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The 281 Conference Basketball Tournament concluded Thursday night at the Huron Arena, closing out a week of competitive play
Area teams advanced to Monday’s semifinal round, setting the stage for championship and third-place matchups later in the week.
In boys semifinal action, Wessington Springs earned a return trip to the conference championship with a 75-50 win over Iroquois/Lake Preston. Colby Flowers led the Spartans with 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Logan Mebius added 12 points, Haiden Boschee scored 11, and Luke Larson finished with 10. Grady Gran chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Sanborn Central/Woonsocket defeated Wolsey-Wessington 61-43. Caleb Richmond paced the Warbirds with 23 points, while Clay Kahre added nine. Sawyer Nelson scored six points and Breyden Skipper finished with four.
Championship play Thursday night saw Sanborn Central/Woonsocket secure the 281 Conference boys title with a 51-47 victory over Wessington Springs, leaving the Spartans with a second-place finish. In the boys third-place game, Wolsey-Wessington defeated Iroquois/Lake Preston 62-52 to claim third, with Iroquois/Lake Preston finishing fourth.
In girls semifinal play Monday, Sanborn Central/Woonsocket defeated Wolsey-Wessington 61-42. Shae Uttecht led the Warbirds with 18 points, while Maria Nelson added 11.
The Wessington Springs girls saw their championship hopes end with a 66-49 loss to Highmore-Harrold Monday. Kerstynn Heim led the Spartans with 13 points, followed by Kenzie Kolousek with 10 and Londyn Mikkelson with nine.
The girls third-place game Thursday night featured Wolsey-Wessington and Wessington Springs, with Wolsey-Wessington earning a 51-43 win to take third place. Wessington Springs finished the tournament in fourth.
Full tournament coverage, including extended stats and player highlights, will appear in next week’s edition of the True Dakotan.