PIERRE - Despite starting the season at 0-5, Pierre never doubted where they would be in mid-March. Unfortunately for Rapid City Stevens, the Governors are back at state for the third time in four years.

Pierre downed the Raiders 59-46 in the Region 2AA qualification game. The Govs will take a 10-13 record to the state AA tournament next week in Rapid City. Stevens ends the season at 3-21.

"The boys played hard the whole game," Raiders coach T.J. Hay said. "We had trouble scoring in the third quarter. We had some layups that didn't fall. We miss a layup and they make one, it's a four-point swing. We couldn't get back into it."

This was the second win by Pierre over the Raiders, who lost 50-37 on Dec. 29. The Raiders battled even with Pierre for the first half as the game was 20-all at halftime. In the third quarter, the Govs went

8-of-14 from the field to outscore Stevens 20-8 and take command.

"Their different defensive looks slowed us down," said Pierre coach Terry Becker.

"We weren't making shots and got a little tentative. But we loosened up in the second half and were able to gain a lead."

Pierre's Kyle Cichos was held scoreless by the Raiders in the December meeting. In the rematch, he scored 11 points in the third quarter. The key play in the run came with 3:16 to go in the third quarter when Dillon Gran stole the ball in the frontcourt and fed Cichos for a layup. Cichos was fouled on the basket and he converted the 3-point play for a 35-26 Gov lead. Curry Kuehl would made a 3-point basket in the final seconds for a 40-28 lead. Stevens would score only two points in the last four minutes of the third.

"We had a hard week of practice and felt mentally and physically prepared," Kuehl said. "We did our job."

Pierre would keep the lead in double digits for the entire fourth quarter.

Pierre had a miserable start, missing 12-of-14 first quarter shots. But Stevens was unable to take advantage as they committed seven turnovers in the first quarter, more than half their total for the game.

"Our defense was pretty good," Becker said. "The coaching staff made a tactical error by pressing them and giving them some easy ones. Sometimes you trick yourself. But the kids figured out how to get it done in the halfcourt."

There were five lead changes in the second quarter before John Ruedebusch of Stevens made two free throws with 48 seconds to go to tie the game at 20. Cichos popped in a jump shot in the first 15 seconds of the second half to give Pierre the lead, it would never surrender.

"Pierre knocked down some shots that they weren't hitting in the first half," Hay said. "We gave up some offensive rebounds. But I'm proud of our seniors. With the kind of season we had, it would be easy for them to roll over. But they put themselves in a position with two chances to get to a state tournament. It just didn't work out."

Sam Wolff led the Raiders with 14 points. Cichos finished with 25 points, his second straight game of 20 or more points.

"(Cichos) is a big strong kid and we just couldn't stop him," Hay said.

As the team happily cut down the nets in the tradition for state tournament teams, Becker said he never lost faith.

"The kids hung in there and now we get the payoff," he said.

Pierre senior Sean Melmer is ready for that payoff.

"We learned from (the 0-5) start," he said. "We haven't blown any one away but we seem to get it done. We're united and able to grow together."

Becker expects Pierre will get either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed and would play in one of the two evening games in the first round.

Pierre is now 8-2 in regional games, with its only two losses coming at the hands of Stevens.