RAPID CITY – Groton wrested the lead away from Hamlin in the third quarter, but could not ultimately wrest victory from the Chargers, as Easton Neuendorf hit one of two free throws with 5.5 seconds remaining to lift Hamlin to a 46-45 win over the Tigers Thursday night in the opening round of the Class A Boys’ Basketball State Tournament at the Monument in Rapid City.

Down by as many as 15 points in the first half, Groton made a substantial stand in the third quarter, forcing the second-seeded Chargers into a bevy of costly turnovers that the Tigers converted into scoring opportunities at the other end.

“We feel fortunate (to win),” said Hamlin coach Todd Neuendorf. “We got up by 15 and then squandered that away. Give a lot of credit to Groton for competing and ratcheting it up on defense.”

Groton eventually claimed its first lead of the night with 3:43 to go in the third quarter. The Tigers remained in the lead until late in the fourth when Hamlin went up by a possession. Groton’s Ryder Johnson then turned another Hamlin turnover into a game-tying layup with 38.7 seconds to play.

Hamlin, however, had one more play in its favor in those waning seconds of the night. Easton Neuendorf drew contact on an answering layup attempt and made one of two free throws to put the Chargers up by single point.

Groton pulled down the rebound on the miss and called a timeout with just under two seconds to play, but could not convert on an inbounds play.

“You’ve got to give (Hamlin) credit,” said Groton coach Brian Dolan. “They’re a good basketball team. Both teams made plays down the stretch.”

Groton’s comeback run in the second half forced Hamlin into a bit of unfamiliar territory – having to play from behind or without the luxury of a significant lead.

“We took some ill-advised shots, and it kind of snowballed,” Coach Neuendorf said. “They got on a run, got up by four or five. Credit to our kids for settling back in and getting stops.”

Easton Neuendorf finished with 17 points and five assists to lead the way for Hamlin. Tyson Stevenson added 10 points while Evan Stormo had eight points and eight rebounds. Zac VanMeeteren finished with six points and nine boards for the Chargers, who tallied an uncharacteristic 13 turnovers in the game.

Todd Neuendorf said despite squandering a big lead, his team was able to make the necessary adjustments offensively to take back the lead.

“You know you’re not going to shoot as well as you normally do,” he said. “It’s a totally different environment than you play in all year. We started getting to the rim….and good things happened.”

Groton was led by Lane Tietz’s 12 points despite the senior guard getting off to a slow start offensively. Johnson notched 10 points, while Jacob Zak had eight points and Logan Ringgenberg finished with seven. Tietz and Zak had six rebounds and three assists apiece.

“It’s hard not to focus on those last 30 seconds,” Dolan said. “But it’s a lesson learned for our kids. We’ve still got two more games, which we’re excited about.”

Groton will face Sioux Valley in the consolation action today at 1:45 p.m. (MDT).

Hamlin will get Rapid City Christian in the semifinals at 7:45 p.m. (MDT) tonight.

GROTON (19-5): Keegan Tracy 2 0-0 4, Ryder Johnson 5 0-0 10, Lane Tietz 4 2-2 12, Jacob Zak 2 4-7 8, Logan Ringgenberg 2 3-4 7, Colby Dunker 2 0-0 4. Totals 17-40 9-13 45.

HAMLIN (21-3): Easton Neuendorf 6 4-6 17, Evan Stormo 2 4-4 8, Jackson Wadsworth 1 2-2 5, Tyson Stevenson 4 0-3 10, Zac VanMeeteren 3 0-0 6. Totals 16-38 10-15 46.

Groton 6 20 37 45

Hamlin 11 28 35 46

3-point field goals – Tietz (2); Neuendorf, Wadsworth, Stevenson (2). Total fouls – Groton 14; Hamlin 11. Rebounds – Groton 24 (Tietz 6, Zak 6); Hamlin 24 (VanMeeteren 9, Stormo 8). Assists – Groton 7 (Tietz 3, Zak 3); Hamin 8 (Neuendorf 5). Turnovers – Groton 13; Hamlin 13. Steals – Groton 7 (Tietz 4); Hamlin 6 (Stevenson 2). Blocks – Groton 1 (Tietz); Hamlin 3 (VanMeeteren 3).