Red Knights Advance to State

Prologue
After a great afternoon of NCAA action, it was off to Concordia-St. Paul's Gangelhoff Center for the 6AAA final between top seed Benilde-St. Margaret's and 3 seed Holy Angels.  These teams play at BSM in mid-December with the Red Knights rolling to an 84-60 win.  But it was a typical AHA slow start against a tough schedule as they finished 14-3 coming into this one.  No food tonight due to a full afternoon of eating.  Almost a perfect size crowd for the building and an appearance by the Holy Angels pep band.  St. Olaf and St. Mary's looking on.  De La Salle and Columbia Heights both looking on before they meet tomorrow in the 3AAA final at Blaine.

Game Time
5-4 Holy Angels early before a 7-0 Red Knights run.  Seth Marx for 3 and a pair of Peter Crawford hoops in the run.  11-5 BSM when Holy Angels takes time with 14:08 left in the half.  AHA comes back behind RD Brown with a 3 point play and a regular 3.  15 all at the mid point of the first half.  Holy Angels with a 3 point lead when Peter Crawford picks up his 2nd foul at the 4:13 mark.  6 of the next 8 to AHA and the lead is 7.  Marx with a clutch 3 off a set play to keep BSM close.  AHA 37-35 at the half.  Sam Gullickson 10 points.  Marx with 3 triples for 9.


Neither team can run away early in the second half.  Isaiah Zierden fouled on a 3 and he makes all 3 freebies.  39 all at 15:55.  49-46 Holy Angels with 11:31 left after 2 Cole Frechette freebies.  Another set play is another triple for Marx.  Then Holy Angels gets loose for an apparent layup but Crawford absolutely stuffs it.  We go back the other way and after being fouled on an inbound play , Crawford makes 2 free throws.  That 4 point swing ties the game at 53 with 8:48 left.  Then Crawford with the 3 point play at 8:11.  AHA's main post threat Andy Jirik picks up his 4th foul on the play.  59-58 Holy Angels when Isaiah Zierden strips Jack Hogan and gets the intentional foul call.  The foul somehow is called before the shot.  Zierden makes both and the Red Knights don't convert the possession.  Jirik is back in the game and they call a postup for him for an easy 2.  Crawford drives for 2 free throws and then grabs an offensive board for 2 more free throws at 5:16.  Jirik fouls out on the play.  64-61 is the Red Knights lead.  Evan Battle with 2 free throws and then Crawford finds him for a layup with just over 4 minutes left.  68-61 Red Knights after the 10-2 spurt.  AHA doesn't threaten the rest of the way.  Benilde-St. Margaret's advances to state with a 77-70 win.


For Holy Angels, Cole Frechette with 17 points.  RD Brown with 17 points off the bench.  Sam Gullickson 12 points with 10 of those in the 1st half.  Andy Jirik held to 8 points.  Once he fouled out, Holy Angels had no offense inside which really hurt them and that's when Benilde sealed the deal.  The Stars finish the season 17-12.  They have the backcourt pieces of Parker Bredow and Tyler Emanuel back for 2 seasons.  Damon Woods also returns.

For Benilde-St. Margaret's, Peter Crawford leads the way with 20 points, 14 in the second half.  Seth Marx 14 points with 4 more triples.  2 of those off set plays when BSM was down.  Isaiah Zierden 9 of 9 at the foul line with 13 total points.  Benilde-St. Margaret's can't be happy with how Holy Angels outworked them but they stayed close and took care of business at the end.  At worst Benilde is looking at a 3 seed in the state tournament (behind Johnson and De La Salle).