ABERDEEN – Joe Sayler ended his White River career with a flourish, but the Tigers couldn’t outlast Aberdeen Christian.
Jackson Isackson hit a go-ahead shot with 1:17 left in overtime Saturday, then hit five free throws in the last 42 seconds to send Aberdeen Christian over White River 70-65 in the third-place game of the SDHSAA Boys Class B State Tournament at Northern State University’s Barnett Center.
Ethan Russell scored 22 points with 12 rebounds for Aberdeen Central (23-3). Isackson scored 19 and Malek Wieker had 17.
Sayler, in his final game as a Tiger, scored 39 points on 14-of-28 shooting with three three-pointers. He also had six rebounds. Nic Marshall scored 17 for White River (20-6).
White River led 19-11 after one quarter and 31-25 at halftime before Aberdeen Christian tied the game late in the third quarter and trailed by just twp at 47-45 after three.
Marshall hit two field goals and a free throw in the first 3:15 of the third quarter to help White River to a six-point lead. But Aberdeen Christian came back and a three-pointer by Wieker with four seconds left gave the Knights their first lead of the game, 59-58. Sayler was then fouled with two seconds left and tied the game by making the first free throw, but then missed the second.
Sayler’s last field goal tied the game again at 63-63 with 1:58 left in overtime before Isackson’s go-ahead shot and free throws.
Comments