SIOUX FALLS The Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers took a controlling lead with a 10-0 run early in the second quarter and held on through multiple Huron Tigers attempts to comeback, coming away with a 71-61 victory Friday over the Tigers in Sioux Falls.
The speed of Sioux Falls Jefferson was evident immediately as Damaris Fields flashed into the lane for a pull up jumper for the first points of the game. Huron responded with a pair of transition baskets by Anderson Porisch to take a 4-2 lead.
Colby Nuttbrock got a leaner in the lane for Jefferson and Davis Chase scored a bucket on a post move after missing two games for the Tigers.
Kuek Kuek would then score the next six points for Jefferson, with a Porisch jumper in the midst of those buckets as Jefferson jumped to a 10-7 lead.
A pair of Ellwein free throws brought Huron within one, but the Cavaliers speed pushed the tempo, quickly getting out to a 19-13 lead within two minutes, with Huron obviously uncomfortable with the fast pace.
Ellwein would make a post move to break the Jefferson run and get within 19-15, but big man Mason Payne broke free underneath for Jefferson, and they closed out the first quarter leading 21-15.
Trace Wenz drove hard and was fouled for Huron to open the second quarter, bringing the Tigers within 21-18, but then the Cavs speed keyed a big run.
Jase Unzen hit a three, Nuttbrock got a bucket on the post, Easton Riley came off the bench for a three, and Fields hit a floater in the lane, and quickly the lead jumped to 31-18 for Jefferson.
Chase was able to convert and get fouled, but when he missed his free throw shot, Ellwein picked up his third foul on the miss. Ellwein would not play the rest of the first half.
A three on the wing by Chase would snap a 5-2 Jefferson run, but Unzen got a pair of free throws to send the game to halftime with the home team holding onto a 38-25 lead.
Wenz started a tremendous third quarter for him with a three and then made a move in the lane for a bucket to cut the lead to 38-30.
Payne made a move in the lane for a bucket, Ellwein got a free throw, and Fields quickly hit a short jumper to make it 42-31.
Wenz got a jumper, but Kuek answered with a three. Ellwein and Fields traded free throws to get it to 47-37, but then Unzen hit another big three for Jefferson.
Ellwein got a pair of free throws and then Chase found Wenz for a corner three to get within eight at 50-42. Unzen answered with yet another three to make it 53-42.
Nuttbrock got into the lane for a bucket, but Ellwein got a pair of free throws and Chase had an and-one play underneath to get within 55-47.
As time ran out in the third, Unzen worked a give and go with Payne and Payne put in a layup to make it 57-47 heading into the final frame.
Ellwein leaned in for a bucket, but a free throw for Fields and Payne made a hook shot in the lane to push the lead to 60-49.
Ellwein got four free throws, but Fields answered with a corner three.
Porisch got a three and Ellwein slammed down a dunk on a post move to make it 63-58, but Unzen again answered with a three to push the Jefferson lead back out to 66-58.
Huron struggled to get short shots to fall. After a pair of empty possessions for each team, Ellwein hit a bucket in the lane, but Fields was able to get a pair of free throws to keep the lead 68-60.
Coming out of a timeout, Porisch had an excellent look at a reverse layup and left it on the rim, something that happened frequently to Huron shooters in the fourth quarter. Payne would hit a pair of free throws to make the outcome sure, with just the final score in question. A free throw from Kuek with seconds remaining was the final point in a 71-61 Jefferson victory.
Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen said the ability for Jefferson to do what they needed to do at important moments of the game was the difference.
If youre going to be a good team, you have to execute under pressure, Buddenhagen stated. Jefferson did that, we didnt. They did a nice job of reversing the basketball, and we had the ball stick too much on one side without pushing the issue underneath where we had an advantage all game.
Each team had four players in double-figure scoring. Jefferson moved to 4-8 behind 18 points from Unzen, including five threes – all seemingly coming at key moments.
Fields hit for 16 points, Payne put in 12, and Kuek had 10 for the Cavs.
Ellwein had a game-high 25 points for the Tigers, who fall to 6-4. Wenz had 13 and Porisch and Chase each had 10 points.
Jefferson took the JV game by the score of 60-52.
Coach Buddenhagen stated that his team was not themselves Saturday, but theyll need to be when they host Watertown on Tuesday.
We just did too many things out of character. We got beat by that, Buddenhagen said. Watertown is always tough. Weve got to figure out defensively how were going to guard them.
He added, We need to get on a little streak as we get into the second half of the season.
Huron 15 25 47 61
Jefferson 21 38 57 71
Huron (6-4): Trace Wenz 5 1-1 13, Jonathan Peterson 0 1-2 1, Blake Ellwein 6 13-14 25, Anderson Porisch 3 3-4 10, Ty Kleinsasser 1 0-3 2, Davis Chase 4 1-2 10. Totals: 19 19-26 61.
Sioux Falls Jefferson (4-8): Damaris Fields 4 5-6 16, Jase Unzen 5 3-4 18, Kuai Mayen 0 2-2 2, Kuek Kuek 4 1-2 10, Ethan Swenson 0 2-2 2, Colby Nuttbrock 3 0-0 6, Beau Koerner 1 0-0 2, Easton Riley 1 0-0 3, Mason Payne 5 2-2 12. Totals: 23 15-18 71.
Leave a Reply