RAPID CITY – Groton’s Ryder Johnson hit a buzzer beater. So did Karson Zak. 

But in the end, it was Max Speed’s right-place, right-time, waning-moments bucket that sealed a 94-92 double-overtime victory for eighth-seeded St. Thomas More over fifth-seeded Groton in the consolation round of the State A Boys’ Basketball Tournament Friday afternoon at Summit Arena.

Johnson and Zak each hit huge 3-point buckets at the end of regulation (Johnson) and the first overtime period (Zak) that propelled the game into extra time. Both times, the Tigers found themselves trailing with roughly 10 seconds remaining in the game and managed to get the ball back for a final possession.

Johnson hit his thriller off an inbounds play. Zak’s bucket was an off-balance, contested shot. Both rang true.

And, it seemed, gave the Tigers a boost heading into extra time. Groton – or more specifically, Johnson – scored the first six points of the second OT period before the Cavaliers came clawing back. The Tigers again took the lead on a bucket in the paint with under 90 seconds to play only to watch the Cavaliers respond with a game-tying bucket, followed by a game-winning layup when Speed picked up a loose ball after Groton had knocked it free in the paint.

Johnson and Zak led all scorers with 26 points apiece for the Tigers. Keegen Tracy added 15 and Gage Zippel notched a dozen.

St. Thomas More got 24 points from Wyatt Gylten, who was 6-for-12 from 3-point range, while Noah Wald came off the bench for 21 points and another four treys. Broeden Sales had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Baron Slusarski, Speed and Ashton Paulsen had 11 points apiece.

Friday’s loss drops Groton into the seventh place contest despite both losses coming by a combined three possessions. The Tigers, 18-6, will face Stanley County in that game, which tips at noon (CDT).

GROTON (18-6): Keegen Tracy 6 2-2 15, Karson Zak 6 10-11 26, Ryder Johnson 8 4-10 26, Becker Bosma 3 1-1 8, Gage Sippel 6 0-0 12, Easton Weber 2 0-0 5. Totals 31-59 17-24 92.

ST. THOMAS MORE (18-6): Wyatt Gylten 8 2-2 24, Baron Slusarski 4 2-3 11, Max Speed 5 1-2 11, Broeden Sales 6 4-4 16, Ashton Paulsen 4 1-4 11, Noah Wald 6 5-5 21. Totals 33-69 15-20 94.

Groton 22 35 57 73 84 92

St. Thomas More 12 30 51 73 84 94

3-pt field goals – Tracy, Zak 4, Johnson 6, Bosma, Weber; Gylten 6, Slusarski, Paulsen, Wald 4. Fouled out – Sippel; Paulsen. Total fouls – Groton 18; St. Thomas More 18. Rebounds – Groton 31 (Weber 6, Zak 5); St. Thomas More 37 (Sales 10, Gylten 8). Assists – Groton 8 (Zak 4); St. Thomas More 16 (Paulsen 5, Wald 4). Turnovers – Groton 10; St. Thomas More 9. Steals – Groton 5 (Zak 2); St. Thomas More 6 (Speed 2; Wald 2). Blocks – Groton 2 (Sippel 2); St. Thomas More 1 (Wald).