HOT SPRINGS – Ever since a 19-point loss to Rapid City Christian in last year’s regular season boys basketball finale, one could say the Hot Springs Bison have had the Comet boys’ number.
Hot Springs redeemed that aforementioned loss with a 10-point upset of Christian in the 2023 Region 8A semifinals to knock them out of the playoffs and later advance to the Class “A” State Tournament. Then, this past season in football, Hot Springs won their regular season matchup 23-13 and also their Class 11B semifinal game 28-10, which sent the Bison to the Dome where they won the state title.
Last Friday night at Case Auditorium, the Bison boys made it four athletic wins in a row, despite being ranked below Rapid City Christian at the time of the opening tip-off, as the Comet’s were the No. 1 team in Region 8A while Hot Springs was No. 2.
Those positions in the standings flip-flopped however after Hot Springs’ 61-60 overtime win, which set up this week’s Region 8A games where the Bison (17-3 record) get a first-round bye and will then face the winner of Custer/Hill City at home on Friday, March 1 at 6 p.m. The winner Friday advances to the SoDak 16.
“This was probably our biggest game of the year,” said Hot Springs head coach Aaron Noteboom. “RCC is a wellcoached team full of athletes that know how to win basketball games. They average 75 points per game which is more than any other team in Class A basketball.”
Hot Springs got an early lead and were up 7-0 three minutes into the game before the visiting fans could finally sit down, after the Comets made their first points of the game at the free throw line to make the score 7-1. The Bison remained in control the remainder of the first quarter and took a 16-8 lead into the second.
The Comets however came out with six unanswered points to start the second quarter and pull within two points, but the Bison held on to a one point lead at halftime, 17-16.
“RCC likes to really push the tempo of a game and make you play faster than you want to play,” Coach Noteboom said. “We knew going into this game that for us to be successful we were going to need to control the tempo and keep the game in the 50-60 point range.”
The second half saw the Comets heat up, and Hot Springs’ shooters get cold as Christian led 40-33 to start the fourth quarter and expand that lead to 13 points (46-33) with six minutes to go in the game.
That’s when Hot Springs’ Camron Maciejewski and Matt Close turned it up a notch.
Inaspanofaboutfourminutes of game clock, the two seniors displayed strong defensive pressure and then combined to score 15 points and pull within one point of RCC with a minute left in regulation.
The game was eventually
BISON BOYS, page B5 tied up 54-54 with less than a second on the clock, with senior Josh Kleinsasser at the free throw line and in a position to win it. He however was unable to convert the foul into points, so the game went into overtime.
Once in the extra period, Kleinsasser came through with a key three-point bucket which gave Hot Springs a 60-55 lead with 2:20 left.
Despite having a quiet night in regulation, senior Braden Peterson came through big in overtime with his clutch foul shooting, as he went 6-for-7, including making all three attempts from the line after getting fouled on a three-point shot in the left corner early in overtime. His final made free throw proved to be the difference in the game.
“After a great first quarter, I thought they were able to lure us into some forced shots and turnovers,” said Noteboom. “Fortunately we settled down in the fourth quarter long enough to regain the lead and then hold them off in overtime for the win.”
Maciejewski led all scorers with 18 points while also grabbing at eight rebounds and blocking one shot. Close added 16 points and eight boards along with five assists and five steals. Kleinsasser had 12 points and junior Aidyn Janis nine points and seven rebounds.
“It was a great atmosphere for a high school basketball game and a great way for our seniors to be sent off in their last regular season home game,” added Coach Noteboom. “We will look to build on this momentum heading into the post season.”