SIOUX FALLS – The streak continued for Dakota Valley, but not without a major scare.
After trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, the defending champion Panthers rallied to defeat Hamlin Friday 77-63 in the semifinal round of the SDHSAA Boys Class A State Basketball Tournament at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
Dakota Valley, which extended its Class A-record winning streak to 52 games, outscored Hamlin 26-4 in the third quarter to turn a nine-point halftime deficit into a 13-point lead.
Sioux Falls Christian, bidding for its second championship in three years, routed Elk Point-Jefferson 75-51.
Semifinals
Dakota Valley 77, Hamlin 63
Dakota Valley (25-0) held Hamlin scoreless for the first 4:31 of the third quarter and held the Chargers to only one field goal in the period. Issac Bruns scored 27 with 12 rebounds for the Panthers. Randy Rosenquist scored 20 points with six rebounds and nine assists.
Hamlin (20-4), playing in a boys semifinal for the first time since 1983, had 16 points from Easton Neuendorf and 14 from Tyson Stevenson.
Sioux Falls Christian 75, Elk Point-Jefferson 51
Sioux Falls Christian broke open a tight game with a 9-0 run to start the second half after leading 31-27 at halftime. Four players scored in double figures for the Chargers (21-4): Ethan Bruns with 20, Britton Mulder with 14, Cole Snyder with 11 and Tayton Snyder with 10.
Elk Point-Jefferson (18-6), playing in a semifinal for the first time in school history, was led by 16 points from Easton Kempf and 14 from Garrett Merkley.
Consolation
Sioux Valley 65, Hot Springs 52
Alex Squires scored 21 points on eight-of-nine shooting for the Cossacks (22-3), who rallied from nine points down. Patrick Carey and Hudsyn Ruesink each had 11.
Matt Close had 16 points and Camron Maciejewski 15 for Hot Springs (19-6)
St. Thomas More 65, Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 57
Another big day for Caleb Hollenbeck led St. Thomas More (21-3). Hollenbeck scored 28, a day after scoring 32 in a first-round loss to Elk Point-Jefferson.
Reed Rus scored 18 and Jordan Stoltz had 17 for Mt. Vernon/Plankinton (18-7).
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