SIOUX FALLS – Eleventh-seeded Yankton (17-7) concluded its postseason run with a 39-37 defeat of Harrisburg in the Class AA State Boys’ Basketball Tournament final Saturday night at the PREMIER Center.
Six-foot-7 freshman Matthew Mors finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the low-possession game.
He totaled 86 points in the tournament – three off the championship-round record – going 30-of-52 from the field (5-of-11 on 3-pointers) and 21-of-25 from the free-throw line.
The Bucks never trailed. They were up 9-5 after a quarter and 19-12 at halftime, before seeing their lead peak at 15 points – 30-15 – at the 3:07 mark of the third.
The Tigers countered with 11 consecutive points to pull within 30-26 with 7:42 remaining in the game. Harrisburg cut the deficit to two points four times after that, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Yankton’s Rex Ryken added 14 points and seven boards. Cameron Krejci scored the tea’s other seven points.
Yankton shot 39.4 percent (13-of-33) with 13 turnovers.
Harrisburg ended up at 31.7 percent (13-of-41) with seven giveaways.
For the fourth-seeded Tigers (19-5), Blair Slaughter had nine points, Ace Zorr seven, Brady VanHolland and Chase Altenburg both six, Brooks Fuller five and Nick Hoyt four.
The teams split during the regular season.
Notes: Yankton was making its 18th appearance in the title game, but first since 1981. The Bucks picked up their 10th victory. They won one-class championships in 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1928, 1929 and 1931; and two-class A titles in 1974 and 1978. Yankton was runner-up in the one-class system in 1930, before finishing as A runner-up in the two-class system in 1938, 1953, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1981. … Harrisburg was appearing in its second title game, having won the two-class B final in 1960.
YANKTON 39, HARRISBURG 37
Yankton (17-7)
Rex Ryken 5-7 3-4 14, Casey Krejci 0-2 0-1 0, Cameron Krejci 2-6 1-2 7, Matthew Mors 6-14 5-7 18, Jack Wolfgram 0-1 0-0 0, Cooper Cornemann 0-1 0-0 0, Owen Feser 0-2 0-0 0, Hunter Kotrous 0-0 0-0 0. Totlas 13-33 9-14 39.
Harrisburg (19-5)
Michael Curry 0-2 0-0 0, Ace Zorr 3-5 1-2 7, Brady VanHolland 2-12 1-3 6, Nick Hoyt 2-7 0-0 4, Chase Altenburg 2-7 0-0 6, Brooks Fuller 1-4 3-5 5, Blair Slaughter 3-4 3-4 9, Hunter Headlee 0-0 0-0 0, Nick Walter 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-41 8-14 37.
Yankton 9 10 11 9 – 39
Harrisburg 5 7 11 14 – 37
3-point goals – Y 4-10 (Cameron Krejci 2-4, Ryken 1-2, Mors 1-2, Wolfgram 0-1, Cornemann 0-1), H 3-13 (Altenburg 2-4, VanHolland 1-5, Fuller 0-1, Hoyt 0-3). Rebounds – Y 29 (Mors 9), H 25 (Curry 7). Assists – Y 5 (Cameron Krejci 3), H 8 (Zorr 4). Steals – Y 4 (Mors 2), H 9 (Curry, VanHolland, Altenburg 2). Blocks – Y 2 (Mors 2), H 1 (Zorr 1). Turnovers – Y 13, H 7. Total fouls – Y 13, H 17. Fouled out – Zorr. Technical fouls – none.
Third place
• Rapid City Stevens 59, Rapid City Central 49
The top-seeded Raiders (19-4) beat the second-seeded Cobblers (18-5) in the rubber match between the cross-town rivals.
Tied at 12 after 8 minutes, Stevens moved ahead 29-27 at halftime and was up 44-38 through three. The Cobblers never threatened in the final period as the Raiders’ advantage peaked at 11 points – 57-46 – with 2 1/2 minutes to play.
Connor King dropped in a game-high 20 points. Will Moore posted a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. Cooper Bowman had four points, five assists and seven boards.
Nine different Raiders found the scoring column.
The Cobblers got 18 points and seven boards from Dylan Hay. Kailleb Walton-Blanden added 17 points, five assists and four boards.
The home team won both regular-season matchups – Stevens by a 57-53 margin on Feb. 2 and Central 59-55 on Feb. 15.
Fifth place
• Douglas 67, Sioux Falls O’Gorman 57
The 10th-seeded Patriots (18-6) led the eighth-seeded Knights (14-10) 17-14 after a quarter, 37-35 at halftime and 53-45 through three.
O’Gorman pulled within four points twice in the fourth but Douglas, which shot 52 percent (26-of-50) for the game, held on.
Dan Hand had 16 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Patriots. Sam Hand and Dylan Pourier added 12 points apiece, as Russell Morton dealt six dimes.
OG’s Isaac Struck scored 16 points and Zach Nagel 11 to go with eight boards.
Seventh place
• Sioux Falls Washington 77, Sioux Falls Lincoln 73
The fifth-seeded Warriors (13-10) opened up a 27-17 lead after a quarter and held off the third-seeded Patriots (14-9) in a matchup of city rivals.
Washington was ahead 43-36 at halftime and 57-52 through three. Lincoln rallied in the fourth, grabbing a 68-64 advantage with a little less than 3 minutes to play.
Later, Carter Shields’ putback put the Warriors on top for good at 71-69 with 1:15 showing on the clock.
Logan Uttecht dropped in a game-high 26 points in the win. He was 9-of-15 from the field (3-of-4 on 3s) and 5-for-5 at the foul line.
Zach Heins posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Topher Zahn (four assists) added 10 points, Carter Shields nine, Manny Akot (six boards) eight and Seth Benson six.
The Patriots put five players in double figures – Christophe Bwanya scored 14 points; Diang Gatluak, Jared Jaros and Victor Gamies each added 13; and Dillon Barrow had 12.
Gatluak also dished out five dimes, while Jymell Nave dished out five assists.
Both teams went 28-of-59 from the field – 47.5 percent.
Washington finished 9-of-21 from long range and 12-of-17 at the charity stripe, while Lincoln ended up 10-of-25 from deep at 7-of-11 at the line.
