HURON The Huron Tigers bounced back from a slow start and played a strong second half, but the early deficit was too much as the Watertown Arrows came away with a 49-45 victory Friday at Huron Arena.
Badly wanting a strong start to open the game, according to Huron coach Kody Kopfmanns pregame report, the Tigers got exactly the opposite.
Aly Davis did score the first points of the game for Huron, hitting one of two free throws. However, Kynsee Russell would rip a steal and go coast-to-coast for the layup for Watertown.
Emery Thury squared up at the top of the key for the Arrows for a three, then she was fouled on the drive and hit two free throws.
After Grace Corey drove the baseline for two, the Arrows were up 9-1 and Coach Kopfmann called a timeout at 4:38 left in the first half.
Huron came out of the timeout with better focus on offense. Hylton Heinz drove through the lane for a bucket and then drove from the top of the key on the next possession to bring Huron within 9-5.
Jordan Remmers hit a pair of charity shots for Watertown, then Heinz did the same for the Tigers. Davis ended up with the ball after a Huron steal and stopped in the lane for a short jumper. Chloe Carr got a putback to knot the score at 11-11 with 1:08 left in the quarter.
Watertown got one of two free throws from Corey and from Lily Mack to close out the first period up 13-11.
After a pair of empty possessions for each team, Thury spotted up from the top of the key for her second three. Heinz had a crazy drive through the lane, with the ball stripped away multiple times, but she recovered and put in the short runner for two to make it 16-13.
Thury got a putback, then Andi Olson nailed a three on the fifth shot of the Watertown possession. Mack got a lefty three from the corner to push the lead out to 24-13.
Heinz would get a pair of drives, her final one right at the buzzer to bring it within 24-17 at half.
The two teams would go scoreless for the first three minutes of the second half before Mack nailed a three to open the second half. Carr was then fouled on the drive and hit both free throws.
Heinz hit Hurons first three with a wing shot, then Davis got one of two free throws to cut Watertowns lead to 27-23.
Olson nailed a three, then Jencie Goergen answered with a three for Huron. Abagail Harrington hit a deep shot to bring the Tigers within one, but Remmers hit another three to end a crazy exchange with Watertown up 33-29.
Malia Kranz got a bucket on a backdoor cut and Russell got a basket in transition, but Hailey Rogers nailed a three for Huron to cut Watertowns edge to 37-32 heading into the final period.
Heinz got the first two buckets of the second half with a pair of free throws and then a wing three to tie the game at 37-37. Allison Janes would drive to give the home team their first lead at 39-37.
Remmers quickly responded with a three to take back the lead for the Arrows, but Harrington was the recipient of a brilliant pass by Heinz for a bucket and a 41-40 lead.
Unfortunately, itd be the final lead of the night for Huron. Remmers would get a short jumper to give Watertown the lead back, and the Arrows would hit just enough from the free throw line to secure the 49-45 victory.
Thury led Watertown, now 7-11, with 13 points and also grabbed eight rebounds. Remmers came off the bench for 10 points. The Arrows would hit half of the 16 threes they attempted, and answering a Huron flurry of long balls turned out to be the difference.
Corey led the Arrows with nine rebounds.
Huron fell to 7-11 despite a game-high 22 points from Heinz. Heinz also grabbed a team-high five rebounds. Harrington had seven points, all in the second half as the Tigers battled the entire second half as well as playing very tough defense.
Kopfmann recognized the strong work of Heinz offensively and the effort of Harrington on defense.
It was good to see (Heinz) bounce back tonight, he observed. She did a good job coming off the ball screen and finding shooters in the second half.
He continued, We had a strong week of practice. (Harrington) may have had the best four days of practice of any of the girls this year. She showed it tonight on defense.
The Tigers turn from Friday and look to facing the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the state next week, beginning their final week of the regular season on the road at undefeated OGorman on Tuesday.
Kopfmann understands the challenge, but believes the full-game effort of his team Friday shows they could potentially score an upset next week.
We walk out of here disappointed, Kopfmann said. We just keep building and get back to whats expected of us.
Watertown 13 24 37 49
Huron 11 17 32 45
Watertown (7-11): Grace Corey 2 2-4 6, Emery Thury 3 5-6 13, Kynsee Russell 2 1-2 5, Malia Kranz 1 0-0 2, Andi Olson 2 0-0 6, Jordan Remmers 3 2-2 10, Lily Mack 2 1-2 7. Totals: 15 11-16 49.
Huron (7-11): Allison Janes 1 0-0 2, Aly Davis 1 2-4 4, Hylton Heinz 8 4-4 22, Abagail Harrington 3 0-0 7, Chloe Carr 1 2-2 4, Hailey Rogers 1 0-0 3, Jencie Goergen 1 0-0 3. Totals: 16 8-10 45.
FG: W – 15/41 37%, H – 16/41 39%. 3-pt FG: W – 8/16 (Thury 2, Olson 2, Remmers 2, Mack 2); H – 5/20 (Heinz 2, Harrington, Rogers, Goergen). Rebounds: W 31 (Corey 9), H 23 (Heinz 5). Assists: W 6 (Mack 2), H 7 (Heinz 3). Steals: W 6 (Russell 3), H 6 (Heinz 2). Turnovers: W 14, H 12. Fouls: W 15, H 18.
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