Dusty earns double as he takes second Pine Ridge team to state

By Lenn Davis, Journal Sports Writer (Rapid City Journal.com)

RAPID CITY -- Sparked by sophomores Ryan Pourier and Daelan High Wolf the Pine Ridge boys matched the efforts of their female counterparts with a trip to the state Class A tournament with a convincing 67-38 boys basketball triumph over Stanley County.

On the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center floor Tuesday night, the Thorpes stretched and then broke down the Buffaloes in the Region 7A championship game.

The win leaves Pine Ridge coach Dusty LeBeau with a little problem, albeit a pleasant one. It is one that every other coach in the state wishes he or she had right about now.

Coupled with the Lady Thorpes' Region 7A crown Pine Ridge won at Heier Gymnasium last Saturday night, LeBeau will now be coaching both teams - one week apart - in Aberdeen this week and Sioux Falls next week.

"I'm extremely happy for both teams," said LeBeau, who was scheduled to leave for Aberdeen at 6 a.m. today to get the girls team ready for first-round opponent Mobridge on Thursday.

"We played hard all year and we really started to come together," LeBeau said of his squad. "I asked for 110 percent tonight and I think I got that."

"The boys set a goal at the beginning of the season and now they are playing in the state tournament," LeBeau said.

Pine Ridge hit the floor running and they didn't stop. Despite Stanley County's best effort to slow the pace of the game, the Thorpes would run whenever they got the chance.

With High Wolf picking the pockets of the Buffalo guards as they tried to bring the ball up the floor, the other four Thorpes would all race to the other end.

The ball would then find its way into the hands of Pourier, who put on a dazzling array of moves inside and outside the paint, on his way to a game-high 28 points.

High Wolf added 15 points and six steals while Pourier added nine boards for the winners.

Tyler Nold hit a runner in the lane that pulled the Buffaloes to within 14-10 with two minutes left in the first quarter, but the Thorpes closed the period on a 7-2 run to lead 21-12.

"We had the game going the way we wanted," said Stanley County head coach Tim Burgard. "We kept it half-court to half-court, but we couldn't execute."

The second eight minutes didn't produce a lot of points, but there was plenty of action as the Thorpes led 31-17.

The second half would then tell the story.

Stanley County kept the ball up top, near the time-line looking for a chance to crack the Pine Ridge pressure defense.

On back-to-back Buffalo possessions to start the third quarter, Nold, a slick 5-foot-10 senior guard, found Ross Hettinger, a 6-4 junior forward, cutting to the hoop. Hettinger drew fouls on both drives, but he couldn't find the range from the foul line as he missed on all four attempts.

The Thorpes for the first time all night, we out of sync on both ends of the floor.

Hettinger after being fouled drained both charity shots. Bold then scored on a steal and layin to pull the Buffs to within 35-21 at the 5:25 mark.

That would be as close as Stanley County would get.

Following a Pine Ridge timeout, Pourier and High Wolf would combine to the next 10 Thorpe points as they led 43-28 after three periods.

Knowing that a ticket to Sioux Falls awaited the winner, Pine Ridge left little doubt whose name would then be punched on it.

Pourier canned a three to start a 17-0 Pine Ridge run as the fourth quarter began. His conventional three-point play gave his team a 55-28 bulge, 11/2-minutes into the quarter.

Vinnie Brewer canned a trey and High Wolf added two more as the Thorpes led 60-28 with four minutes to play.

Bold finally ended the Stanley County drought with a free throw at the 3:56 mark.

LeBeau would then empty his bench and Burgard would soon follow, as both coaches rewarded the rest of their players for all the work they put in getting their teams to the regional championship.

"We didn't rebound and we needed to do a better job of concentrating," said Burgard. "We knew it was going to be tough. They have tons of quickness."

Hettinger led Stanley County (11-11) with 15 points.

Pine Ridge led the battle of the boards with a whopping 38-16 advantage.

The Thorpes, 18-5, shot 61 percent from the floor.

"We didn't quit. I have no doubt we played hard, we gave them our best effort," Burgard said.

"We are not afraid to battle," LeBeau said. "The kids play fearless."

"This is the kind of defense we have played all year, We won't change."

Pine Ridge 21 31 43 67

Stanley County 12 17 28 38

Pine Ridge-Ryan Pourier 11 5-5 28, Jess Hand 3 0-1 6, Jason Piper 1 0-0 2, Daelan High Wolf 4 6-8 15, Vinnie Brewer 3 0-0 8, Morgan Weston 1 0-0 2, Jeff Big Crow 1 0-0 3, Gary Pourier 1 0-0 2, Joe Brewer 0 1-4 1. Totals 25 12-18 67.

Stanley County-Tyler Nold 2 2-2 6, Chris Anglin 0 0-2 0, Jake Kainz 1 2-2 4, Brian Myers 1 0-6 2, Ross Hettinger 5 5-10 15, Josh Kainz 1 0-0 3, Michael Kendall 0 1-2, Paul Lind 1 1-4 3, Dylan Dowling 0 2-2 2, Wade LaRoche 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 13-30 38.

Three-point goals-V. Brewer 2, High Wolf, R.Pourier, Big Crow. FG percentages-PR 61 (25-41), SC 27 (12-44). Rebounding-PR 38 (R. Pourier 9), SC 16. Turnovers-PR 19, SC 17. Total fouls-PR 20, SC 12. Fouled out-Hand. Officials-Brad Booth, Mark Naugle, Dave Burnett. Attendance-1,150.