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Top-seeded Lincoln went on a 23-1 run that spanned over a full quarter of action against No. 8 Spearfish to defeat the Spartans, 55-33, and advance to the South Dakota boys state basketball tournament semifinals.
Spearfish had a strong crowd on hand in The Monument but the lengthy second-half run left the Spartans fans searching for answers.
The Spartans went ice cold in the third. They scored only six points in that quarter and went nearly 10 and a half minutes without a field goal. Spearfish shot just 24% from the field in the second half, converting only five of their 21 field goal attempts.
For their part, the Patriots brought an increased defensive intensity in the second half. They did a far better job keeping the Spartans in front of them and stopping them from getting into the paint.
“We just came out with more intensity because we really needed that extra push,” Lincoln junior forward Sam DeGroot said.
Offensively, the Patriots played much better after an uncharacteristic slow first quarter. DeGroot said the team may have had some jitters early, but after scoring a total of only nine points in the first, Lincoln settled in, scoring 13 or more in each of the last three quarters.
DeGroot paced the Pats, scoring a game-high 15 points on 7-for-13 shooting. Lincoln showed their depth though with four players scoring five or more points. Junior guard Sam Ericsson scored 13 while sophomore point guard Brody Schafer had a complete game scoring 11 points and adding five rebounds and eight assists.
“It's really nice because it shows that guys are ready for the moment,” Lincoln boys basketball coach Luke Hannemann said. “This is a lot bigger moment than when you're at your home gym or even at a road gym, and so making sure we have guys that are balanced scorers right now is huge for us.”
Patriots senior Isaiah Teer provided a lift for Lincoln in the first half, coming off the bench to score seven points on 3-for-3 shooting.
“I'm so proud of that kid,” Hannemann said. “He’s worked so hard. He's one of the first guys in the gym every single time, and to see those shots going for him, I was so happy for him.”
Lincoln will face the winner of the Mitchell-Huron quarterfinal on Friday, May 21 at 6 p.m. MT.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Lincoln beats Spearfish to move on to SD boys basketball state semis
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