Class 1A: Southwest Christian beats Maranatha Christian Academy for fifth title

How often did senior guard Dominic Nibbelink think about Southwest Minnesota Christian losing last season's Class 1A state basketball championship game?

"Every day since it happened," said Nibbelink, who shot just 25 percent from the field in the loss. "I wanted to come back up here and redeem myself."

Saturday's 81-73 victory against Maranatha Christian Academy in the championship game at the Target Center, fueled by Nibbelink's personal eight-point run and career-high 29 points, squared all accounts.

The third-seeded Eagles (30-1) won their school's fifth state title. Southwest Minnesota Christian, located in Edgerton, won four consecutive state titles from 1999 to 2002.

By contrast, No. 1 seed Maranatha, located in Brooklyn Park, reached its first title game ever. The Mustangs (31-2) ripped off a 12-1 run to go ahead 33-30 in the first half. Senior forward Isaiah Hanson's putback with one second left sent Maranatha into halftime leading 37-34.

Maranatha stretched its lead to 51-44 lead less than six minutes into the second half.

Southwest Christian got within three points on two lay-ins from junior center Leighton Sampson and another from junior guard Nate Pfeifle.

"They got us back in the game," Nibbelink said. "On our team we rely on every guy, and they were both huge."

Nibbelink's eight-point run — a three-pointer, followed by a three-point play and a jump shot — gave the Eagles a 60-58 lead with under eight minutes to play.

"That's when I knew we were going to have a good shot at winning the game," he said.

Southwest Minnesota Christian never trailed again.

Experience gained from the title game loss a year paid unexpected dividends Saturday. The Eagles made plays, limited turnovers and hit free throws down the stretch.

Meanwhile, Mustangs' coach Jeff Wall said his team "got anxious" in the high-pressure environment, resulting in a sporadic offensive showing in the second half.

"Last year is what really got us to this point," said Nibbelink, who made eight free throws in the game's final six minutes. "This year we weren't nearly as nervous."