RAPID CITY The fourth-ranked Rapid City Stevens struggled in the first half, but exploded in the second half to earn a 55-39 victory over the Huron Tigers on Saturday in Rapid City.
The Tigers would get on the board first on a putback by Abagail Harrington. Halle Peterson drove the lane for the Raiders and got a scoop shot to knot the score at two.
Hylton Heinz cut backdoor for a bucket, and Peterson got one of two free throws, a trend that would plague Stevens throughout the first half.
Aly Davis got a putback bucket, and Taaliyah Porter got on the board for the Raiders with one of two free throws.
Heinz then went on a mini-run, making a short jumper off the backboard and stepping through for another basket to make it 10-4.
Raider seventh grader Marley Seumanutafa made one of two free throws, but Heinz got a run out after a long rebound to make it 12-5 at the end of the first quarter.
MacKenzie Schreiber opened the second quarter with a free throw, and after Huron got a drive from Allison Janes, Schreiber added a drive of her own.
Hayden Thorton got a hoop and the harm and Porter followed with her first field goal to make it 14-13 and to draw a Huron timeout.
After both teams went empty for a few possessions, Davis had a clean lane to the hoop and made the bucket and was fouled, converting the free throw to make it 17-13.
Seumanutafa made one of two free throws on two separate occasions and Porter had a basket off a steal to make it 17-17.
A Heinz drive into the lane resulted in a basket to send Huron to the half with a 19-17 lead.
Stevens came out firing in the third quarter as Porter got a bucket off a steal on Hurons first possession. Heinz nailed the first three for either team to make it 22-19 Huron.
Thats when Stevens went on a big run, as Peterson got a pair of buckets in the lane and Porter hit a layup after a steal. After Chloe Carr got a bucket for Huron, Porter answered with a three, the first for Stevens of the game, and Schreiber released on a rebound for a bucket to make it 30-24 to draw a Huron timeout.
Seumanutafa got a pair of free throws out of the timeout and nailed them both, the first time Stevens hit both ends of a pair of charity shots. Schreiber streaked down the court for another bucket to give Stevens a 34-24 lead.
Carr was able to get fouled, but Porter nailed another three and then Haley Falcon streaked in for a layup after a steal.
Addyson Knight got a putback after a missed Heinz free throw, but Peterson got a putback as the third quarter ended to make it 41-28 Stevens heading into the final quarter.
Harrington got one of two free throws to open the fourth, but then Porter took over the game, scoring the next 10 points to push the Stevens lead to 51-29, and the game played out the string from that point. Stevens closed out with a 55-39 victory.
The tale of two halves was significantly self-inflicted, according to Huron coach Kody Kopfmann.
When we take care of the basketball and get stops, you saw what happened, Kopfmann said. I didnt feel that they really turned up the pressure, but we struggled to handle the ball.
The Raiders move to 3-1 behind 25 from Porter. No other Stevens player reached double digits, though Peterson scored nine and Schreiber and Seumanutafa added seven.
Heinz led Huron, now 3-2, with 20 points. Davis had five points.
The Tigers are off for the holiday. They are next back in action on Jan. 2, when they travel to second-ranked Sioux Falls Washington.
Kopfmann is encouraging his team to get rest over the next few days.
They deserve some time off, he smiled. Well hit it hard December 27th to get ready for Washington, but they should all enjoy the rest until then.
Huron 12 19 28 39
Stevens 5 17 41 55
Huron (3-2): Allison Janes 1 0-0 2, Aly Davis 2 1-1 5, Hylton Heinz 7 4-6 20, Abagail Harrington 1 2-4 4, Addyson Knight 1 0-0 2, Chloe Carr 1 2-2 4, Isabelle Kremer 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 9-13 39.
Rapid City Stevens (4-1): Taaliyah Porter 9 5-6 25, Haley Falcon 1 0-0 2, Hayden Thorton 2 1-1 5, Halle Peterson 4 1-2 9, MacKenzie Schreiber 3 1-2 7, Marley Seumanutafa 1 5-8 7. Totals: 20 13-19 55.
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