Panther boys end season with strong showing vs. defending champ De Smet

  • Timber Lake’s Kyler Bollinger (right) battles with an opponent for control of a loose ball during boys basketball action earlier this season. Bollinger scored a gamehigh 18 points last Tuesday in the Panthers 6149 loss to threetime defending state champion De Smet in the SoDak 16 Tournament. Photo by Marie Du Preez
    Timber Lake’s Kyler Bollinger (right) battles with an opponent for control of a loose ball during boys basketball action earlier this season. Bollinger scored a gamehigh 18 points last Tuesday in the Panthers 6149 loss to threetime defending state champion De Smet in the SoDak 16 Tournament. Photo by Marie Du Preez

    If you’re going to lose in the SoDak 16 Tournament, it may as well be to a team worthy of winning a state title.

    The Timber Lake Panthers ended their 2023-24 season last Tuesday, March 5, by falling to 3-time defending state champion De Smet 61-49 in a game that was much closer than the final score indicates.

    The Bulldogs used a distinct height advantage to out-rebound the Panthers 38-26. De Smet st…