PHD Playoff Central: Class B Best of the Regionals

<p>What players had the best Friday Regional in Class B?  What were the top moments?  PHD Playoff Central wraps up the weekend as we prepare for the Sweet 16 on Tuesday!</p> <p><strong><u>PHD Playoff Central</u></strong>.   Sixth ranked Viborg-Hurley survived. The last time they played Freeman Academy/Marion the Cougars won by 30.  On Friday Freeman Academy/Marion gave them everything they had.   Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="975550" first="Eli" last="Boomgarden"] recorded a double-double of 12 and 13 while [player_tooltip player_id="975502" first="Gradee" last="Sherman"] had 16 and 12 giving his team a second double-double.  They had to go to overtime to do it but Viborg-Hurley is moving on in the Sweet 16.  </p> <p><strong><u>All Class B Weekend Team</u></strong>.  </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="963747" first="Joe" last="Sayler"] of White River.  The performance of the night was from a Class B First team all state, [player_tooltip player_id="963747" first="Joe" last="Sayler"].  Joe put together a 36 point, nine rebound explosion making sure that 7th ranked White River would get to where they should be against Wall (91-66). This month Joe topped the 1,000 point mark and is now well on his way to 2,000 with Friday’s game. </p> <p>Mason Schleske of Wessington Springs.  In a one score game, Mason’s 18 point/11 rebound double-double with a perfect performance from the foul line on eight attempts was huge.  Every time his team needed a big basket the 6-foot-5 junior came through.   </p> <p>Connor Epp of Freeman Academy/Marion (below).</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="963783" first="Malek" last="Wieker"] of Aberdeen Christian.  The sophomore guard put the game away with six foul shots down the stretch, scored 18.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="757853" first="Kelby" last="VanDerWerff"] of Platte-Geddes.   Kelby led the 8th ranked team in the state to a 29 point win scoring 23 points.  </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="975540" first="Matthew" last="Nibbe"] of Elkton-Lake Benton (below).</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="975508" first="Tyce" last="Ortman"] of Canistota.  It was a struggle at times for the Hawks but they leaned on their senior who gave them an important 20 points. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="963766" first="Damon" last="Wilkinson"] of De Smet.  The 6’7 sophomore had a dozen points and eight boards in a 60-40 win over Castlewood. </p> <p><strong><u>Players to Watch (in the coming years)</u></strong>. Connor Epp of Freeman Academy/Marion.  Epp made a name for himself statewide on Friday night.  Playing the 6th ranked team in the state Epp’s creation was at a high level.  Epp scored 24 points with eight assists having a hand in 75 percent of his team’s scoring production plus he added five steals and five rebounds.  </p> <p><strong><u>Upset </u></strong><strong style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">City</span></strong><strong style="font-size: 1rem;">. </strong><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The upset of the night was the way that 5th ranked Elkton-Lake Benton defeated 4th ranked Howard 54-36.  Howard was the favorite for us for three reasons: 1) they won the head to head game this season, 2) they are our higher ranked team, 3) they were the higher seeded team. . </span></p> <p>One of the top playoff performances this March was from <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="975540" first="Matthew" last="Nibbe"]</strong> of Elkton-Lake Benton.  Nibbe is a 6-foot-3, 200 pound forward that can face-up his man as a wing or do the physical work around the basket.  He’s a double-double threat and against Howard he went through length and scored a game high 20 points.  Nibbe is capable of an explosive scoring run and Friday his team went on a 17-3 second quarter run that set the tone.  </p>