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Sully Buttes rallies past Cyclones in B
Posted
Curt Nettinga of the Plainsman
ABERDEEN — A nearly quarter-length cold streak spelled doom for the Clark-Willow Lake Cyclones Saturday night, as they went scoreless for almost all of the fourth quarter, while Sully Buttes was on a 20-0 run, as the Chargers posted a 58-55, come-from-behind victory in the Class “B” State title game Saturday night.
The game started with a struggle between the slow-paced inside game favored by the Chargers, feeding their 6-foot, 9-inch post player Lincoln Jordre versus the quicker tempo favored by the Cyclones.
Both teams were able, to some extent, to play their respective game, as Jordre scored 10 points, all in the paint or at the line for Sully Buttes, while Jacob Prouty also scored 10 points for Clark-Willow Lake, but hit two-of-three from behind the arc.
Clark-Willow Lake held the lead throughout most of the first half, seeing it swell to six points late on a Prouty floater on the baseline over Jordre, before Nick Wittler drained a long three-pointer in the closing seconds of the half, to make it 27-24, in favor of the Cyclones.
The theme continued - at least for Clark-Willow Lake - in the third quarter. While Sully Buttes was getting the ball inside, as well as hitting an occasional three-pointer, the Cyclones scored from distance on five straight trips, as both Prouty and Ntai Stevens hit twice and Stone Burke scored from the top of the key, pushing Clark-Willow Lake to a 48-38 lead after three quarters.
Jacob Howard completed a traditional three-point play to open the fourth quarter for the Chargers, but the Cyclones quickly moved down the court and got Prouty a clean look from about 12 feet. And for one of the first times in the tournament, the shot rimmed out.
It was a bad sign of things to come, as the Cyclones misfired on six straight shots, which, combined with a couple of turnovers and a Chargers’ front line that was giving only one shot, opened the door for Sully Buttes.
Nick Wittler hit three three-pointers for Sully Buttes, Jordre converted two short jumpers and both Devan Kleven and Howard hit two-shot free throws and suddenly the Chargers went from a 10-point deficit to a 10-point lead, 58-48.
In fact, it wasn’t until there were 18 seconds left in the game that Clark-Willow Lake broke its dry streak, as Brandyn Rusher hit a three-pointer and was fouled for a four-point play. Kleven missed two free throws and when Prouty connected from way outside, the lead was only three, with eight ticks on the clock. And while Jordre missed two free throws, a desperation three from Rusher rimmed out and touched off the celebration for the Chargers.
Wittler scored 18, Jordre ended with 16, and Howard had 15 points and 16 rebounds to pace the champion Chargers, who end the year 25-1, with their only loss coming to Class “A” Dakota Valley.
Clark-Willow Lake, who posted a 20-6 record, was led by Prouty’s 21 points, while Stevens added 12 and had 10 rebounds.
Langford Area cheerleaders won the Spirit of Six Award and the Spirit of Su was awarded to Mason Larson, also of Langford Area.