Wahpeton is headed to the Division “A” State Tournament for the second straight year following a 61-43 win over Grafton in Saturday’s state-qualifier round at North Dakota State University. The Huskies got their revenge after the Spoilers eliminated them in 2024 state-qualifier action.
Brayden Steffens led the Huskies with 19 points, eight of them coming in the final quarter. Jack Gilbertson scored 14 and Cooper Koolmo added 12. Gilbertson’s left-handed dunk with 1:20 remaining in the game was the cherry on top for the 19-6 Huskies.
Wahpeton stretched the lead to 31-18 with a frenetic finish to the first half, sparked by the sophomore tandem of Gilbertson and Koolmo. Gilbertson buried a wing three and Koolmo collected a transition layup off the steal moments later. Gilbertson’s three at the halftime buzzer clanked off the front iron, but Koolmo collected the rebound and drained a contested 19-footer at the horn, capping off a 7-0 run in the final minute.
Steffens, Gilbertson and Koolmo scored eight points each in the opening half while Trey Moberg paced Grafton with 10.
With Aiden Bontjes in foul trouble and Koolmo playing well, the sophomore started the second half. He delivered instantly with a steal and a free-throw line jumper, before Steffens buried a three to give Wahpeton a 40-22 advantage. Bontjes returned to hit a corner three with 30 seconds left in the third, scoring five quick points in the quarter as Wahpeton built a 45-30 lead.
Wahpeton’s patented bulldog defense was on display, as they held a Spoilers squad who averaged 69 points per game during the Region 2A Tournament to a measly 43 points. The Grafton duo of Riley Lillemoen and Reggie Rice, who entered the contest averaging 50 combined points, was held to 25.
Official rebounding numbers were unavailable, but Wahpeton’s senior center Alex Comings approached a double-double while adding six points. Treyton King also scored six points in the paint.
The Huskies have won 14 of their last 16 games as they await state tournament seeding. The state tournament will run March 19-21 at the Fargodome. Robert Wanek will have the call on AM 1450 and KBMWNews.com.
Grafton closes the season with a 16-7 record.
