STURGIS - Sturgis will compete in the Class AA boys basketball tournament for a second consecutive year.

The Scoopers subdued Rapid City Stevens 49-42 on Friday night in the District 4AA title game played at Brown High School. Sturgis (8-14) claimed its first district title since the three-class system began in 1985.

Stevens trailed only 33-29 early in the fourth quarter, as Brock Estes converted a layup. Trevor Potts drilled a 3-pointer that started an 8-0 run and gave Sturgis a 41-29 advantage with just under four minutes left. Dillon Morris and Tyler Hinker scored inside baskets during that stretch.

Stevens sliced the margin to 45-40 on Estes' 3-pointer with 53 seconds left. The Raiders - who defeated Sturgis to claim the District 4AA title a season ago - got no closer on this night.

The teams combined for only five field goals in the first quarter, which ended with Stevens leading 8-5. Sturgis notched 14 points in the second period to nine for Stevens and led 19-17 at the break.

The Scoopers used a 7-0 run to start the third stanza and claim a 26-17 lead. Ninth-grader Joey Olson netted a 3-pointer; Hinker and Thomas Nettleton contributed the other field goals.

The Raiders got back those seven points as Taylor Sagen netted two baskets and Sam Wolff drained a 3-pointer. Stevens trailed only 26-24 after the Wolff hoop, but Sturgis scored seven of the period's final 10 points.

Olson and Nettleton turned in nine-point efforts to pace Ethan Dschaak's Scoopers, who picked up their fourth straight win.

Wolff, with 20 points, claimed scoring honors for Stevens. Four of his seven field goals were from 3-point range.

"I thought we played, defensively, well enough to win the game," Raiders' head coach T.J. Hay said. He added the squad was not very patient on offense and had too many turnovers (11 in the first half and 16 for the game). Many of those miscues, he said, were unforced.

"We did a poor job of rebounding defensively," Hay continued. "On the other hand, they (Sturgis) did a nice job of offensive rebounding." The Scoopers claimed a 39-28 edge on the boards.

The Raiders (3-20) will play in a Region 2AA game at 7 p.m. CST on Tuesday at Pierre.

Sturgis did a great job on defense, according to Dschaak. He said the Scoopers knew Stevens would run a triangle and two. "We were concerned about our ability to score points, so we knew we'd have to defend to make sure we'd be in the game."

The Scoopers were tight on offense early, Dschaak said. He added Sturgis initially played too fast, but the team slowed down and got into a flow.

Stevens also struggled to score early, Dschaak commented. He said that was fortunate for the Scoopers.

"It never gets old," Dschaak said of qualifying for state. "I'm just really happy for our seniors."

Sturgis' eight seniors will have three games each to end their high school careers.