Mitchell records win against Tigers

BY NICK SABATO
OF THE DAILY REPUBLIC
MITCHELL — Mitchell High School girls basketball coach Wes Morgan said his team wants to play fast.
In Saturday’s season-opener against Huron at the Corn Palace, the Kernels certainly executed the game plan, particularly after a sluggish start.
Mitchell took 50 shots, but made 54 percent of them to top the 70-point plateau for the first time since February 2014 in a 78-66 romp.
“It took us three games last year to get to 78,” Morgan said. “The kids put a lot of work in over the summer. I thought we left some points on the table. I think we hurried some shots. I think later on, the girls’ 3-pointers were much better.”
Mitchell’s offense began clicking late in the first quarter after Huron went on an 11-3 run to take the lead. The Kernels closed the frame on a 7-2 run to regain a lead it would never give back, thanks in part to the play of guard Tess Limberg.
Tayler Factor picked up her third foul early in the second and Limberg picked up the slack. She scored a layup and then added a pair of 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the quarter as Mitchell built a double-digit lead at halftime. Limberg would finish with a game-high 26 points on 10 of 16 shooting.

“She got her layups,” Morgan said. “She got that right side of the hoop going and she got down on the break and hit some jump shots on the side. … I know she hit a 3, but she really likes the midrange game and attacking off the dribble on the right side of the hoop. She’s kind of stubborn and got to the hoop.”
Limberg had some help in the scoring column, especially at the beginning of the second half. With the Kernels looking to pull away, Payton Morgan connected on back-to-back 3-pointers  that lit a fuse to help push the lead to 21 points at the end of the third quarter, which was one of three consecutive 20-point frames for Mitchell.
Morgan scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half as the Kernels had four players finish in double figures for the game.
“We talked at halftime about this is who we are,” Wes Morgan said. “You have to step up and knock those shots down. Don’t get in a hurry. This is who we are, this is what you put the time in the summer for, you have to get your feet ready, settle down and knock them down. It’s as simple as that.”
Jordyn Cranny and Factor both battled foul trouble throughout the game, but managed to finish with 11 points apiece for Mitchell (1-0), which travels to Rapid City Central on Friday.
Huron (0-2) got 23 points from Havyn Heinz and 21 from Tenley Buddenhagen, while Bella Sheeve added 10 points in defeat for the Tigers, who host Sioux Falls Roosevelt on Tuesday.

Huron    15 11 10 30 — 66
Mitchell    17 20 20 21 — 78
Huron (0-2): Kylie Overbay 0-0 0-0 0, Tenley Buddenhagen 8-12 4-5 21, Havyn Heinz 5-13 13-15 23, Sami Shoultz 2-5 2-3 6, Brooke Schiltz 0-1 0-0 0, Melissa Berg 0-0 0-0 0, Chelsea Hofer 1-1 0-2 3, Bella Sheeve 4-7 1-2 10, Lexy Gilbert 1-1 0-0 2, Mattie Huber 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-240 20-27 66.
Mitchell (1-0): Tess Limberg 10-16 4-4 28, Jordyn Cranny 3-4 3-4 11, Payton Morgan 7-15 4-7 20, Tayler Factor 5-7 0-2 11, Mackenzie Miller 1-2 2-3 4, Mandy Schmidt 0-2 2-2 2, Avia Haley 1-3 0-0 3, Camryn Krogman 0-1 1-2 1, Haley Hohn 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 27-50 16-24 78.
3-pointers: Huron 3-7 (Buddenhagen 1-1, Hofer 1-1, Sheeve 1-2, Shoultz 0-1, Heinz 0-2); MHS 8-20 (Cranny 2-2, Limberg 2-6, Morgan 2-7, Factor 1-1, Haley 1-2, Schmidt 0-2). Fouled out: Factor.
Sub-varsity scores:
Junior varsity: Huron 30, Mitchell 28
Freshmen: Huron 48, Mitchell 38