The Wolsey-Wessington Warbirds opened both the game and the second half on 9-0 runs, leading the entire game, en route to a 64-49 win over the James Valley Christian Vikings in the third-place game of the boys’ 281 Conference Tournament.

To their credit, after trailing by as many as 12 points, the Vikings got back to within a point at the half, but saw Wolsey-Wessington pull away after the break for the win.

Tate French led the Warbirds, who improve to 9-1 on the season, scoring 22 points and clearing 12 rebounds. Caleb Richmond scored 15 points and Moshe Richmond added 13 points and claimed 10 boards for Wolsey-Wessington.

Jerrad Wallman scored 15 points and Davis Chase netted 13 for the Vikings, who fall to 3-6 with the loss. Both Wallman and Chase were credited with eight rebounds in the contest.

Wolsey-Wessington will host Sunshine Bible Academy on Tuesday, while JVC is also on the road, traveling to Highmore-Harrold, also on Tuesday.

Wolsey-Wessington       20 28 48 64
James Valley Christian   12 27 36 49

WOLSEY-WESSINGTON (9-1):  Payton Reinford 3 0-0 8; Caleb Richmond 5 4-5 15; Moshe Richmond 4 4-8 13; Colin Hughes 1 1-1 3; Tate French 7 5-6 22; Grant Timm 1 1-2 3; 21 15-22 64.

JAMES VALLEY CHRISTIAN (3-6): Dax Frandsen 2 0-0 6; Ethan Bartholow 1 0-0 2; Isaac Korell 3 0-0 7; Davis Chase 6 0-1 13; Jerrad Wallman 6 3-3 15; Gavin Waldner 3 0-1 6. 21 3-5 49.

Hitchcock-Tulare’s Erik Salmen puts up a shot as Miles McPeak of Highmore-Harrold goes for the block during the boys’ consolation title game of the 281 Conference Tournament on Thursday at Huron Arena

HURON — The Highmore-Harrold Pirates finished fifth and the Iroquois/Lake Preston Sharks took seventh place Thursday in the consolation finals at the boys’ 281 Conference basketball tournament at Huron Arena.

Highmore-Harrold 67, Hitchcock-Tulare 53
The Highmore-Harrold Pirates owned the second and fourth quarters Friday afternoon, as they raced past the Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots 67-53 to claim the 281 Conference consolation championship (fifth place) in the annual mid-season tournament at Huron Arena.

Trake Cowans netted 22 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Pirates, now 5-6, to the win. Aiden Ferens and Altor Orgeta each added 14 points for HH.

Patrick Maynard led a balanced Patriot offensive effort with 19 points, while Erik Salmen added 15 points and Jackson Maynard contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, as the Patriots fall to 4-6 with the loss.

Both teams return to play on Tuesday. Highmore-Harrold hosts 281 Conference foe James Valley Christian, while the Patriots host Redfield in Tulare.

Highmore-Harrold     21 37 51 67
Hitchcock-Tulare     21 29 44 53

HIGHMORE-HARROLD (5-6): Carson Stephenson 3 0-0 8; Miles McPeak 2 0-0 6; Aiden Ferens 6 0-0 14; Caleb Roth 0 1-2 1; Trake Cowan 10 2-2 22; Wyatt Faulstich 1 0-0 2; Altor Ortega 6 0-2 14. Totals: 28 3-6 67.

HITCHCOCK-TULARE (4-6): Brendan Nowell 1 0-2 2; Patrick Maynard 8 1-2 19; Erik Salmen 5 3-3 15; Blaze Binger 2 0-4 4; Jackson Maynard 4 1-2 11; Devin Enander 1 0-2 2. Totals: 21 5-15 53.

FG: HH - 28-66 42%; HT - 21-54 39%. 3-pt FG: HH - 8-18 (Stephenson, McPeak, Ferens and Ortega, all with two); HT - 6-21 (P. Maynard, Salmen and J Maynard, all with two). REB: HH - 27 (Cowan 9); HT - 24 (J. Maynard 7). TO: HH - 6; HT - 11. Fouls: HH - 14; HT - 10 (J. Maynard out)

Josh McMasters of Iroquois/Lake Preston goes in for a layup as River Jones of Sunshine Bible Academy trails during the boys’ seventh-place game in the 281 Conference Tournament on Thursday at Huron Arena.

Iroquois/Lake Preston 66, Sunshine Bible Academy 61, OT
After going back and forth for nearly the entire game, the Iroquois/Lake Preston Sharks forced overtime and pulled away in the extra session for a 66-61 win over the Sunshine Bible Academy Crusaders in the seventh-place game in the 281 Conference Tournament.

Josh McMasters hit a three pointer for ILP with 25 seconds to play in regulation to force overtime and Lucas Peskey scored eight of his 17 points in the extra session to lead the Sharks, now 2-9 on the season, to the win. McMasters led ILP with 23 points in the contest and Ryne Greene claimed seven rebounds.

Trey Thieman scored 23 points and Dominic Kaacinski added 15 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out in the overtime session, to lead the Crusaders, who fall to 1-8 with the loss.

Iroquois/Lake Preston returns to action Friday, hosting top-ranked Castlewood in Lake Preston, while SBA travels to Wolsey-Wessington on Tuesday.

Sunshine Bible Academy     10 26 38 53 61
Iroquois/Lake Preston         13 24 39 53 66

SUNSHINE BIBLE ACADEMY (1-8): Trey Thieman 8 3-3 23; Owan Watson 3 0-0 6; River Jones 1 0-0 2; Dominic Kalacinski 5 4-8 15; Jensen Wipf 0 2-4 2; Tarrence Mickelson 2 2-6 6; Henrik Wipf 3 0-1 7. Totals: 22 11-22 61.

IROQUOIS/LAKE PRESTON (2-9): Josh McMasters 9 1-4 23; Lucas Peskey 7 0-0 17; Rexton Blue 2 0-0 4; Weston Woodcock 1 0-1 4; Ryne Greene 1 2-2 4; Daunte Glanzer 3 0-0 9; Ben Curd 3 1-2 7. Totals: 26 4-9 66.

FG: SBA - 22-67 33%; ILP - 26-65 40%. 3-PT FG: SBA - 6-20 (Thieman 4, Kalacinski, Wipf); ILP - 11-31 (McMasters 5, Pesky 3, Glanzer 3). REB: SBA - 44 (Kalacinski 12); ILP - 31 (Greene 7). TO: SBA - 22; ILP 13. Fouls: SBA - 15 (Kalacinski out); ILP - 19 (McMasters, Woodcock out)