Transitions gets first ever win over Minnehaha

Prologue
A thoroughly miserable night for travel in the metro and the crowd at Minnehaha reflected it.  But this is my favorite facility so that helps.  And a big game as #3A Minnesota Transitions visits the #6AA Redhawks.  You have to love the 24oz bottles at the concession stand, but I wish the sloppy joes would have been ready.  The JV game makes up for it too as Minnehaha leads by 12 at the half, gets down 7 in the second half and then MTS banks in a 3 on a broken play at the buzzer to win 69-66.  And we have a special appearance by the MTS drum line.  And there was no warning to bring ear plugs.  Bolshevik!  Gotta love the Redhawks snazzy new black home uniforms.  St. Mary's and Augsburg on hand to watch tonight as well. 

Game Time
A pair of fun matchups as Rodney Owens (the KC player of fame) goes up against Parker Hines.  Taylor Hanson and Kevin Noreen get the other premier matchup.  Austin Brown really didn't do much to warmup (coming off injury) but he's en fuego to start.  15-14 Transitions at the 10:27 mark and Brown has 11 of the points for Minnehaha.  That's a good thing as Hines and Hanson can't find the net.  But the Redhawks do start to find the range, specifically Hines.  His deep 3 at the 6 minute mark gives the Redhawks their first lead, 25-22.  He then nails 2 more triples for a 31-30 Minnehaha lead outside of 3 minutes.  He adds a layup for 13 out of 15 Redhawks points.  Lefty David Wallendorf was the only player off the bench for MTS in this one and boy did he produce.  He nails 3 triples and a layup in the last 2:45 of the half for the final 11 MTS points of the half.  41-40 MTS at the break.  Hines with 15, Brown with 14.  Kevin Noreen with 14 and 6.  Wallendorf with 11.  Taylor Hanson only 1-5 for 2 points.

MTS comes out box and 1 (actually a 1-3 formation with Owens on top and Kevin Noreen in the middle) on Brown in the 2nd half (maybe triangle and 2 on Hines) with Kyle Noreen getting the task.  Minnehaha getting some chances to penetrate but nobody can pull away.  Hanson with a 3 to keep the MTS lead at 1, 53-52 with 13:30 to go.  Kevin Noreen with a 3 point play and Owens with 2 but misses the And 1.  That's the 4th foul on Hanson and he has to sit.  Austin Brown appears to get fouled at the rim with no call and Wallendorf converts that into a layup.  63-54 Transitions and coach Johnson is hot.  7-0 fouls against Minnehaha at this point in the half and he earns the technical with 11:39 to go.  DeAngelo Potter with a drive for 2 and an Owens dunk extend the lead to 14 with 9:30 to go after a 16-3 run.  Hanson is back with the 4 fouls but has to guard Wallendorf instead of Kevin Noreen.

Minnehaha slowly claws back.  Hanson with a jumper.  Brown with a pullup and 3 free throws.  Hines with a layup.  That's a 9-2 Minnehaha run.  71-64 Transitions with 4:20 to go and coach Sherman is not at all pleased with his guys.  Hanson nails a 3 after an Owens charge and its a 4 point game with 3:15 left, 71-67.  The Redhawks will get no closer.  Hanson now has to guard Kevin Noreen.  While Kevin was very passive on this night in the 1-4 low set, he wasn't on this possession.  Hanson has to let him go (4 fouls) and the lead is back to 6.  MTS holds and the rest is a forced 3 point and foul shooting contest.  MTS wins 85-75.

For Minnehaha, they fought back from the deficit and early shooting struggles.  Austin Brown and Parker Hines each finish with 24 points.  Brown 7-15 but only 2-7 in the 2nd half.  Hines finishes 10-22.  Taylor Hanson rebounded from a tough first half to finish with 15 points and 6 rebounds (5-5 in the 2nd half).  Had a tough night going at Kevin Noreen, but I thought he could have gotten another call or 2.  After those 3, only 12 points. Minnehaha with another tough test as they face #9AA Braham in the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic at Minnetonka on Saturday.

For MTS, Kevin Noreen finishes with 30 points and 17 rebounds to close within 467 points of the all time scoring record.  I had him 10-14 from the floor but only 9-14 from the charity stripe.  DeAngelo Potter with 17 points and 6 boards on the night.  His 4 of 4 from the line late put this one away.  Rodney Owens with a quiet 15 points.  Very willing passer and plays with nice poise.  But he's athletic and can get out and finish on the break.  Kyle Noreen 10 points and 8 rebounds.  Depth could be an issue for MTS as they only played 6 and no Mac Ingram tonight.  MTS went zone late in the 1st half and stuck with it the rest of the way (if you count the box and 1 stuff).  Its early, but the zone was porous.  That's something that needs work.  They get #7AAA Minneapolis Henry Saturday night at the Breakdown classic in what should be a really entertaining game.