Centerville escapes upset bid by Dolphins
HURON –– The top-seeded Centerville Tornadoes kept their undefeated record intact, but it was a challenge as the Deubrook Area Dolphins led at the end of the first quarter and never trailed by double digits in the game as Centerville closed out a 51-46 victory in the opening game of the South Dakota Class B Girls’ State Tournament Thursday at Huron Arena.

Freshman Izzie Eide got the first points of the game on a strong cut to the hoop for Centerville, but it was Deubrook who was able to take advantage of cold outside shooting by the Tornadoes. The Dolphins spread the ball around very well as four girls scored for the eighth seed on the way to a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Dolphins did struggle with turnovers early, but they played fast and furious basketball, allowing them to hold onto the lead as the game got deep into the second quarter.

Though the Dolphins held the size advantage, the Tornadoes began to find success late in the second half as top scorer Emma Marshall began to attack inside. Althea Gust drove inside, and the lefty then sank two free throws to give Centerville its first lead since early in the first quarter at 15-14 with 90 seconds left in the first half. The Tornadoes would take a 17-14 lead to the locker room at half.

The Dolphins were able to get the first two buckets of the second half to regain the lead, but Izzie Eide immediately got an offensive rebound and putback for Centerville to regain the lead. Deubrook would snag a pair of steals and push the lead to 23-19 at the third quarter media timeout.

Izzie Eide hit a corner three for the first long ball of the game for the Tornadoes on their 16th attempt just after the media timeout. She would hit another three and Marshall hit a pair of free throws to tie the game, and the teams began going back and forth to close out the third quarter. A free throw from Neely Gustad with three seconds left in the period brought Deubrook within one at 31-30 Centerville heading into the fourth.

The Tornadoes were able to maintain a lead, albeit often narrow, throughout the fourth quarter, and they hit late free throws to seal a 51-46 victory.

The Tornadoes move to 24-0 behind 22 points from Izzie Eide. Emma Marshall added 15 points and nine rebounds, including her 1,700th point of her career.

Althea Gust added 11 points for Centerville.

Deubrook Area falls to 18-6. Mataya Gows led the way with 15 points. Kylee Johnson had 12 points and nine rebounds.

Deubrook Area 10 14 30 46
Centerville 7 17 31 51

Deubrook Area (18-6): Neely Gustad 2 1-2 5, Matte Bauman 4 0-1 9, Kylee Johnson 5 1-2 12, Mataya Gows 7 1-4 15, Zoey Molengraaf 2 0-0 4, Peyton Trooien 0 1-2 1. Totals: 20 4-11 46.

Centerville (24-0): Keira Austin 1 1-2 3, Althea Gust 2 5-6 11, Izzie Eide 8 2-4 22, Emma Marshall 6 3-5 15. Totals: 17 11-17 51.

FG: DA - 20/43 47%; C - 17/56 30%. 3-pt FG: DA - 2/8 (Bauman, Johnson); C - 6/30 (IEide 4, Gust 2). Rebounds: DA 32 (Johnson 9), C 28 (Marshall 9). Assists: DA 3 (Bauman 2), C 6 (Gust, Marshall 2). Steals: DA 5 (Bauman, Johnson 2), C 6 (KAustin, Gust 2). Turnovers: DA 18, C 9. Fouls: DA 15, C 14.

Lady Warriors rely on youth in win over Parkston
HURON –– The fifth-seeded Bennett County Lady Warriors relied on their young starters at the end, and they held on for a 51-49 victory over fourth seed Parkston Trojans Thursday at Huron Arena.

The Lady Warriors came out with fast-paced defensive intensity that keyed their offense. Freshman Reagan O’Neill led the offensive play. Keeara Oakley was able to shake loose inside for Parkston to keep it close, but a pair of steals and layups allowed Bennett County to hold a 13-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Berkley Ziebart dialed in a three-point shot to open the second quarter for Parkston, but then Bennett County went on a quick 6-0 run to open a 19-11 lead with 6:20 left in the first half.

The Parkston offense began to pick up as the pressure defense began to force some turnovers on the young ball handlers of Bennett County. However, the pace continued to favor the Lady Warriors, and they went to half with a 27-19 lead.

The margin remained between five and nine for most of the first half of the third quarter as Parkston struggled to hit from the outside. Berkley Ziebart hit a three just ahead of the media timeout in the third. As the teams headed toward the fourth quarter, the Lady Warriors did find a few starters in foul trouble, but they held a 41-32 lead when the third quarter buzzer sounded.

Lady Warriors senior Thomiah Poor Bear fouled out with five minutes left in the game, leaving the younger players for Bennett County to hold onto an eight-point lead at the time.

Parkston was able to use its size inside to trim the lead and close within four points at 44-40 with 2:37 left. Freshman Reagan O’Neill and eighth-grader Peyson O’Neill stepped up for Bennett County and attacked the hoop, pushing the lead out to 11 at 51-40 with thirty seconds left. The Trojans had a flurry of buckets at the end, but the Lady Warriors held on for the 51-49 victory.

The Lady Warriors move to 22-2 behind 14 points and 11 rebounds from Peyson O’Neill and 13 points and 13 rebounds from Reagan O’Neill.

Madi Waln added 10 points for Bennett County.

Parkston falls to 19-5. Keeara Oakley led scoring for the Trojans with 17 points and Berkley Ziebart added 11. Mya Thuringer had nine points and cleared 12 rebounds for Parkston.

Bennett County 13 27 41 51
Parkston 8 19 32 49

Bennett County (22-2): Reagan O’Neill 6 1-4 13, Peyson O’Neill 6 2-5 14, Harley Harris 3 0-0 6, Madi Waln 4 0-0 10, Thomiah Poor Bear 2 0-0 4, Jadyn Standing Soldier 1 0-0 2, Sophia May 1 0-0 2. Totals: 23 3-9 51.

Parkston (19-5): Lauren Ziebart 2 1-2 6, Berkley Ziebart 3 2-2 11, Keeara Oakley 6 4-6 17, Morgan Maxwell 2 1-2 6, Mya Thuringer 2 5-10 9. Totals: 15 13-22 49.

FG: BC - 23/51 45%; P 15/57 26%. 3-pt FG: BC 2/7 (Waln 2); P - 6/25 (BZiebart 3, LZiebart, Oakley, Maxwell). Rebounds: BC 41 (RO’Neill 13, PO’Neill 11), P 27 (Thuringer 12). Assists: BC 10 (Harris, Poor Bear 3), P 7 (Oakley 3). Steals: BC 5 (Waln 2), P 15 (Oakley 6). Turnovers: BC 24, P 14. Fouls: BC 19 (Poor Bear out), P 11.

No. 7 Lady Cardinals record  upset against No. 2 Ranchers
HURON –– The St. Mary’s Lady Cardinals jumped out with defensive pressure and held on through the second half for a 61-50 victory over the previously-unbeaten Harding County Ranchers Thursday at the South Dakota State B Girls’ Basketball Tournament at Huron Arena.

Jenna Miller opened up scoring with a hard drive down the lane for St. Mary’s. Miller would nail a three on the next Cardinals’ possession. The St. Mary’s pressure forced a turnover and they jumped out to a 9-4 lead with 3:40 left in the first quarter.

Turnovers and fouls piled up for both teams as both squads applied heavy pressure on the defensive side of the ball. A three and a quick steal and layup for Harding County’s Bailey Verhulst tied the score. However, on the ensuing play, top scorer Macey Wendt picked up her third foul for the Ranchers, sending her to the bench.

The Cardinals’ pressure then led to a quick pair of buckets and a 20-14 lead, and that would be the margin at the end of one quarter.

The Ranchers opened the second quarter with a steal and a layup for Kaylen Padden. She was fouled, missed the free throw, but got her own rebound and found Kelsi Constello for a short jumper. After a bucket by Brayden Padden off a St. Mary’s turnover, the Ranchers had quickly tied the game 20-20 within the first minute of the second quarter.

Verhulst would make a strong move through the lane to give Harding County its first lead with 5:15 left in the first half. It would not last long, as the Cardinals would quickly go on a 9-0 run to push the lead to 30-22.

The Cardinals would then get a pair of threes by Madala Hanson and one from Jodie Klein to push the lead out to double digits, heading to half with a 39-26 advantage.

The two teams would come out slow in the third quarter, with each squad scoring a single basket in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the quarter.

At that point of the game, the two teams had combined for 40 turnovers.

Harding County then began using excellent movement on offense to get easy baskets and cut the lead to single digits, but Hanson nailed a fall-away three at the buzzer to end the third quarter with St. Mary’s leading 48-38.

Harding County continued to make efforts, but each time they did, St. Mary’s would hit a three or get a timely turnover and layup. In the end, the Lady Cards hit the free throws needed to make it a 61-50 victory.

The Lady Cardinals move to 18-6 behind 22 points from Madala Hanson. Jenna Miller added 13 points.

The Ranchers drop their first game of the year, now 21-1. Verhulst and Kamry Padden each had 13 points to lead the way.

St. Mary’s 20 39 48 61
Harding County 14 26 38 50

St. Mary’s (18-6): Brianna Griffin 0 3-4 3, Addison Libis 0 1-2 1, Jenna Miller 5 2-4 13, Madala Hanson 4 8-8 22, Maddyn Lebrun 3 0-0 6, Jodie Klein 2 2-2 8, Stephenie Geraets 2 3-3 8. Totals: 17 19-23 61.

Harding County (21-1): Kelsi Costello 1 0-0 2, Macey Wendt 3 2-3 8, Bailey Verhulst 6 0-0 13, Kaylen Padden 4 1-3 9, Brayden Padden 1 0-0 2, Kamry Padden 4 5-7 13, Raelee Hunsucker 1 0-0 3. Totals: 20 8-13 50.

FG: SM - 17/52 33%; HC - 20/45 44%. 3-pt FG: SM - 8/30 (Hanson 4, Klein 2, Miller, SGeraets); HC - 2/13 (Verhulst, Hunsucker). Rebounds: SM 29 (Four with 5), HC 29 (Wendt 6). Assists: SM 8 (Griffin, Hanson 2), HC 7 (Wendt, Hunsucker 2). Steals: SM 18 (Three with 4), HC 12 (Wendt, Verhulst 3). Turnovers: SM 21, HC 31. Fouls: SM 14, HC 18 (Costello, Wendt out).

Sanborn Central/Woonsocket avenges loss to Lyman with overtime victory in opener
HURON –– The Sanborn Central/Woonsocket Blackhawks avenged a loss to the Lyman Raiders on the Huron Arena court in January with a 53-40 overtime victory Thursday to close out the first day of the State B girls’ basketball tourney at Huron Arena.

The Blackhaws won the tip and on the third attempt of the possession, Kaylie Robinson banked home a three. Lyman freshman Jordyn Scott glided through the lane for a bucket on the ensuing possession.

Bree Smart then drove baseline for the Raiders for a Lyman lead, 4-3.

After a Lyman turnover, Alexa Goertz found Makenzie Schley to make it 5-4 and Liz Boschee scored on the next possession to quickly push the Blackhawks out to 7-4.

Smart was fouled on a drive through the lane and went to the line but she missed both charity tosses. The Raiders got the offensive rebound and eventually Brooke Palmer put the ball in on a putback to make it 7-6.

Lyman’s Mak Scott got an offensive rebound and was fouled. She would miss both free throws and Kali Hofer would connect for the Blackhawks from long range to make it a 10-6 lead.

Palmer was fouled on a drive through the lane and ended a five-shot empty streak at the line for Lyman by hitting one of two, cutting the Blackhawk lead to 10-7 with 1:40 left in the first.

Cami Edwards made a turnaround basket underneath for SC/W, and the first quarter ticked off with the Blackhawks holding a 12-7 lead.

Alexa Goertz got the first bucket of the second quarter at the 6:20 mark of the second quarter after a steal and then on the next Blackhawk possession, and Boschee stopped and popped from just inside the free throw line to give the Blackhawks a 16-7 lead and draw a timeout from the Raiders.

Jordyn Scott scored off an inbounds pass to end a 10-minute field goal drought for Lyman. The teams went into the media timeout with 4:28 left in the half with SC/W holding a 16-9 lead.

Out of the timeout, Mak Scott drove through the Blackhawk defense for a basket to make it 16-11. Edwards answered with a scoop shot layup, but Kenzie Wagner made a deep three from the top of the key to cut the lead to 18-14.

Mak Scott found Palmer on the cut for a layup, but the Blackhawks responded with a post move by Alexa Goertz in the lane to bring the lead back to 20-16.

Edwards was fouled and missed both shots.The two teams would not be able to connect on multiple shot attempts as the first half came to a close, and SC/W took a 20-16 lead into half.

After the teams missed a combined six shots to open the second half, Jadyn Scott nailed a three and Alexa Goertz responded with a three-ball.

Mak Scott stopped and hit a free throw line jumper and Boschee responded with a pull-up jumper on the wing to make it 25-21 Blackhawks with 5:25 left in the third.

Smart was fouled and hit one of two free throws. The teams would each have an empty possession to take the game to the third quarter media timeout, with the Blackhawks holding a 25-22 lead.

Mak Scott hit a long jumper out of the timeout to get within one at 25-24.

Then, after an empty Blackhawk possession, Jordyn Scott blew by her defender and was fouled. She sank both free throws to give Lyman the 26-25 lead.

Boschee hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 26 with three minutes remaining in the third. After a pair of empty possessions for both teams,

Alexa Goertz had a turnaround bucket in the post to make it 28-26 with 1:45 left in the third.

Jadyn Scot hit one of two free throws, drawing Robinson’s third foul in the process. Robinson did the same for SC/W to keep the Blackhawks up 29-27.

The Blackhawks got a bucket at the buzzer by Boschee to make it a 31-27 game heading into the final frame.

The first point of the fourth was a free throw by Mak Scott 90 seconds into the period, but as it happened for the Raiders, she missed her second, leaving it a 31-28 lead. Palmer would cut backdoor and get a bucket and a foul, hitting the free throw to knot the score at 31.

Wagner got a putback bucket for Lyman to give the Raiders a 33-31 lead.

Alexa Goertz hit one of two free throws to chip that lead down to 33-32.

After a steal, Boschee took the ball in for a layup to give the Blackhawks a 34-33 lead. On the ensuing play, Goertz got a steal but had her shot blocked and Robinson committed her fifth foul on the rebound.

Hofer then took the ball away from Lyman. After a Lyman timeout, Goertz drove down the lane for a bucket and a 36-33 SC/W lead.

Palmer was fouled on an offensive rebound for Lyman and hit one of two free throws to cut it to a 36-34 Blackhawk lead with 90 seconds remaining.

Addi Bartholow connected on a runner to put the Blackhawks up 38-34. However, Bartholow then fouled Mak Scott. Scott hit one of two free throws.

Mak Scott then hit a three to tie the game with 21 seconds left.

The Blackhawks drew up a play in a timeout with 11 seconds remaining in regulation but Lyman got in front on defense, forcing overtime.

Boschee hit a pair of free throws to open the overtime period. Mak Scott got an offensie rebound and missed both free throw shots.

Edwards took the ball hard to the hole and was fouled, hitting both shots to give the Blackhawks a 42-38 lead.

Both teams missed a bucket, then Mak Scott took the ball coast to coast to cut the lead to 42-40. Goertz got a steal and was fouled, hitting one of two free throws to give SC/W a 43-40 lead.

After a Lyman turnover, the Blackhawks got a short jumper from Boschee and a putback from Boschee to make it 47-40 in favor of the Blackhawks.

After a Lyman miss, the Raiders needed to foul, and Boschee hit a pair of charity tosses to make it 49-40. She would then get fouled after Lyman missed on their offensive possession, and she hit both free throws. Boschee was then fouled again and hit a pair to make it 53-40, and that would be the final score.

The Blackhawks (21-3) got 23 points and 11 rebounds from Boschee. Goertz added 13.

The Raiders were led by Mak Scott with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Jordyn Scott added 10 .

The Blackhawks will face St. Mary’s in the final game today.

Sanborn Cent/Woon 12 20 31 38 53
Lyman 7 16 27 38 40

Sanborn Central/Woonsocket (21-3): Makenzie Schley 1 0-0 2, Liz Boschee 7 9-10 23, Kali Hofer 1 0-0 3, Kaylie Robinson 1 1-2 4, Cami Edwards 2 2-4 6, Alexa Goertz 5 2-4 13, Addison Bartholow 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 14-20 53.

Lyman (19-4): Bree Smart 1 1-4 3, Kenzie Wagner 2 0-0 5, Jordyn Scott 3 3-4 10, Mak Scott 5 2-8 13, Brooke Palmer 3 3-5 9. Totals: 14 9-21 40.

FG: SCW - 18/48 38%; L - 14/48 29%. 3-pt FG: SCW - 3/12 (Hofer, Robinson, Goertz); L - 3/21 (Wagner, JScott, MScott). Rebounds: SCW 23 (Boschee 11), L 35 (MScott 14). Assists: SCW 8 (Robinson 4), L 5 (MScott 2). Steals: SCW 10 (Goertz 6), L 7 (JScott 3). Turnovers: SCW 12, L 20. Fouls: SCW 16 (Robinson out), L 13.