Photo: SDPB | Tina Harp
RAPID CITY — A 24-point fourth quarter was enough for Hamlin to escape Groton Area 65-61 in the quarterfinal round of the Boys Class A State Basketball Tournament. The win avenged a regular-season loss to Groton Area that opened the Chargers’ season.
A back-and-forth contest saw Groton take a 26-24 lead into halftime and a 43-41 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. A Boden Stevenson 3-pointer with 2:21 remaining gave Hamlin a 57-55 lead. Free throws down the stretch by Stevenson and Jackson Wadsworth sealed the win and sent the Chargers to the semifinals.
“Boden’s really played well coming down the stretch of our year, and he’s spent a lot of time working on his perimeter shot,” Hamlin coach Todd Neuendorf told SDPB Sports. “He was a mid-range guy, a slasher, and he’s really stretched his range.”
Stevenson finished with 27 points, while Wadsworth added 20. Trig Heinrich led Hamlin on the boards with eight rebounds. In a rare feat of endurance, Hamlin’s five starters played all 32 minutes.
Zak Karson led Groton with 23 points, and Gage Sippel added 12.
No. 4 Hamlin now faces No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian in a rematch of last year’s title game. The semifinal matchup is set for Friday at 5 p.m.
“We’re going to come to play and we are excited for the opportunity,” Neuendorf said. “We’re just going to enjoy this a little bit, get ready, and we know we’ve got a tall task in front of us.”
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