SIOUX FALLS – The Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriots struggled to gain the upper hand through three quarters, despite a significant height advantage on the court, but hot shooting in the fourth quarter allowed the Patriots to outlast the Huron Tigers Tuesday night 68-44 at Lincoln High School.
The game started with both teams shooting well, combining for 50% first quarter shooting. The Patriots jumped out to an early lead behind the work of Khalil Cisse and 7’1” sophomore center JT Rock, who combined to score nine of Lincoln’s first 11 points as the Patriots built up a 11-4 lead.
The Tigers then leaned on senior guard Max Kranzler to come completely back to tie the score 15-15 at the end of the first period. Kranzler used a mix of slashing drives to the hoop and hot outside shooting to score 10 points in the first period.
The Tigers put in two quick baskets to open the second period and jump out to a 20-15 lead. The Tigers would lead past the halfway mark of the second period, as the Patriots struggled to connect from deep in their offense.
Lincoln began to really overwork the Tigers on the offensive glass with Caleb Hiatt and Rock as the second frame wore on.
The Patriot size advantage offensively and defensively wore on Huron players. As the game was still just a two-point Lincoln lead late in the first half, tempers boiled over as Kranzler drew a technical foul after defensive contact with Rock turned into words.
Rock calmly sank two free throws, giving him 11 first half points. A Reilyn Zavesky free throw before half made the halftime score 29-25 in favor of Lincoln.
Isaiah Decker powered through two Patriot defenders for the first basket of the second half to cut the lead to two points, but the Patriots scored three straight buckets to open an eight-point lead.
Kranzler scored on Huron’s next two possessions to bring the Tigers within six, and a Zavesky cut to the hoop made it 40-36, but the Tigers finished the third period by turning the ball over on three straight possessions, each of which turned into a Patriot basket, allowing Lincoln to head to the final frame with a 46-36 lead.
In the final quarter, Lincoln’s outside shooting, which had been completely absent all evening, showed up. The Patriots were 9-of-12 in the period overall, including the first three 3-point baskets of the game for the home team.
Meanwhile, the full court press caused multiple turnovers, and early in the fourth quarter, Lincoln had stretched the lead to 15. The Tigers weren’t able to get any closer as Huron struggled to get into its offensive set and then to make field goals once a shot went up around the long arms of the Patriot defense.
Despite the final score, Coach Jon Schouten was pleased with his team’s overall effort, seeing the notable height difference as the key point in the game.
“The size just overwhelmed us in that fourth quarter,” Schouten noted. “We didn’t do enough in the zone defensively to make it hard to score inside.”
Hiatt led three Patriots in double-figure scoring with 16 points as Lincoln moved to 4-4 on the season. Rock added 15 points and Khalil Cisse scored 14.
The Tigers fall to 1-7 despite a game-high 19 points from Kranzler. Isaiah Decker finished with six points for Huron.
The Tigers head west to face Spearfish and Sturgis Friday and Saturday, a continuation of a month that will see Huron play seven of eight games January on the road.
“That is what it is,” Schouten remarked about the schedule. “We have to bring the same fight and toughness we showed here tonight. If we can do that, the wins will start coming for us.”
Huron 15 25 36 44
Lincoln 15 29 46 68
Huron (1-7): Dylan Lichty 1 0-1 3, Max Kranzler 6 4-4 19, Jayden Beck 1 0-0 2, Reilyn Zavesky 2 1-2 5, Dawsyn Rogers 1 1-2 3, Roger Puterbaugh 1 0-1 2, Brandon Decker 1 1-2 4, Isaiah Decker 3 0-0 6. Totals: 16 7-12 44.
Sioux Falls Lincoln (4-4): Khalil Cisse 5 4-4 14, Kyler Dahl 2 0-0 5, Elliot Whitney 1 2-3 5, Elijah Olson 2 2-4 6, Cameron Jackson 2 0-2 4, Saif Shah 1 0-0 3, Caleb Hiatt 7 2-2 16, JT Rock 5 4-4 15. Totals: 25 14-19 68.
