MTS vs Sebeka (2010 Class A Championship)

Very interesting game with Sebeka having an up and down style to run with MTS.  Then it gets really interesting when Kevin Noreen goes up to block a shot and comes down hard on his back only 2:04 into the game.  He'll stay in but definitely not 100%.  Sebeka gets out to a 13-4 lead before Kevin Noreen brings MTS back.  MTS getting good 2 on 1 looks vs the Sebeka pressure.  1 of the press breaks leads to a big Rodney Owens poster.  But MTS has also been really sloppy with 13 turnovers.  6-16 for everybody else on the team.  Joey Cuperus effective inside against Noreen who can hardly get off the floor.  He spends most of the last 16 minutes of the half hanging on the perimeter save 1 late post basket.  The Wolves get a break when Owens fouls Cody Pulju on a 3 at the first half buzzer but only 1 of 3 free throws are made.  32-30 Sebeka at the half and MTS has never had the lead.  MTS has used 3 timeouts already.  2 for injury and 1 in the last minute to stop a 10 second count.  One of the worst uses of timeouts I've seen in a long time.  Let's see if that haunts coach Sherman in the second half.  But there are all of the TV timeouts.  Other big question is if Kevin Noreen's back will stiffen up during the long halftime break.

My All-Tourney Picks: Kevin Noreen, Kyle Noreen and Rodney Owens - MTS.  Joey Cuperus, John Clark and Cody Pulju- Sebeka.  Casey Schilling and Trevor Gruis - Ellsworth,  Kasey Ollof and Nick Thompson - Rushford-Peterson.

MTS out and running vs the Sebeka press early in the half and Sebeka smartly gets out of it at about the 12 minute mark.  MTS has had their best offense when they broken the press so I like that move.  Kevin Noreen's size blocking and changing shots starting to be a factor with 6 blocks to this point.  Clark just made a ridiculous double-clutch with Noreen challenging.  Noreen with a layup at 7:40 for a 4 point lead (biggest so far) and Sebeka calls time to keep it close.  Shot challenged and missed and Owens runs out and finishes.  Danger time for the Trojans.  No points for Sebeka in the last 4 and a half minutes.  9-2 MTS over the last 7 minutes.  6 point lead MTS with 6 minutes and they pull the ball out.  Gack, too early for that. 1 turnover becomes a Sebeka hoop and Sebeka misses a chance to convert another.  Then a jump ball to MTS to save a turnover.  All of that in 1 minute.  53-48 at the 3:46 TV Timeout.  Kevin Noreen 1 block away from a triple-double.

Layup at the 3 minute mark extends the lead to 7 as MTS continues to spread.  Sebeka turns it over and MTS will hold.  Owens and Kevin Noreen tic-tac-toe for an Owens bucket.  Its another layup and the lead is 9.  Game set and finally MTS wins the elusive class A title 61-52.  Kevin Noreen finishes with 24 points, 15 boards and 9 blocks.  He ends his career with all time scoring records of 4086 (career) and 1205 (season).  Rodney Owens finishes with 22 points and 7 rebounds.  Cody Pulju 16 points to lead Sebeka.  John Clark 13 and Joey Cuperus 10 pts and 8 rebounds.  MTS shoots the lights out in the 2nd half.

Here's the Class A All-Tournament Team
Blake Lea - Rushford-Peterson
Kasey Ollof - Rushford-Peterson
Trevor Gruis - Ellsworth
Casey Schilling - Ellsworth
Joey Cuperus - Sebeka
John Clark - Sebeka
Alex Brockpahler - Sebeka
Kyle Noreen - MTS
Kevin Noreen - MTS
Rodney Owens - MTS