Tigers earn trip to state tourney

by Benjamin Chase
of the Plainsman

HURON — After a tight early game, the Huron Tigers took over in the second quarter and claimed a 68-40 victory over the Pierre Governors in SoDak 16 action on Saturday at Huron Arena.
The Tigers defeated the Governors, 54-39, on Feb. 10, but that game was also missing leading scorer Blake Ellwein from Huron’s lineup, so the Tigers looked to establish early.
Pierre had other ideas, though, as they came out shooting red hot from behind the arc in the first frame.
Blake Ellwein hit a fadeaway jumper to open scoring, but Caiden Ahartz had his heels against the out of bounds line as he nailed a long wing three for Pierre.
Blake would get fouled and put in two free throws, and Anderson Porisch scored a layup in transition, but then Corde Austin had a three from the right wing bounce around the rim before falling in to tie the game, 6-6.
Carter Porisch scored a short basket for Huron off an inbounds play, but then Blake Ellwein attempted to steal the ball from Austin, and he side-stepped Blake and calmly nailed another three to give Pierre a 9-8 lead.
Blake got a putback basket, and Mason Jurgens made a steal and was fouled attempting the layup, sinking both charity tosses.
Myles Ellwein released in transition for a layup, and Blake Ellwein drew a foul and hit both free throws to make it 16-9 Huron. At the time, four of Pierre’s five team fouls were covering Blake.
Ahartz shot over Blake from the top of the key for three and as the quarter ran out, Jerren Deal hit a three right in front of the Huron pep band to send the game into the second quarter with Huron clinging to a narrow 16-15 lead.
Cooper Terwilliger pounded the ball in the post for a basket for Pierre to take a 17-16 lead on the first possession of the second quarter, but Mason Jurgens nailed a three from the top of the key to get Huron back the lead.
Davis Chase made a reverse layup and Blake Ellwein got a layup after a Huron steal to push the Tiger lead out to 23-17.
Ahartz hit a three just off from the top of the key, but Huron then went on a big run to take control. Blake hit a free-throw line jumper, Anderson Porisch scored on a putback pass from his brother, Carter, and then drove in and put in his third attempt on the next possession to push the Huron lead to 29-20.
Deal scored on a drive for Pierre, but James Shoultz Jr scored a putback, and Carter Porisch was fouled on a putback attempt and sank both free throws. Blake Ellwein added the emphasis with a dunk on a backdoor pass to push the Huron lead out to 35-22, which was the tally as the teams headed to the locker rooms for half.

Blake Ellwein opened the second half with a backdoor cut and basket, then Chase was fouled on a putback and added the free throw to quickly give Huron a 40-22 lead.
Terwilliger backed down in the post and got a shot and free throw as well. Blake then had a drive and followed up the next possession with a putback to give Huron a 44-25 edge.
Terwilliger scored in the post, but Anderson Porisch responded with a hook shot underneath.
After a long dry spell of scoring, the Governors got a free throw from Austin, and as the buzzer sounded, Chase Schuchhardt hit a layup for Huron to give the Tigers a 48-28 lead heading into the final frame.
Terwilliger opened the fourth with a free throw, but Jurgens responded with a corner three.
Terwilliger got a bucket in the post, then Blake Ellwein hit a free throw and Anderson Porisch got a layup in transition to make it 54-31.
Deal hit one of two free throws, Myles Ellwein sank two charity shots, and Deal then hit two free throws. Schuchhardt then scored on an inbounds play, and Huron went up 58-34.
At that point, both teams emptied benches with 3:32 left in the game as the reserves closed out a 68-40 Huron win.
Taking control early allowed Huron to get 14 players into the game, with 11 getting into the scorebook. The Tigers move to 17-4 behind 21 points from Blake Ellwein. He also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out five assists.
Anderson Porisch added 10 points and six rebounds, while Jurgens chipped in eight points.
Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen was effusive with praise for his coaching staff and his players for an all-around strong performance.
“Our coaches set up a great game plan,” he said. “Our entire team played really well tonight. Our seniors led us by example.”
The Governors finish the year with a 6-15 record. Terwilliger led Pierre with 10 points and six rebounds.
Huron returns to the Class “AA” state tournament as the third seed. The Tigers will face O’Gorman on Thursday, March 19, as the final game of the opening day of the tournament in the Monument Ice Arena in Rapid City.
Buddenhagen expects it to be a challenge, but one that he and his team are excited to accept.
“They’ve been playing well,” Buddenhagen said of O’Gorman. “It will be a battle, and we’ll take the challenge. You win this one to play three more, and we’re ready.”

Pierre 15 22 28 40
Huron 16 35 48 68

Pierre (6-15): Corde Austin 2 1-2 7, Caiden Ahartz 3 0-2 9, Jerren Deal 2 3-4 8, Lincoln Dilges 1 0-0 3, Cooper Terwilliger 4 2-3 10, Tony Klemann 1 1-1 3. Totals: 13 7-12 40.

Huron (17-4): Joshua Gilbert 0 2-2 2, James Shoultz Jr 1 0-0 2, Myles Ellwein 2 2-2 6, Mason Jurgens 2 2-2 8, Chase Schuchhardt 2 0-0 4, Blake Ellwein 8 5-6 21, Anderson Porisch 5 0-0 10, Ty Kleinsasser 1 0-0 3, Davis Chase 2 1-1 5, Neil Salmen 1 00 3, Carter Porisch 1 2-2 4. Totals: 25 14-17 68.

FG: P – 13/43, 30%; H – 25/48, 52%; 3-pt FG: P – 7/16 (Ahartz 3, Austin 2, Deal, Dilges); H – 4/15 (Jurgens 2, Kleinsasser, Salmen). Rebounds: P 19 (Terwilliger 6), H 33 (BEllwein 9). Assists: P 5 (Austin, Ahartz 2), H 14 (BEllwein 5). Steals: P 1, H 5 (Jurgens, BEllwein 2). Turnovers: P 9, H 5. Fouls: P 15, H 18.