MITCHELL -- A furious fourth-quarter finish couldn't erase first-half frustration for the Aberdeen Roncalli boys' basketball team on Saturday.
The Cavaliers dropped a 72-65 decision to Dell Rapids during the Hanson Classic at the Corn Palace.
"In the first half, we really got nothing established inside. Every was perimeter oriented," said Roncalli coach Todd Neuendorf. "In the fourth (quarter), we just went small and got all over them in the full court. That's kind of what got us back in it."
Roncalli was able to chop a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit down to five points in the closing seconds, but could never fully recover.
Neuendorf said his team needs to get back to playing an uptempo style to utilize its strengths and produce some transition opportunities.
"What's frustrating is, you can't win playing the way we play," he said. "You have to have easy baskets and easy touches. We've got a team that is capable of playing 94 feet. We get caught in a half-court game, we're in trouble."
The Quarriers took advantage of their strength inside in that half-court game. Center Bryce Koch finished with 19 points and Cole Langer got into the lane for 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Roncalli managed to stay in the game with its long-range shooting that produced eight three-point field goals.
However, Roncalli was forced to foul in the fourth quarter and Dell Rapids made the Cavaliers pay. The Quarriers made 18 of 25 free-throw attempts in the final 5 minutes to eventually put the game away.
Zach Schaefbauer came off the bench to produce a team-high 13 points, including three three-pointers, for Roncalli. Fellow reserve Lucas Lorenz accounted for 10 points and a team-leading six rebounds.
Kory Schwan added 12 points to the Roncalli total and Kendal Deutsch contributed 11.
The Cavaliers, who host Sisseton at 8 p.m. Friday at Roncalli Gym, have now lost back-to-back games for the first time this season and are 8-3 on the year.
While the squad has lost four straight times in the Hanson Classic, Neuendorf is hoping that like in year's past, the lessons learned at the Corn Palace will give his squad a strong push during the second half of the season heading into postseason play.
"That's why we sign up for these things," Neuendorf said. "It doesn't do you any good to go 20-0 and lose in the first round of the district."
DELL RAPIDS: Cole Langer 6 7-10 20, Spencer Kerzman 2 0-0 5, Ty Hoglund 4 6-8 14, Matt Kolbeck 1 1-1 3, Bryce Koch 6 7-10 19, Riley Schmidt 0 2-2 2, Zane Schumaker 0 3-6 3, Zach White 3 0-0 6. Totals 22-44 26-37 72.
ABERDEEN RONCALLI: Kory Schwan 3 5-6 12, Kendal Deutsch 4 2-2 11, Zach Andera 2 0-0 6, Brayden McNeary 3 2-2 9, Dominic King 2 0-2 4, Zach Schaefbauer 4 2-2 13, Lucas Lorenz 3 4-4 10. Totals 21-64 15-18 65.
Dell Rapids (7-5)|12 34 50 72
Aberdeen Roncalli (8-3)| 8 25 35 65
3-point field goals -- Langer, Kerzman, Schwan, Deutsch, Andera 2, McNeary, Schaefbauer 3. Fouled out -- Andera. Total fouls -- Dell Rapids 17; Aberdeen Roncalli 23. Rebounds -- Dell Rapids 36 (Langer 11); Aberdeen Roncalli 26 (Lorenz 6). Turnovers -- Dell Rapids 14; Aberdeen Roncalli 10. Assists -- Dell Rapids 6 (Koch 3); Aberdeen Roncalli 11 (Deutsch 4). Blocked Shots -- Dell Rapids 4 (Koch 3); Aberdeen Roncalli 1. Steals -- Dell Rapids 4 (Langer 3); Aberdeen Roncalli 9 (Deutsch 5).