HURON — The Huron Tigers never trailed Tuesday as the move to 5-4 with a 67-49 win over the Brookings Bobcats at Huron Arena.

After two minutes of trouble hitting a shot for both teams, Huron finally connected when Blake Ellwein took an offensive rebound at the top of the key and drove down the lane untouched for a layup. Gavin Moeding put in a layup off a steal on the next possession, but Brookings’ Owen Burns drew a foul on a strong post move, giving him a bucket and free throw to make it 4-3.

Ellwein then stepped back and hit the first of what would be a barrage of three-point baskets for the Tigers in the first half.

CJ Gainey connected and Anderson Porisch put in an offensive rebound for a 12-5 lead. Porish and Ellwein then hit back-to-back threes to make it 18-7.

The Bobcats got a bucket from Keech Bior and a pair of free throws from Nathan Smith to end the first quarter, sending the teams to the bench for the end of one period with Huron leading 18-11.

The Bobcats kept hitting free throws to open the second quarter with Austin Clark nailing four free throws to open the period. Carsen Evans answered the second pair with a three for Huron and Ellwein hit his third three while Holden Hegg hit one of two free throws to quickly bring the Huron lead back to 10 at 25-15.

Brookings continued to frequent the foul line, getting the next three points of the game from the charity stripe, but actually missing a free shot for the first time.

Kolton Ogle answered with a three and Porish made a putback and was fouled, converting the free throw to give Huron a 31-18 lead.

Another three from Ogle and a putback by Evans pushed the Huron lead to 38-21. Bior was fouled with less than two seconds in the half and hit one of two free throws to send the teams to the break with Huron up 38-22.

Porisch did strong work on the offensive glass to get the first points of the second half, but Clark got Brookings five points to bring it within 42-27.

A Porisch layup and an Ellwein three sandwiched a three from Nathan Smith. Ben Moret scored the next five points in the game for Brookings to bring it within 47-35.

After an Evans putback, Griffen Bartels nailed a three for the Bobcats to bring Brookings within 11 at 49-38.

The Tigers would close out with a Colton McNeil basket and a pretty McNeil pass to Evans for a bucket to send it to the fourth at 53-38.

Brookings continued to hit shots, but turned the ball over, and Huron converted those opportunities in the fourth quarter. An emphatic dunk by Ellwein with two minutes left really sealed the deal as both teams emptied the benches after that, and the Tigers finished with a 67-49 victory.

Ellwein led the Tigers with 25 poitns. Porisch added 14 points and eight rebounds while Ogle and Evans each pitched in nine points off the bench for Huron.

Five of Porisch’s rebounds were offensive rebounds, and the Tigers nabbed 15 balls off the offensive glass, something that pleased Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen.

“Those guys hitting the glass gave us extra opportunities,” Buddenhagen raved. “That shows they’re really wanting it when they grab those offensive rebounds.”

Brookings fell to 1-7 despite 11 points from Clark. Bior had four rebounds to lead the Bobcats.

The Tigers will host Sioux Falls Jefferson Saturday afternoon.

Buddenhagen was pleased how the team controlled the tempo Tuesday, seeing that as a major key for this weekend’s game.

“This is one of our better games tonight. We moved better on offense,” Buddenhagen noted. “When we can tip that ball, we can be off and running. We need to get our pace and did that tonight.”

Brookings         11 22 38 49
Huron         18 38 53 67

Brookings (1-6): Ben Moret 2 3-4 8, Austin Clark 2 6-8 11, Nathan Smith 2 2-2 8, Sam Johnson 1 0-0 2, Owen Burns 2 3-3 7, Griffen Bartels 2 0-0 5, Keech Bior 3 1-2 8. Totals: 14 15-19 49.

Huron (4-4): Colton McNeil 1 0-0 2, Gavin Moeding 1 2-2 4, Holden Hegg 0 1-2 1, Kolton Ogle 3 0-0 9, CJ Gainey 1 0-0 3, Blake Elwein 10 0-2 25, Anderson Porisch 6 1-1 14, Carsen Evans 4 0-0 9. Totals: 26 4-7 67.

FG: B - 14/38 37%; H - 26/60 43%. 3-pt FG: B 6/14 (Smith 2, Moret, Clark, Bior, Bartels); H 11/37 (Ellwein 5, Ogle 3, Gainey, Porisch, Evans). Rebounds: B 25 (Bior 4), H 37 (Porisch 8). Assists: B 7 (Moret, Smith 2), H 14 (Gainey 6). Fouls: B 8, H 17 (Gainey out).