PINE RIDGE - No. 1 Red Cloud picked up win No. 20 as the Crusaders defeated Hot Springs 95-40 in an opening round District 15A game on Monday.

Art Vitalis led the Crusaders in the scoring column as he dropped in a game-high 21 points. Lester Gotherage added 14, David Cuny had 13 and David Giago 11 for the winners.

The Crusaders led 30-9 after one quarter and 53-20 at the intermission.

Unlike the last time the two squads played, Red Cloud did not let up in the second half, as they continued to build on the cushion in the second.

"The guys stepped it up tonight," said Red Cloud head coach Matt Rama. "We made a point to finish strong tonight."

Vitalis, Gotheridge and Giago all had five steals as Hot Springs (3-18) turned the ball over 28 times.

The Bison were led by Blake McPherson's 14 points with Eamon Entwisle adding 10.

Red Cloud (20-1) held a

32-17 rebounding advantage on the boards.

Red Cloud will take on Custer at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center on Thursday in the District 15A title game.

DISTRICT 15B

MOBRIDGE- Grand River held off Selby Area 38-36 and Tiospaye Topa downed Wakpala 66-48 in District 15B opening round games.

The Mustangs (10-10) were led by Kyle Ley and Drew Seiler who scored 14 points and 11 respectively.

Logan Frank scored 13 to lead Selby Area (7-13).

R.J. LeBeau scored 22 points in the Thunderhawks (11-10) win over Sioux.

Tyrus Cadotte and Walter Little Dog scored 12 points each for Wakpala (2-15).

Timber Lake and Campbell County are next up for Grand River and Tiospaye Topa in Thursday's district semifinal games.

District 14B

WALL - The Edgemont Moguls jumped all over Oelrichs early to win their District 14B play-in game 67-42 on Monday night.

The Moguls essentially ended the game in the first quarter as they took a 29-0 lead into the second quarter.

Aaron Mower led Edgemont (8-13) with 24 points. The Moguls advanced in the District 14B playoff to play top-seed New Underwood in New Underwood on Thursday at 6 p.m.

Darwin Eagle Louse led Oelrichs (3-18) with 16 points.

DISTRICT 13B

MURDO - Crazy Horse picked up a first round District 13B win on Monday over Philip 65-54 as Taylor Red Elk scored 20 points and Ace Amiotte added 17 for the Chiefs.

Caleb Clements had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Scotties.

Crazy Horse shot 47 percent from the field compared to Philip's 25 percent.

Richard Lamont added 12 for the Chiefs while Casey Cvach had 11 and Allen Hauk added 10 for the Scotties (1-20).

The semifinals will begin Thursday with Crazy Horse (9-12) taking on No. 5 White River (17-3) and Jones County (15-5) battling Kadoka (16-4).

DISTRICT 12B

WAGNER - Tripp-Delmont-Armour spilled Colome 68-57 in a District 12B semifinal as Craig Holbeck and Adam Finck scored 18 points apiece for the Nighthawks.

Colome (11-9) was led by Josh Sherman and Ethan Vohr, who scored 16 points each for the Cowboys.

Tripp-Delmont-Armour (15-6) will take on Avon in the District 12B championship in Wagner on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

District 5B

LOWER BRULE - The Lower Brule Sioux held off Wolsey-Wessington 57-48 in the first round of the District 5B playoffs Monday night despite playing without two of their top players.

Will Edwards hurt his hand prior to the Sioux's regular-season finale. The Lower Brule faithful are holding out hope that he'll play on Thursday when the Sioux play Highmore in Miller.

Another senior, Kevin Bad Horse, injured his knee in the team's last game. He has yet to be fully evaluated because of swelling, but it's feared that he tore his ACL and is lost for the remainder of the season.

Eltwin Grassrope and Ron Knudsen picked up the slack for the Sioux (13-7) as they combined for 29 points and 16 rebounds.

Daniel Jensen led Wolsey-Wessington (3-18) with 15 points.

DISTRICT 16B

LEMMON - Takini and Lemmon scored opening round wins in District 16B playoff action as Takini bettered Harding County 64-38 and Lemmon bested Bison 62-44.

Eric Kills Crow led a balanced Skyhawk scoring attack with 11 points.

Jace Jenson and Trent Turbiville scored 10 each for the Ranchers.

In the Cowboys win over the Cardinals, Sheldon Froelich scored 19 and Chris Goldsmith added 18 as Lemmon continued its season.

Justin Kolb scored 18 to pace Bison.

In Thursday 16B semifinal action, Takini (8-13) will take on No. 1 seed Dupree (13-7), and Lemmon (12-8) will square off against Faith (12-8), the No. 2 seed.

DISTRICT 15A

CUSTER - Custer held off an upstart Hill City squad on Monday night as the Wildcats gained a berth in the District 15A finals with a 57-55 win over the Rangers.

Custer was led by a trio of Wildcats in scoring as Jared Foote tossed in 18 points, Luke Roddy had 17 and Isaac Parsons added 15 in the win.

Custer had double digit leads on a couple of different occasions, but the Rangers rallied back each time.

"We would get a lead and then Andy Coy would hit some baskets and back they would come," said Custer assistant coach Paul Kelly.

Coy a junior, tossed in a game-high 28 points for Hill City, including six 3-pointers.

"Foote and Roddy really stepped up for us," said Kelly.

The duo combined for 10 3-pointers as Foote, a senior,and Roddy, a freshman, knocked in five apiece.

Parsons completed his double-double as the senior grabbed 10 rebounds.

Custer held a 26-19 advantage on the boards.

Clint Lewis added 10 points for the Rangers

(11-10).

Custer (18-3) will take on No. 1 Red Cloud (20-1) in the District 15A championship on Thursday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

The two teams met during the Lakota National Invitational in mid-December with the Crusaders prevailing

52-35.