2011 Best Buy Holiday Classic Championships

Prologue
To Augsburg for the title games in the Best Buy Holiday Classic.  I arrive for the end of Durango (Las Vegas, NV) taking out Minneapolis Henry for 7th place.  I pass on the pizza which was a mistake because I ended up with cold Dominos later.  Auggie star Anthony Humphrey getting it done on the public address.  OK but not great crowds for the games.

5th Place: #9AAAA Minnetonka vs Duluth East
East PG Taylor Stafford with a huge tournament of 39 and 40 points in the 1st 2 games (top 2 scoring performances in tourney history).  He gets off to a quick start nails a pair of 3s and a nice coast to coast reverse layup for 10 quick points.  Latrell Love 8 points all inside as East has no answer for him down low.  16-15 East at the 11:30 mark.  Love mysteriously gets lots of rest the remainder of the half but Riley Dearring picks up the slack.  He scores in the post, drives the left baseline for 2 more and a nice give and go for a bucket.  That keeps pace with Stafford's big half.  32 all with 4:15 left.  Stafford with an assist for a layup to end the half.  43-38 East at the half, Stafford with 20.

Andrew Turnblad with a nice spurt midway thru the half  He jumps on the offensive glass for 2 free throws and a putback and then scores inside.  53-49 Tonka with 11:20 to play.  Stafford with another bomb to tie the game at 55 before Tonka goes on a run.  Joe Risinger cuts for 2 and runs out for 2 free throws.  Love inside for 2 and finds Dearring for a layup to conclude an 8-0 run.  Stafford with a pair of freebies, a drive for 2 and a putback.  Then a tough 2 to tie the game at 65 inside of 5 to play.  Dearring with a putback and after a Stafford turnover he feeds Turnblad for a layup.  72-67 Tonka with 3:04 left as East takes a timeout to slow the momentum.  A pair of Greyhounds free throws and Stafford goes coast to coast for 2 more.  72-71 Tonka with 2:22 left.  Another Stafford turnover and Tonka holds for a Malcolm Moore layup with 1:15 left.  Stafford a miss outside of 1 minute to play and Tonka will hold.  Tommy McDermott makes 6-6 FTs in the last 50.3 to seal it.  Minnetonka wins 80-73.  Riley Dearring and Latrell Love with 19 each.  Tommy McDermott with 17.  Taylor Stafford with 35 points to lead the Greyhounds.  He sets a tourney scoring record with 114 points (38 a game).  The 8-2 Skippers host Holy Family before playing #2AA Pelican Rapids in the Timberwolves Shootout next Saturday.  Duluth East falls to 2-6 without star Johnny Woodard.  They also play at the Timberwolves Shootout next week vs Rice Lake, WI.

3rd Place: Chanhassen vs Henry Sibley
This is a rematch of opening Friday where Chanhassen won at home 76-69.  Sibley made the game after knocking off Minnetonka 65-63 in the first round.  Sibley starts out with a Dante Grant layup off THE WORLD'S WORST OFFENSE.  Adam Huessner adds his 2nd bucket on a nice inbounds cut.  12-9 Chanhassen at the 13:15 mark.  But Sibley would only score 1 more field goal the rest of the half.  Sibley goes ice cold and Chanhassen goes to white hot levels.  PG Brandon Arnold hustles behind a break for a putback and a steal for 2, Steven Gitzen for 3, Cole Otto from Arnold for a layup, Arnold to Joey Stark for 3, Otto for 3.  The run is 30-8 over the last 13 minutes.  42-17 Storm at the half and they roll to a 66-43 win.  Chanhassen led by 14 from Joey Stark.  They improve to 7-3 while Sibley falls to 4-5.

Championship: #2AAAA Hopkins vs St. Paul Johnson
Waylon Johnson with a pair of FTs at the 14:09 mark for a 8-6 Johnson lead.  Zach Stahl then starts to have impact.  He scores in the post and a gets a dunk.  He adds another bucket on a steal.  Johnson star Marcus Marshall keeping the Govs close with a jumper inside the 10 minute mark.  17-15 Hopkins at 9:50.  Waylon Johnson with 2 more inside hoops.  26-22 Hopkins at the 5:45 mark  Stahl with 2 more buckets.  Siyani Chambers for 3.  Hopkins 40-32 at the half.

The second half is all Hopkins.  Nick Jorgenson for 3.  Stahl inside out to Siyani Chambers for 3 and Chambers tacks on another bomb.  Jamal Davis to the basket followed by a Stahl 3.  Chambers with 2 free throws, Stahl 3 of 4 before 2 more freebies from Chambers.  61-40 Hopkins with 13:50 to play.  Demetrius Martin for 2 and then 3.  Chambers for 3 again.  Marshall with a pair of tough 3s as he tried to carry the Johnson offense.  A Johnson turnover and Chambers finds Stahl for a 3 point play. Chambers to Jorgenson for a layup, Martin with a layup.  77-50 with 10:30 to play and the rout is on.  Johnson keeps it from running time but this one is way over.  Hopkins wins the title 100-72.  Zach Stahl 28 points, Siyani Chambers 23.  Marcus Marshall 24 for the Governors.  Hopkins now 9-1 and play Sioux City East in the Timberwolves Shootout.  Johnson falls to 4-3 and they're off until a Saturday trip to Faribault.  They'll rematch with Hopkins in the East Metro Showcase in 3 weeks.

All Tournament Team
Zach Stahl - Hopkins (MVP)
Demetrius Martin - Hopkins
Siyani Chambers - HopkinsTaylor Stafford - Duluth East
Darius Watson - St. Paul Johnson
Marcus Marshall - St. Paul Johnson