pull Hill City behind them, scoring all 12 points between them as the game was tied with 90 seconds remaining in the first period.

Larson backed in his defender for a basket and was fouled, hitting the free throw to make it 15-12. Brensen Veneklasen got a putback for Hill City to cut the Cyclone lead to 15-14 with a minute remaining.

Buehler hit a pair of free throws and Bevers quickly responded with a layup and was fouled. Messick would hit a short jumper as time expired to end the first quarter tied 18-18.

Bevers opened the second quarter with a bucket and Buehler responded with a three.

After each team missed from long range, Larson nailed a deep ball to make it 23-21 Clark/Willow Lake with six minutes remaining.

Alex Stoeckmann would get a short shot to fall for Hill City, but Musser quickly responded with a drive into the lane. Everett Sullivan got going for the Rangers with a basket to tie the game at 25.

Buehler hit a three, and Bevers immediately drove in for two. Sullivan was fouled underneath and made both free throws to make it 30-27 with 3:49 left in the half.

Felberg got into the Ranger defense and scored to cut the lead to one, then both teams went scoreless for 90 seconds until Felberg again made a basket to give the Cyclones a 31-30 lead.

Bevers hit a pair of free throws with 50 seconds left that would be the final scoring of the half, with CWL up 33-30.

Stoeckmann got a fast break layup for Hill City, but Bevers immediately responded with a three. A deep ball by Felberg made it 39-32 Cyclones with six minutes remaining.

Bevers would get a steal and layup for CWL, but Dax Frandsen responded with a jumper for Hill City to make it 41-34 Cyclones.

Felberg got under the hoop for two, but Buehler responded with a three to make it 43-37 with four minutes left in the quarter.

The two teams would go scoreless for 90 seconds before Larson got a basket down low and was fouled to make it 46-37. Sullivan would cut to the hoop for two and then Messick hit a three with 1:43 left in the third to make it 46-42.

Bevers hit a jumper to make it 48-42, and that would be the score heading into the final period.

Begeman opened the fourth with a hoop and harm and then got a basket after a Felberg steal to quickly push the lead to 53-42, and it looked like the Cyclones may close out the game with momentum and their first double-digit lead.

Instead, Brayden Wilkison came off the bench and hit a three. A jumper by Frandsen quickly had the Rangers within 53-47 at the six-minute mark. Frandsen got a steal and a layup and then Messick turned a turnover into a three-ball, and suddenly Hill City was within 53-52 with five minutes remaining in the game.

Frandsen would connect for three to give the Rangers a 55-53 lead heading into the final media timeout of the game.

Coming out of the media break, Felberg drove hard to the hoop and was fouled. After hitting the free throw, the Cyclones were up 56-55 with four minutes remaining. Messick responded with a three from the corner to give the Rangers back the lead, 58-56.

Begeman was fouled on the drive and hit both charity tosses to knot the score at 58. Sullivan was able to work his way in for a hoop and harm. After the free throw, Hill City had a 61-58 lead with 2:59 left in the game.

Larson got a putback bucket and got the Cyclones within one. On the fourth shot of the possession, Sullivan got a putback bucket, but Bevers responded with a three to knot the game at 63 with 1:47 left.

Sullivan drove in and was fouled, hitting both free throws to give Hill City a 65-63 edge with 90 seconds remaining in the game.

After the teams exchanged missed shots, CWL called a timeout with 40 seconds remaining. A missed shot after the timeout forced the Cyclones to foul.

Buehler made one of two, leaving the door open for the Cyclones, but they couldn’t sink a deep shot, leading to another foul with nine seconds remaining. Messick hit both free throws and the Cyclones couldn’t hit from deep, giving the Rangers a 68-63 victory.

The Rangers win their 20th game of the season, now 20-3, behind 20 points from Messick, including five three-point baskets. Buehler hit three long-range shots as part of 17 points and Sullivan added 13.

Sullivan and Messick each had seven rebounds to pace Hill City.

The Cyclones fall to 18-6 despite a game-high 21 points from Bevers. Larson and Felberg each added 15 points and Begeman added 10 points. Felberg grabbed a game-high eight boards.

Clark/Willow Lake will face Groton Area for seventh place today at noon.

Hill City 18 30 42 68
Clark/Willow Lake 18 33 48 63

Hill City (20-5): Everett Sullivan 4 5-5 13, Devin Buehler 4 6-8 17, Zane Messick 6 3-5 20, Alex Stoeckmann 2 0-0 4, Dax Frandsen 4 0-0 9, Brayden Wilkison 1 0-0 3, Brensen Veneklasen 1 0-0 2. Totals: 22 14-18 68.

Clark/Willow Lake (18-6): Emmerson Larson 6 2-3 15, Chris Bevers 8 3-3 21, Bo Begeman 3 4-4 10, Griffin Musser 1 0-0 2, Sullivan Felberg 6 1-1 15. Totals: 24 10-11 63.

FG: HC - 22/48 46%; CWL - 24/47 51%. 3-pt FG: HC - 10/21 (Messick 5, Buehler 3, Frandsen, Wilkison); CWL - 5/17 (Bevers 2, Felberg 2, Larson). Rebounds: HC 27 (Sullivan, Messick 7), CWL 25 (Felberg 8). Assists: HC 13 (Buehler 6), CWL 13 (Felberg 5). Steals: HC 9 (Buehler 3), CWL 5 (Larson, Bevers 2). Turnovers: HC 11, CWL 15. Fouls: HC 12 (Stoeckmann out), CWL 15.