The No. 3-seeded Seneca boys basketball team got a strong fourth quarter to beat No. 6 Roanoke-Benson 56-48 in a quarterfinal of the 99th Tri-County Conference Tournament in Granville on Tuesday.

In the second semifinal of the night, No. 5 Dwight never trailed in a 63-55 upset of No. 4 St. Bede.

The Fighting Irish will play No. 2 Marquette and the Trojans will face No. 1 Woodland in Wednesday’s semifinals.

The Bruins will play No. 8 Henry-Senachwine in a consolation semifinal Thursday.

Seneca 56, Roanoke-Benson 48: The Rockets were tough throughout the contest as the game was tied at 40 to start the final eight minutes.

The first minute of the fourth quarter started with a big sequence as R-B’s Dax Hunter was whistled for a technical foul. James Zydron hit both free throws and then Cam Shriey drained a 3-pointer for a five-point play to five the Irish a 45-40 lead.

“That was a momentum swing for us,” Seneca coach Nathaniel Meiss said. “James (Zydron) stepped up and hit them before Cam Shriey hit a huge 3-pointer for us to start the quarter.”

Javin Feucht came right back for the Rockets and hit a 3-pointe of his own to cut the deficit to two, but Zeb Maxwell, who had a solid second half, got a rebound and kicked it to Shriey for a 3-pointer and the 50-43 lead.

Hunter then got the stick back for the Rockets, but the Irish got a pair of free throws from Zydron to seal the victory.

The Rockets gave the Irish everything they could handle as the game stayed closed throughout the first three quarters.

Seneca started quick with Brayden Simek getting a layup right off the tip and then hit a 3-pointer for the 5-0 edge.

But the Rockets ended the quarter strong with Feucht getting a steal and layup before hitting a shot behind the arc for a 15-14 lead.

The teams went back and forth with Brady Sheedy giving the Irish a 17-15 lead with a 3-pointer before Evan Reifsteck hit a pair of free throws and Leyton Harms found Hunter for a bucket to help give Roanoke-Benson a 31-28 lead at the break.

Seneca stepped up the defense in the third quarter and then force fed the ball into Maxwell for six points in the quarter.

With time running out in the third, Feucht hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 40 going into the fourth.

Simek led the Irish with 16 points, while Maxwell added 12 points and 12 rebounds and Sheedy had 10 points. Feucht led the Rockets with 13 points.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 8

Seneca's Zeb Maxwell lets go of a shot under the hoop against Roanoke-Benson during the Tri-County Conference Tournament on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 at Putnam County High Schooo. (Scott Anderson)

Dwight 63, St. Bede 55: The Trojans led a tight game at halftime 27-25 and early in the second half the Bruins tied the game at 27 with a tough finish at the rim from Gino Ferrari.

But the game was pretty much decided over the next two minutes as the Trojans went on a very quick 12-0 run to take command.

Evan Cox hit a long-range shot, then Dwight quickly stole the ball and Joey Starks converted a layup.

Joe Duffy, who was a headache at both ends of the floor all night for the Bruins, also scored on a layup.

Starks got behind the Bruins defense for another layup that capped off a 12-0 run that gave the Trojans a 39-27 lead.

“That was a huge momentum swing there,” St. Bede coach Brian Hanson said. “We came out sluggish to start the first and the third quarters and we can’t do that, especially this time of year. This is on me. We didn’t come ready to play.”

Ferrari was solid going to the basket for the Bruins, but struggled at the line (2 of 8). His free throw ended St. Bede’s scoring drought in the third.

Ferrari once again was aggressive and drove for a layup to make it 41-32. Duffy drove and got a bunny before Jackson Launius got loose for a layup that gave Dwight a 47-38 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Bruins continued to battle as AJ Hermes and Gino Dinges both drained 3-pointers that cut the deficit to 51-48.

The Bruins had several good looks, but were unable to cash in, which led to the Trojans hitting four straight from the line from Cox and then another four from Duffy as Dwight came away with the victory.

“We had some really good looks,” Hanson said. “Just couldn’t get them to fall late. But we have to come better prepared with the postseason coming up quick.”

Early in the contest, Starks was able to sneak behind the Bruins defense a couple of times, but the Bruins finished the first quarter strong with a bank shot from Dinges and a stick back from Gus Burr as Dwight led 12-10.

Starks again got behind the Bruins defense for a layup, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Alex Tomsha helped St. Bede make it 27-25 Trojans heading into the break.

St. Bede was led by Ferrari with 22 points, while the Trojans were led by Duffy with 22, Starks with 18 and Cox with 13.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 14

St. Bede's Graham Ross and Gino Ferrari go after a rebound with Dwight's Jackson Launius during the Tri-County Conference Tournament on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 at Putnam County High School. (Scott Anderson)