Yankton defeats Mitchell to claim 1st Class AA boys hoops championship in 5 years

RAPID CITY — It wasn't the heavyweight prize fight most high school basketball fans in South Dakota expected when the Boys AA state basketball tournament tipped off on Thursday.

But a pair of old Eastern South Dakota rivals staged a 15-round bout more than worthy of the Saturday night lights.

In a back-and-forth exchange of haymakers, Yankton packed a little more punch in the final round to win a 65-61 decision over Mitchell for the Bucks' first state title in five years, and 10th overall.

Once again, the three Rykens — all seniors — led the way. Mac Ryken scored a game-high 19 points and made 10-of-12 free throws, including five of six attempts in the final three minutes. Rugby Ryken, Mac's cousin, poured in 18 points, while Mac's twin brother Drew added seven points and earned a spot with Mac and Rugby on the All-Tournament team.

The last time the two schools met in a state final was 100 years ago, with the Bucks winning 25-23. After providing an electric title bout atmosphere, their fans partied like it was 1923.

"It was was a typical ESD kind of knock-down, drag-out battle," said 11th-year Yankton coach Chris Haynes. "Rugby, Mac, and Drew just kept attacking the basket and attacking the basket, and we were fortunate to come out with one more play tonight."

More:Top seeds Washington, Pierre to battle for AA girls basketball title

The first championship game pitting a pair of ESD squads in 15 years — also the first time since 2008 that no Sioux Falls metro area teams made a final — came a night after No. 4 seed Yankton took down No. 1 Sioux Falls Jefferson 69-66 in an overtime semifinal thriller. The third-seeded Kernels followed that with a 61-59 heartstopper over No. 2 Sioux Falls Lincoln.

Both teams continued their hot shooting and fearless playmaking from the first two days. Yankton shot 58% in the first half to take a 36-30 halftime lead. Mitchell, down by as many as 12, slugged back by shooting 68% in the second half, hitting four of their nine 3-pointers to eventually take a 56-54 lead with 2:33 left.

But the Bucks dominated from there, using hounding defense that led to turnovers and transition drives to spark an 8-0 run, all off of free throws, to take a 6-point lead with 17 seconds left. The Kernels made a three-pointer to cut the lead to 63-61 with 1.5 seconds remaining, but Mac Ryken buried two more free throws to provide the final score.

For the game, Yankton scored 14 points off 19 Mitchell turnovers, while only allowing Mitchell to score three points off seven giveaways. All of Yankton's final 14 points came at the line, and all from the Rykens, including four from Rugby Ryken after he had missed his first six free throw attempts earlier in the game.

It was fitting end to their careers, and the final stretch in their senior season, as they powered Yankton to 14 wins in its final 15 games, and avenged three of their five losses in three nail-biting tourney wins — Washington (58-51), the Cavs (69-66), and the Kernels.

"All three games were the same," Haynes said. "(The opponent) chipped away and chipped away and our guys just kept their composure. They're tough. Those kids are tough and they love to compete. And they love to play. They're very smart players, as well. They're very high IQ. They're skilled, and overall, it's their toughness and competitiveness that really sets them apart."

The Bucks' starting five have been playing together since grade school, when fellow seniors Cody Oswald and Michael Mors joined the Rykens, who are all off to play sports at Mount Marty in Yankton.

And the team as a whole Saturday also donned warm-up shirts "For Tara," in honor of Tara Sheldon, the mother of two of its players, Josh and Matthew Sheldon. Tara died suddenly in February. The Bucks' won nine of their final 10 games with heavy hearts after the Yankton community rallied around the Sheldon family.

Saturday's win was no different, ending with medals, a net-cutting and the school's 10th state championship trophy amid a crowd of roughly 6,000.

"It's been a dream of ours ever since we were young," Mac Ryken said. "Playing against all these teams since we were young, growing up with them and coming out here (and winning), it's amazing."

Marcus Talley, a sophomore, led Mitchell with 16 points in the Kernels' first state tournament appearance in 11 years. MHS was denied its 17th title, and first since 2005.

Tourney Awards

Pierre's Lincoln Kienholz received the Spirit of Su Award and Harrisburg's cheerleaders the Spirt of Six Award. Players named to the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association's all-tourney team included Rugby, Drew and Mac Ryken of Yankton; Dylan Soulek and Steele Morgan of Mitchell; Kaden Year and Griffin Wilde of Sioux Falls Jefferson; JT Rock of Sioux Falls Lincoln; Kienholz and Jackson Edman of Pierre; Ethan Determan of Harrisburg; and Jack Radel of Sioux Falls Roosevelt.

Other Saturday Games

Sioux Falls Jefferson (21-3) turned back Sioux Falls Lincoln (19-5) 65-56 in the third-place game, Pierre (16-8) outlasted Harrisburg (15-9) 68-67 in double overtime to win the consolation championship and Sioux Falls Roosevelt (14-10) edged Sioux Falls Washington (15-9) 58-56 in the seventh-place game.

Wilde's 18 points and 13 rebounds led the way for Jefferson, which also received 14 points from Kaden Year and 13 from Taylen Ashley. Rock finished with 18 points and nine rebounds and Tate Schafer 13 points for Lincoln.

Jackson Edman (18 points and 16 rebounds), Benjamin Heisler (17 points) and Kienholz (12 points, 10 rebounds) paced Pierre. Ethan Determan scored 28 points and Jacoby Mehrman 19 for Harrisburg. Camden Phipps contributed eight points and seven rebounds.

Hayden Goff's field goal with four seconds left lifted Roosevelt to its win. Radel tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds and Abraham Kamara 13 points and six assists for the Riders. Zharic Sheppard scored 15 points, Cole Peterson 10 and Gage Gasca nine for Washington. Gasca added 11 rebounds and Tryg Auten seven points and eight rebounds.

− Watertown Public Opinion reporter Roger Merriam contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Yankton defeats Mitchell to claim Class AA boys hoops championship