WATERTOWN — The Huron Tigers struggled to make a shot after shooting very well in Saturday’s win over Jefferson, and the Watertown Arrows put four guys into double-figure scoring as they handily defeated Huron 59-35 at the Watertown Civic Center Tuesday.

The two teams came out playing back-and-forth basketball. Kohen Kranz hit a jumper for Watertown to open scoring, but after an empty Huron possession, Anderson Porisch grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup for the Tigers.

Blake Ellwein drove through the lane to give Huron its first lead with 4:25 left in the first quarter at 6-4, but Caden Beauchamp immediately answered with a strong post move and was fouled, converting the free throw to make it 7-6. Huron wouldn’t lead again in the game.

Huron’s shots simply did not fall, especially from outside. The outside shots weren’t falling until two minutes remaining in the first quarter, when Peyton Buisker came off the bench and hit the first long ball for Watertown.

Watertown got two more three balls from Jake Olson to close out the first quarter leading 18-10.

The scoring run didn’t stop when the second quarter began as Kranz and Dylon Rawdon hit back-to-back threes for Watertown. Porisch hit one of two free throws and then made a nice move in the lane for a bucket the next trip down, but Huron was down 26-13 by that point.

Huron could only make free throws - and then only one of two on trips that were earned - while Watertown continued to drain threes, pushing the lead out to 37-15 when Blake Ellwein drove the length of the court but was called for an offensive foul, his third foul.

Rawdon hit a pair of free throws - and Watertown went 6-for-6 from the line in the first half as well - and Porisch hit a short jump hook to make it 39-17 Watertown heading to half.

Tigers coach Tim Buddenhagen tried to rally his team at half, explaining that Huron was playing hard, but Watertown was competing each play.

The two teams went scoreless for two-and-a-half minutes to open the second half before Ellwein hit a pair of free throws.

Watertown quickly answered with five points from Kranz, including drawing Ellwein’s fourth foul. Carsen Evans was able to get a pair of free throws and made a basket at the end of the quarter for Huron to cut the lead to 49-25 heading into the final period, but Huron continued to struggle shooting.

Gainey hit a corner three in the fourth quarter with four and a half minutes left in the game for the Tigers’ first three of the game, cutting the Watertown lead to 51-32, but that’s as close as the Tigers would get.

The Arrows move to 7-5 behind 13 points from Dylon Rawdon, Will Engstrom, and Jake Olson. Kohen Kranz added 12.

Huron fell to 6-5. Porisch was the lone Tiger in double figures with 10 points. Ellwein added seven.
Buddenhagen was understandably frustrated.

“We got punched in the mouth,” Buddenhagen said. “We just didn’t figure out a way to punch back.”

He continued, “Defensively, we just weren’t tough enough. They did everything right.”

Watertown swept the lower level games, taking the junior varsity game 63-47 and the sophomore game by a 66-57 score.

The Tigers will travel to Sioux Falls Lincoln in a rescheduled game on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Huron         10 17 25 35
Watertown         18 39 49 59

Huron (6-5): Colton McNeil 1 0-0 2, Holden Hegg 2 1-2 5, CJ Gainey 2 0-0 5, Blake Ellwein 2 3-4 7, Anderson Porisch 3 4-6 10, Carsen Evans 1 2-2 4, Kolby Hofer 1 0-0 2. Totals: 12 10-14 35.

Watertown (7-5): Dylon Rawdon 4 2-2 13, Caden Beauchamp 2 1-1 5, Kohen Kranz 3 4-4 12, Will Engstrom 5 1-1 13, Jake Olson 5 0-0 13, Peyton Buisker 1 0-2 3. Totals: 20 8-10 59.