by Benjamin Chase
of the Plainsman
ABERDEEN – The fourth-ranked Huron Tigers won their second game of the week without star guard Blake Ellwein, defeating the Aberdeen Central Golden Eagles 64-40 in Aberdeen Thursday.
The game didn’t have the cleanest of starts for the Tigers. Davis Chase scored on the first possession on a drop step in the post, but the Tigers then went four consecutive possessions turning the ball over before Carter Porisch was able to get a basket rebounding his own shot to make it 4-0 Huron.
Luke Swanson was able to get a basket in transition and was fouled. He hit the free throw. Chase was then fouled underneath, and he hit both charity shots to make it 6-3 Huron.
Myles Ellwein then hit a three in each corner in consecutive possessions to put the Tigers up 12-3. Gavin Hauck was fouled for the Golden Eagles and sank both free throws to close the first quarter with Huron up 12-5.
Swanson opened the second quarter with a corner three to bring it within four, 12-8, but Ellwein quickly answered with a three. Carter Porisch got a putback of his own miss.
Ellwein and Carter then repeated the process, with Ellwein hitting a three and Porisch sinking a pretty left-handed hook shot in the post to put Huron up 22-8.
Freshman Austin Ryan nailed a wing three for Aberdeen, but Chase then beat the defense down the floor for a dunk.
After two missed Golden Eagle free throws, Chase hit one of two free throws and then was the recipient of strong passing with a short basket to make it 29-11.
Carter Board dropped in a pair of free throws for Aberdeen, and Chase Schuchhardt came off the bench and sank a three off a kick-out from Anderson Porisch in the post to make it 32-13 at half.
Swanson was able to knock down one of two free throws to open the second half, then Anderson Porisch hit Chase with a long pass in transition that he bucketed.
Mason Jurgens was fouled on the drive and made one of two free throws, but on the missed free throw, Ellwein found Jurgens for three to make it 38-14.
Kalen Larson dialed in a three for Aberdeen and Board hit two of three free throws as Carter Porisch committed his fourth foul at the midway point of the third quarter.
Chase put in a short hook, and Brenner Waldrop answered with a putback bucket for the Golden Eagles.
James Shoultz Jr. got behind the defense for two, and Swanson responded with a drive down the right side of the lane to keep it 42-23 Huron.
Ellwein hit a three, and Waldrop made a basket on the post. Anderson Porisch got his first basket with a three, but Ryan was able to quickly get a layup in transition for Aberdeen. Anderson hit a floater, and Hauck hit one of two free throws to close the third with Huron up 50-28.
Swanson opened the final frame with a deep three for Aberdeen, but Anderson Porisch continued his strong second half with a post move for two.
Bryson Burgard drove through the Huron defense for two, and Huron found Carter Porisch underneath for two. Anderson Porisch got a bucket and the foul to push Huron’s lead out to 57-33.
Carter Porisch fouled out with 4:08 left in the game. Chase found Anderson Porisch cutting to the hoop, and Porisch hit a pair of free throws.
Board put in a pull-up jumper. Huron then pulled the starters with three minutes left, holding a 59-35 lead.
Aberdeen followed suit 30 seconds later, and the bench players finished out a 64-40 Huron win.
Huron moves to 13-4 behind 15 points each from Chase and Ellwein. Anderson Porisch scored 12, all in the second half.
The Golden Eagles fall to 1-15 with only Swanson (14 points) in double figures.
Huron won the junior varsity game 70-55.
The Tigers are off until next Friday, when they host Watertown.
Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen was happy with his team’s play Thursday, but he’s looking forward to allowing his team to rest before the big game against the Arrows.
“If we can hit nine threes every night, I like our chances,” he said. “We’ll practice a bit tomorrow, but then we want to let the kids have some time away from the court over the weekend.”
Huron 12 32 50 64
Aberdeen Central 5 13 28 40
Huron (13-4): James Shoultz Jr 1 0-0 2, Myles Ellwein 5 0-0 15, Mason Jurgens 1 1-2 4, Chase Schuchhardt 2 0-0 6, Anderson Porisch 4 3-3 12, Ty Kleinsasser 1 0-0 2, Davis Chase 6 3-4 15, Carter Porisch 4 0-1 8. Totals: 24 7-10 64.
Aberdeen Central (1-15): Austin Ryan 2 0-0 5, Brenner Waldrop 2 0-0 4, Luke Swanson 4 4-5 14, Bryson Burgard 1 0-0 2, Kalen Larson 1 0-0 3, Quinn Rayman 1 0-0 3, Jack Bertsch 0 0-2 0, Carter Board 1 4-5 6, Gavin Hauck 0 3-4 3. Totals: 12 11-16 40.
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