By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

It was also another chance to see how the young Cyclones responded in a tight game. Clark/Willow Lake lost to Class B No. 1 Castlewood (50-38) and dropped a 49-48 decision against Groton Area. 

“We really lost one against Groton — up seven with a minute and a half to go,” Nesheim said. “We let that run really slip away. So just the mindset that we can close games is what we needed.” 

Against Lennox, junior Emmerson Larson and sophomore Bo Begeman finished with 15 points apiece. Begeman added six rebounds and four steals. Sophomore Chris Bevers and freshman Sullivan Felberg had 12 points apiece. Felberg added eight rebounds and three assists. 

The roster breaks down to two seniors, five juniors, six sophomores and three freshmen. And Nesheim said it’s their chemistry that’s helped lead to the 10-2 start to the season.

“They’re such a close group of guys that they will work hard for each other,” Nesheim said. “They will sacrifice for each other, and that’s been the huge difference this year.”

Begeman, a rising 6-foot-6 wing, and Felberg, a 6-foot-7 promising forward, give Clark/Willow Lake a pair of building blocks for the future. While Larson, a 6-foot-4 guard, provides both scoring punch and leadership, said Nesheim. 

“He gets the guys rallied up, and when he gets going, it seems like they all kind of fall in line,”

The Cyclones will play in the Dak-XII/NEC Clash on Saturday in Madison, with their opponent to be determined. CWL also has a key game with Class A No. 2 Hamlin on Feb. 20.  

Taaliyah Porter nears Becky Hammon’s scoring mark

Rapid City Stevens senior Taaliyah Porter is inching closer to history.

The guard scored 22 points and 19 points in games against Watertown and Brookings last week. She now sits at 1,390 career points, 27 points away from Hammon’s school record of 1,417 points.

Porter is currently No. 13 on the Class AA girls basketball scoring list. 

The Raiders (10-2) will host Rapid City Stevens on Jan. 31.