VOLGA – When the Sioux Valley offense clicks, it clicks to a different beat.

It happens frequently, and it happened again Saturday afternoon.

The second-ranked Cossacks rolled up 83 points in the first 24 minutes – 27 came with a running clock during the third quarter – as they beat Hamlin 96-62 to clinch at least a share of the Lake Central Conference boys’ basketball title.

“I thought early on we came out with a ton of energy and applied a lot of pressure,” said Cossack coach Bill Vincent. “In the second half we were still able to get a lot of things going there and I think, maybe, the fact that they played the night before they were on some tired legs and stuff. I thought we kept it at a clean game, too, when it was on a running clock. So the flow of the game was able still able to move.”

Trevor Olson (13) and Tayt Vincent (six) combined for 19 points in the opening quarter as Sioux Valley built a 27-11 lead.

Vincent added nine points in the second, and three other Cossacks combined to hit four treys, leading the home team to a 56-24 halftime advantage.

Sioux Valley knocked down five more 3s in the third, including two apiece from Trevor Hanson – who scored 10 points in the period – and Olson as the Cossacks seized an insurmountable 83-44 advantage.

“It was good. We had really good ball movement throughout the whole game. We play as a team,” said Hanson, who finished with 15 points and six boards in just 18 minutes.

When asked what’s fueling the Cossack offense, Hanson added, “Just working hard in practice every day; getting what needs to be done, done.”

Olson scored a game-high 24 points and Vincent added 19, completing the double-double with 10 assists.

Max Nielson canned a trio of treys for nine points and Zack Puetz added six markers, including a two-handed dunk in the second quarter.

The postseason push is certainly on the horizon for the Cossacks, who are currently leading the state in seed points.

“We’re starting to see some guys liven up on our bench and contribute, and the roles start to fall into place that way,” said Vincent. “Zack Puetz is a fresher player than he was at the beginning of the year. The ball is falling from the perimeter and the shots that we’re making are coming at the end of assists, so those are good things heading towards the postseason.”

The Cossacks (16-2) have the opportunity to win both their league titles outright this week.

They’re 5-0 in LCC games and 6-0 in Big East Conference play (on top of winning the BEC Tournament championship).

Sioux Valley plays host to Castlewood in an LCC game on Tuesday at 8 p.m. and then travels to Garretson for a BEC matchup Friday at 7:30 p.m.

For Hamlin (9-7, 1-3 LCC), John Roe had 19 points and Bryce Williams 10.