By Rich Winter

605 Sports

SPEARFISH — Dakota Valley advanced to the semifinals of the state Class A girls basketball championships with a 65-57 win over Sioux Valley on Thursday.

Tied at 48-48 entering the final period Dakota Valley ramped up the defensive intensity, going on a 17-9 run over the game’s final eight minutes.

“I give all the credit to our kids,” Tammy Lilly, Dakota Valley coach said. “They just dug in and they did everything we asked of them. They stayed calm, they got after it on defense and I think our play spoke for itself.” 

Freshman Katie Betsworth started the fourth-quarter run with a 15-footer that was followed by a 3-pointer from Ella Otten. The Panthers led 53-48 with 6:16 remaining forcing a timeout call from Sioux Valley. 

Senior Emersen Mead upped forced a turnover then scored on the other end for a 55-48 lead. Amari Ward scored for Sioux Valley but picked up her fourth foul on the next defensive possession. Otten found Betsworth for a layup and then Otten hit a pair of free throws that upped the lead to 59-52. 

The five-minute burst was fueled by a surge of defensive intensity from the Panthers.

“We knew the game plan and we tried to stick to it as best we could,” Emersen Mead said. “We know that defense is a big part of it and the offense would come if we just worked hard on defense.”

Mead added a late blocked shot to her final stat line of 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and three steals. Fellow senior Cameryn Sommervold scored the final points of the night for the 22-2 Panthers. 

The game could not have started better for Dakota Valley as the Panthers raced out to an 8-0 advantage. The Cossacks climbed back into the game as Ward knocked down a 3-pointer. Sioux Valley would go on a 13-0 run to take a 13-11 lead on the strength of another 3-pointer from Ward. 

“We expected no less, Sioux Valley is a very talented team,” Lilly said. “They have tons of shooters and they get after it on defense. They don’t quit, they never gave up and have a good combination of inside and out. We knew they were going to come at us with their best shot and we were very blessed to be able to hold them off.”

Dakota Valley closed the first quarter on an 8-2 run and led 23-15 heading into the second period. 

The Cossacks responded with three consecutive made 3-pointers, the last from Ward and took a 30-27 lead on an inside hoop from sophomore Kailey Cradduck. Sioux Valley outscored Dakota Valley 23-15 in the second period with the teams tied at 38-38 heading into the halftime break. 

Three other players reached double-figures for Dakota Valley as Otten led the way with 17 points, three rebounds and two assists. Aubree Worden added 11 points and eight rebounds while Betsworth added 15 points and five rebounds. 

Otten, Worden and Betsworth are all freshmen and Lilly said she has the ultimate confidence in her young players. 

“I trust them a ton and they have earned that trust,” she said. “They do a phenomenal job in the offseason working on their game and their skills and they do it everyday in practice. In my eyes they are not freshmen. I know they are freshmen on the roster but they got it.” 

Sioux Valley is slated to play Wagner in the afternoon game Friday in consolation action. 

Keyra Kruse led Sioux Valley with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Cradduck and Ward each had 14 points for the Cossacks.