SIOUX FALLS The Huron Tigers found themselves behind badly early in the game and struggled to work their way back the rest of the game, with struggles at the foul line leading to a Sioux Falls Washington Warriors victory, 47-42, Thursday in Sioux Falls.
Brennan Verhey would score his only four points of the game on the first two baskets of the game. Tommy Hoffman sprinted down the court after a Huron miss after a layup and then nailed a deep three to give the Warriors a quick 9-0 lead before Colton McNeil got a cut to the hoop to stop the run.
Lucas Johnson would make a strong post move for Washington before Blake Ellwein stopped and popped in a three. Hoffman would answer with another three to send the Warriors to the second quarter ahead by a 14-5 score.
The Warriors would get the first two buckets of the second quarter, with Jhace Woods and Benjamin Sprecher both hitting from point blank range to give the home squad a 13-point lead, 18-5.
Ellwein would get a post-up move to fall, and then Davis Chase came off the bench to have a mini-run. Chase got a putback, followed by a three for Johnson of Washington.
Chase would answer with his own longball and nail another putback to quickly bring the Tigers within 21-14.
Hoffman would nail his third three of the game before Ellwein got a putback bucket. Hoffman would hit another jumper, but Huron went on a 5-0 run to close out the first half to head to the break trailing 26-21.
Anderson Porisch went coast-to-coast for a layup to get the game within three, but Washington immediately responded with a 6-0 run before Porisch ended the run with a left-handed scoop shot.
Trace Wenz would then hit one of two from the free throw line and then get a bucket off a steal. After Warriors got a bucket and a foul shot, Ellwein went on a mini-run, hitting a three and then getting a hoop and a foul shot to bring the Tigers within 37-34.
With a chance to close out the quarter with an easy layup on a steal, the Tigers couldnt convert, and then on the first attempt in the final frame had a similar thing happen as a wide-open backdoor cut was left short.
Huron continued to chip away, getting within one after an athletic Wenz layup in the lane, but Wenz couldnt convert the free throw, an issue for the Tigers in the final period as they would go 4-for-10 in the fourth quarter from the charity stripe, and Washington got shots right when the Tigers cut into the lead from Johnson, who scored seven in the final period as the Warriors held on for a 47-42 victory.
Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen felt the early hole impacted his teams play the rest of the way.
I thought the first quarter had us back on our heels and it took us a while to get into our rhythm, Buddenhagen explained. We did it to ourselves, though, because we didnt convert when we needed to convert.
Washington moves to 4-2 with the win behind 16 points from Johnson and 15 points from Hoffman.
Ellwein led all scorers with 20 points for Huron, now 3-2. Chase added nine points.
Huron fell in the junior varsity game, 60-46.
Buddenhagen lamented the long break before the next game, Jan. 11, home against Harrisburg.
Weve got to look at this and do better on the court and in our coaching, Buddenhagen noted. This will leave a real bad taste in our mouth for more than a week now, and that really stinks for these guys.
Huron 5 21 34 42
Washington 14 26 37 47
Huron (3-2): Trace Wenz 2 1-3 5, Colton McNeil 1 0-0 2, Blake Ellwein 7 4-9 20, Anderson Porisch 3 0-0 6, Davis Chase 3 2-4 9. Totals: 16 7-16 42.
Sioux Falls Washington (4-2): Sam Uhing 1 0-0 2, Sam Baskin 2 0-0 4, Tommy Hoffman 6 0-0 15, Brennan Verhey 2 0-0 4, Lucas Johnson 6 3-4 16, Benjamin Sprecher 1 1-6 3, Jhace Woods 1 1-2 3. Totals: 19 5-12 47.
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