Boys Basketball 2025: Nevis books semifinal return after building big lead against Henning

Seven-point difference at halftime. Six-point final margin. The second meeting between Nevis and Henning this season might not have played out exactly as the first, but the result was nearly identical.

And both teams are now 27-4.

No. 4 seed Nevis added a 58-52 win in a Boys Basketball State Tournament Class A quarterfinal game at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday to its season ledger against No. 5 Henning. It was 63-57 on Jan. 11, but this victory comes with a second straight trip to the state semifinals and a rematch with No. 1, defending champion Cherry.

At one point the Tigers appeared poised to run away with this one, up 48-29 with 8:36 remaining. Henning rallied but ran out of time after cutting the lead to six with 32 seconds to go.

Alex Lester totaled 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers. AJ Bessler also had a double-double with 13 and 13. Kale Misegades scored a game-high 22 points for the Hornets.

Up next: It’s Nevis and Cherry in a noon semifinal Friday at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus. Henning plays BOLD at the same time in a consolation game at Gangelhoff Center on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul.