Knighting a number 1

Prologue
To the Haben Center at Benilde-St. Margaret's as the #1AAA Red Knights host #1AAAA Hopkins.  Thankfully the concessions are ready early in anticipation of a full house.  Pepsi, never bad.  Hot dog gets a B-.  The Red Knights students are as good as any and they didn't disappoint.  From starting cheers before warmups began to the entire student section leading the national anthem to "I Believe" at the end, once again they are top shelf.  All the writers, Randy Shaver, and the Mr. Basketball committee all in attendance just to name a few.  Let's get to the action.

Game Time
Will Dunn runs out for a layup, Isaiah Zierden for an easy bucket and then Dunn assists Sanjay Lumpkin on another before scoring again. 8-0 BSM 4 minutes in.  Lumpkin sits with 2 fouls and that allows Hopkins to cut the lead to 16-14 at the 7:15 mark.  Demetrius Martin for 3 and Siyani Chambers with a steal for 2.  Then Nick Jorgenson drives for a 3 point play and a Martin steal for 2.  27-26 Hopkins with 4 minutes left in the half for their 1st lead.  Then Zierden gets going and BSM takes over the last 3:40.  Zierden's scoops at the hoop, Dunn for 3, Lumpkin to Isaiah Gray for a 3 point play.  Then a Lumpkin block leads to a Zierden 3.  Gray with a layup and Zierden dribbles out the last 45 seconds of the half before drilling a 3 at the horn.  43-31 BSM at the half.  Its a 17-4 run over the last 3:40 with Zierden scoring 8 of the points.

Dunn with 2 free throws and another Gray 3 point play.  50-37 BSM with 14:35 left for the biggest lead of the night.  You knew Hopkins had a run and here it comes.  Chambers for 3 off a skip pass and another bucket at 11:55.  54-47 BSM leads.  Zierden looks banged up and tired and he'll take a breather at the 10:03 mark.  Hopkins doesn't let up.  Martin with a 3 point play, Jake Wright for 3.  Then Martin with back to back buckets to cut the lead to 1.  58-57 BSM with the lead and they need a timeout with 8:25 to get Zierden back in the game.  A loose ball ends up in a Jamal Davis layup and a Chambers steal and layup gives Hopkins the lead back 61-60 with 7:05 left.  Its a 24-10 Hopkins run over 7:30.

Then we go back and forth.  Gray to Lumpkin for a layup countered by a Martin jumper.  Zierden twice on the offensive glass and makes 2 free throws.  Andre McDonald counters that with his own putback.  He then draws the 4th foul on Lumpkin with 4:46 left and Hopkins up 65-64.  Lumpkin sits (how long?) and McDonald misses the front end while Siyani Chambers surprisingly goes to the bench for a breather.  Hopkins gets the offensive board on the free throw but can't convert.  Gray finds Breion Creen for another layup to put BSM back on top.  Hopkins takes time with 3:50 left to get Chambers back in the game.  Lumpkin still sitting.  Hopkins had a dunk or layup for Andre McDonald on an inbounds but couldn't convert.  Then Hopkins misses a front end but the stoppage gets Lumpkin back in at the 3:10 mark.  Dunn escapes a double team near halfcourt and goes to the rack for a controversial goaltend call with 2:31 left.  68-65 BSM.  Martin counters but then its Lumpkin to Dunn for another bunny with 1:52 left.  Chambers 2 FTs as he was held on the inbounds.  Both students sections go to the I Believe chant 70-69 BSM leading.  Zierden dribbles out some of the clock and Lumpkin finds him for a layup with 55 seconds left.  Chambers 2 more freebies with 45 seconds left.  72-71 BSM.  Zierden dribbles out 30 seconds before Hopkins finally has to foul him.  Hopkins tries to ice him with 14 seconds left but Zierden clutch as he makes both ends of the 1 and 1.  Hopkins back the other way, BSM switches out on a screen.  Chambers gets a clean right wing look at an NBA 3 with 5 seconds left but its off.  Dunn seals it with 2 free throws and BSM pulls off the big 76-71 upset.

Post Game
For Hopkins, Demetrius Martin leads with 22 points, Siyani Chambers 15 points and a real pest on defense as usual.  Give Hopkins credit for the comeback but once again not good in close games and not a real good look at the end.  Zach Stahl and his toughness rebounding and ability to score against a small BSM lineup was missed in this one.  Hopkins falls to 4-1.  They host Lakeville South and Bloomington Jefferson next week.

For Benilde-St. Margaret's, Sanjay Lumpkin leads with 22,8 and 3 assists on my sheet.  Isaiah Zierden 20 points.  Will Dunn 17, 4 and 4.  Isaiah Gray a major factor with 11 points and a bunch of assists giving the Red Knights something other than their big 3.  BSM with enough guard play to matchup with Hopkins and the lack of size wasn't a factor tonight.  BSM players in the lane all night and dishing for easy buckets.  Unlike the ton of 3s Eden Prairie hit last year to pull off the win, BSM only had 4 tonight and none in the last 17 minutes.  BSM improves to 3-1 and the only loss was a tough one 61-54 to likely new #1AAAA Eastview at the Tipoff Classic.  they have home games with upstarts Minnetonka and Holy Angels next week.  Those teams are a combined 8-0 right now.