MITCHELL – Mitchell built a third-quarter advantage and then made enough plays down the stretch to edge Aberdeen Central 69-62 at the Corn Palace Tuesday night.

The fourth-rated Kernels hit from the perimeter to grab a lead, then made free throws in the final minute to keep it on the way to the Eastern South Dakota Conference boys’ basketball win over the fifth-rated Golden Eagles.

“Our kids played really hard,” said Central coach Brent Norberg. “We just couldn’t get a stop down the stretch when we needed to.”

The game was tight the whole way and the Eagles led 35-34 when things began to turn in the third quarter.

Mitchell went on an 11-2 run to grab an 45-37 lead and Central was never able to get back in front the rest of the way.

Caden Hinker did major damage for the Kernels. The senior standout had three three-pointers, a dunk, two free throws and assisted on a three-pointer in the third quarter alone. He finished with 30 points and nine rebounds.

“He’s very good,” Norberg said, “and that is the best I’ve seen him play all year.”

The Eagles did not go away, though. Even with a scoreless four-minute stretch to start the final period, Central was right in contention. Jameson Palmer’s three-pointer cut the deficit to 65-61 with 1:44 remaining and the Eagles inched to within three points on an AJ Hase free throw.

However, Central was forced to foul and Charlie McCardle made three foul shots to help ice the win for the Kernels.

McCardle and Steele Morgan each had 10 points for Mitchell, and Dylan Soulek and Aiden Myers each had nine. The Kernels shot 64 percent from three-point rnage.

Sam Rohlfs had 21 points and Hase 20 for the Eagles. Alec Voegele contributed nine points.

Central, 9-6 on the season, plays host to Huron at 7 p.m. Friday at Golden Eagles Arena. The Tigers beat Pierre on a last-second shot on Tuesday.

“Every game is big and they have gotten better all year,” Norberg said of the Tigers. “We will need to play very well Friday.”

ABERDEEN CENTRAL (9-6): Alec Voegele 4 0-0 9, Jackson Dorsett 2 0-0 5, Sam Rohlfs 9 0-0 21, AJ Hase 8 1-2 20, Brady Rohrbach 1 0-0 2, Carter Dingman 1 0-0 3, James Palmer 1 0-0 3. Totals 26-49 1-2 63.

MITCHELL (11-4): Caden Hinker 10 4-4 30, Steele Morgan 5 0-0 10, Dylan Soulek 3 3-5 9, Aiden Myers 3 0-1 9, Charlie McCardle 3 4-6 10. Totals 24-51 11-16 68.

Aberdeen Central 20 33 52 62

Mitchell 15 34 54 69

3-point field goals – Voegele, Dorsett, Rohlfs 3, Hase 3, Dingman, Palmer; Hinker 6, Myers 3. Total fouls – Aberdeen Central 14; Mitchell 5. Rebounds – Aberdeen Central 26 (Rohrbach 6, Voegele 5, Rohlfs 5); Mitchell 27 (Hinker 9). Turnovers – Aberdeen Central 11; Mitchell 7. Assists – Aberdeen Central 4 (Rohlfs 3); Mitchell 10 (Soulek 4). Steals – Aberdeen Central 5; Mitchell 4.