RAPID CITY –– The Huron Tigers struggled with offense the entire game and the Mitchell Kernels showed why they are the defending champions with timely baskets in a 50-41 victory Thursday in the first round of the South Dakota Class AA Boys’ State Basketball Tournament at the Monument in Rapid City.

On their first possession, Blake Ellwein was fouled by Mitchell’s Colton Smith. Ellwein hit a pair of free throws for a 2-0 lead with 45 seconds off the clock.

Gavin Hinker drove hard into the lane for a bucket for the Kernels to knot the score. Hinker was fouled on the next Mitchell possession and he made one of two to give Mitchell a 3-2 lead.

The teams traded turnovers for multiple possessions before Smith hit a short hook shot with five minutes left to give Mitchell a 5-2 lead, the score at the first media timeout.

Colton McNeil hit a wing three to tie the game, but Parker Mandel banked in for Mitchell to make it 8-5.

Ellwein drew a foul with 3:08 remaining in the first and hit one of two to make it 8-6. Smith got a putback bucket to make it a 10-6 lead for the Kernels.

The two teams exchanged turnovers until Bubba Peterson was fouled on the drive. Peterson hit both charity shots to make it 10-8 with 45 seconds left in the first quarter.

Landen Soulek found Hinker backdoor for a bucket with 24 seconds remaining. The Kernels would hold a 12-8 lead after one quarter.

Huron’s shooting struggles continued into the second quarter after shooting 1-for-10 in the first quarter, but the defense of the Tigers kept the Kernels off the scoreboard for the first two minutes of the second quarter.

Hinker found Mandel for a backdoor basket for the first basket of the second period at 5:17 to take a 14-8 lead. That would be the score at the second quarter media break.

Huron’s defense covered up poor field goal shooting and multiple turnovers for the first quarter and a half. Smith hit a tough jumper over Anderson Porisch to make it 16-8 with four minutes remaining.

Porisch stepped through the Mitchell defense for a basket for Huron, the first points of the period for the Tigers.

Hinker was fouled on a dunk attempt, but he missed both charity attempts. He was fouled the next trip down and hit one of two free throws to make it 17-10 Mitchell.

Ellwein attacked the hoop and got to the free throw line with 1:23 remaining in the half and he hit one of two to close within 17-11.

Markus Talley pulled up in the lane for a bucket and Porisch got a basket off the inbounds to get within 19-13, and that was the score at halftime.

After each team had an empty possession, Trace Wenz hit a three from the corner for the Tigers. Ellwein then nailed a three on the ensuing possession to tie the game at 19 in the first 90 seconds of the second half.

Talley drove hard and was fouled, making one of two free throws. Ellwein was then fouled on a drive and hit one of two to knot the game 20-20.

Porisch was able to get an offensive rebound and get the left-handed putback for Huron’s first lead since early in the first quarter. The Tigers would hold a 22-20 lead at the media timeout.

Ellwein was fouled and hit both free throws, with the second shot his 1,000th career point. Hinker was fouled and hit both free throws to keep the score 24-22 Huron.

Talley drove hard and got the finger roll to tie the game at 24-24 with 3:38 remaining in the third. He then attacked the hoop and got a short jumper to give the Kernels the lead back at 26-24.

Ellwein backed down Smith and was fouled, heading to the line where he hit both shots to tie the game.

Talley drew Peterson’s fourth foul and hit both free throws to put Mitchell up 28-26 with 2:17 left. Ellwein then drew Smith’s fourth foul and hit both charity tosses to tie the game at 28 with 90 seconds remaining in the third.

Hinker made a strong move down low for a basket for the Kernels. Talley then got a quick bucket and followed that with a steal and a layup to quickly give Mitchell a 34-28 lead heading into the final frame.

Davis Chase quickly earned a pair of fouls as the fourth quarter opened. 

Talley stole the ball on a rebound and got it to Collin Weier for a basket.

Peterson was fouled and hit both free throws to bring Huron within 36-30. He picked up his fifth foul on the next possession for Mitchell as he attempted to draw a charge on Talley. Talley hit one of two and then got his own rebound and was fouled again. He would end up hitting two more free throws to make it 39-30 Mitchell with 6:30 left in the game.

Ellwein was fouled on the drive and hit both shots from the line. The Kernels used Chase’s foul trouble and Hinker got a bucket inside. Porisch would get a putback bucket to keep Huron within 41-34. Chase was fouled underneath and hit one of two free throws.

Chase got a putback to get Huron within 41-37 with 3:14 left. Hinker was fouled and hit both free throws to give Mitchell a 43-37 lead with 2:48 left.

A Mitchell steal ended with a layup by Smith but Myles Ellwein banked in a three to keep Huron within 45-40.

Hinker put in a baby hook over Chase and Huron turned over the ball with 99 seconds remaining in the game. Talley found Hinker for a reverse layup to make it 49-40 with 1:06 left and Huron had to foul after missed shots.

Smith hit one of two free throws to make it 50-40. Ty Kleinsasser drew a foul and got one of two free throws. Mitchell was able to milk the clock and come away with the 50-41 victory.

Fourth-seeded Mitchell moves to 19-3 behind 18 points from Hinker and 16 points and nine rebounds from Talley.

The Tigers fall to 15-7. Blake Ellwein was the lone Tiger in double figures with 16 points while Chase hauled down 10 rebounds. Huron shot just 27% from the field in the game.

Huron will matchup with Spearfish in the first game of the day Friday at 1 p.m. CT.

Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen wasn’t pleased with the team’s play, but he looked forward to a better showing the rest of the weekend.

“We’ve got to do a heck of a lot better job offensively,” Buddenhagen lamented. “We still can go two-and-one, but we’ve got to get after it. Tomorrow we’ve got to be a lot better team.”

Huron 8 13 28 41
Mitchell 12 19 34 50

Huron (15-7): Trace Wenz 1 0-0 3, Colton McNeil 1 0-0 3, Bubba Peterson 0 4-4 4, Blake Ellwein 1 13-16 16, Anderson Porisch 4 0-0 8, Myles Ellwein 1 0-0 3, Ty Kleinsasser 0 1-2 1, Davis Chase 1 1-2 3. Totals: 9 19-24 41.

Mitchell (19-3): Colton Smith 4 1-2 9, Markus Talley 5 6-8 16, Parker Mandel 2 0-0 5, Gavin Hinker 6 6-10 18, Collin Weier 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 13-20 50.

FG: H - 9/33 27%; M - 18/45 40%. 3-pt FG: H - 4/17 (Wenz, McNeil, BEllwein, MEllwein); M - 1/8 (Mandel). Rebounds: H 26 (Chase 10), M 27 (Talley 9). Assists: H 4 (BEllwein), M 6 (Talley 3). Steals: H 4 (Porisch 2), M 6 (Talley 4). Turnovers: H 15, M 9. Fouls: H 18 (Peterson out), M 19.