Sam Rick hit eight free throws in the final 52 seconds of play to help Milbank to a 58-47 victory over Aberdeen Roncalli Friday night in a Region 1A boys’ basketball SoDak 16 qualifier at Roncalli Gym.

Rick’s effort was part of a crucial final stretch for the Bulldogs, who outscored the host Cavaliers 12-6 over the final 3 minutes and 20 seconds of play to pull away after Roncalli had cut Milbank’s lead to a single possession. Rick had 10 of those 12 points.

Milbank now advances to the SoDak 16, where the Bulldogs will try to make their first state tournament in 20 years.

“It’s huge,” said Milbank senior Emmett Hanson. “It’s an honor to come here and just win as a team.”

Hanson, a 6-foot-4 center, finished with 15 points for the Bulldogs. He said the key to his team’s success was more in execution than anything.

“Talking was huge,” he said. “We knew we had to talk. We knew it was going to be loud, it’s a small gym, lots of students, lots of fans. We had to talk our screens, communicate and do our best to win.”

The night started out, unsurprisingly, as a dogfight. Milbank led by just two points at the half, but stretched it to 44-36 by the end of the third quarter.

“We needed to set the tone, which, on the scoreboard, we really didn’t do, getting down 9-2,” said Milbank coach Logan Diede. “Last time we were down 7-1 against them, but once you get that first shot, you can kind of get some things going. Thankfully it did with Ryan Keeton hitting some shots for us.”

Keeton finished with four 3-pointers in the contest, providing the Bulldogs with what Diede called “just enough offense” to get the win.

“I know our guys are disappointed, because a lot of things could swing either way,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “We let some shooters get hot, and it’s unfortunate because it opened up runs for them and diminished some for us.”

Jesse Hernandez drilled a 3-pointer for the Cavaliers with about four and a half minutes remaining to cut Milbank’s lead to 44-41, but Roncalli couldn’t put together enough stops down the stretch to gain traction.

“To not be able to keep going is hard,” Gallagher said. “It stings. The guys knew it was going to take a lot tonight. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way.”

“It sucks,” said Roncalli senior Brody Weinmeister. “You go through four months this year and through however many months outside of actual basketball with these guys. The summers, coming in after practice. It sucks that time is over, but we’re still a family. We’re always going to be in each other’s lives. It just sucks that our time on the court together is over.”

Rick finished with 27 points to pace Milbank. Hanson added 15 from the interior to go along with 14 rebounds, while Keeton’s four treys sparked a 14-point effort. The Bulldogs had just four players in the scoring column.

Roncalli, which concluded the season at 10-12, was led by Sam Franks with 15 points. Aiden Fisher finished with 11, while Cam Olson had 10 points off the bench.

The Cavaliers will bid farewell to eight seniors, including Fisher, Franks, Weinmeister, Jackson Lewno, Parker Grieben, Thomas Niederbaumer, Danny Schumacher and Olson.

“This was a group that, my first year of teaching and coaching here at Roncalli, they were seventh graders,” Gallagher said. “I was their first football coach, I was their first junior high basketball coach. The year I move up to varsity, they’re becoming freshmen. So I’ve been with them all six years here. It’s a special group, not because of their athleticism. It’s a special group because of the hearts that they have, the work ethics that they have, the people that they are. They’re just incredible to be around. It stinks that basketball is over, but it’s harder just understanding that that time with them is coming to a close.”

Milbank, 12-10, moves on to the SoDak 16 for a chance to earn a state tournament berth. The Bulldogs last reached the state tourney in 2005, when they won the Class A title.

“None of these guys were alive,” Diede said. “I was a sophomore in high school playing at Britton. Coach Peters was a junior on that team. It’s a lifetime ago in many aspects. They know the moment a little bit, just because it’s our fourth time in six years getting to this game. We know it’s going to be a really good team. … We’re just going to be ready to bring our best when that game comes.”

MILBANK (12-10): Graham Lightfield 1 0-2 2, Sam Rick 7 10-10 27, Emmett Hanson 7 1-1 15, Ryan Keeton 4 2-2 14. Totals 19 13-15 58.

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (10-12): Jesse Hernandez 1 0-0 3, Aiden Fisher 2 7-8 11, Sam Franks 7 0-0 15, Brody Weinmeister 1 0-0 2, Parker Grieben 1 4-4 6, Cam Olson 4 2-4 10. Totals 6 13-16 47.

Milbank 14 26 44 58

Aberdeen Roncalli 11 24 36 47

3-point field goals – Rick 3, Keeton 4; Hernandez, Franks. Total fouls – Milbank 13; Aberdeen Roncalli 16. Rebounds – Milbank 24 (Hanson 14); Aberdeen Roncalli 17 (Grieben 5). Turnovers – Milbank 15; Aberdeen Roncalli 14. Assists – Milbank 5; Aberdeen Roncalli 4 (Fisher 3). Steals – Milbank 13; Aberdeen Roncalli 12.