ABERDEEN Already trailing early, the Wessington Springs Spartans saw the St. Marys Cardinals go on a 12-0 run to create distance that the Spartans couldnt overcome the rest of the way as the Cardinals took third with a 71-54 victory at the South Dakota Class B Boys State Basketball Tournament at Don Meyer Court in the Barnett Center at Aberdeen.
The Cardinals got on the board first as Maverick LeBrun made a post move, was fouled and made both free throws. Karter Mebius hit a tough scoop shot for Springs to knot the game at 2.
LeBrun was fouled heading to the basket and hit one of two free throws. Trevon Beckman got a drive to the hoop to give the Cardinals a 5-2 lead with five-and-a-half minutes left in the first. LeBrun then got another bucket. At the media break, St. Marys held a 7-2 lead.
Colby Flowers missed a pair of foul shots but Grady Gran got the offensive rebound and put the ball in the hoop. Trimmier Hanson sped through the Springs defense for a basket.
Flowers made a basket on a backside lob pass. Jake Kopsas was fouled on a putback attempt and made a pair of free throws to push the Cardinal lead out to 11-6.
Beckman got a steal and layup, then Flowers got another basket to make it 13-8. Maverick LeBrun was fouled and hit two free throws.
Gran banked home a three for Springs. Off a steal, Hanson streaked to the hoop for a 17-11 St. Marys lead.
LeBrun spotted up for a three at the top of the key, but Flowers found Sam Poncelow backdoor for a basket to keep Springs within 20-13.
With six seconds left in the quarter, Kopsas missed a pair of free throws and Mebius had a halfcourt shot go in and out for Springs, leaving the Cardinals with a 20-13 edge at the end of one.
The Spartans worked an inside-outside game with Flowers getting a bucket to open the second quarter. Beckman was fouled on a drive to the hoop and hit both free throws.
Ryder Michalek picked up his third foul and had to go to the bench. LeBrun came out of a timeout and got a dunk. He then made a sharp pass to Kopsas for a bucket. Beckman released after a rebound for a layup to push the St. Marys lead to 28-15.
Beckman made an impressive spin move to the lane for two to make it 30-15 at the second media timeout.
Kopsas hit a jumper in the lane out of the media break. Mebius was fouled on a putback attempt. He made one of two free throws, ending a 12-0 Cardinals run.
Flowers took the ball coast-to-coast for a basket. Hanson then made a pair of free throws. Flowers was able to get an offensive rebound, stepped through the defense and got a reverse layup to make it 35-20.
LeBrun got one of two free throws and Wesley Molnar was able to get into the lane for a basket to cut it to 36-22 with 1:23 left in the first half.
Flowers made a very impressive spin move to the hoop for a basket. Hanson got a steal and hit a layup as the buzzer sounded for the half, making it 38-24 at the break.
Mebius landed a three to open the second half for Springs, but Beckman cut right through the lane for two. On the ensuing possession, Beckman nailed a three to push the St. Marys lead to 43-27.
Kopsas hit a short jumper as the trailer on a fast break, then Mebius was able to get into the lane for two. LeBrun was able to get a putback to make it 47-29 at the third quarter media timeout.
Flowers powered up a basket underneath. Luke Larson was called for an intentional foul on Kopsas. Kopsas made one of two free throws. LeBrun goaltended a shot by Michalek that made it 48-33.
Kopsas made a strong move underneath for a basket and was fouled. After he hit the free throw, St. Marys was up 51-33 with 2:23 left in the third.
Mebius got a short jumper, but Hanson responded with a three-point basket.
Mebius got a steal and finished with a short basket to make it 54-37 Cardinals with 1:01 left in the quarter.
Beckman drove baseline for two and that was the final score of the third quarter, sending the game to the fourth with St. Marys leading 56-37.
Flowers got underneath for a basket to open the fourth. LeBrun responded with a post move for two. Flowers was then fouled by LeBrun on the drive and hit one of two free throws to leave the Cardinals with a 58-40 edge.
The Cardinals worked the give and go with LeBrun and Beckman for two. LeBrun hit a short jumper in the lane for two to make it 62-40.
Beckman got a hoop and the harm on a drive, but he missed the free throw. Michalek got a putback bucket to make it 64-42 as the game went to the media timeout.
After a scoreless minute, Hanson and Mebius traded short jumpers. Michalek was fouled and got one of two and then hit a three to make it 66-47.
Hanson quickly responded with a three for the Cardinals. Michalek made one of two free throws.
Both teams then emptied the benches, and the Cardinals wrapped up a 72-54 victory.
The Cardinals finish the year with a 24-2 record behind 21 points from Beckman. LeBrun had 19 points and 14 rebounds.
Hanson dropped in 16 points and dished out four assists while Kopsas bucketed 12 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for St. Marys.
The Spartans fall to 22-4. Flowers had 15 points and seven rebounds. Mebius had 14 points.
Wessington Springs 13 24 37 54
St. Marys 20 38 56 72
Wessington Springs (22-4): Karter Mebius 6 1-2 14, Wesley Molnar 1 0-0 2, Sam Poncelow 1 0-0 2, Colby Flowers 7 1-5 15, Ryder Michalek 3 1-4 8, Luke Larson 1 0-0 2, Haiden Boschee 1 0-0 3, Gavin Brandenburg 1 0-0 3, Grady Gran 2 0-0 5. Totals: 23 3-11 54.
St. Marys (24-2): Trimmier Hanson 7 1-1 16, Trevon Beckman 9 2-3 21, Jake Kopsas 4 4-7 12, Maverick LeBrun 6 6-8 19, Kade Lutt 0 2-2 2, Jaxon Baumberger 0 1-2 1. Totals: 26 16-23 71.
FG: WS – 23/61 38%; SM – 26/50 52%. 3-pt FG: WS – 5/21 (Mebius, Michalek, Boschee, Brandenburg, Gran); SM – 3/12 (Hanson, Beckman, LeBrun). Rebounds: WS 32 (CFlowers 7), SM 37 (MLeBrun 14, Kopsas 13). Assists: WS 10 (Molnar, Larson 3), SM 10 (Hanson 4). Blocks: WS 0, SM 5 (MLeBrun 4). Steals: WS 8 (Molnar 2), SM 6 (Hanson, Beckman 2). Turnovers: WS 14, SM 15. Fouls: WS 20, SM 13 (Beckman out).
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