HURON — The Huron Tigers girls’ basketball team ended the game on an 11-1 run over the final four minutes of action Tuesday night, to secure a 54-36 ESD win over the Brookings Bobcats at Huron Arena.
The win, Huron’s second of the season over the Bobcats, pushes the Tigers’ record to 3-6, while Brookings falls to 2-6

The Tigers led for most of the first half, although it was the Bobcats that got on the board first, as junior post Tess Burns scored in the paint. Huron’s Hylton Heinz knotted the score seconds later, hitting a pair of charity tosses and the Tigers took their first lead of the game on the next possession as Hamtyn Heinz drilled a three-point field goal.

Brookings scored on consecutive possessions to re-take the lead, and when Brinleigh Mack hit one of two free throws the Bobcats led 7-5.

Mack’s free throws came on Hamtyn Heinz’s second personal foul, sending the 5-foot, 8-inch senior guard to the bench for the rest of the quarter.

Huron responded with their first scoring option on the sidelines, running the offense to perfection on two straight possessions, the first ending with a pin-point pass from Tatum Peterson to Lizzy Heinen for a layup.

Heinen paid it back on the next possession, threading the needle to Kenzie Siemonsma for another easy bucket and when Hylton Heinz hit two more free throws, Huron held an 11-7 lead, after the 6-0 run.

A pair of late free throws by the Bobcats, made it 11-9 Tigers after one quarter.

The Tigers fired up the long range artillery in the second quarter, as Hylton Heinz, Hamtyn Heinz and Allison Janes all hit three pointers and Huron held its largest lead of five points at two different times.

But the Bobcats were feasting on the inside, as Burns scored the final two buckets of the half for Brookings.

Hylton Heinz hit a floater in the lane with 3:09 to play in the half, but the well ran dry for the Tigers the remainder of the half and Huron led 22-19 at the break.

Huron’s Lizzi Heinen puts up a shot against Tess Burns of Brookings during their game Tuesday at Huron Arena.

Huron scored the first six points of the third quarter, as Heinen scored in the paint, got a pair free throws from Aly Davis and a short jumper from Hylton Heinz.

Brookings came back, as Kymber Buys and Amari Ward hit short jumpers and Sloan McLagan drained a long three to cut the margin back to two points, at 28-26 with 3:21 remaining in the quarter.

Hamtyn Heinz netted another three, but Burns scored inside for the Bobcats and the lead with three with just over a minute to play. But Huron got an easy basket, moving the ball and getting Davis a look inside and Hylton Heinz scored from deep at the buzzer and Huron led by eight, 36-28 after three quarters.

Hamtyn Heinz hit a three to open the final stanza and the teams traded baskets over the first four minutes of the quarter. Macy Even hit a baseline jumper for Brookings with 4:54 to play that cut the Huron lead to 10 points, 45-35.

But Heinen scored inside, then found Siemonsma with another perfect pass. Hylton Heinz hit two free throws and Siemonsma hit one of two and suddenly the lead was 15 points and Huron hit free throws down the stretch for the final 54-36 score.

Hylton Heinz netted 18 points, including a perfect 9/9 night at the line. Hamtyn Heinz added 14 points for the Tigers and Heinen had eight rebounds.

Both Even and Burns scored 10 points for the Bobcats and Burns accounted for five rebounds in the contest.

Brookings took both of the lower level games, earning a 39-33 win in the JV game and coming from way behind to take a 42-36 win in the Freshman contest.

Huron is back in action Saturday, when second-ranked Sioux Falls Jefferson visits Huron Arena with a 1:30 p.m. tip scheduled.

Brookings 9 19 28
Huron 11 22 36

BROOKINGS (2-6): Macy Even 4 1-2 10; Kymber Buys 1 0-0 2; Amari Ward 1 0-0 2; Logan Smidt 2 0-0 5; Tess Burns 4 2-2 10; Sloan McLagan 2 2-2 7; Brinleigh Mack 0 1-2 1. Totals: 14 6-8 36.

HURON (3-6): Aly Davis 1 4-4 6; Hylton Heinz 4 9-9 18; Hamtyn Heinz 4 2-2 14; Lizzy Heinen 3 0-1 6; Kenzie Siemonsma 2 1-4 5; Allison Janes 2 0-0 5. Totals: 16 16-20 54.

FG: B - 14-39, 36%; H - 16-37 43%. 3-pt FG: B - 3-17 (Even, Smidt, McLagan); H - 6-16 (Hamtyn Heinz 4, Hylton Heinz, Janes). REB: B - 21 (Burns 5); H - 28 (Heinen 8). TO: B - 17; H - 15. Fouls: B - 17 (Ward, Burns, out); H - 17.