Zephyrs too strong for Huskies

Prologue
A brutal night on the schedule but 1 kinda interesting game with 6-5 Mahtomedi visiting surprising 9-3 St. Anthony.  St. Anthony sitting on top of the Tri-Metro East at 5-1 thanks to a head-head win at Concordia.  Mahtomedi was ranked just a couple of weeks ago but has back to back road losses in Classic Suburban play to fall to 2-3 in league play.  Good pizza on the menu which is always nice.  Best of all, we have the absolutely outstanding St. Anthony pep band.  Easy nominee for my band of the year.  Great music with another awesome version of Crazy Train (just like my alma mater), Beat It and Don't Stop Believing.  But tonight's song of the day from their set list is one that can't be played enough.

Song of the Day
George Thorogood - Bad to the Bone

Game Time
Mahtomedi jumps out quickly thanks to 3 easy post buckets from 6'9 Dane Schmid (No Huskies starter over 6'3).  11-0 Zephyrs at the 14:35 mark.  Then its a run for Mahtomedi's sophomore leader Zach Lindquist.  He drives for 2, on the post for a 3 point play, another post bucket and add 2 more.  29-14 Mahtomedi at 7:45.  Then a 7-0 run capped by an Andrew Lindquist 3 pushes the lead to 41-20 at 3:15. St. Anthony finishes the half on a 8-0 run thanks to a Steven Couillard jumper and steal for 2.  A 3 goes in and out at the halftime buzzer that would have cut the lead to 10.  41-28 Mahtomedi at the half.

Junior forward Mike Harris has a nice set of minutes off the bench to push Mahtomedi further ahead.  A 3 point play, a nice spin for a 2 and 2 free throws working the offensive glass for 7 in a row.  Its part of an 11-0 run.  57-35 Mahtomedi with 10:20 left.  But St. Anthony is still playing very hard and with their man to man trapping, Dustin Iannazzo gets 4 straight steals as the run and jump causes havoc.  After the last steal they get a great look at a 3 that doesn't go in.  57-45 Mahtomedi with 6:15 left.  Zach Lindquist converts a post up on the other end.  Then a St. Anthony block nets no points and Andrew Lindquist ends up with a layup and is fouled on the other end.  That's the last threat.  Mahtomedi wins 71-50.

Post Game
For St. Anthony, they fall to 9-4.  Anthony Brama was averaging 20 a night coming in.  He's held to 5 points on 2-12 shooting.  Mahtomedi made sure to swarm him when he touched the ball inside.  Stephen Couillard leads the Huskies with 15 points.  Dustin Iannazzo used his handful of steals to finish with 14 points.  This was a night where 2 or 3 more shots falling at the right time could have really changed the face of the game but the Huskies don't have that prime shooter this year with Josh Pratt now at Hamline.  Next up for St. Anthony is B league play as in Blake, Breck and Brooklyn Center to finish up play against the Tri-Metro West. 

For Mahtomedi, they improve to 7-5.  Soph Zach Lindquist was averaging about 16 a night coming in to top the Zephyrs.  He gets 25 with 10 boards tonight on 11-15 shooting.  A very tough matchup for opponents at 6'3 with a big body but he can handle, shoot and pass away from the basket.  Dane Schmid with 9 of his 12 in the first half.  Andrew Lindquist can really shoot it though he was off for some of the night.  Three 3s in the 1st half to finish with 13 points.  Mike Harris with the second half spurt off the bench to reach double figures with 11 points.  Zach Lindquist and Schmid did whatever they wanted inside.  Give credit to St. Anthony for playing hard but there were at least 2 spots where the lead was 20 and the Zephyrs didn't put the game away.  They resume Classic Suburban play next week against Henry Sibley and at North St. Paul before the Justin Pahl return game next Saturday.