Class 2A State Basketball Semifinals
Dike-New Hartford 61, Sibley-Ocheyedan 56
Payton Petersen’s triple-double put Dike-New Hartford in position to win a third straight Class 2A championship.
Petersen scored 28 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and made a 2A tournament record 10 steals as Dike-New Hartford beat Sibley-Ocheyedan 61-56 in a semifinal game that left fans on both sides exhausted but entertained.
The Wolverines needed every one of Petersen’s impressive numbers – plus a strong game from her twin sister Jadyn -- to hold off the Generals, who chopped a 15-point lead to one in the fourth quarter, fell behind by nine, then got within two points in the closing seconds.
Dike-New Hartford won its eighth straight state tournament game and will take a 25-1 record into the championship game at 4:45 p.m. Saturday.
Jadyn Petersen finished with 15 points, 17 rebounds, four steals and two assists. Ellary Knock added nine points for the Wolverines and Maryn Bixby scored seven.
Dike-New Hartford missed numerous shots around the basket and committed 18 turnovers, but survived by outrebounding the Generals 47-32 and coming up with 16 steals. The Wolverines crashed the boards for 23 offensive rebounds, which led to 20 second-chance points.
Marissa Ackerman led Sibley-Ocheyedan with 14 points, Bria Wasmund had 13 points, six rebounds and five assists and Madison Brouwer scored 10. Dike-New Hartford did a good job keeping the ball away from Brouwer, holding her to seven shots after she scored 28 points in a quarterfinal victory over Regina Catholic.
Frustrating the Generals with a half-court trap and its offensive rebounding, Dike-New Hartford led by as many as 15 points in the first half, held a 36-23 halftime lead and was up 45-31 midway through the third quarter.
But the missed shots and turnovers started to catch up with the Wolverines and the Generals rallied, drawing to 48-47 on Brouwer’s layup with 4:43 left. Jadyn Petersen then drove for a layup and Payton followed with seven straight points to put the Wolverines ahead 56-47.
The Generals still weren’t finished, however, cutting the lead to 58-56 on Ackerman’s 3-pointer with 18 seconds left. An intentional foul sent Jaydn Petersen to the line and she made both and Knock sank one after being fouled when the Wolverines kept possession. When Sibley-Ocheyedan missed at the other end, Payton Petersen – fittingly – pulled down the final rebound.
Sibley-Ocheyedan, which has won two state championships and finished second once, closes out an outstanding season with a 22-4 record.