In a game that featured many scoring runs, Aberdeen Roncalli had the mostly timely surges during the Cavaliers Classic Saturday evening at Roncalli Gym.

Roncalli wiped out a six-point deficit late in the third quarter to rally for 65-59 boys’ basketball win over Mobridge-Pollock. It was Roncalli’s first win over the Tigers since 2018.

“Our coaches really harp on it’s a game of runs and we’ve got to keep our composure when they have their run and we’re going to battle back with our run,” said Roncalli senior Jesse Hernandez. “So I think it came back to who had the bigger run and we did. We kept our composure through it, we trusted the guys on the floor.”

After watching the Tigers go on a 14-1 run in the third quarter to turn a 38-31 deficit into a 45-39 edge, Roncalli responded by closing out the quarter on a 10-1 run to take a 49-46 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers then played with a lead the rest of the way, getting major contributions from a variety of players, including three-point field goals from Ezra Feicket and Quinten Shelton.

“That’s the number one thing we said after the game, definition of a team win,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “Two our main guys (Austin Fisher and Bryson Olson) go out in the fourth quarter fouling out. Ezra steps up two big 3’s. Q with that big 3, but Q also played great defense on one of the best players in the area (Shooter Frederick). He made him work for everything, nothing easy.”

Mobridge-Pollock had the initial run in the game, bolting out to a 10-0 lead. However, Hernandez had a monster first period with 15 points to get the Cavaliers right back into it.

“We needed to be a little bit more disciplined on not letting a guy keep shooting,” said Mobridge-Pollock coach Thomas Knudson. “We needed to run him off the line more consistently.”

Kale Knudson almost single-handidly kept the Tigers within striking distance with 13 second-half points.

Knudson finished with 20 points before fouling out, one of four players to exit via fouls.

“It is really tough when there’s a lot of fouls,” the junior said, “but we just have to push through it.”

He said there are a lot of things the Tigers can take from the game to get better as the season progresses.

“We can totally benefit from it. … You learn a lot from losing,” Knudson said. “We learn from our mistakes. We’re going to get better.”

Hernandez led all scorers with 25 points. Fisher had 11, while Shelton and Olson each contributed eight.

“We’re going to have those nights where we shoot it well. We’re a shooting team,” Hernandez said. “We can put five guys on the floor that can shoot from basically anywhere.”

Gallagher said it was extra meaningful that this year’s version of the Cavaliers ended the losing streak against the Tigers, since Roncalli lost eight seniors to graduation.

“For this to be the team to do it, it’s really special,” Gallagher said. “It’s a team that’s really bonded well together.”

Coach Knudson did not need to be reminded of the streak that was snapped.

“This is the first time we’ve lost to Roncalli in seven years. … We’ve gotten away with a few wins over the years,” he said. “It was a good contest and we’ll be ready for them next year.”

Roncalli, 2-0 on the season, hosts Oakes, N.D. on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at Roncalli Gym.

“2-0 going into break, guys are happy,” Gallagher said, “just not satisfied because we want more still, too.”

MOBRIDGE-POLLOCK: Shooter Frederick 2 1-4 5, Easton Eisemann 3 1-6 7, Kyson Good Shield 2 2-3 6, Jesse Schneider 1 1-2 3, Kale Knudson 9 2-2 20, Truth Crow Ghost 5 0-0 11, Kadin Kuehl 2 1-2 6. Totals 24 8-19 59.

ABERDEEN RONCALLI: Jesse Hernandez 8 3-5 25, Sam Larson 2 1-2 6, Austin Fisher 5 1-1 11, Quinten Shelton 2 2-6 8, Bryson Olson 4 0-1 8, Ezra Feickert 2 0-0 6, Mason Berndt 0 1-2 1. Totals 23 9-17 65.

Mobridge-Pollock 16 26 46 59

Aberdeen Roncalli 15 30 49 65

3-point field goals – Crow Ghost, Kuehl; Hernandez 6, Larson, Shelton 2, Feickert 2. Fouled out – Eisemann, Knudson; Fisher, Olson. Total fouls – Mobridge-Pollock 19; Aberdeen Roncalli 22. Turnovers – Mobridge-Pollock 14; Aberdeen Roncalli 17.