Boys state basketball roundup: Cherry, Fertile-Beltrami to meet in Class A title game
Cherry 76, Nevis 58: Gophers commit Isaac Asuma had 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to lead Cherry (30-2) into the state title game after the team fell in the state semis each of the previous two seasons.
Noah Asuma added 20 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Alex Lester had 18 points and eight rebounds for fifth-seeded Nevis (24-8), which outrebounded Cherry 40-32. But top-seeded Cherry turned 11 Nevis turnovers into 17 points on the other end.
Cherry jumped out to a 16-6 advantage and never really looked back.
Fertile-Beltrami 84, West Central Area 75, 3OT: Both teams had moments of late-game heroics in the thriller. Mitchell Dewey buried a triple at the end of regulation to knot the game for West Central Area (28-4) with one second to play.
In the first overtime, it was Masen Nowacki hitting a 3-pointer with six seconds to play to tie the contest for Fertile-Beltrami.
The Falcons (27-6) pulled away in the third overtime. Preston Hanson led the Falcons with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Caiden Swenby added 19 points and 13 boards.
Fertile-Beltrami and Cherry will meet in the Class A title game at 11 a.m. Saturday at Williams Arena.
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