SD Prep Boys BB Wrap Up -- Sioux Falls O'Gorman Wins Third Straight Title; St. Thomas More and White River Also Claim Championships
Sioux Falls O'Gorman has become the first South Dakota high school to win three consecutive boys basketball prep championships in the AA classification, established as part of a three-class system in 1986 by the SDHSAA.
The Knights, now with five overall boys basketball titles, defeated Mitchell, 63-48, on Saturday night in Rapid City. O'Gorman is the fourth high school to win three or more consecutive championships in state boys prep basketball history.
Another AA school, Yankton is the only prep team to win four straight championships in SD boys basketball history. However, the Bucks performed the feat in the old one-class system from 1922 to 1925. Webster claimed three straight titles in 1946-48 in the two-class Class B system. Mitchell also won three straight crowns from 1984-86, winning the championships in two different classifications. They won the 1984 and 1985 crowns in the Class A two-class system; and then, won again in AA in 1986 after South Dakota moved to three classes.
O'Gorman, which ended the season on a six-game winning streak, has won 58 of its last 60 games vs. in-state opponents. The Knights, the #1 seed in the tournament, were 20-2 vs. in-state foes this season.
O'Gorman, directed by head coach Derek Robey, has compiled a 64-10 record (19-5, 2009-10; 24-1, 2010-11; and 21-4, 2011-12) during the three-year title run, when O'Gorman won two of three championship games by double figures.
Robey's coaching performance this season has to rank among the best-ever. After losing three first-team all-state performers after tne 2010-11 season (Sterling Nielsen, Cedric Lang and Keaton Moffitt), he directed the Knights to another title, turning naysayers into believers (like me). Robey is now 134-38 at O'Gorman; 376-210 overall.
Prep dynasty?
O'Gorman has put together one of the greatest periods of basketball success by any school in any classification in state history. O'Gorman has won five of the last seven championships in AA (won titles in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) and appeared in seven of the last nine AA title games (O'Gorman was second in 2004, 2005). The Knights did not advance to title games in 2008 and 2009, won by Watertown (over Mitchell) and SF Lincoln (over Huron), respectively.
Sioux Falls schools have won four straight AA titles and six (five by O'Gorman) of the last seven championships overall.
In the Knights' championship run this year, senior guard Connor Schaefbauer, who is headed to Minnesota to play baseball, scored 61 points, twice topping the 20-point mark. He had 18 points in the title game while teammate Sam Wallin, headed to Augustana for football, scored 20 points, as the Knights used a 23-13 4th quarter advantage to break open a close game (40-35 after three quarters).
Mitchell, the #2 seed, has been runner-up in three of the last five championships as Coach Gary Munsen finished his career with 672 wins and nine titles. The Kernels last won a title in 2005, 69-64 over O'Gorman.
Of note, all six #1 seeds in the 2012 SD prep boys/girls tournaments won championships.
Class A Notes - #1 St. Thomas More Holds Off Dakota Valley
With St. Thomas More winning both the boys and girls prep hoops titles, they have become South Dakota's seventh high school to accomplish that championship double.
The Cavaliers are the first school since SF Roosevelt in 2000 to record the boys/girls championship double. Yankton High in 1978 was the first school to win both the boys and girls championships in the same year. Other schools pulling off the boys/girls double include the 1982 Pierre Governors, the 1990 and 1994 Mitchell Kernels, and the 1991 Northwestern teams.
St. Thomas More defended their title by defeating a game Dakota Valley squad, 63-56, on Saturday in Sioux Falls as Northern State-bound guard Skye Warwick had 17 points, including three from long distance. Warwick had games of 30, nine and 17 points, rolling up a total of 56 points.
While denying Dakota Valley a first-ever state title, STM, which ended the season with 15 straight wins, captured its fourth title (four overall) in seven years, and also was second in 2010.
This was the Cavaliers third straight title game appearance. It gives STM back-to-back titles for the second time in school history after they claimed consecutive championships in both 2006 and 2007.
Dakota Valley standout Brock Bergmann finished with one of the best performances in any class at the boys tourneys. Bergmann, who had 33 points earlier in the tourney, scored 22 in the title game and finished with a tournament-best 71 points. His teammate Brody Van Ginkel scored 22 points, including six three-point shots, in the championship. Blake Van Ginkel, who had scored 37 points total in the first two games, was held scoreless by a tough STM defense.
St. Thomas More, which led by 16 points at one point, took control of the game in the second quarter and never relinquished the lead in the second half. Dakota Valley drew with five (47-42) but no closer, trailing by 11 heading into the fourth quarter. STM also received double figure point totals from Eric Hensch (14) and Jerome Henderson (14).
Class B Notes - #1 White River Prevails over Viborg/Hurley
Led by standout point guard Wyatt Krogman, top-ranked White River defeated #3 seed Viborg/Hurley, 52-43, to capture the SD Boys Class B Championship on Saturday night at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen.
In wrapping up their season, White River finished with 22 wins of 21 points or more. They won every game by double digits, except for the loss to St. Thomas More in the regular season finale and the championship win over the Cougars. In total, White River had eight games in which they scored 90 points or more. After the loss to STM, they won five of the last six games by 21 points or more.
The Knights, now with five overall boys basketball titles, defeated Mitchell, 63-48, on Saturday night in Rapid City. O'Gorman is the fourth high school to win three or more consecutive championships in state boys prep basketball history.
Another AA school, Yankton is the only prep team to win four straight championships in SD boys basketball history. However, the Bucks performed the feat in the old one-class system from 1922 to 1925. Webster claimed three straight titles in 1946-48 in the two-class Class B system. Mitchell also won three straight crowns from 1984-86, winning the championships in two different classifications. They won the 1984 and 1985 crowns in the Class A two-class system; and then, won again in AA in 1986 after South Dakota moved to three classes.
O'Gorman, which ended the season on a six-game winning streak, has won 58 of its last 60 games vs. in-state opponents. The Knights, the #1 seed in the tournament, were 20-2 vs. in-state foes this season.
O'Gorman, directed by head coach Derek Robey, has compiled a 64-10 record (19-5, 2009-10; 24-1, 2010-11; and 21-4, 2011-12) during the three-year title run, when O'Gorman won two of three championship games by double figures.
Robey's coaching performance this season has to rank among the best-ever. After losing three first-team all-state performers after tne 2010-11 season (Sterling Nielsen, Cedric Lang and Keaton Moffitt), he directed the Knights to another title, turning naysayers into believers (like me). Robey is now 134-38 at O'Gorman; 376-210 overall.
Prep dynasty?
O'Gorman has put together one of the greatest periods of basketball success by any school in any classification in state history. O'Gorman has won five of the last seven championships in AA (won titles in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012) and appeared in seven of the last nine AA title games (O'Gorman was second in 2004, 2005). The Knights did not advance to title games in 2008 and 2009, won by Watertown (over Mitchell) and SF Lincoln (over Huron), respectively.
Sioux Falls schools have won four straight AA titles and six (five by O'Gorman) of the last seven championships overall.
In the Knights' championship run this year, senior guard Connor Schaefbauer, who is headed to Minnesota to play baseball, scored 61 points, twice topping the 20-point mark. He had 18 points in the title game while teammate Sam Wallin, headed to Augustana for football, scored 20 points, as the Knights used a 23-13 4th quarter advantage to break open a close game (40-35 after three quarters).
Mitchell, the #2 seed, has been runner-up in three of the last five championships as Coach Gary Munsen finished his career with 672 wins and nine titles. The Kernels last won a title in 2005, 69-64 over O'Gorman.
Of note, all six #1 seeds in the 2012 SD prep boys/girls tournaments won championships.
Class A Notes - #1 St. Thomas More Holds Off Dakota Valley
With St. Thomas More winning both the boys and girls prep hoops titles, they have become South Dakota's seventh high school to accomplish that championship double.
The Cavaliers are the first school since SF Roosevelt in 2000 to record the boys/girls championship double. Yankton High in 1978 was the first school to win both the boys and girls championships in the same year. Other schools pulling off the boys/girls double include the 1982 Pierre Governors, the 1990 and 1994 Mitchell Kernels, and the 1991 Northwestern teams.
St. Thomas More defended their title by defeating a game Dakota Valley squad, 63-56, on Saturday in Sioux Falls as Northern State-bound guard Skye Warwick had 17 points, including three from long distance. Warwick had games of 30, nine and 17 points, rolling up a total of 56 points.
While denying Dakota Valley a first-ever state title, STM, which ended the season with 15 straight wins, captured its fourth title (four overall) in seven years, and also was second in 2010.
This was the Cavaliers third straight title game appearance. It gives STM back-to-back titles for the second time in school history after they claimed consecutive championships in both 2006 and 2007.
Dakota Valley standout Brock Bergmann finished with one of the best performances in any class at the boys tourneys. Bergmann, who had 33 points earlier in the tourney, scored 22 in the title game and finished with a tournament-best 71 points. His teammate Brody Van Ginkel scored 22 points, including six three-point shots, in the championship. Blake Van Ginkel, who had scored 37 points total in the first two games, was held scoreless by a tough STM defense.
St. Thomas More, which led by 16 points at one point, took control of the game in the second quarter and never relinquished the lead in the second half. Dakota Valley drew with five (47-42) but no closer, trailing by 11 heading into the fourth quarter. STM also received double figure point totals from Eric Hensch (14) and Jerome Henderson (14).
Class B Notes - #1 White River Prevails over Viborg/Hurley
Led by standout point guard Wyatt Krogman, top-ranked White River defeated #3 seed Viborg/Hurley, 52-43, to capture the SD Boys Class B Championship on Saturday night at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen.
Krogman had 22 points (40 points overall) and Nic Waln added 13 (34 points overall) for WR, which is the only school in any class to retain its top spot in the rankings all year. Dennis DeNeui had 18 to lead Viborg/Hurley. The nine-point win over Viborg/Hurley was closer than the final score indicated. The Cougars closed to within 46-43 before White River used foul line brilliance to (21-of-28 for the game) in the final two minutes to win the title.
White River, which finished 25-1 this season, won a third title in five years (second in 2009, 2011). Interestingly, they seem to win titles in even numbered years (2008, 2010, 2012). Viborg/Hurley finished second for the second straight year, although they were runner up (63-47 loss to St. Thomas More) in Class A a year ago.
Head Coach Eldon Marshall (186-37 at WR; 206-57 overall) led White River to a fourth overall title (1955, 2008, 2010, 2012) in the school's 11th state tournament appearance.
In wrapping up their season, White River finished with 22 wins of 21 points or more. They won every game by double digits, except for the loss to St. Thomas More in the regular season finale and the championship win over the Cougars. In total, White River had eight games in which they scored 90 points or more. After the loss to STM, they won five of the last six games by 21 points or more.
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