SIOUX FALLS – When the Sioux Valley Cossacks lost their opening game of the state tournament to Hamlin on Thursday night, their final two games of the season could have gone a different way.
The fourth-seeded Cossacks could have played the final two games and went back to Volga, sulking in the disappointment of not earning a state championship. Instead, they did what they traditionally have done by stepping up to beat Hot Springs and St. Thomas More to claim the consolation championship.
“It showed our perseverance and how gritty we can be to bounce back,” Sioux Valley head coach said of his team’s performance at state. “It makes a coach really proud that his players take so much pride in their community knowing that you have two more games to finish off the season and in some cases, their careers.”
It started on Friday afternoon when the Cossacks took on the Bison in a semifinal. Hot Springs took a 22-14 lead at the end of the first quarter and were able to take a 36-34 lead at halftime. But just when it looked like Sioux Valley was going to be in a tight game, they stepped up in the third quarter, going on a 14-2 run that allowed them to take control of the game.
“I thought we got off to a slow start and I think it was because of how heartbreaking [Thursday’s loss to Hamlin] was,” Bill Vincent said. “I think Hot Springs was expecting to play in that game because of their tough opening matchup [against Dakota Valley] and they were ready to go. It was just a matter of us getting our feet underneath of us and our pride back to be ready to go to work and get things happening.”
Junior Alec Squires led the charge with 21 points and six rebounds, but it was a team effort that saw Oliver Vincent score nine points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists while Hudsyn Ruesink and Patrick Carrey add 11 points each to come away with the 65-52 victory.
The win secured a date with St. Thomas More, who was also in the consolation bracket after they were stunned by Elk Point-Jefferson on Devon Schmitz’s buzzer-beater Thursday night but rebounded to beat Mount Vernon/Plankinton on Friday afternoon.
The Cossacks got off to another slow start as they were held to 12 points on 25 percent shooting in the first half, but it was just another opportunity to step up.
After trailing 18-12 at halftime, Sioux Valley took control in the third quarter out-scoring the Cavaliers 15-7. Squires was once again at the center of it all scoring 10 points and pulling down 15 rebounds on his way to All-Tournament honors.
“Alec had a nice tournament and our guys did a nice job of understanding that our opponents were going to have trouble slowing him down on the inside,” Bill Vincent said. “I thought once we got control of the glass, he helped lead us to change that game. We were able to get back into it and give ourselves an opportunity to win it at the end.”
The game went down to the wire as Squires tied the game at 33-33 with a pair of free throws with 4:04 to play. Oliver Vincent’s free throw put the Cossacks ahead 34-33 with 2:11 to go and the two teams went scoreless the rest of the way as Caleb Hollenbeck’s 3-pointer was no good as time expired.
Once again, the Cossacks stepped up as Oliver Vincent was limited to five points and Ruesink scored 11 points with six rebounds to help Sioux Valley come away with the victory.
The performance was indicative of not only how the Cossacks had played this season, but how they’ve played as a group throughout their high school careers. Several players on this year’s team were part of the 2019-20 team that went 21-1 and earned the top seed in the tournament but were unable to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Bill Vincent believes that experience just pushed this group to push for back-to-back runner-up finishes at state before winning the consolation bracket this year.
“It just kind of has grown every year leading into this year,” Bill Vincent said. “It was our turn to step up and pride ourselves on something that really got started when we thought we were shortchanged during that COVID year. These guys have been carrying it on each year and what made it special was that you end you season or career with a couple wins. So the kids will feel good about stepping up and bouncing back.”
Stepping up is something that this team has grown accustomed to. Whether it’s Oliver Vincent becoming the school’s All-Time leading scorer with 1,874 points or Patrick Carey returning from injury to become one of the top shooters in the state with 84 3-pointers, the Cossacks have continued to lay a foundation that should continue next year.
“We have a lot of good kids in the program and a great feeder program led by [assistant coach Buster Vincent],” Bill Vincent said. “Those guys are hungry and know the traditions and what they’re expected to carry on for those that have started it. A lot of it just goes with the pride that comes from the guys that have been in our culture as they leave it to the underclassmen.”
The Cossacks finished the season with a 23-3 record.
