SIOUX FALLS – Looking to make a splash in the opening round of the State A boys’ basketball tournament, Groton instead found the going murky against top-seeded Sioux Falls Christian Thursday afternoon.

The high-powered Chargers were able to throttle down the Tigers en route to a 66-41 victory in the opening contest of the tournament.

Christian got out to a big early lead, opening the game with a 7-0 run and increasing that advantage quickly to double digits. The Chargers never let up from there, cruising in the second half.

Groton, despite its early struggles, was able to make a strong defensive stand in the second quarter, holding Christian nearly scoreless through the last three minutes or so of the half. However, the Tigers were unable to convert those defensive stops into offensive production, never pulling the score back any closer than 11 points.

Christian’s Griffen Goodbary put down a dunk in the final minute of the half to make it a 30-17 game.

Groton ended the contest with the same number of offensive opportunities as the Chargers, but converted on half as many of those. The Tigers made just one 3-pointer to Christian’s seven.

Ryder Johnson and Karson Zak led the way offensively for Groton, both players finishing with 13 points. Keegan Tracy added eight points. Becker Bosma and Gage Sippel had six rebounds apiece to pace the Tigers’ defensive efforts.

Christian got 17 points from Brant Wassenaar. Britton Mulder added 12 points on four 3-pointers, while Goodbary added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Groton will play West Central in the consolation semifinal round today at noon.

GROTON (17-6): Keegan Tracy 4 0-0 8, Ryder Johnson 5 2-3 13, Karson Zak 3 7-7 13, Gage Sippel 1 1-2 3, Turner Thompson 1 2-4 4. Totals 14-49 12-16 41.

SIOUX FALLS CHRISTIAN (22-1): Cooper Goodbary 1 0-0 2, Cole Snyder 3 1-1 7, Griffen Goodbary 5 102 11, Britton Mulder 4 0-0 12, Brant Wassenaar 8 1-3 17, Bennett Wassenaar 1 0-0 2, Jude VanDonkersgoed 2 0-0 4, Ryan Dieleman 1 0-0 2, Carson Nickles 3 1-2 9. Totals 28-49 3-7 66.

Groton 7 17 25 41

Sioux Falls Christian 16 30 47 66

3-point field goals – Johnson; Snyder, Mulder 4, Nickels 2. Fouls – Groton 6; Sioux Falls Christian 16. Rebounds – Groton 29 (Becker Bosma 6, Sippel 6); Sioux Falls Christian 29 (G. Goodbary 10, C. Goodbary 4). Assists – Groton 7 (Zak 2); Sioux Falls Christian 16 (C. Goodbary 4). Turnovers – Groton 13; Sioux Falls Christian 10. Blocked shots – Groton 0; Sioux Falls Christian 8 (G. Goodbary 5). Steals – Groton 5 (Johnson 2); Sioux Falls Christian 9 (C. Goodbary 2, Snyder 2, Mulder 2).