SIOUX FALLS The Groton Area Tigers went on a 14-0 run in the first quarter and never looked back in a 64-52 victory over the Clark/Willow Lake Cyclones in the seventh-place game of the South Dakota Class A Boys State Basketball Tournament Saturday at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls.
Both teams finish the season with 18-7 records.
Becker Bosma got a turnaround basket near the hoop to open scoring for Groton, but Bo Begeman got a putback basket for the Cyclones to knot the game at 2.
Griffin Musser was able to pick up a loose ball and get a layup for Clark/Willow Lake. Karson Zak took the ball into the teeth of the Cyclone defense and put it in for two, but Sullivan Felberg quickly got a putback to make it 6-4.
Keegan Tracy attacked the hoop and got a basket for the Tigers to make it 6-6 at the first media break. He would make a free throw after the break to give Groton a 7-6 lead.
The Tigers full-court pressure generated a turnover and Tracy ended up back at the line, hitting both for a 9-6 Groton lead with 3:51 left.
A drive and layup by Zak pushed the lead to 11-6 and drew a timeout from Cyclone coach Jerome Nesheim.
A turnover led to a layup for Easton Weber of Groton and Tracy got a left-handed layup after another Cyclone turnover, pushing the Tiger lead to 15-6.
Groton then executed a perfect transition sequence, with Turner Thompson getting a lefty layup and drawing a foul. He would rattle home the free throw to make it 18-6.
Bevers would get fouled on a jump shot and sink both free throws to snap a 14-0 Groton run.
Emmerson Larson got a putback on the ensuing play to make it 18-10 at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers came out in the second half hot with a layup by Ryder Johnson and then Johnson got a layup after a Cyclone turnover to make it 22-10.
Begeman was able to sink a three-point basket. Zak was then able to draw a foul on a drive and hit one of two to make it 23-13 with six minutes left in the first half.
The Cyclones executed a pinpoint transition, with Bevers getting a layup on the backend. Bosma was able to get a putback and then Zak got a layup after a steal to quickly make it 27-15 Groton at the three-minute mark.
Musser was fouled under the hoop and hit one of two free throws for the Cyclones, but Tracy then drove hard into the lane and got two and Johnson had a putback to make it 33-16 as the first quarter ticked away.
Felberg snapped a long field goal drought for the Cyclones with a free throw line jumper as the first half clock expired to make it 33-18 Groton at the midway point.
After struggling from deep the entire first half, the Cyclones were able to get a three-pointer from Bo Begeman to open the second half. Bosma then responded with a three of his own for Groton.
After a pair of empty possession, Larson was fouled and sank both free throws. Bevers then hit a three to bring it within 36-26.
Tracy responded with an explosive drive to the hoop to put the Tigers up 38-26.
Out of a timeout, the Tigers renewed their aggressive press defense, leading to two turnovers and two layups for Zak. The Tigers led 42-26 at the media timeout.
Felberg was fouled on the drive and hit one of two charity tosses. Johnson would get a basket on an inbounds pass then snag a steal and find Tracy for another quick basket to make it 46-27 with 3:51 left.
Begeman hit one of two foul shots. After a turnover by the Cyclones, Johnson was fouled and made both shots to push the Tiger lead out to 20 points, 48-28 with 2:27 remaining.
Joey Ries was fouled for Clark/Willow Lake heading to the hoop and hit a pair of free throws. Weber got a layup on the backend of a steal and was fouled. He hit the free throw to make it 51-30.
Bevers nailed a three from the wing and Ries was fouled and made one of two free shots to make it 51-34 with 55 seconds remaining in the third.
Gage Sippel was fouled on the move to the hoop and hit both free throws. Felberg quickly responded with a move inside but that was the final points of the third period as Groton held a 53-36 lead entering the final frame.
A foul on Grotons first possession of the fourth led to one of two free throws for Zak. Felberg got a putback bucket for CWL.
Bevers drove to the hoop but missed both free throws. On the other end, Sippel got one of two free throws to push the lead to 55-38 as the clock ticked under six minutes remaining in the game.
Sippel was fouled again and got one of two charity tosses and Bevers nailed a three from the top of the key for the Cyclones. Zak hit on a post move and was fouled, sending the game to the media timeout with Groton up 58-41. He would miss the free throw.
Larson cut along the baseline for a basket, but after a defensive stand, they didnt convert. Zak hit a floater in the lane and Begeman responded with a jumper in the lane to make it 60-45 with 3:25 left.
Zak was fouled away from the ball by Musser, who fouled out of the game, and hit both free throws. Begeman would get a bucket underneath.
Bosma dropped in a basket for Groton and Felberg responded with a short jumper to make it 64-49 with 2:03 remaining.
The teams emptied benches with 90 seconds left in the game. The Tigers would finish out a 64-52 victory.
Groton Area had four players in double figures, led by Zak with 18 points.
Tracy had 13 points while Bosma had 11 points and eight rebounds.
Johnson had a strong all-around game, with 10 points, four rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
The Cyclones were led by Bevers and Begeman with 13. Felberg added 11.
Begeman grabbed eight rebounds.
Groton Area 18 33 53 64
Clark/Willow Lake 10 18 36 52
Groton Area (18-7): Keegan Tracy 5 3-3 13, Ryder Johnson 4 2-2 10, Becker Bosma 4 2-2 11, Karson Zak 7 4-7 18, Gage Sippel 0 4-6 4, Easton Weber 2 1-1 5, Turner Thompson 1 1-1 3. Totals: 23 17-22 64.
Clark/Willow Lake (18-7): Emmerson Larson 2 2-2 6, Chris Bevers 4 2-4 13, Bo Begeman 5 1-2 13, Griffin Musser 1 1-2 3, Sullivan Felberg 5 1-3 11, Joey Ries 0 3-4 3, Max Bratland 1 0-0 3. Totals: 18 10-17 52.
FG: GA – 23/51 45%; CWL – 18/44 41%. 3-pt FG: GA – 1/13 (Bosma); CWL – 6/18 (Bevers 3, Begeman 2, Bratland). Rebounds: GA 25 (Bosma 8), CWL 33 (Begeman 8); Assists: GA 12 (Johnson 5), CWL 12 (Larson 3). Blocks: GA 1, CWL 3 (Felberg 2). Steals: GA 8 (Johnson 4), CWL 1. Turnovers: GA 2, CWL 12. Fouls: GA 11, CWL 17 (Musser out).
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