SIOUX FALLS – Yankton provided the excitement with a 59-57 rally to upset No. 3 seed Sioux Falls Lincoln in the final game of the day at the Arena while the rest of the top seeds advanced.
At the PREMIER Center, top-seeded Rapid City Stevens downed Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 53-40, and No. 2 Rapid City Central defeated Douglas, 66-54. In the other game at the Arena, fourth-seeded Harrisburg pulled away from Sioux Falls Washington for a 64-47 win.
At 12:45 p.m., the Knights and Warriors meet in the Arena while the battle of the Patriots tips off in the PREMIER Center.
The championship semifinals pits the Raiders against Tigers at 4:45 with the Cobblers and Bucks tipping off at 8:15 p.m. Both games are in the PREMIER Center.
• Rapid City Stevens 53, Sioux Falls O’Gorman 40
The top-seeded Raiders jumped out to a 22-9 lead after the first eight minutes and cruised to the 13-point win over O’Gorman in the first boys’ game of the day at the PREMIER Center.
The eighth-seeded Knights cut it to 10 points at halftime – 27-17 – but still trailed 40-30 through three before Stevens pulled away for the first-round victory.
Cooper Bowman led a balanced Raider attack with 14 points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists. Dawson Paulsen added 11 points while Connor King chipped in with 10 as Stevens improved to 18-3 on the season.
Jaron Zwagerman’s 13 points led O’Gorman as Akoi Akoi pulled down 13 boards as the Knights dropped to 13-9
• Rapid City Central 66, Douglas 54
The second-seeded Cobblers led at each break – 15-12 after one; 29-27 at halftime; and 47-42 through three – before putting together a 19-12 advantage in the fourth to earn the win in the first boys’ game of the day at the Arena.
Dylan Hay dropped 22 points and dished out four assists for Central as Kailleb Walton-Blanded added 19 points, six steals and three dimes. Elijah Williams nearly posted a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, to go along with two takeaways and a pair of blocks while Camden Talley contributed 10 points as the Cobblers improved to 18-3.
Darius Dawson and Dylan Pourier had 14 points apiece for Douglas as Dawson pulled down nine boards as the Patriots held a 42-33 rebounding edge. Dan Hand chipped in with 10 points as the Patriots fell to 16-6.
• Harrisburg 64, Sioux Falls Washington 47
The fourth-seeded Tigers turned it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring Washington, 24-11, to pull away for the 64-47 win at the PREMIER Center.
Harrisburg led 15-12 after a quarter; 26-24 at halftime; and 40-36 through three to improve to 18-4.
Brady VanHolland led three Tigers in double figures with a game-high 16 points while Michael Curry added 15 points, a team-high six rebounds, five assists and four blocks. Ace Zorr chipped in with 11 points and five boards.
ach Heins had 12 points and nine boards for the Warriors, who dropped to 12-9. Logan Uttecht added 11 points, three steals and a pair of assists.
• Yankton 59, Sioux Falls Lincoln 57
The Bucks, who started the postseason seeded 11th overall, rallied to knock off third-seeded Lincoln, 59-57, at the Arena.
Trailing 57-56, Jack Wolgram came up with a steal and found Matthew Mors on the fast break, who scored; was fouled; and added the free throw with 17 seconds left to lift Yankton to the two-point win after the Patriots missed a last-second shot.
Lincoln led 16-14 after 8 minutes and 34-20 at halftime before the Bucks went on a 21-9 run in the third to get within 43-41 heading into the final frame.
Mors finished with a game-high 30 points to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three blocks as the Bucks improved to 15-7. Rex Ryken added 12 points and Wolgram chipped in with 10 points and five boards.
Diang Gatluak 21 points and six rebounds led Lincoln, which dropped to 15-6. Jared Jaros contributed 14 points and Christophe Bwanya had 13.
