SIOUX FALLS – Devon Schmitz couldn’t miss, and didn’t with his last shot, giving Elk Point-Jefferson a first-round stunner.
Schmitz hit his sixth three-pointer in as many attempts as the final buzzer sounded Thursday to give Elk Point-Jefferson a 53-50 upset of St. Thomas More in the first round of the SDHSAA Boys Class A State Tournament at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. This is only the third boys state tournament for the Huskies and their first win in the first round. St. Thomas More has qualified 16 times since 2004.
Dakota Valley kept its winning streak going. Hamlin won in its first state game since 1993. Sioux Falls Christian had little trouble in advancing.
Dakota Valley 80, Hot Springs 47
Gatorade Player of the Year Isaac Bruns led the defending champion Panthers (24-0) to their class A-record 51st straight win with 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Randy Rosenquist had a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists. Sam Faldmo scored 10. A 26-10 first-half run decided the game for Dakota Valley.
Camron Maciejewski scored 11 and Preston Iverson 10 for Hot Springs (19-5), at the state tournament for the first time in four years and only the fifth time ever.
Hamlin 72, Sioux Valley 64
In Hamlin’s first state tournament game in 30 years, the Chargers came from 12 points down in the first half to make a state semifinal for the first time since 1983.
Easton Neuendorf led Hamlin (20-3) with 22 points and seven assists and was 15-of-18 on free throws. Tyson Stevenson scored 19, Evan Stormo 12 and Brennan Keszler 10 for the Chargers.
Oliver Vincent scored 31 points with six assists for Sioux Valley (21-3).
Elk Point-Jefferson 53, St. Thomas More 50
Schmitz scored 18 points for EP-J, hitting all six of his three-pointers, including one from about 24 feet on the game’s last play after taking a half-court pass from Garrett Merkley. Evan Fornia scored nine for Elk Point-Jefferson (18-5).
Caleb Hollenbeck poured in 32 points for St. Thomas More (20-3), including a tying three-pointer with 3.8 seconds left.
Sioux Falls Christian 83, Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 55
Sioux Falls Christian (20-4) took a 10-point lead after one quarter and cruised to the win. Cole Snyder led four Chargers in double figures with 19 points. Evan Bruns and Britton Mulder scored 15 each. Bruns had 10 rebounds. Griffen Goodbarry scored 10.
Mt. Vernon/Plankinton (18-6) had 30 points from Reed Rus, the program’s all-time leading scorer.
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