Ipswich dropped a Region 2B boys' high school bracket championship game to Lower Brule by a 60-48 margin there last Friday. What was notable about the verdict was that Ipswich had lost a regular-season encounter to Lower Brule by a fairly similar margin at home in the Tiger Den.

So the 2B defeat finished Ipswich's 2020-21 campaign at 15-7 and advanced the Sioux into one of the SoDak 16 encounters. The Potter County Battlers had easily handled Herreid/Selby Area in the other 2B bracket that same night to also punch their ticket into the SoDak 16.

It was a disappointing loss for the four seniors on the IHS roster -- alphabetically Matt Hettich, Josh McQuarie, Dylan Owens and Eric Severson.

It was one of those games where the Sioux would do quite well in the first and last quarters and Ipswich would hang around in the middle quarters until some key fourth-quarter baskets and free throw opportunities by the Sioux would help decide the issue.

Lower Brule had indeed jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, until Thorson got Ipswich on the board. And the hosts would lead 19-12 after a quarter, despite a Carter Geditz basket that closed out that quarter. Ipswich would indeed win the second-quarter scoring outcome 12-10, leaving the Tigers trailing 29-24 at intermission. The closest Ipswich would come in the third quarter was to within one point on three different occasions, 35-34, 37-36 and 39-38, the latter with a Thorson basket. Still behind 42-38 later in the third quarter the Tigers drew to within two points 42-40 with another Thorson basket. But the hosts would then lead 45-40 with three quarters in the books, punctuated by a timely buzzer-beating trey opportunity. And the Sioux would win the final-quarter scoring battle 15-8 for their eventual double-figure 12-point final margin.

Ipswich received 16 points from Severson and Thorson was next with 12 points and four of the Tigers' 17 assists. Ty Kadlec added nine points derived from three accurate trey attempts. McQuarie would include Ipswich's' remaining trey in his seven-point scoring evening. Geditz finished with four points to close out the IHS scorebook.

The Sioux utilized the help of six different scorers, led by Gavin Thigh's game-high 18 points. Next were Shane Grey Owl with 15 points and Keshaume Thigh with 14 points.

The Sioux made 19 baskets that featured eight treys and they were 14-23 in free throw tries. Ipswich countered with 21 accurate floor shots that included those four treys, but the Tigers were just 2-5 in free throw attempts.

The Sioux were out-rebounded 37-26 by the Tigers, one of the evening's bright spots. That balanced effort was led by Thorson, Matt Hettich and Kadlec with seven retrieves apiece.

Ipswich sustained 22 turnovers, though, while the hosts only had 13. Ipswich came away with eight steals, paced by Kadlec's three.

Ipswich was coached by Tyler Severson, assisted by Todd Thorson and Michael Champagne.