2011 Class AAA Championship

Its the 2011 Class AAA championship with Orono taking on Columbia Heights.  The coaches are good friends and if I remember correctly, coach Willie Braziel of Heights may have picked up their zone defense from Orono's coach Barry Wohler.  Heights just got done playing a DDM team in New Prague so that helps.  Should be fun to see what Orono throws at Zach Lofton who was outstanding in the quarters vs Marshall.  And after watching a dreadful 3 sessions of small school ball, we'll see if the big boys up the level of play.  Full lower deck at Target Center so at least there's a slim bit of good attendance.

The start is not promising as Orono starts off 1-10 and Heights starts 1-6 in the first 6 minutes.  Jordan Mills with the putback and that's Jordan Smith's 2nd foul for Orono at the 11:49 mark.  He'll stay in the game.  Then a totally foolish shoving technical on Heights at the 10:57 mark.  Smith makes both technicals as we go to a TV break with Orono jumping on top 8-7.  Then Smith with 1 jumper and another on a turnover.  Add Brady Wohler for 3 and its a 9-0 Orono run and Heights needs time.  15-7 Orono at the 9:55 mark  A bit of a surprise is the foul count mounting as its 8-3 Orono in fouls at the 8:30 mark.  Chase Myhran has 3 fouls and the task of guarding Lofton.  Lofton cherry picks for a 3 point play at 7:47 to cut the Orono lead to 17-14.  But Smith lowers the shoulder in the post and it may have been a flop.  Its his 3rd with 7:33 left in the half and now he has to sit.  Orono gets the fortunate TV timeout at 6:55.  Jeremy Borg with 2 outstanding blocks on Lofton and Wohler converts for 3 on the other end for an 8 point Orono lead.  Borg then adds a 3 point play at the 5:10 mark for a 9 point lead.  The lead is cut to 4 then Borg with a great hustle play that results in a Orono basket.  31-25 Orono at the last TV break of the half.  Meanwhile Lofton has been on the bench with 2 fouls.  Both teams actually better without them on the floor.  34-32 Orono at the break. Heights 11-32 with 11 offensive boards.  Orono 13-31 but they got 9 of those misses back.

Heights comes out and grabs the lead with Jordan Mills and Keanu Glover scoring inside.  Lofton rebound and long outlet to Roderick Logan for a layup (Smith backing off to avoid 4th foul) and Ben Glover with a drive for 2 to put Heights up 4.  Mills and Lofton stick back misses and the lead is 6 as the Heights height advantage starts to kick in.  Kyle Mileusnic counters with a straight away 3 on the other end.  45-42 Heights at the 14:23 TV timeout.  Borg to the rack for a 3 point play and we're back to even out of the timeout.  Zach Lofton with the charge at the 11:52 mark off a horns set.  That's his 4th and he'll have to sit in a game tied at 47.  Orono immediately nails a 3 on the other end.  You can see on the bench that Lofton is still not happy with the call.  Mills drives, behind the back and finishes on a pretty move for the sophomore.  Keauu Glover with a strong finish for the 3 point play.  9:51 left and we're tied at 54.  Wohler back to back hoops and its 64-57 Orono with 7 to play and Heights misses.  Lofton off the bench and to the scorers table.  Myhran scores and nails a 3 aorund a Heights miss.  The clock won't stop to get Lofton in.  Finally a shooting foul at the 5:41 mark will get Lofton in the game but its 70-57 Orono and that might be too much to overcome.  Lofton 2 free throws and a Ben Glover steal leads to a basket.  Another Orono turnover and Lofton puts that back for a 3 point play. 3:52 left and its a 9-0 run since Lofton came back in 1:49 ago.  70-66 Orono hanging on to the lead as they take timeout to talk it over.  Borg 1 of 2 FTs and grabs the miss for a Daniel Drew 2 with 2:40 left, ouch.  Mills with another Heights putback and Borg counters with a layup at the other end.  75-68 Orono with 2:15.  Lofton misses a 3 and Borg to the rack for the lefty finish and Heights is losing distance.  Ben Glover to the rim for 2 and after a Orono miss, we'll catch our breath with 1:26 left.  77-70 Orono leading.  Roderick Logan to the rim for 2 and a Lofton steal and assist.  20.4 left but the Orono is still 7.  Orono goes on to win the 3A title

For Orono, Brady Wohler comes up big with 23 points.  Jeremy Borg another quality outing with 19 points and 7 rebounds.  Jordan Smith only 5-11 but still had 21 points and sealed the game with late free throws.  Erik Peterson a productive double double of 11 points and 12 boards.  Zach Lofton 19 points and 6 rebounds on 6-18 shooting. Ben Glover 17 and 5.  Soph Jordan Mills another nice hard work outing of 17 points and 11 rebounds.  Keanu Glover 12 and 6.  Orono shoots 18-27 in the 2nd half after 13-31 in the first half.  Orono surprisingly had 18 turnovers to only 10 for Heights.  Heights 29-73 from the floor (39.7%)

My Class AAA All-Tournament Team Ballot
Zach Lofton - Columbia Heights (MVP), removed from the team afterwards by MSHSL.
Ben Glover - Columbia Heights
Jordan Mills - Columbia Heights

Jordan Smith - Orono
Jeremy Borg - Orono
Brady Wohler - OronoShelby Moats - Waconia
Alex Schmitt - Waconia (replaced by Ben Kortuem on official team)
Joe Hatch - New PragueJed Kreuser - New Prague