BROOKINGS – Three-time defending champion St. Thomas More overcame the loss of its best player with another stingy defensive effort as the Cavaliers beat Webster Area 42-30 in a Class A State Girls’ Basketball Tournament semifinal on Friday night at Frost Arena.

“I was pleased with the defensive effort – in the first half to allow only two field goals; giving up 10 free throws, that part, maybe not so much,” said STM coach Brandon Kandolin, whose team has won four of the past five state titles. “Again, in the second half, knowing this is why we prepare, this is what we do, this is what our team does – we want to get out and defend. We want to make it as tough as possible on everybody.

“With our senior leadership and Dru (Gylten) able to come back and be on the bench and be a positive part of that, some girls really stepped up and took on some roles and took on some growth and some things that they probably weren’t expecting to do. To come out with a win is very, very important for the girls that are coming back next year. This is a big stepping stone and a growth spurt mentally. It’s going to keep them a little bit hungry for tomorrow I hope.”

Gylten, a senior and Utah commit, went down with an apparent right knee injury after flying in for a layup at the 4:52 mark of the first quarter.

“We have to wait and see if any swelling happens and they’ll test it again to see if it’s a tear,” Kandolin said.

Gylten returned to the bench in the second half with an ice pack attached to her leg.

She scored 29 points in the Cavaliers’ tourney opener on Thursday.

“You never want anything like that to happen; it doesn’t matter if it’s your team or any other team – watch somebody go down,” Kandolin added. “… You never, ever want that. You want two teams to compete and you want to see what each team is made of at this point. It’s going to be tough; it’s your best player, somebody that’s a spark on and off the floor, helps everybody out.

“Now we’re going to have to figure out what to do on the floor, but knowing that she’ll be there on the bench and she will be one of the biggest supporters tomorrow.”

Gylten scored six quick points to help STM build a 9-3 advantage. The Cavaliers led 14-4 after a quarter and 23-14 at halftime.

The Bearcats shot just 22.5 percent (9-of-40) for the game, including an 11.8-percent (2-of-17) clip in the opening half.

But the No. 5 seed rallied with a 7-0 run in the second half – McKenzie Volesky turned a steal into a breakaway layup, Haley Rithmiller had a putback and Volesky added a 3-pointer – to pull within 26-21 with 5:50 to go in the third.

However, later in the quarter, Aislinn Duffy had a bucket and Kayla Jacobson knocked down a trey to put STM up 37-24 heading to the fourth.

Webster never got closer than nine points in the final frame.

Jayden Bies paced the Cavaliers with 10 points. Alex Kandolin scored nine points, Duffy seven, Klaire Kirsch six and Jacobson four.

Kirsch grabbed 14 rebounds and Duffy 10.

The Bearcats got 12 points and nine rebounds from Rithmiller. Olivia Breske had 10 boards and Volesky came up with four steals.

ST. THOMAS MORE 42, WEBSTER AREA 30

Webster (20-4)

Olivia Breske 2-10 3-4 7, Mariah Volesky 0-4 0-2 0, Lindsey Shoenbeck 1-3 3-4 5, Briana Mount 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Ryan 0-0 0-0 0, Cara Shoemaker 0-0 0-0 0, Caitlyn Schlotte 0-0 0-0 0, McKenzie Volesky 2-12 1-2 6, Haley Rithmiller 4-11 4-4 12, Faith Shoemaker 0-0 0-0 0, Alecia Vogl 0-0 0-0 0, Kayla Fischer 0-0 0-0 0, Emily Breske 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 9-40 11-16 30.

St. Thomas More (23-0)

Jayden Bies 4-12 0-0 10, Dru Gylten 2-3 1-2 6, Kayla Jacobson 1-1 1-2 4, Klaire Kirsch 1-10 4-6 6, Alex Kandolin 4-9 1-3 9, Tintin Almqvist 0-4 0-0 0, Ashley Wojcik 0-3 0-0 0, Aislinn Duffy 2-5 3-5 7, Skylar Sullivan 0-1 0-0 0, Liz Elder 0-0 0-0 0, Ciara Benson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-48 10-18 42.

Webster                                   4 10 10 6 – 30

STM                           14   9 14 5 – 42

3-point goals – WA 1-14 (McKenzie Volesky 1-6, Breske 0-2, Rithmiller 0-2, Mariah Volesky 0-4), STM 4-17 (Bies 2-8, Jacobson 1-1, Gylten 1-2, Almqvist 0-1, Kandolin 0-2, Kirsch 0-3). Rebounds – WA 10 (Breske 10), STM 40 (Kirsch 14, Duffy 10). Assists – WA 1 (Rithmiller 1), STM 8 (Kirsch 3). Steals – WA 6 (McKenzie Volesky 4), STM 7 (Kirsch, Duffy, Kandolin 2). Blocks – WA 1 (Shoenbeck 1), STM 3 (Kirsch 2). Turnovers – WA 15, STM 15. Total fouls – WA 16, STM 12. Fouled out – Mariah Volesky, Shoenbeck.

St. Thomas More (23-0) takes on third-seeded Lennox (22-2) in the championship tonight at 8.

Semifinals

• St. Thomas More 42, Webster Area 30

• Lennox 57, Vermillion 50

Consolation semifinals

• Madison 55, Little Wound 38

• Hamlin 53, Dell Rapids 44

The Bearcats (20-4) face the Tanagers (18-7) for third place at 6 p.m.

The Lady Mustangs (20-4) and Quarriers (18-6) square off for seventh place at noon, before the Lady Bulldogs (16-9) and Chargers (23-1) play for the consolation title at 1:45 p.m.

Semifinal

• Lennox 57, Vermillion 50

Four Orioles reached double-figure points as Lennox advanced.

The Orioles were up 13-9 after a quarter but trailed 22-20 at halftime. They went ahead 39-36 heading to the fourth and never trailed in the final stanza.

Rianna Fillipi led the way with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting and four steals.

Madysen Vlastuin contributed 15 points and seven rebounds. Jordan Kruse added 12 points and six boards, while Riley Peters scored 10 points.

Lennox shot 43.9 percent (18-of-41) from the field, compared to 32.7 percent (16-of-49) by Vermillion.

The Tanagers’ Haleigh Melstad dropped in a game-high 19 points and reserve Lexi Plitzuweit chipped in with 10.

LENNOX 57, VERMILLION 50

Lennox (22-2)

Madysen Vlastuin 4-7 6-8 15, Riley Peters 3-10 3-3 10, Courtney Weeldreyer 0-2 0-0 0, Rianna Fillipi 6-8 4-4 18, Jordan Kruse 4-8 4-6 12, Megan Hinker 1-6 0-0 2, Abbie Strasser 0-0 0-0 0, Bailey Nelson 0-0 0-0 0, Hattie Breck 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-41 17-21 57.

Vermillion (18-7)

Kasey Jensen 3-16 0-0 6, Emily Bye 1-1 1-1 3, Haleigh Melstad 5-19 6-6 19, Maddie Regnerus 0-1 0-0 0, Madisen Martinez 1-6 2-2 4, Jadia Anderson 1-1 0-0 3, Kasey Herbster 2-2 1-2 5, Lexi Plitzuweit 3-3 1-2 10. Totals 16-49 11-13 50.

Lennox                                 13   7 19 18 – 57

Vermillion                               9 13 14 14 – 50

3-point goals – L 4-15 (Fillipi 2-3, Vlastuin 1-3, Peters 1-5, Weeldreyer 0-1, Hinker 0-3), V 7-24 (Plitzuweit 3-3, Melstad 3-14, Anderson 1-1, Regnerus 0-1, Martinez 0-2, Jensen 0-3). Rebounds – L 31 (Vlastuin 7), V 25 (Jensen 7). Assists – L 4 (Kruse 2), V 10 (Jensen, Regnerus 3). Steals – L 8 (Fillipi 4), V 6 (Regnerus 2). Blocks – L 0, V 4 (Jensen 2). Turnovers – L 12, V 11. Total fouls – L 13, V 20. Fouled out – none.

Consolation semifinals

• Madison 55, Little Wound 38

Jessi Giles scored 22 points as the Lady Bulldogs prevailed.

Tied at 11-11 after 8 minutes, Madison moved ahead 22-16 at halftime and extended the advantage to 39-28 through three.

Nicole Brown posted a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds while also blocking three shots.

Olivia Rud contributed 10 points, five boards, three steals and a pair of assists. Kyla Kasuske dished out four assists and Anna Theophilus came up with four steals.

Little Wound’s Janay Jumping Eagle tallied a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. Miracle Spotted Bear added 10 points.

MADISON 55, LITTLE WOUND 38

Little Wound (16-9)

Janay Jumping Eagle 5-20 0-0 12, Chante Ferguson 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Steele 1-2 0-0 2, Jacynda Blacksmith 1-6 2-2 4, Katerri Weston 0-4 0-0 0, Chelsea Iron Crow 2-4 0-0 4, Sophia Hatten 0-1 0-0 0, Paula Yellow Boy 2-4 2-5 6, Rayna White Eyes 0-0 0-0 0, Mia Vasquez 0-0 0-0 0, Miracle Spotted Bear 4-9 0-0 10. Totals 15-50 4-7 38.

Madison (20-4)

Olivia Rud 3-8 3-3 10, Kyla Kasuske 1-2 0-0 2, Jessi Giles 9-16 2-2 22, Valorie Nowstrup 0-0 0-0 0, Nicole Brown 7-18 4-5 18, Kenna Nighbert 0-4 0-0 0, Anna Theophilus 1-4 0-0 3, Maddie Gerry 0-1 0-0 0, Brianna Steuerwald 0-0 0-0 0, Kendra Leighton 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-55 9-10 55.

Little Wound                           11   5 12 10 – 38

Madison                                 11 11 17 16 – 55

3-point goals – LW 4-17 (Spotted Bear 2-3, Jumping Eagle 2-9, Iron Crow 0-1, Blacksmith 0-1, Weston 0-3), M 4-12 (Giles 2-5, Rud 1-1, Theophilus 1-2, Brown 0-1, Leighton 0-1, Nighbert 0-2). Rebounds – LW 36 (Jumping Eagle 13), M 34 (Brown 12). Assists – LW 4 (Jumping Eagle, Iron Crow, Spotted Bear, White Eyes 1), M 11 (Kasuske 4). Steals – LW 5 (Iron Crow 2), M 12 (Theophilus 4). Blocks – LW 4 (Yellow Boy 3), M 3 (Brown 3). Turnovers – LW 20, M 12. Total fouls – LW 13, M 12. Fouled out – none.

• Hamlin 53, Dell Rapids 44

Lexi Wadsworth posted a big double-double and the Chargers held off the Quarriers.

Hamlin led by as many as 11 points in the opening quarter en route to a 16-7 cushion after 8 minutes. Dell Rapids pulled within 25-20 at halftime and grabbed its only lead of the game – 31-30 – at the 4:29 mark of the third quarter.

Wadsworth answered with a basket for the Chargers, before Emma Paul made a free throw at the other end to tie the score for the final time at 32-32 with 3:42 left in the third.

Hamlin’s Brynn Alfson made a pair of foul shots, Wadsworth scored down low following a Grace West steal and added another bucket in the lane to make it 38-32.

Paul and Logan Keszler exchanged hoops later in the period, and Keszler hit a 3-pointer as the clock neared zero to put the Chargers on top 43-34 heading to the fourth.

A Wadsworth free throw with 6:33 remaining made it a 10-point game and the Quarriers never got closer than five down the stretch.

Wadsworth scored 25 points, going 8-of-13 from the field and 8-of-10 at the line, and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Stacia West contributed nine points, and Reagan Nebel and Keszler both chipped in with six. Alfson came up with 10 rebounds.

Hamlin shot 43.6 percent (17-of-39) from the floor and held a 39-26 advantage on the glass. The Chargers committed 21 turnovers, but limited the Quarriers to 25-percent (11-of-44) shooting.

Dell Rapids’ Arial Hoffman had 14 points and Paul tallied 10 to go with seven boards. Jayda Knuppe finished 8-of-10 at the charity stripe.

HAMLIN 53, DELL RAPIDS 44

Dell Rapids (18-6)

Kaylee Hennen 0-1 2-2 2, Emma Paul 4-13 2-4 10, Kali Graham 1-3 1-2 3, Arial Hoffman 4-10 4-7 14, Jayda Knuppe 0-3 8-10 8, Tiffanie Dorale 0-1 0-0 0, Aspen Hansen 1-4 1-2 3, Averi Pankonen 1-7 2-2 4, Ravyn Hoffman 0-1 0-0 0, Sydney Stofferahn 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-44 20-29 44.

Hamlin (23-1)

Lexi Wadsworth 8-13 8-10 25, Reagan Nebel 2-3 0-0 6, Grace West 1-4 0-0 3, Chloe Grantham 0-4 1-2 1, Brynn Alfson 0-5 3-4 3, Stacia West 4-7 1-3 9, Faith Leiseth 0-0 0-0 0, Logan Keszler 2-3 1-2 6. Totals 17-39 14-21 53.

Dell Rapids                             7 13 14 10 – 44

Hamlin                                 16   9 18 10 – 53

3-point goals – DR 2-18 (Hoffman 2-6, Hennen 0-1, Dorale 0-1, Hansen 0-1, Hoffman 0-1, Paul 0-4, Pankonen 0-4), H 5-14 Nebel 2-3, Wadsworth 1-2, Keszler 1-2, G. West 1-3, Grantham 0-2, Alfson 0-2). Rebounds – DR 26 (Paul, Knuppe 7), H 39 (Wadsworth 13, Alfson 10). Assists – DR 5 (Hennen, Paul, Graham, Hoffman, Knuppe 1), H 5 (Wadsworth, G. West, Grantham, S. West, Keszler 1). Steals – DR 7 (Hennen, Paul 2), H 3 (Wadsworth, G. West, Alfson 1). Blocks – DR 1 (Stofferahn 1), H 2 (Alfson 2). Turnovers – DR 11, H 21. Total fouls – DR 16, H 20. Fouled out – none.