RAPID CITY – Second-seeded Brookings dropped a 56-52 overtime heartbreaker to ESD Conference foe Aberdeen Central to open the Class AA Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Thursday afternoon at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Ice Arena.
The Golden Eagles’ Cannon Hannigan, who scored a team-high 14 points off the bench, hit a 3-pointer early in the extra session and his team never trailed again in a tight OT period.
The Golden Eagles sealed the win at the free-throw line, including two by Hannigan with 15 seconds left. Josh Mohs hit a long trey on the other end to pull the Bobcats within 54-52 with 5 1/2 seconds left.
But Nate Rook went 2-for-2 from the stripe after that to seal the deal.
“What a battle; it was one of those games that was probably the most physical game of basketball I’ve seen all day, and I watched a couple NCAA games,” said BHS coach Travis Engebretson. “So it’s just unfortunate that it came down to that. I’m very proud of the kids; I mean, we battled, we maintained our composure down the stretch at the end of regulation. We were down five and we found a way to have a nice end game to get it to overtime.
“We just couldn’t overcome. It seems like every 50-50 ball, 50-50 official call went against us. In the game of basketball, you can’t put yourself in that situation in a one-possession game.”
Brookings was sharp defensively as it led 14-7 after a quarter and 19-13 at halftime.
Aberdeen Central got things going in the third despite not having its leading scorer, Cole Bergan, who played just 14 1/2 minutes and scored two points while going 0-of-8 from the field before leaving with an injury.
The Golden Eagles were up 31-29 through three and led by as many as five points – 37-32 – in the final frame.
“It was gutsy, that’s the only way I can say it,” said Aberdeen Central coach Brent Norberg. “We had guys getting hurt all over the place and our kids just made plays in the second half.
Brookings is a great team. He just couldn’t stop Mohs, we couldn’t stop (Brennan) Carlson on the glass; and finally we were able to get them enough shots on the other end.”
The Bobcats chipped away at the deficit and pulled within a point at 41-40 on a Carlson bucket with a little more than a minute to go.
Carter Holm then came up with a steal and turned it into a fast break layup as Brookings went up 42-41 with 57.9 seconds to play.
However, Holm fouled out on the other end 12 seconds later and Jonah Dohrer made 1-of-2 free throws to pull the Golden Eagles even.
Both teams got a stop defensively, as Mohs’ desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed off.
Dohrer finished with 11 points, Rook nine, and Collin Stoebner and Andrew Bergan eight apiece. Bergan hit a key 3-ball midway through OT.
For Brookings, Carlson posted a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards.
Holm added 11 points and Mohs 10.
The Bobcats shot 29.1 percent (16-of-55) from the field, including a 2-of-21 mark from downtown.
Aberdeen Central (11-13) faces sixth-seeded Pierre in the semifinals tonight at 9:15.
Brookings (19-5) takes on third-seeded Rapid City Stevens in a consolation semifinals at 1:45 p.m.
“They’re devastated because we came out here to win a state championship,” Engebretson said. “These are high character kids – you know that and the Brookings community knows that – I know they’ll bounce back but it’s going to take some time. It might take until 11 o’clock (Friday) morning, but I know these kids will be ready to play and we’ll go out there and give it our all because we’ve had a great season and we’re going to finish on a high note.”
ABERDEEN CENTRAL 56, BROOKINGS 52 (OT)
Aberdeen Central (11-13)
Cole Bergan 0-8 2-2 2, Jonah Dohrer 3-7 5-7 11, Brandon Kusler 0-4 0-0 0, Nate Rook 3-5 2-2 9, Collin Stoebner 3-5 2-4 8, Andrew Bergan 3-7 0-0 8, Mason Flakus 0-0 0-0 0, Christian Goetz 2-5 0-0 4, Cannon Hannigan 4-10 5-7 14. Totals 18-51 16-22 56.
Brookings (19-5)
Brennan Carlson 5-13 4-7 14, Devin Coughlin 2-8 1-2 6, Carter Holm 3-8 5-7 11, Jameson Meyer 1-2 0-0 2, Josh Mohs 2-12 5-6 10, Ryan Argust 0-1 1-2 1, Drew Cole 1-4 2-2 4, Riley Schafer 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Wilber 2-7 0-0 4. Totals 16-55 18-26 52.
Aberdeen Central 7 6 18 11 14 – 56
Brookings 14 5 10 13 10 – 52
3-point goals – AC 4-15 (Bergan 2-3, Rook 1-1, Hannigan 1-4, Goetz 0-1, Dohrer 0-2, Bergan 0-4), B 2-21 (Coughlin 1-5, Mohs 1-6, Carlson 0-2, Holm 0-2, Cole 0-2, Wilber 0-4). Rebounds – AC 6 (Dohrer, Goetz 6), B 41 (Carlson 10). Assists – AC 3 (Dohrer 2), B 7 (Mohs 3). Steals – AC 3 (Dohrer, Rook, Hannigan 1), B 1 (Holm 1). Blocks – AC 6 (A. Bergan 4), B 1 (Holm 1). Turnovers – AC 12, B 12. Total fouls – AC 21, B 18. Fouled out – Goetz, Holm.
• Pierre 76, Rapid City Stevens 75
Peyton Zabel posted a double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds, and hit the game-winning shot with 1 second remaining to lift the sixth-seeded Governors (13-10) over the third-seeded Raiders (16-6).
Stevens led 12-10 after a quarter, Pierre was up 24-23 at halftime and Stevens moved back on top by a 45-38 margin through three.
The Governors rallied to tie the score at 59-all at the end of regulation and it was knotted at 68-68 after the first extra session.
Brad Dean added 21 points in the win. Connor Campbell had 10 points.
Stevens’ Mason Archambault dropped in a game-high 32 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
Jacob Martin posted a double-double of 17 points and 11 boards. Cooper Bowman contributed 10 markers.
• Sioux Falls O’Gorman 61, Harrisburg 47
JP Costello scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the top-seeded Knights (20-3) advanced with the win over the Tigers (12-13).
Harrisburg was up 14-12 after a quarter; however, O’Gorman moved ahead 29-25 at halftime and was up 43-33 through three.
The Knights shot 51.2 percent (22-of-43) from the field while limiting the Tigers to 29.2 percent (14-of-48).
Matt Cartwright added 11 points and Joey Messler had 10 as both players totaled six rebounds. Messler dished out five assists, came up with three steals and blocked three shots.
Harrrisburg got 16 point from reserve Nick Hoyt, who went 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
• Sioux Falls Lincoln 56, Huron 47 (OT)
The Patriots (12-10) outscored the Tigers (17-7) 10-1 in the extra period to pull out the win.
Lincoln led 17-12 after a quarter, 22-19 at halftime and 33-31 through three. The score was tied at 46-all at the end of regulation.
The Patriots’ Diang Gatlusk posted a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Sumon Higgason had 11 points. Alex Glanzer contributed 10 points, six assists and four boards.
Lincoln shot 40 percent (22-of-55) from the floor and had just six turnovers. Huron shot 27.6 percent (16-of-58) and turned it over 13 times.
The Tigers’ Tye Evers also posted a double-double with 19 points and 14 boards. Hylan Heinz chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds.
