A potent inside-outside attack paved the way to the title game for Viborg-Hurley Friday night.

The Cougars built just enough of a lead to turn back a late rally from Dell Rapid St. Mary for a 56-49 semifinal victory during an intense battle in the Class B State Boys’ Basketball Tournament at Wachs Arena.

Nicholas Hanson provided the inside punch for Viborg-Hurley scoring 20 points on a variety of fade-aways and offensive putbacks, and also grabbed eight rebounds.

“I didn’t have a very good offensive game (Thursday) night, and I knew that coming into tonight I would have to play a lot better and a lot stronger, and be strong with the ball and get tons of rebounds,” Hanson said, “so that was kind of my main focus coming into tonight.”

The outside attack was fueled by Owen Niederbaumer and Braydyn Morrison, who each nailed three 3-pointers, and Jake Austin who made a pair of treys to help take the pressure off of Hanson.

“They’ve been stepping up to the plate this tournament very great,” Hanson said. “Ever since playoffs, they’ve been hitting shots like crazy. It takes so much focus off of me. They have to more focus on those guys out there.”

Put the two together and DRSM had a tough time stopping the Cougars, who eventually built double-digit leads in the third and fourth quarters.

“It’s tough to game plan when you have three guys shooting lights out on the other team and you got to wall up one-on-one in the paint when (Hanson is) 6-9, probably 250-260,” said DRSM sharp-shooter Trevon Beckman. “It’s tough in one-on-one coverage. So, it’s just what it comes down to.”

It was Beckman who single-handedly kept the Cardinals in the contest, making shots from all angles on the way to a game-high 25 points.

“He’s the greatest player in this state. He’s so good,” Hanson said. “I don’t know how he makes some of those shots. It’s crazy. Just watching that ball go up, you know almost every single time it’s going in. The times it doesn’t you’ve got to get the rebound.”

Beckman scored 12 points in the third quarter alone, including a 3-point shot and a three-point play to slice a 12-point deficit in half going into the fourth quarter.

The Cougars rebuilt an 11-point lead before DRSM had one final surge. The Cardinals went on a 10-2 run to cut the margin down to 52-49 with three minutes remaining.

“We know that adversity is going to come during the game and we work on that and we plan for it,” said Viborg-Hurley coach Shane Warwick, “and I thought we handled that with everything.”

Both teams had numerous possessions with the margin remaining at three points, and neither could find the offense it wanted.

“We had our chance at the end of the game. It just didn’t come to a fruition there,” said DRSM coach Colby Fitzgerald. “With a team like Viborg-Hurley, they really milk the clock, so it’s tough to get stops and get more possessions in the game. So, when the possessions are limited you kind of have to cherish them and we just kind of got in a little rush at the end.”

Eventually the Cougars broke the scoring drought with a free throw with 27.5 seconds left, before adding three more foul shots for the final margin of victory.

“It’s tough when you dig yourself into an early hole against a team like that. They eat so much clock with their offense,” Beckman said. “They play good basketball, but I’m proud of my guys. Nobody gave up a second of the game. We worked our tails off. I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with a different group of guys.”

Trimmier Hanson, Jake Kopsas and Maverick LeBrun each added seven points to the DRSM total.

The Cardinals, 23-2, will face Wessington Springs for third place at 6 tonight.

“There’s a lot of teams that don’t get an opportunity to come up here and compete, and we have that opportunity,” Fitzgerald said. “And a lot of teams don’t get an opportunity to win their last game, and we’re going to have that opportunity (Saturday).”

Niederbaumer finished with 11 points, and Morrison contributed nine for the Cougars.

Viborg-Hurley, 23-2, will square off against Castlewood for the state championship at 7:45 tonight. The Cougars won a previous matchup during the regular season. It will pit big men Hanson and Warriors’ center Bryon Laue going head-to-head in the paint.

“Me and Bryon know each other pretty good,” Hanson said. “We’ve battled before in previous games like last year and earlier this year, so it’s going to be a fun fight between me and him.”

It will be a matchup of two squads who have each been top-rated at one time or another this past season.

“They’re tough. There’s a reason they’re the number one seed in the tournament,” Warwick said. “All we could ask for is that opportunity to go play and we’ve got it now, so we’re excited for it.”

VIBORG-HURLEY (23-2): Brady Schroedermeier 2 2-3 6, Owen Niederbaumer 4 0-0 11, Nicholas Hanson 9 2-3 20, Rafe Goettertz 1 1-2 3, Braydyn Morrison 3 0-0 9, Jake Austin 2 1-2 7. Totasl 21-43 6-10 56.

DELL RAPIDS ST. MARY (23-2): Trimmier Hanson 3 0-0 7, Trevon Beckman 8 4-5 25, Jake Kopsas 3 1-2 7, Maverick LeBrun 2 3-4 7, Lincoln LeBrun 1 0-0 3. Totals 17-43 8-11 49.

Viborg-Hurley 7 23 45 56

Dell Rapids St. Mary 9 19 39 49

3-point field goals – Niederbaumer 3, Morrison 3, Austin 2; Hanson, Beckman 5, L. LeBrun. Total fouls – Viborg-Hurley 13; Dell Rapids St. Mary 14. Rebounds – Viborg-Hurley 29 (Hanson 8); Dell Rapids St. Mary 23 (Beckman 8). Turnovers – Viborg-Hurley 17; Dell Rapids St. Mary 14. Assists – Viborg-Hurley 11 (Schroedermeier 5); Dell Rapids St. Mary  9 (Hanson 5). Blocked shots – Viborg-Hurley 1; Dell Rapids St. Mary 4 (M. LeBrun 4). Steals – Viborg-Hurley 8 (Niederbaumer 2, Goettertz 2); Dell Rapids St. Mary 8 (Hanson 3, Beckman 3).