Thoughts from a pair of 4A games

First some thoughts on the Tech/Champlin Park game which I saw the last 11 minutes of.  Really strange that Champlin Park got a 44-42 lead and then was in a huge hurry to throw up tough shots like they were down 10 with 30 seconds left.  A game the Rebels definitely should have won.

As to the 4A semi between Hopkins and Sibley.  I arrive at halftime to see an absolutely HUGE Sibley student section at 1 end of the court.  Its top to bottom filling the entire corner section.  Props to those students.Combined with a small Hopkins section.  At the 1st TV Timeout , 5 guys with 3 fouls and Sibley nursing a 40-36 lead.  Big time feel to this one.  The 1st guy with 4 could make a difference if it happens quickly. 

Its Rostampour (really?) with 13:25 left and coach Dasovich has to go get him.  Surprised Jordan Jackson hasn't attacked Siyani Chambers and his 3 fouls more.  Singleton stops Krueser, then takes him to the rim for a miss and blocks Grant.  That leads to Chambers going to the line to tie the game.  Kreuser not strong enough to dominate Singleton on the offensive end and now quick enough to stop him on the defense end so a very tough matchup with Rostampour down with 4 fouls.  Good timeout at 12:21 by coach Dasovich as you can feel Hopkins picking up the mighty mo.

Coleman with a steal and he tips it out and runs it down for 2 off the wrong foot and Hopkins goes up 41-40. Danger time for the Warriors here.  Kreuser misses 2 chances and Coleman converts 2 freebies at 10:18 . 44-40 Hopkins and that gets Rostampour back in at 10:03.  How long will he last?  Chambers picks up his 4th at the 9:45 mark trying to stop a pass to Kreuser.  DJ Peterson taking over the full time point guard duties now.  Nice luxury for coach Novak.  Also gives Hopkins a bigger lineup with Zach Stahl replacing Chambers.

Hopkins getting a couple of good high post looks vs the Sibley 2-3.  Coleman misses one and puts back a miss after that.  Singleton converts the other.  Still 50-46 Hopkins wiht 7:45 remaining as the teams continue to trade buckets.  Kreuser gets his 4th at 7:11.  Jake Goldberg replaces him.  Coleman picks a Rostampour skip out of the post at 6:45 and goes the other way for the 2 handed hammer.  Singleton vs Rostampour now.  Fun matchup.  Hopkins going right at Rostampour with 2 postups that Singleton scores on.  57-50 Hopkins with 5:20 left.  Singleton and Rostampour go tumbling at the other end.  Hopkins wants a double foul to get rid of Rostampour but they won't get it.  He makes the bonus freebies with 4:39 left for a TV Timeout.  Kreuser was at the table so we'll see both Sibley bigs in with 4.  59-54 Hopkins.

Singleton dribbling the spots off the ball trying to attack Kreuser and he turns it over for 2 Jackson freebies.  3:54 left Chambers returns for the Royals.  59-55 as Jackson makes 1 of 2.  Kreuser tips a miss in his own basket and Rostampour puts back a miss on his end.  61-57 Hopkins 3 minutes left.  Nice pullup jumper by Stahl before getting to Kreuser.  Jackson fouled 93 feet away and makes 2 with 2:43 left and we have the final TV timeout.  63-59 Hopkins leads.  Sibley has to figure out a way to get a stop. 

And they get the turnover.  Set postup for Rostampour on the right box and he goes jump hook over the left shoulder at 2:10.  Standard set and a good call.  Jackson picks up his fourth out high and DJ Peterson shoots 2 at the 1:57 mark.  He makes 1 of 2 so Sibley is now within 1 possession.  Jimmy Ryan straightaway for 3 and the Sibley section erupts.  Hopkins brings the ball to the frontcourt and takes time with 1:27 left.   64 all and this REALLY gets interesting now.

Coleman drives and Kreuser takes the charge with 1:17 left.  I know coach Dasovich has siad he may be better at taking charges than blocking shots.  Rostampour past Stahl on a postup and he misses.  The ball is tipped out and Coleman has a wideopen track  Grant gets the left shoulder which is meaningless with 53.5 left as Coleman converts.  He misses the free throw but Stahl grabs it and Kreuser fouls out at 51.6.  What a turnaround.  Stahl gets 2 freebies and misses both.  Goldberg grabs the board. Coleman reaches in and tips it away.  Its off Rostampour with 49 seconds left.  Unbelievable.  Coleman fouled with 47.2 left and he makes 1 of 2.   67-64 Hopkins.  Jackson right to the rack for 2 with 35 seconds left.  Timeout Sibley down 67-66.  Lots of time.  Coleman 6-10, Singleton 5-8 from the line to this point.  Coleman drives and makes a dangerous pass that is tipped out with 25.2 left.  Sibley didn't look to foul at all and Coleman would have been a good candidate.  But nobody really sticks out as an outstanding foul shooter.

Sibley elects not to foul Coleman but they get DJ Peterson with 20.2 left.  He comes in 37 of 60 from the line on the year.  He steps up and makes both pure for a 69-66 lead.  Sibley pushes and has a passed tipped away.  Sibley uses their last timeout with the ball in their half and 10.6 left.  With no timeouts, you almost have to play for the 3 here as Hopkins could just let the clock run out on a 2.  The ball goes right looking for Jimmy Ryan running the baseline. Nothing there.  The ball is reversed to Dante Grant who takes a dribble and ducks under Singleton and banks in a left wing 3 with 2.5 remaining.  Absolutely crazy.  Best shot I've seen all year.  The clocks runs out and we have a table review (new this year by rule).  Coaches are called over by the offiicals.  Its a 3 and there's no time left.  69 all and we will play overtime.  UNREAL!  Am I actually courtside watching this??

Nice pick and roll finds Singleton and no help and that puts Hopkins up 73-69.  Sibley called for a moving screen. Hopkins goes dribble weave and Grant blocks DJ Peterson from behind.  Jimmy Ryan cashes it in with a 3 from the left corner.  Timeout Hopkins up 73-72 with 1:35 left and the ball.  Singleton catches at the high post and gets called for changing pivot feet on a basic turn.  Have to see that again to see if he actually walked.  But Sibley turns it over on the other end with 1:12 left.  Grant fouls out at 1:04 to put Chambers on the line.  He makes both without issue.  75-72 Hopkins.  Jackson to the rim and spins for a call with 54.4 left.  He makes 1 of 2 and Sibley almost grabs the board after a pair of tips.  75-73 Hopkins with 33.5 left when Jeremiah Tolbert gets fouled.  The first is around and out after a "In Your Head" chant from the Sibley students (HA!).  The chant starts again and the 2nd is short.  Jackson to Ryan who's on the NBA line for 3.  Hopkins rushes back the other way.  Ball ends up with Coleman going strong and Rostampour fouls out with 7.2 left.  Now we have a loud building but the Sibley fans are behind the shooter.  1st is around and down and the 2nd is short. Sibley rebounds and takes timeout.  Its an extra long timeout as the time remaining is reviewed on the monitor.  Its set to 5.7.

With Kreuser and Rostampour gone, seems awfully tough to think that a 2nd OT would favor Sibley.  Jordan Jackson with buzzer beaters in the last 2 games against CDH and Eastview.  It has to be all him here.  Jackson splits a double team to catch but then a lob pass is turned over.  Singleton heaves at the buzzer and its long.  We'll play double overtime.

The parade to the foul line continues in the 2nd OT as Singleton makes 2 and Chambers makes 2.  80-76 with 3:01 left in the OT.  Chambers fouls out at 2:50 for a pair of Jordan Jackson free throws to cut the lead in half.  Peterson drives and finishes right handed at 2:30.  Jackson spins, falls away and banks at 2:20.  Crazy difficult shot that he's athletic enough to make.  Jackson reaches in and he's gone with 5 at 2:07.  That's the 3rd starter and 4th guy for Sibley to foul out.  Sibley now with 2 freshman on the floor and a reserve who has played minimal minutes.  Coleman makes 1 of 2 before a missed Sibley 3.  Peterson puts it on the deck and he earnes a trip to the line.  He makes 1 with 1:45 left.  84-80 Hopkins leads and Sibley takes timeout with 1:40 left.

Jimmy Ryan goes quick for 2.  90 seconds left and Hopkins by 2.  Hopkins in no hurry to score.  Sibley gets a trap on Peterson but a quick foul is called when it looked like they may have a steal.  Peterson makes 1 of 2 with 44.1 left.  Nick Goldberg gets a great look at a 3 from the right corner with 30 seconds left and its no good.  Singleton grabs the board and he's fouled with 25.7 left.  He makes 1 of 2 for a 4 point Hopkins lead.  Hopkins gets a doubleteam and a tip away.  Coleman puts on the exclamation point with a big 2 handed dunk.  Hopkins goes on to win an amazing game 90-82.

Hopkins wins this one and keeps it interesting at the line.  They shoot 39-58 from the charity stripe to 18-24 for Sibley.  No team had a lead bigger than 9.  Joe Coleman 25 and 7 for Hopkins. Marvin Singleton 22 points.   Jordan Jackson 25 for Sibley.  Soph Dante Grant comes up big with 20 points.  Mike Rostampour 13 and 12.  Czar's Note 3/24/10  The 39-58 FT shooting for Hopkins is a record for most free throws taken and attempted.