DeLaSalle guard Samm Jones (21) scored on a dunk after stealing the ball from Fergus Falls in the second half of the Class 3A championship game Saturday at Target Center. Photo: AARON LAVINSKY * aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com

His program’s unprecedented fifth consecutive boys’ basketball state tournament championship clinched, DeLaSalle coach Dave Thorson rushed toward the basket to embrace senior guard Samm Jones.

Coaches typically celebrate in a small group near the team bench, but there was nothing routine about the Islanders’ 79-65 victory against Fergus Falls in the Class 3A final Saturday at the Target Center.

No program beside DeLaSalle has won 10 state titles in basketball. None has enjoyed this run of sustained dominance. And Thorson wanted to mark the moment with Jones, a player he compares to former Islanders standout Cameron Rundles in terms of on-court leadership. Despite a season-long nagging knee injury, Jones helped spur DeLaSalle to its annual March coronation.

“There was a lot of talk about how we lost of starters,” Jones said. “That put a chip on our shoulder because we thought, ‘We work hard, too, and we can get this done.’ ”

Hot shooting from the three-point arc gave DeLaSalle an early spark. Sophomore guard Gabe Kalscheur made three of the Islanders’ six three-pointers to build a 37-25 halftime advantage. 

“During warmups I felt my shot was falling,” said Kalscheur, who finished with a game-high 27 points. “It felt like a good vibe.”

Not so on the Fergus Falls bench.

“We liked our game-plan going in but when they started hitting threes, it made it tough to grind our way back into it,” Otters coach Matt Johnson said.

Third-seeded Fergus Falls (28-4), playing in its first state championship game, never quit. 

A Harrison Christensen three-pointer cut DeLaSalle’s lead to eight points with 1:45 remaining. Christensen led the way with 22 points, 18 of which he scored in the second half.

Top-seeded DeLaSalle (24-4) took notice.

“We felt, ‘It’s time to get going,’ because we relaxed a little bit and they were knocking down shots,” Islanders’ forward Goanar Mar said. “We had to tighten up defensively.”

The Islanders’ defensive intensity, a Thorson trademark, showed in the first half. Kalscheur, in the midst of a strong shooting performance, drew a charge under the Islanders’ basket. The play drew the biggest cheer from Thorson.

“The surprise is how disciplined there are defensively and how uncomfortably they make you play,” Johnson said.

Thorson went on the offensive after the game, opening his news conference by defending his team’s place in Class 3A. None of DeLaSalle’s titles have been won in a big-school class. 

“Our president, our principal and our athletic director — we have an end-of-the season meeting and we talk about that,” Thorson said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

DeLaSalle edged Class 4A state tournament qualifier Eden Prairie 65-64 earlier this season.

“Yeah I wonder, ‘What if?’ sometimes,” Jones said. “I have some good friends that go to Eden Prairie and they always joke around with me about playing with the small schools still. 

‘‘But winning at any level takes a lot of heart, determination and a lot of hard work.”

First report

When it comes to consecutive basketball state championships, DeLaSalle indeed occupies an island.

A 79-65 defeat of Fergus Falls gave DeLaSalle a fifth consecutive Class 3A boys’ basketball state title. The Islanders left the Target Center floor victorious on Saturday night, denying the Otters a championship in their first title game appearance.

DeLaSalle sophomore guard Gabe Kalscheur led all scorers with 27 points. Teammtes Samm Jones (14 points), Goanar Mar (13) and Sage Booker (11) all reached double-digits.

For Fergus Falls, which hit 10 three-pointers, Harrison Christenen led the way with 22 points, 18 of which he scored in the second half. Nathan Rund (13 points), Jake Western (12) and Matthew Monke (11) were the other leading Otters’ scorers.

Another milestone was thought to be reached, the 500th career victory for DeLaSalle coach Dave Thorson. The Minnesota State High School League does not recognize the milestone, league spokesperson Tim Leighton said, because the Islanders count an alumni team this season as part of the total.

In 22 years coaching the Islanders, Thorson has a career record of 499-133. He has led 14 teams to the state tournament, winning eight championships.

Pressure? DeLaSalle issued a press release about nine hours before tipoff reminded the state of the two milestones at stake.

The 2015-16 team was among the youngest that Thorson has coached. Two seniors started Saturday alongside a junior and two sophomores. Off the bench came a freshman, sophomore and junior.

No program can match DeLaSalle’s total of 10 state championships. None of the titles won by the private school on the edge of downtown Minneapolis came in the highest class.

The 14-point victory margin over Fergus Falls meant more of the same dominance by the Islanders, who won their previous 14 consecutive state tournament games by an average of 19 points.

Kalscheur spurred the Islanders to a 37-25 halftime advantage. He led all scorers with 19 points after shooting 3-for-5 on three-pointers and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

The teams were tied 17-17 and Fergus Falls later trailed 21-20. Then No. 1 seed DeLaSalle (24-4) went on a 11-0 run to create separation. Kalscheur chipped in seven points during that span.

Kalscheur also drew a charge under the Islanders’ basket, a selfless play that drew the biggest cheer from Thorson.

The teams were statistically similar except for two areas. Fergus Falls did not attempt a free throw while DeLaSalle went 7-for-8 from the line. And the Islanders’ feasted off Otters’ miscues, scoring 11 points off turnovers.

Freshman guard Tyrell Terry represented DeLaSalle’s 6-0 advantage in points off the bench. He hit both three-pointers attempted.

Western (10 points) and Rund (eight) scored the bulk of the points for No. 3 seed Fergus Falls (28-4).

DeLaSalle reached the championship game after winning a tough quarterfinal game against Fridley. The Islanders then defeated Monticello despite failing to score during the final 5:50 before halftime.


Postgame Press Conference Video