ABERDEEN — De Smet’s different cast of Bulldogs are back in the state championship. 

De Smet will go for a state championship three-peat after knocking off Aberdeen Christian, 46-31, in the Class B semifinals on Friday at Wachs Arena. De Smet will play Lower Brule for the second straight season in the state championship. 

For these Bulldogs, it’s a shot to prove the naysayers wrong after graduating a stellar senior class. 

“We felt like a lot of people doubted us,” De Smet forward George Jensen said. “They didn’t think that we would be bringing back much and we practiced against those guys in practice. So we knew what it took to get back.”

De Smet (22-3) all-state center Damon Wilkinson and Kadyn Fast were the two returning starters off last season’s state championship. On Friday, Wilkinson logged nine points and 16 rebounds. He also received help from Fast (11 points), Jensen (11 points/six rebounds/four blocked shots) and Kasen Janssen (nine points/nine rebounds) also helped carry the offensive load.

The Bulldogs benefited from Aberdeen Christian double and triple teaming Wilkinson, who regularly made the extra pass to his teammates. 

“When he caught it in the post, we knew the backside cuts would be open,” Jensen said. “So we planned for that and we took advantage of that.”

De Smet’s Gannon Gruenhagen hit two of the team’s four 3-pointers. Janssen and Jensen also hit three 3-pointers. 

“When they knock down a three that gets us going,” Wilkinson said. “When they had those cuts and those wide open layups, we hit that dish and it felt so great just to get a wide open bucket like that.”

De Smet's Kadyn Fast (21) shoots over the reach of Aberdeen Christian's Ethan Russell (4) during a game in the semifinals on the second day of the Class B State tournament on Friday at the Barnett Center. (Matt Gade / For 605 Sports)

De Smet’s trademark defense also complemented its offense. The Bulldogs held Aberdeen Christian to its lowest scoring output of the season and 13 of 46 shooting from the field. 

“When our offense is going and the crowd is going, our defense is what carries us,” Jensen said. “When our energy is going our defense is even better and we just lock in and are ready to go.” 

Aberdeen Christian (22-3) didn’t have a player in double figures and all-state guard Malek Wieker was held to nine points on 4 of 15 shooting from the field. Ethan Russell finished with eight points on 3 of 14 from the field.  

The Bulldogs briefly trailed in the opening stages, but quickly built a comfortable lead and led 27-17 at halftime. De Smet kept the lead at a comfortable margin the rest of the way. 

“That helps a lot,” Wilkinson said about De Smet’s start. “Once we get ahead a couple of points, it just helps a lot because it gets us calmed down and gets us to go one possession at a time and take it slow and we play Bulldog basketball.”

That Bulldog basketball will again lead De Smet into the state championship. De Smet defeated Lower Brule, 49-36, in last season’s state championship. The Bulldogs defeated the Sioux at the Hanson Classic this season, 61-53.

“They are a really good team,” Jensen said. “They are really fast with great shooters. It’s going to be a good game. We are going to have to play even better defense tomorrow.”