RAPID CITY — Free throws and timely rebounds lifted Ethan into the Class B championship semifinals. 

The Rustlers held off Wall, 51-45, in the Class B girls basketball tourney opener on Thursday at the Summit Arena. Ethan (21-2) will play Arlington in the championship semifinals on Friday.

Against the Eagles, Ethan hit just one field goal in the final quarter. But the Rustlers finished 9-of-12 at the free-throw line to help seal the six-point victory. 

“It’s a way to win games. It’s a way to lose games right down the stretch,” Ethan coach Tom Young said about the free throws. 

Ethan senior all-stater Ava Lingemann, who finished with 15 points, hit the four biggest ones. After missing two free throws with 1:01 left, and keeping the score at 47-44, Lingemann hit four free throws in the final 22 seconds. 

The final free throws pushed the score to 51-44, while Ethan’s Rachel Klock also grabbed a huge offensive rebound that led to another Rustler possession. 

“That won the game for us,” Lingemann said about the closing seconds. “Rachel Klock, she was huge on the boards. Obviously, I missed those two free throws. But then bounced back with four in a row. That just sealed the deal for us and I am glad I just had the opportunity to redeem myself.”

Klock finished with 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Madeline Bartscher scored 10 points before fouling out. Ella Pollreisz posted five points and four rebounds.

Wall’s Nora Dinger and Rhea Tucker scored 12 points apiece. Tucker added eight rebounds and four assists. Faith Frink added nine points and seven rebounds. Paige Kjerstad logged seven points and 12 rebounds. 

The No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup lived up to the billing. The teams played to a 25-25 halftime score and Young said his team played tight in the first 16 minutes. 

“There’s always nerves involved and teams always do things that are uncharacteristic and we did a lot of that in the first half,” Young said.

The Rustlers shook off the cobwebs in the second half, rattling off eight straight points for a 33-25 lead. Bartscher drilled two 3-pointers in the opening minutes to spark the run. 

“It was really big,” Young said. “We hit a couple of shots. We had a couple of nice team plays there where Ava kicked it back and Maddy hit some shots.” 

The eight-point lead represented the largest of the game, while Ethan outscored Wall 15-8 in the third quarter. The Rustlers were clinging to a 40-33 lead entering the final quarter. 

The Eagles surged back into the game, but could never relinquish the lead as Ethan earned the win. 

“My girls battle,” Young said. “We are not very big. We are not very tall obviously and they just keep finding a way and battling and that’s how a lot of our games have looked. We are certainly not overpowering by any means, but they just keep on battling and have some grit and I am just proud of them.”

Wall will play James Valley Christian in the consolation semifinals on Friday.

Ethan will play Arlington in the championship semifinals on Friday. The Rustlers defeated the Cardinals earlier in the season.  

“It’s hard to beat a team twice,” Lingemann said. “But I know we can do it if we come ready to play.”