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ABERDEEN — A dominant defense and a big second half has given Castlewood the chance to repeat as the state Class B boys basketball champion.
The fifth-seeded Warriors (22-3) stymied eighth-seeded Lyman with a zone defense and used a 38-15 scoring surge in the second half to roll to a 56-28 semifinal win in the Barnett Center on Friday, March 20, 2026.
Castlewood will meet Freeman in the championship game at about 6:45 p.m. on Saturday.
"We were pretty good tonight, both ends," Castlewood coach Paul Raasch told South Dakota Public Broadcasting. "Defense is what set the done. I thought our zone could give them some trouble with our length and our guys did a fantastic job. Sometimes when we played our zone we overgamble and don't rebound very well. Tonight, they didn't do that. They stayed home and did their job."
STATE A BOYS BASKETBALL: Top seeds Sioux Falls Christian, West Central to meet for State A boys' title
Another big game from Kamden Keszler (22 points) led Castlewood. Will Aderhold contributed 11 points, Bordy Bass 10 and Tyson Manley eighth. Manley and Leonard Wernke each snared six rebounds.
Lyman was led by Cole Kieffer's 10 points and seven rebounds.
"If you told me in mid-January that we've be here, I'd have said you were crazy," Raasch said. "Our guys have really matured as the year went along and we're looking forward to tomorrow night."
In the other semifinal, second-seeded Freeman used a big fourth quarter (22-11 run) to slip past sixth-seeded Wall.
David Walter finished with 21 points, Tayden Kerrigan 14, Tate Sorensen 13 and Luke Peters 10 for Freeman (23-2). Walter collected 10 rebounds and Kerrigan seven.
Teelan Kjerstad (30 points), Emmett Dinger (22 points, 8 rebounds), Jace Mohr (10 rebounds) and Trevor Schulz (8 rebounds) topped Wall.
In other games on Saturday, it's Viborg-Hurley vs. Sully Buttes for seventh place at 11 a.m., Aberdeen Christian vs. De Smet in the consolation championship at 12:45 p.m. and Lyman vs. Wall for third place at 5 p.m.
STATE AA BOYS BASKETBALL: Sioux Falls Lincoln to face Huron for state Class AA boys basketball title
Friday's Consolation Semifinals
Luke Kaiser's 26-point, 11-rebound performance carried Aberdeen Christian to the win. Charles Eichler added eight points. Brooks Jett grabbed eight rebounds and Grady Jett and Dylan Hofer seven apiece. Hofer also dished out eight assists.
Jake Austin scored 20 points, Brady Schroedermeier 16 and Braydyn Morrison 10 for VH. Schroedermeier also collected 10 rebounds.
De Smet trailed 39-28 with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter before outscoring Sully Buttes 22-4 the rest of the game.
Grant Wilkinson tallied 18 points, Coy VanRegenmorter nine, Kolby Sinclair and Noah Luethmers eight each and Carter Wilkinson seven. G. Wilkinson also snared 16 rebounds.
Wesley Wittler's 19 points and 11 rebounds led Sully Buttes, which also received 10 points each from Easton Moore and Jett Yackley.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Final two days of state Class B high school boys basketball tourney
Continue reading...
The fifth-seeded Warriors (22-3) stymied eighth-seeded Lyman with a zone defense and used a 38-15 scoring surge in the second half to roll to a 56-28 semifinal win in the Barnett Center on Friday, March 20, 2026.
Castlewood will meet Freeman in the championship game at about 6:45 p.m. on Saturday.
"We were pretty good tonight, both ends," Castlewood coach Paul Raasch told South Dakota Public Broadcasting. "Defense is what set the done. I thought our zone could give them some trouble with our length and our guys did a fantastic job. Sometimes when we played our zone we overgamble and don't rebound very well. Tonight, they didn't do that. They stayed home and did their job."
STATE A BOYS BASKETBALL: Top seeds Sioux Falls Christian, West Central to meet for State A boys' title
Another big game from Kamden Keszler (22 points) led Castlewood. Will Aderhold contributed 11 points, Bordy Bass 10 and Tyson Manley eighth. Manley and Leonard Wernke each snared six rebounds.
Lyman was led by Cole Kieffer's 10 points and seven rebounds.
"If you told me in mid-January that we've be here, I'd have said you were crazy," Raasch said. "Our guys have really matured as the year went along and we're looking forward to tomorrow night."
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Freeman 74, Wall 70
In the other semifinal, second-seeded Freeman used a big fourth quarter (22-11 run) to slip past sixth-seeded Wall.
David Walter finished with 21 points, Tayden Kerrigan 14, Tate Sorensen 13 and Luke Peters 10 for Freeman (23-2). Walter collected 10 rebounds and Kerrigan seven.
Teelan Kjerstad (30 points), Emmett Dinger (22 points, 8 rebounds), Jace Mohr (10 rebounds) and Trevor Schulz (8 rebounds) topped Wall.
In other games on Saturday, it's Viborg-Hurley vs. Sully Buttes for seventh place at 11 a.m., Aberdeen Christian vs. De Smet in the consolation championship at 12:45 p.m. and Lyman vs. Wall for third place at 5 p.m.
STATE AA BOYS BASKETBALL: Sioux Falls Lincoln to face Huron for state Class AA boys basketball title
Friday's Consolation Semifinals
Aberdeen Christian 52, Viborg-Hurley 49
Luke Kaiser's 26-point, 11-rebound performance carried Aberdeen Christian to the win. Charles Eichler added eight points. Brooks Jett grabbed eight rebounds and Grady Jett and Dylan Hofer seven apiece. Hofer also dished out eight assists.
Jake Austin scored 20 points, Brady Schroedermeier 16 and Braydyn Morrison 10 for VH. Schroedermeier also collected 10 rebounds.
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De Smet 50, Sully Buttes 43
De Smet trailed 39-28 with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter before outscoring Sully Buttes 22-4 the rest of the game.
Grant Wilkinson tallied 18 points, Coy VanRegenmorter nine, Kolby Sinclair and Noah Luethmers eight each and Carter Wilkinson seven. G. Wilkinson also snared 16 rebounds.
Wesley Wittler's 19 points and 11 rebounds led Sully Buttes, which also received 10 points each from Easton Moore and Jett Yackley.
You must be registered for see images attach
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Final two days of state Class B high school boys basketball tourney
Continue reading...
