HURON – The Huron Tigers move over .500 at 7-6 with a 45-33 victory over the Sioux Falls Rough Riders Tuesday night at Huron Arena.
The Rough Riders came out playing fast and were able to work inside for the first score of the game down low to Aubreigh McCall. After nearly throwing the ball away, Roosevelt got the ball back and Brooklyn Koll drove in for a 4-0 lead.
Isabelle Ellwein put the Tigers on the board with a put back basket. Madison Smalley hit a long two to make it 6-2 in favor of the visitors.
Ellwein then came down and drained a three before McCall made a slick turnaround move in the post to make the score 8-5 in favor of the Rough Riders.
Ellwein would then hit a long three to tie the game and hit one of two free throws to give the Tigers their first lead. Katie Spicer hit a pair of free throws for Roosevelt to give them back the lead momentarily.
Ellwein again continued her hot night with a corner three, scoring all 12 Huron points as the Tigers led 12-10.
Karsyn Kopfmann would close out the first period with a three at the buzzer to send it to the second period with the home squad holding a 15-10 advantage.
Huron coach Kody Kopfmann was concerned with recent slow starts from his team, but he stated that the start against Roosevelt was more what he hoped to see, especially from Ellwein.
“We started a lot better tonight,” Kopfmann observed. “We were fortunate that they lost Isabelle early, and when she’s that wide open, she’s going to make a team pay.”
The second quarter began with Gainey’s toe on the line on a long two from the corner. After a pair of empty possessions, McCall put in a bank shot down low.
Ellwein would get a back side offensive rebound and put back with roughly two minutes gone in the quarter to make it 19-12. That would be the end of the scoring for the first half as both teams struggled from the field for the rest of the second quarter.
The scoring drought continued for the first three minutes of the third quarter. Morgan Johnson broke the scoring drought for both teams by hitting a three for Roosevelt, but Hamtyn Heinz immediately drove to the hoop and got two points for the Tigers.
The Rough Riders pounded the ball inside to 6’ post player Elisabat Assefa off the bench multiple trips down the court, and while she scored in three straight trips, the Tigers were able to get buckets from Ellwein and an “and-one” from Lizzy Heinen to keep the lead around six points.
Huron used a Hylton Heinz put back to spark a 6-0 run to end the quarter, with Gainey running the floor after a rebound and getting a layup and Bryn Huber streaked down the court after another rebound and took the ball all the way to the hoop before getting fouled and sinking two free throws, allowing the Tigers to take a 32-20 lead into the final frame.
The fourth quarter opened with a Gainey free throw line jumper to push the lead out to 14 for Huron. Smalley got her first bucket since the first quarter for the visitors, but Heinen made a quick move to free herself for a bucket down low and Ellwein sank one of two free throws on the next possession to push the lead out to 15.
Spicer sank a three for her first field goal to cut the Tigers’ lead back to 12, but a Huber runner in the lane and a Gainey layup off a steal pushed the lead out to 16.
The Rough Riders would lean on sophomore McCall for three straight trips down the court, working the ball inside to her and seeing her score each time, cutting Huron’s lead to 10.
Roosevelt would begin to foul, and Ellwein and Hamtyn Heinz hit a pair of free throws each to seal the victory and the Tigers’ defense prevented the Rough Riders from denting the deficit any further to come away with a 45-33 victory.
Overall, the defensive effort that held the Rough Riders to 10 points total in the second and third quarters is what impressed Coach Kopfmann.
“We got it done defensively tonight,” Kopfmann raved. “We had some easy layups where we got out and ran after rebounds and that helps our offense.”
The Tigers were led by Ellwein’s 19 points. Gainey added eight points and a pair of steals.
Hamtyn Heinz led Huron in rebounding with six.
The Rough Riders continue searching for their first victory, now 0-13. McCall bucketed 12 points. Spicer added seven points and led the team with five rebounds and a pair of steals.
Roosevelt swept the preliminary action taking the junior varsity game 43-33 and the sophomore game 48-43.
Huron travels West this weekend to face Spearfish Friday and Sturgis on Saturday.
Sioux Falls Roosevelt 10 12 20 33
Huron 15 19 32 45
Sioux Falls Roosevelt (0-13): Brooklyn Koll 1 0-0 2, Madison Smalley 2 0-0 4, Katie Spicer 2 2-2 7, Morgan Johnson 1 0-0 3, Aubreigh McCall 6 0-0 12, Elisabat Assefa 2 1-2 5. Totals: 14 3-4 33.
Huron (7-6): Bryn Huber 1 2-2 4, Hylton Heinz 1 0-0 2, Hamtyn Heinz 1 2-2 4, Karsyn Kopfmann 1 0-0 3, Isabelle Ellwein 6 4-6 19, Heavan Gainey 4 0-0 8, Elizabeth Heinen 2 1-1 5. Totals: 16 9-11 45.
FG: SFR - 14/56 25%; H - 16/45 36%. 3-pt FG: SFR - 2/20 (Spicer, Johnson); H - 4/15 (Ellwein 3, Kopfmann). Rebounds: SFR 36 (Spicer, Johnson 5), H 34 (HmHeinz 6). Steals: SFR 6 (Spicer 2), H 6 (Gainey 2). Turnovers: SFR 11, H 10. Fouls: SFR 12, H 9.
