The No. 1 ranked Dakota Valley High School boys' basketball team (23-0) is heading back for another crack at the South Dakota Class A state title, finishing their way to the big dance with a 68-50 victory on Tuesday night. Ticket punching. 16 seeded Madison (11-12) in Sodak 16 at Beresford High School.
The win gives the undefeated Panthers a chance at a disappointing finish to last season, where they finished third overall in the state after losing to Sioux Valley in the state semifinals.
Third place was not good enough for Dakota Valley. This year, they plan to win the whole thing.
Dakota Valley coach Jason Cleese said, "Last year was a tough pill to swallow in many ways, with that game we lost." “There is no doubt that this has been a big inspiration for us. To work hard, to prepare, to be better, and our people have just totally bought in.
The Panthers took a 22-10 lead after scoring 14 of the last 16 points in the first quarter in front of the Bulldogs on Tuesday night. Dakota Valley took a 9-0 lead in the second quarter to take a 31-13 lead.
Madison responded to draw within eight points by scoring 12 of the next 14, but Dakota Valley scored four straight at the end of second and entered halftime to lead 39–27, 15 points from junior Isaac Bruns. came from
The Bruns came in SoDak 16 matchups averaging a team-high 24 points and nine rebounds per game. The Bruns were electric against the Bulldogs, scoring a total of 27 points, the final of which came at 3:50 in the fourth quarter, when a Bruns bucket gave the Panthers a 65–44 lead.
The Bruins finished last season with 598 aggregate points and 162 rebounds, both good for second in the team behind his older brother, Paul, who was recently named Summit Freshman of the Year after scoring at the University of North Dakota. it was done.
Now with Paul playing college ball, Isaac takes control of the Panthers' offense. The 6-foot 4-inch Bruns has a team-high 195 rebounds so far with 40 assists and 29 steals.
While Isaac has taken the crown from Paul as the team's most explosive player this season, it doesn't seem too overwhelming for him.
"Isaac didn't feel pressured at all to score this year," Claes said. "He's really bought into sharing it, ... he wants to win. He's a competitor, and a great defender, and he really wants to bring this team to Saturday nights next week."
The Panthers dismissed the Bulldogs in the second half of Tuesday, 29-23, with the Bruns scoring their 13 points after the break. In addition to the Bruins, junior Randy Rosenquist also had a big night for the Panthers, scoring 15\ in the scoring column and a series of impressive assists.
Throughout the night, Rosenquist found his comrades in a bar, and was able to kill them in open space from almost anywhere on the floor. After making a total of 77 assists as a sophomore last year, Rosenquist has stepped up this season, and has become a player who can pass the ball with perfect accuracy. He finished Tuesday night with six assists and seven total rebounds.
Dakota Valley lost each of its top two assists to Paul Bruns and Chayse Montagne after finishing third last season.
Thanks to a three-inch growth over the summer and a realization that he has some big shoes to fill, Rosenquist has been better than either of those players, conceding 166 assists in Tuesday's game.
"I feel like I've gotten a little stronger, and growing has definitely been an important part of my defense and everything," Rosenquist said. “Steal in defense and pass away. I'm moving, and once I'm down the lane, with my length, I can usually get it to score or dump it.
With the Sodak 16 trophy at home to the Panthers, the countdown now begins for the state tournament, which begins March 17 in Rapid City.
The Panthers' entire lineup has been here before, and they know how it feels to be short. As Rosenquist puts it, the Panthers "never want to experience this again."
The goal this year is clear. Come to the top, and nab the state championship trophy for the six-hour drive home to the Dakota Valley.
"The season didn't end as we wanted last year, obviously," Bruns said. "It's been on our minds ever since we started, and I think that's part of the reason we've done so well. We have three games left and we have to finish it."