by Benjamin Chase
of the Plainsman
RAPID CITY — Two teams less than 45 minutes apart met, and it was obvious that the two teams knew each other well. A two-point game at half turned into a big win for the Hamlin Chargers after a 38-18 second half to claim third place, 61-43, at the State A Boys Basketball Tournament over the Clark/Willow Lake Cyclones on Saturday in Rapid City.
While Hamlin had won six straight meetings against the Cyclones, Clark/Willow Lake won the most recent matchup on Feb. 19, 58-50.
The game opened with an unlikely scorer, as Jakob Steen nailed a wing three for the Cyclones. After two scoreless minutes, Trig Heinrich got the Chargers on the board with a bucket after a Cyclone turnover.
Aiden Abraham turned a CWL turnover into a bucket, but Chris Bevers answered immediately for the Cyclones to give Clark/Willow Lake a 5-4 lead.
Bevers then got another basket, and Abraham drove in and did the same for Hamlin. Emerson Larson then stepped into a three, something he typically didn’t do a lot of in the regular season, giving the Cyclones a 10-6 lead.
Boden Stevenson got in deep for a basket for Hamlin, and Bevers hit a pair of free throws to close out scoring in the quarter, with the Cyclones holding a 12-8 lead.
Jack Stormo got into the lane for a Hamlin score to open the second quarter, but Steen answered with another three.
Stevenson got a short basket, and Larson answered with a three for the Cyclones to give them an 18-12 lead with 6:36 remaining in the half.
Heinrich got a basket and then Jaden Olson nailed a three for the Chargers to get within 18-17.
Sullivan Felberg hit a jumper, and a screen opened up Hamlin leading scorer Jackson Wadsworth for his first basket of the game. In transition, Stevenson scored on a pull-up jumper to give Hamlin a 21-20 lead.
Bo Begeman made his first basket of the game, a three-pointer, to put the Cyclones up 23-21. Stevenson cut into the paint to knot the score, but Bevers got a steal and dunked it down to make it 25-23 Clark/Willow Lake at half.
Wadsworth was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to open the second half, then Stevenson got a bucket in the lane, and then Wadsworth hit a three.
Felberg ended the Hamlin run to open the half with a putback basket to get the Cyclones within 30-27.
Bevers hit one of two free throws. A minute later, Wadsworth hit two free throws to push the Charger lead to 32-28 with just under four minutes left in the third.
Begeman grabbed a loose ball and scored for the Cyclones, but Abraham was fouled and hit one of two free throws.
Felberg then cut backdoor and made the bucket and hit a foul to knot the score at 33.
Wadsworth was fouled on a putback attempt and sank both charity shots. Stevenson then spun into the lane for a basket to push the Hamlin lead out to 37-33.
Bevers drove hard and was fouled, hitting both free throws. Abraham was fouled on a rebound attempt, making both to keep the Hamlin lead at four, 39-35.
Felberg then drained a long three from the top of the key. Wadsworth posted up and was fouled, hitting both free throws. Felberg was fouled on an entry pass, and he hit one of two free throws.
Abraham nailed a three as time ran off on the third quarter to send the teams to the final frame with Hamlin up, 44-39.
Wadsworth continued a strong second half with a short jumper. Stevenson then got a short basket off an inbounds play to make it 48-39 with just 40 seconds gone in the fourth.
Begeman got a steal and then found Larson for a layup, but Hamlin was able to get an offensive rebound and kick out to Stevenson for three, pushing out the Charger lead to ten, 51-41.
Stevenson then connected on a corner three, and Wadsworth stepped through the defense for a basket to push the lead to 15, 56-41.
Heinrich got a quick-trigger basket after a strong pass from Wadsworth. Stormo hit one of two free throws for Hamlin, and as the clock clicked under two minutes remaining, Stevenson hit a jumper to push the lead out to 61-41.
Bevers pulled up for a short jumper, but with one minute remaining, both teams emptied their benches and the reserves closed out a 61-43 victory.
The Chargers finish the season 22-4 behind 22 points from Stevenson. Wadsworth had 17 points and eight rebounds.
Abraham added 10 points for Hamlin.
The Cyclones finish the year 21-4. Bevers scored 13 points. Felberg had 11 points, while Begeman grabbed seven rebounds to lead CWL.
Bevers and Felberg represented the Cyclones on the all-tournament team. They were joined by Will Kuhl and Connor Mebius of West Central, Brant Wassenaar and Canyon Prins of Sioux Falls Christian, Jackson Wadsworth and Boden Stevenson of Hamlin, Paxton Deal of Stanley County, Karson Zak of Groton, Damien Clown of Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, and Wyatt Gylten of St. Thomas More.
Wadsworth won the Spirit of Su award, and the Hamlin cheer squad was awarded the Spirit of Six.
Clark/Willow Lake 12 25 39 43
Hamlin 8 23 44 61
Clark/Willow Lake (21-4): Emmerson Larson 3 0-0 8, Chris Bevers 4 5-6 13, Jakob Steen 2 0-0 6, Bo Begeman 2 0-0 5, Sullivan Felberg 4 2-3 11. Totals: 15 7-9 43.
Hamlin (22-4): Boden Stevenson 10 0-0 22, Jack Stormo 1 1-2 3, Aiden Abraham 3 3-4 10, Jackson Wadsworth 4 8-8 17, Trig Heinrich 3 0-0 6, Jaden Olsen 1 0-0 3. Totals: 22 12-14 61.
FG: CWL – 15/50, 30%; H – 22/41 53.7%. 3-pt FG: CWL – 6/23 (Larson 2, Steen 2, Begeman, Felberg); H – 5/15 (Stevenson 2, Abraham, Wadsworth, Olsen). Rebounds: CWL 22 (Begeman 7), H 32 (Wadsworth 8). Assists: CWL 4 (Bevers 2), H 11 (Stormo 4). Blocks: CWL 2 (Felberg 2), H 1. Steals: CWL 5 (Felberg 2), H 4 (Stormo 2). Turnovers: CWL 9, H 11. Fouls: CWL 16, H 11.
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