Prologue
To Edison for a section 4AA showdown with Blake. A quality Tommie Taco (walking taco) on tonight's menu. Despite being the only game in town, an expected sparse crowd. We also get an overzealous public address guy and the Edison dance team at the half.
Game Time
Coach Nick Rathmann has Blake run THE WORLD'S WORST OFFENSE (that's The Flex for you new readers) on the first possession of the night just to spite me. Freshman point guard John Veil off to a nice start. He hits a runner in the lane for Blake's first lead of 4-3. Then the same set play gets him wide open off a high double screen for a pair a 3s. 18-11 Blake at the 9:20 mark. Kebu Johnson with a nice spin to his right for a layup at 5:50. 23-16 Blake leads. 29-22 Blake at halftime.
Veil for 3 and Kebu to the basket for 2 more. 35-24 with 16:10 left. Then the officiating gets out of hand. An Edison technical on a shooting foul, but the officials shoot the Ts 1st and refuse to realize their error. Veil makes the technical free throws. Kebu follows up with 3 points. 40-24 Blake with 15:30 left. Then THE WORLD'S WORST OFFENSE rears its ugly head again as Veil makes a 3 out of it followed by a Paul Blake 3. 46-26 Blake leads with 14:05 left. Its a 17-4 Blake run to start the half. The officials still at it as Kebu Johnson picks up a foul and stomps away and gets the really awful technical called. Nothing said and he gets the T, that's a horrendous call. It sends Johnson to the bench with 4 fouls as well. But Edison only gets 1 free throw out of it. Veil for 3 to push the lead to 24 with 9:10 left. Kebu comes back in and picks up his 5th foul and then a shoving technical (deserved) with 4:40 left. Yet an Edison player had gotten in the official's face and yapped all the way from the baseline to almost halfcourt with no T earlier. Not a good night for the zebras or the quality of play. Blake wins a really ugly game 75-54.
Post Game
For Edison, Marcus Nolen leads the way with 22 points, 19 in the second half mostly after the game was out of hand. Marques Gray on the offensive glass for 12 points. Edison is now 2-16 and they're a total mess. You can see a young coach learning as he was on the refs all night. While they weren't the greatest, many of the complaints were just pointless. They have a chance for a win as they visit South St. Paul on Monday night before visiting section rival Trinity on Tuesday.
Blake improves to 15-7, 9-2 in section 4AA games. John Veil with 5 3s and 19 points to lead the Bears. Kebu Johnson finishes with 13 and 7. Due to the 2 technicals, he'll sit out Friday's game with Brooklyn Center. Blake came out really slow and Edison hammered them on the offensive glass mostly in the first half. Worth noting that they're playing without their 2nd best player Tim Zellmer. He's suffered 2 recent concussions (1 from football and 1 during this season) so the Bears hope to have him back for the playoffs. With a shot at the #2 seed in 4AA (remember its seeded all the way through this year, no subsections), its possible they could have a stretch of 3 weeks before their 1st playoff game where they only play once.
Czar man why do you hate thee Flex - er I mean The WORLD's WORST OFFENSE?
ReplyDeleteYour TBD game for Friday night should be #6 3A New Prague @ #5 4A Chaska in a Missota Conference clash.
ReplyDeleteBAM, that would be a very good option.
ReplyDeleteAs to THE WORLD'S WORST OFFENSE, I can't stand that 95% of teams who run it don't cut hard, don't set screens and just mindlessly go from spot to spot. Disgusting basketball and it makes me more sick that teams actually score doing it.
Similar statements can be made about its ugly stepsister, The Swing. But that's also because I saw too many Wisconsin teams run it poorly for too many games.
Ah yes, the sloppy down screen syndrome - i concur Czar. Got to love Chaska. Their 7th grade A traveling team has 3 coaches on the bench and 3 other guys keeping stats from the stands. They have done it since the kids were in 4th grade. That's dedication.
ReplyDeleteJury still out on whether the kids will be obsessed with numbers : )
Actually its not the down screen that gets me, most of the time I'm ready to scream about the cross screen. As long as any of those coaches aren't wearing baseball hats or talking on their cell phones that is dedication.
ReplyDeleteOK I'm going to use your comments to the 7th grade team I coach as a reminder. The Czar is watching. Sometimes they cut so low without looking as well, just going through the motions. Completely see your point.
ReplyDeleteIn a 2-3 zone that cross can be used as flash to the middle and a back cut by the opposite corner, or a curl into the wing seam on either side of that middle of the lane pass. I'm not talking on a cell phone but I do use basketball playbook and ESPN's iScorebook on my iPad : )
Flex vs Zone??? Yuck
ReplyDelete