The De Smet Bulldogs (19-3) ground out a 55-45 win over the Wolsey-Wessington Warbirds in the Region 2B tournament on Friday, March 3rd in Madison. During the game, Damon Wilkinson became the all time leading rebounder in Bulldog history with 721 career rebounds and counting.
The first quarter went back and forth with both teams having leads. De Smet ended the first quarter with a 21-19 advantage. The Bulldogs extended their lead throughout the second quarter as they led 37-29 at halftime. The second half was a defensive battle. The two teams combined for 17 total points in the third quarter and 19 points in the fourth quarter. De Smet led 46-35 after three quarters of play.
The Bulldogs shot 41% (17-42) overall, 31% (4-13) from three-point area, and 71% (17-24) from the free-throw line. Wolsey-Wessington shot 33% (18-54) for the game, 21% (3-14) on three-point shots, and 55% (6-11) from the free-throw line.
Wilkinson had 21 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocked shots. Kasen Janssen had 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Kadyn Fast finished with 10 points, six rebounds, and two assists. George Jensen added eight points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots. Tom Aughenbaugh ended with five points and two steals.
De Smet will play Crazy Horse in the SoDak 16 on Tuesday, March 7th in Huron at 5:30 p.m.
