Class A champs battle

Prologue
A quiet night on the schedule but there's always a game somewhere.  Tonight's its a matchup of the last 2 champions in class A with defending champion Springfield visiting 2010 champ Minnesota Transitions.  These teams are very different than a year ago with no 6'8 mountain Tyler Marz (now at Wisconsin for FB) for Springfield and the end of the Noreen era at MTS.  No concessions tonight but no mangy wolf either.  We do get a mini performance from a smaller MTS drum line and step crew.

Game Time
A pair of 3s from MTS gets them off to a 10-2 lead just 2:15 into the game.  Springfield would get their bearings and counter with a 11-3 run to tie the game at 13 at the 12:55 mark.  Another Tyler Davis 3 concludes a 7-0 MTS run but they can't convert 2 turnovers that would have extended the lead further.  MTS center taking up space and getting rebounds but he goes to the bench at the 7:18 mark.  Springfield would score the next 6 points.  Soph Willie Parrish bangs in a pair of 3s to keep MTS ahead 26-21 with 2 minutes left in the half.  Springfield would finish the half strong with a 8-2 run to take the lead 29-28 at the half.  Springfield 11-11 FTs in the half, MTS with 6 3s.

The Wolves own mountain, Tevin Sims, promptly scores on the post to start the 2nd half before Springfield runs off the next 11 points.  Alex Fink, who played more minutes in the state championship game for Springfield than any other Tiger, getting it done with a layup, a nice spin and another layup in the run.  40-30 Tigers with 13:35 left.  Parrish with 2 more threes as MTS hangs around but junior Isaac Kirschstein has the answers with 2 3s of his own.  A Kirschstein layup followed by a nice lob pass from Fink that he finishes.  Fink adds on 2 to keep Springfield ahead 54-44 with 8:55 to play.  David Wallendorf got off to a 1-10 start before knocking down back to back 3s to cut the lead to 4 inside of 8 to play.  Kirschstein with another layup.  Then Fink with a pullup jumper, putback and tough driving fade on the left baseline to withstand another Wallendorf 3.  62-53 Springfield with 5:30 left.  Tyler Davis for 3 countered by a Kirschstein 3. Nate Wilkins for 3 countered by 2 Fink free throws.  That keeps the lead at 10 with 1:15 to play.  Free throws seal it as Springfield gets a 76-66 road win.

Post Game
For Minnesota Transitions, David Wallendorf 19 points (8 in the last 1:05) with 4 3s on 7-23 shooting.  Tevin Sims with a double double of 12 points and 18 rebounds.  Soph Willie Parrish 15 points on 4 3s.  MTS with 9 3s on the night.  On the defensive end, good passing from Springfield to get plenty of easy buckets.  MTS falls to 2-5 on the season.

Springfield has now won 3 in a row to improve to 3-3.  They're in the middle of a stretch where they play 8 of 9 on the road.  The Tigers get 24 points from Alex Fink and 21 on 3 3s from Isaac Kirschstein.  35 of those 45 points coming in the 2nd half.  21-25 from the charity stripe for the Tigers compared to 5-14 for MTS.