Voyaging across the Tri-Metro

Concordia Beacon

Prologue
With no tournaments or special events on this Saturday, my day consisted of visiting a pair of Tri-Metro buildings.  First it was a 1/3rd pound hot dog and 24 oz Coke for a very reasonable $3.25 at Concordia.  Best of all, I got a chance to see one of the 2015 kids that was on the team this spring that I helped coach.  Then off to Minnehaha for a boys/girls doubleheader.  I didn't get the chili there which is a major mistake (my apologies to the concession stand for that oversight).  The Czar's not a desert guy, after all why have desert when you can have 2nds and 3rds of meat and potatoes instead?  but I was told in the post game that the warm chocolate chip cookies were absolutely outstanding.  3 for a buck very worthwhile.

Game 1: Trinity at Concordia
Both teams coming off on wins last night and having the quick turnaround.  The Beacons still without their star forward Cutler Finneman (hasn't played all year).  Trinity star guard Tony Kuplic with outstanding blue glitter shoes but didn't look 100% in warmups.  Don't know if it affected him today or not.  Neither team filling it up in the first half.  Kuplic 1-14 shooting with 4 points but Trinity only down 20-16 at the break.  Concordia opens up the lead to 7 before Kuplic gets 2 buckets in a row to end an 8-0 run.  26-25 Tri-Hawks inside of 13 to play.  Then leading scorer Josh Falk gets going for the Beacons.  A 3 point play, offensive board for 1 free throw, assist to Jared Schneidermann for a layup.  Kuplic scores inside before Falk with a pretty give and go for a layup.  Kuplic with the running lefty bank, Falk with 2 free throws.  43-31 Concordia inside of 6.  Frosh Jon Lotti (great goggles) nice cut for a layup cuts the lead to 10 inside of 5 to play.  Then Falk with a 3 point play followed by David Paulson with another 3 point play to push the lead to 16.  Concordia wins 57-42.  Josh Falk leads the Beacons with 14 points and all were in the 2nd half.  Zach Osmundson all 9 of his in the 1st half.  Concordia won't be happy with 11 missed free throws in the 2nd half.  Concordia improves to 3-2 with the win.  They play at North Branch (who's having a really rough season) on Tuesday before making the trip north for the tough St. Cloud Cathedral holiday tournament.  Trinity falls to 1-2.  Tony Kuplic 15 points and 5 rebounds.  I had him shooting 5-26.  Trinity is off until they host their holiday tournament with Minnehaha and Bethlehem Academy as notables attending.

Game 2: #10AAA DeLaSalle at Minnehaha
A long day with all the boys and girls games at Minnehaha today.  In the main course, we're tied at 13 at the 10 minute mark.  Then Reid Travis with a putback and 2 free throws to end a 6-0 run.  Minnehaha would counter with the next 9 in just 2:10.  The run ends with a pretty hang and finish for a 3 point play from Redhawks star Gerald McCarver.  22-19 Minnehaha with 6:44 left in the half.  They wouldn't score again the rest of the half.  Jarvis Johnson with back to back 3s.  Travis inside for 2 and then adds on a 3 point play.  Tyler Moore with a putback to just beat the halftime buzzer.  The 13-0 DLS run puts the Islanders up 32-22 at half.

McCarver with an NBA 3 to cut the lead to 6.  Shawn Fitzgibbons starts a hot half with a pullup countered by McCarver going glass.  Then Johnson (after his 3rd 3 earlier in the half) with a pretty no look feed to Travis for a layup.  Fitzgibbons on the baseline hits the jumper and fouled.  Tyler Moore for 3 and the lead is 48-33 with 11:50 to play.  Travis with 2 more buckets and the lead balloons to 57-37 with 9:16 to play after a 24-10 spurt.  McCarver with a big half, a pair of 3s helps cut the lead to 15.  Fitzgibbons runs out for a layup and nails a 3 and another layup to push the lead back to 23.  DeLaSalle wins 80-59.

Shawn Fitzgibbons with all 19 of his points in the 2nd half.  He's showing that light up the scoreboard ability I didn't see last year but did when he was a freshman.  Reid Travis a quality outing with a double double of 19 and 13.  Jarvis Johnson with 11.  The Islanders improve to 4-1.  They have their alumni game on Dec 23rd before a trip to the Mike Miller Classic at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.  Minnehaha gets 27 points and 7 rebounds from Gerald McCarver, 19 points in the 2nd half.  Redhawks with 5 of their 7 rotation players juniors including McCarver so keep an eye on them later in the year and in 2012-13.  They suffer their 1st loss to fall to 4-1.  Next up is the Trinity tournament where they have to be favorite.  They lost in the championship game last year to East Ridge.