By Mark HaugenEllsworth came within a point of winning the Holiday Tournament in Mitchell, S.D., but their 2-1 tournament performance evened their season record at 4-4.Ellsworth beat Geddes, S.D., 56-48 on Monday night in the Corn Palace and fell 48-47 to host Mitchell Christian on Tuesday.Cody Schilling and Ben Herman were named to the all-tournament team.The Panther boys have three home games coming up. They play Southwest Star Concept on Monday, Southwest Christian Tuesday and No. 1 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton on Thursday.Ellsworth 56, Geddes 48 OTBehind most of the game, Aaron VanDerStoep hit a 3-pointer to make it 44-42 in regulation. After an unsuccessful possession for Geddes, the Panthers missed a shot but Cody Schilling got the rebound and put-back with eight seconds left to force overtime."Once we were in overtime we kind of just stayed in control," Coach Ken Kvaale said. Schilling led with 27 points and 10 rebounds. VanDerStoep and Weston DeBerg netted eight each. DeBerg also had eight rebounds and VanDerStoep five assists.The Panther defense smothered Geddes in the second half and through overtime, allowing only 11 points over that stretch.Geddes led 37-26 at overtime but then scored only two points in the third period as their lead was cut to 39-33. Geddes then managed only five points in the fourth quarter as regulation ended at 44-44.Mitchell Christian 48,Ellsworth 47Ben Herman hit a 3-pointer to pull the Panthers within one point with 20 seconds left and a controversial foul call on a rebound under the Mitchell basket ended Ellsworth’s hopes of the title.Herman scored 16 and Bryan Kramer 10 for Ellsworth. Schilling managed only eight points, smothered in a box-and-one defense, but he did hand out eight assists.
