HURON – Top-seeded Wolsey-Wessington held off a pesky Jones County squad to earn a 53-42 opening round win at the Class B Girls’ State Basketball Tournament in Huron Thursday afternoon.

Like a previous meeting during the regular season, Wolsey-Wessington had to rally from a second-half deficit against Jones County.

The Warbirds and Coyotes began the game trading baskets before the Warbirds took a 16-9 lead after the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, Jones County was able to climb back into the game.

Wolsey-Wessington coach Josh McGillvrey attributed more than a dozen first-half turnovers as a big factor in the Coyotes second-quarter surge.

“We had 13 turnovers, and that was a big dealbreaker for us,” McGillvrey said. “We had some jitters to start it off there, but we worked through it there, stayed together, and we were getting looks that we wanted. We were making a bad pass and not doing the extra stuff.”

Despite the tough first half, the Warbirds clung to a 23-21 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, both teams battled for the lead. Jones County built a 29-24 lead early in the quarter before Wolsey-Wessington responded with an 11-2 run to end the quarter. The Warbirds took advantage of two old fashioned 3-point plays late in the quarter to give them a 35-31 lead after three quarters.

The Warbirds continued to attack the basket in the fourth quarter and got to the free-throw line, where they were able to put the game away. Wolsey-Wessington made nine free-throws in the final period, and finished 12-of-13 for the game at the charity stripe.

McGillvrey was proud of how his team was able to finish the game.

“Going into the postseason, we’ve just been preaching defense and free throws,” McGillvrey said. “We feel we can score the basketball, but we’ve gotta defend and we’ve gotta hit free throws when it comes down to it, and we did an excellent job of that.”

Wolsey-Wessington was led by Leah Williams with 15 points and four assists, and Mya Boomsma had 14 points. Mallory Miller contributed eight points and nine rebounds, while Taylor Horn and Payton Kemnitz each added six points.

Jones County was led by Mallory Valburg with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Jolie Dugan added eight points.

Despite the win, McGillvrey knows his team still has work to do to get prepared for tonight’s semifinal contest.

“We really gotta work on defense still, boxing out, rebounding, just doing those little things,” McGillvrey said. “I think another adjustment that we don’t have to make, (but) just comes natural is getting that first game under the belt. I think we had some nerves there the first half, and we were able to get through that, and I think that’s kind of a big thing.”

Wolsey-Wessington will play fifth-seeded Wall at 6 tonight in the semifinals.

JONES COUNTY (17-5): Peyton Rankin 2 0-0 5, Emma Hunt 2 0-0 6, Jolie Dugan 3 0-0 8, Mallory Valburg 6 2-2 14, Jadyn Jensen 2 0-0 4, Sophie Dowling 2 0-0 5. Totals 17 2-2 42.

WOLSEY-WESSINGTON (22-2): Leah Williams 4 5-5 15, Lainey Uttecht 2 0-0 4, Taylor Horn 2 1-2 6, Mya Boomsma 5 4-4 14, Mallory Miller 3 0-0 8, Payton Kemnitz 2 2-2 6. Totals 18 12-13 53.

Jones County 9 21 31 42

Wolsey-Wessington 16 23 35 53

3-point field goals – Hunt 2, Dugan 2, Rankin, Dowling; Williams 2, Miller 2, Horn;. Total fouls – Jones County 11; Wolsey-Wessington 7. Rebounds – Jones County 28 (Valburg 14); Wolsey-Wessington (Miller 9. Turnovers – Jones County 9; Wolsey-Wessington 20. Assists – Jones County 11 (Jensen 5); Wolsey-Wessington 10 (Williams 4). Steals – Jones County 20 (Jensen 4, Valburg 4); Wolsey-Wessington 8 (Williams 2).