Watertown collects ESD victory against Tigers

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HURON — Cold shooting by the Huron Tigers and the ability by the Watertown Arrows to move the ball to the open player added up to a 48-37 win for the Arrows in ESD boys’ basketball action at Huron Arena.
It was the second 11-point win for Watertown over Huron on the season, as they also took a 55-44 win in mid January at the Watertown Civic Center.
The game was a matchup between teams struggling to move up the Class “AA” ladder, as the post season is beginning to loom closer. Watertown came as the 13th seed, with Huron a spot back.
“Disappointing,” said Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen after the tough loss in his team’s final home game of the season. “We got out-hustled, we got out-coached and we spent the night settling for what was easy.”
The game was close throughout the first half, as neither team was able to put any daylight in the score. Tanner Evers gave Huron an early lead, but Colton McClemans knocked down a long three to give the Arrows the lead.
The teams traded points until a Teegan Evers three knotted the score at seven each and a Jett McGirr layup gave Huron back the lead.
From that point, Watertown went on a mini run, as Brandon Florey drained a trey and Parker Johnston dropped in a layup as the first-quarter buzzer sounded.
Huron managed to cut the deficit to one point - 15-14 - midway through the second quarter, as both teams’ defenses began to impose their wills.
Watertown, however, quickly opened a lead then, as Cade Cummings hit a three-pointer, then Johnston turned a steal into a coast-to-coast layup to establish a 20-14 lead.
Teegan Evers heated up for the Tigers then as he hit three-point shots on three consecutive possessions. Watertown got a Cummings putback, but the 9-2 run gave Huron a slim 23-22 lead at the halftime break.
Huron ended the first half 5-14 from behind the arc, four of them coming in the second quarter, but would go 0-8 from long range in the second half.
“That’s what I mean by settling,” Buddenhagen said. “We got to where we came down and settled for a three-pointer instead of working for something better. Those misses became long rebounds and that is almost like a turnover. Watertown made the most of those opportunities tonight.”

The Arrows came out of the locker room on fire for the second half, as they hit their first five field goal attempts. Johnston got it started with a short jumper, then had an “and-one” opportunity on the next possession. He missed the free throw, but Blake Holden snuck in for the rebound and putback, for a quick 6-0 Watertown run.
Kobe Busch stemmed the bleeding, as he converted a traditional three-point play. A McGirr rebound basket cut the lead to one at 29-28 after a Holden free throw, before Cummings took advantage of some excellent ball movement to line up and drain a long three-pointer from the wing.
Busch hit two more free throws, but another 5-0 run by the Arrows pushed the lead to seven points, 37-30.
Busch scored on a short jumper, but Watertown swung the ball to an open Johnston, who hit from behind the arc as the third quarter ended, giving the Arrows an eight-point lead.
Watertown pushed the lead to double digits with a quick bucket from Max Sonne, and Huron never was able to get any momentum to get back into the game.
Watertown, now 9-8 on the season, was led by Johnston’s 15 points in the game. The 6-foot senior ended two quarters with buzzer beaters. No other Arrows got to double figures, but seven got into the scorebook. Colton McClemans led all rebounders in the game with nine boards.
Teegan Evers scored 14 points — all in the first half — as Huron falls to 7-12, and also led the Tigers on the boards with six caroms in the game.
The Arrows shot a warm 50 percent from the field (19-38) and while Huron had eight more attempts, the Tigers shot a cool 28 percent in the game, including a 5-22 effort in the second half.
Buddenhagen saluted his five seniors, Carr, Nolan Wiegel, Sean Flanery, Dawson Diede and Alex Hill, before the game on Senior Night.
“This is the last game that these guys are gonna play here at the Arena,” he said. “Four of these guys have come off the bench for us this year and have stepped into those roles and given us a boost when they are on the floor. Hopefully, they are role models for future Tigers to do whatever they can in whatever role to help the team.”
In preliminary action, the Arrows got the ball rolling, as they took a 46-38 win in the JV game and completed the sweep with a 65-60 victory in the Sophomore game.
Nathan Boehrns and Cooper Fryberger each scored 10 points for Huron in the JV game and Boehrns added seven rebounds. In the Sophomore game, Boehrns scored 21 points for the Tigers and Hayden Hegg claimed four rebounds.
Huron will close its regular season schedule on Feb. 23, at Brandon Valley.
Watertown hosts Yankton tonight, before traveling to Pierre on Tuesday, then closing the regular season at home versus Aberdeen Central next Friday night.

Watertown     12 22 40 48
Huron              9  23 32 37
Watertown (9-8): Cade Cummings 3 0-0 8; Colton McCleamans 1 0-0 3; Parker Johnston 6 1-3 15; Max Sonne 3 0-0 6; Blake Holden 3 1-4 7; Pierre Lear 0 0-2 0; Brandon Florey 1 0-0 3; Corbin Chilson 2 2-2 6. Totals: 19 4-11 48.
Huron (7-12): Jett McGirr 4 0-0 8; Tanner Evers 1 0-0 2; Teegan Evers 4 2-2 14; Kobe Busch 2 3-3 7; Isaac Carr 1 0-0 2; Sean Flanery 1 0-0 3; Dawson Diede 0 1-2 1. Totals: 13 6-7 37.
FG: W - 19-38 50%; H - 13-46 28%. 3-pt FG: W - 6-13 (Cummings 2, Johnston 2, McClemans and Florey); H - 5-22 (Evers 4, Flanery). Rebounds: W - 31 (McClemans 9); H - 24 (Teegan Evers 6). Turnovers: W - 10; H - 8. Fouls: W - 10; H - 13.

MIKE CARROLL/PLAINSMAN
Huron’s Jett McGirr drives past Watertown’s Blake Holden during their game Friday at Huron Arena. Huron’s Alex Hill puts up a shot over Watertown’s Blake Holden during their game Friday at Huron Arena.