Tri-Valley tops Platte-Geddes in Region 5A

PARKSTON — The Platte-Geddes boys’ basketball team came back from a nine-point deficit in the third quarter of the Region 5A championship Tuesday in Parkston.

But Tri-Valley used a strong fourth quarter to defeat the Black Panthers 55-41 to earn a berth to the state tournament and end Platte-Geddes’ season.

Tri-Valley opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run. However, Platte-Geddes went on to chip away at the Mustangs’ lead and tie the score at 33. The Black Panthers took their first lead of the second half with around two minutes left in the third quarter with a 3-point shot from Cody Wagner, which brought the score to 36-35.

“We had a chance,” Platte-Geddes coach Frank Cutler said. “We had (Tri-Valley) on the run there with the threes, but we just couldn’t keep it going offensively.”

Wagner’s 3-point shot gave the Black Panthers their only lead in the second half. They struggled in the fourth quarter, missing field goals and key free throws.

Tri-Valley head coach Rob Grady said he told his team to not lose focus after it lost its nine-point lead. He said his team also made some key shots down the stretch, allowing the Mustangs to regain the lead.

“I just told the guys to keep working,” Grady said. “(Platte-Geddes) got hot shooting the (3-pointers) there in the third quarter, and then they kind of missed a few and we made sure that we got the rebounds. We just came down and made a couple of shots and got some breathing room.”

Platte-Geddes was led by Cody Johnson, who had a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Tate Van Zee also scored 10 points. The Black Panthers shot 16-of-53 from the field and went 3-of-8 from the free-throw line. They had 30 rebounds and seven turnovers.

“We worked so hard to get back in the game and actually take the lead, and then things just kind of stopped for us offensively,” Cutler said. “I thought we played well enough defensively really for the whole game. We just didn’t get enough shots to fall after we took the lead. Things just didn’t fall then, and we just couldn’t get over that hump again and make another basket.”

Platte-Geddes scored the first four points of the game, but Tri-Valley bounced back quickly and never trailed during the first half. The Mustangs led going into halftime 26-22.

At halftime, Cutler said he talked to his team about being smart on offense.

“(I told them to) take care of the ball offensively and take good shots,” Cutler said. “We had good shots the whole game, at least we felt we had good shots the whole game, but we obviously we didn’t make enough.”

Tri-Valley was led by Kenton Welbig, who also had a double-double for the game scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Kyle Ericson added 16 points and Brenden Boomsa had 10 points. Tri-Valley shot 18-of-43 from the field and had 29 rebounds.

Platte-Geddes ended its season 16-7. Tri-Valley starts its Class A state tournament on March 15 in Sioux Falls.

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