RAPID CITY The Huron Tigers didnt pull away, but they controlled the game from opening tip to final buzzer in a 56-43 victory Saturday over the Rapid City Stevens Raiders.
Huron moves to 3-1 with the victory while Stevens falls to 1-3.
After both teams went scoreless for the first two minutes of the game, Bubba Peterson got a putback for Huron to open scoring. Minkah Hawley got behind the Huron press for a layup to get the Raiders their first points.
Blake Ellwein pulled up for a baseline jumper and Hawley was fouled and hit both free throws to knot the game, 4-4.
Trace Wenz then took a kick-out pass at the top of the key and nailed a three. After a Kaelem Brooks free throw, Wenz would connect from long range again, pushing the Huron lead out to 10-5.
Dayler Segrist hit a three and Hawley had a steal and a dunk to bring the Raiders even at 10-10. Davis Chase made a post move for Huron to get the lead back at 12-10, but Segrist nailed a three at the end of the first quarter to give Stevens their one and only lead, 13-12, to end the period.
Chase made a move on the baseline to give Huron the lead back and then Colton McNeil nailed a three and Ellwein got a layup in transition to quickly push the Huron lead out to 19-13. Brooks would put in a shot but Wenz responded with another three to push the lead out further. The two teams went back and forth the rest of the quarter, with one of two free throws from eighth-grader Carter Porisch for Huron, getting his first varsity action as his brother Anderson missed the game due to injury, ending the half with the Tigers holding a 27-20 lead.
The second half opened with a set play between Ellwein and Chase that led to a Chase dunk. Stevens would go on a 7-2 run after that to trim the lead to 31-27 after Hawley hit a fadeaway jumper.
A free throw from Peterson and a reverse layup from Ellwein pushed the lead back out to seven, but a Segrist three and a bucket from Jess Christensen chopped the Huron lead down to 34-32.
The Tigers would go on a 8-0 run to end the quarter, heading into the fourth quarter ahead 42-32 and never looking back.
Hawley fouled out early in the fourth quarter and the Raiders simply couldnt claw back in as the Tigers handled the ball well and got timely baskets to close out a 56-43 victory.
The Tigers were led by Wenz with 18 points.
Ellwein added 16 and Chase chipped in nine.
Segrist led the Raiders with 12 points. Hawley added in 10 points before he fouled out.
Huron swept the lower-level games, defeating Stevens 65-52 in the junior varsity game and 48-35 in the sophomore game.
Tiger coach Tim Buddenhagen is excited for what the team can be as all of the pieces begin to fit together, but for now, hes looking forward to a break.
Once we get all the pieces together, I think were going to be good, Buddenhagen said. Theres a lot of guys who play a lot of minutes, so itll be great to get a holiday break and get some rest.
The Tigers travel to Sioux Falls Washington Jan. 2 for their next game.
Huron 12 27 42 56
Stevens 13 20 32 43
Huron (3-1): Trace Wenz 6 2-6 18, Colton McNeil 2 0-0 5, Jonathan Peterson 2 1-2 5, Blake Ellwein 5 5-6 16, Davis Chase 4 0-0 9, Carter Porisch 0 3-4 3. Totals: 19 11-18 54.
Rapid City Stevens (1-3): Minkah Hawley 3 4-4 10, Seth Paugh 1 2-2 5, Dayler Segrist 4 1-2 12, Kaelem Brooks 2 2-4 6, Dylan Symonski 2 2-2 6, Jess Christensen 1 2-2 4. Totals: 13 13-16 43.
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