2012 East Metro Showcase Day 2

Day 2 of the East Metro Showcase was mostly another round of blowouts but there was 1 classic.  Here's a look at the day's games.

Game 1: Roseville vs St. John's Lutheran (FL)
Not much to see here as Roseville rolled to a 106-49 win.  2 losses for St. John's by a total of 119 points in the event.  Yikes.  65-25 at the half as Roseville pulled away.  14 players score with 4 in double figures.  Logan Brown leads with 17 points.

Game 2: Hopkins vs Milwaukee Riverside
In the game that could have been billed as the showcase game of the day, Tubby Smith and staff made an appearance for the first of 3 straight games.  One of their targets Phil Nolan of Riverside got off to a quick start with 4 points and 2 rebounds.  Then Hopkins totally dominated.  From 12-8 Hopkins to a 64-25 halftime lead.  Hopkins would coast from there to a 91-58 win.  Riverside's effort just not there on this day.  Siyani Chambers with another impressive performance with 17 of his 20 points in the 1st half.  Zach Stahl 18.  Jake Wright 18 on 6 3s.  Demetrius Martin 15 of his 17 in the first half.  Gopher targets Phil Nolan and D'Andre Downey with 13 and 11 points respectively.  Nolan with 4 rebounds and 4 blocks as wel.

Game 4: Eden Prairie vs La Crosse Aquinas
Aquinas would hang around with a tie game at 15 at about the 12 minute mark of the 1st half.  Then soph point guard Reggie Rabb picks up his 2nd foul and sits.  He's the replacement for future Badger Bronson Koenig at the point.  That means the Blugolds have to go to point guard #3 and the wheels fall off from there.  Eden Prairie goes on a 34-10 the remainder of the half.  They go on to win 72-45.  Sander Mohn leads with 15 points.  Sophs Andre Wallace and Anthony Anderson with 11 each.  Impressive game from forward Abrian Carpenter with all 15 points of his points in the 1st half.

Game 5: St. Paul Central vs Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau (WI)
Hot starts from the top 2 Red Hawks stars get GET off to a nice start.  They roll the lead to 41-23 at half, then 62-32 with 6:34 to play before the benches empty.  Central cuts that against the GET bench to a 66-44 loss.  Central's schedule has been very tough but they look like they've seriously regressed since I saw them a month ago against Tartan.  Malik Durant-Haines and Marcus Taylor-Knighten with 10 each to lead Central.  Tim Wagner 6 3s and 22 points to lead GET.  Winona State commit Riley Bambenek 21 points and 3 triples.

Game 3: Onalaska (WI) at Johnson
We'll save the best game of the day for the end.  Gopher staff stayed around to see Matt Thomas.  He didn't shoot it well but a pair of jumpers off 1 dribble (a 3 and a 2) plus another bucket with the foul put Onalaska up 21-9 with 6:35 left in the first half.  Missouri St recruit Marcus Marshall would get going for Johnson with a pair of 3s.  Combine that with UWGB signee Nick Arenz sitting the last 8 minutes with 3 fouls and Johnson would cut the lead to 26-22 at half.

Marshall with a pair of free throws to tie the game at 37 with 12 minutes left.  Then Darius Watson off the inbound defenders back for 2 with 10 minutes left.  41-38 Johnson in front.  That's followed by a soft T on Onalaska coach Craig Kowal (who was rightfully upset with the brutally awful officiating in this game).  Johnson gets 1 free throw from that but doesn't score on the possession.  Johnson does extend the lead to 49-42 with 6:36 left.  Arenz would foul out with 5:20 left and the Hilltoppers still down 51-44.  Then Thomas again comes up clutch.  He hangs for a jumper and takes the hit for a 3 point play.  Johnson would get a block on 1 end that Quashingm Smith-Pugh converted to a layup on the other.  55-47 Johnson with 4:05 left.  Thomas for 2 and then a T on Smith-Pugh for 2 more Thomas free throws.  Thomas cashes in the possession with the head fake and lean in from the foul line for a 3 point play.  That's 10 straight Thomas points.  Johnson turns it over and Ben Socha knocks down a jumper to put Onalaska ahead 56-55 with 2:45 left.  9-0 Hilltoppers run in 1:20.  Bajuan Adams counters for Johnson going to the rack for a 3 point play.  Onalaska turns it over and Watson makes 1 of 2 FTs with 1:42 left for a 59-56 Johnson lead.  Then Thomas for 3 from the top with 1:13 left to tie the game at 59.  Johnson holds the ball and then to the rim but its a charge with 25.9 left.  Tough call there as well from the officials.  Johnson takes timeout to set their defense.  Thomas gets the ball to half court and Onalaska takes time out to draw up the final play.  There's nothing like calling the timeout, drawing up a play and getting perfect execution to win.  That happened here and it clinches the season award for

Play of the Year
Star Matt Thomas in the right corner.  Ben Socha on the right block.  Double stack on the left block.  Ball in a guard's hands in the high right slot (would be the right guard position in a 2-3 high look).  Thomas takes off across the baseline to the left corner as the ball is dribbled to the left slot.  The entire building is thinking Hoosiers, PICKET FENCE!  PICKET FENCE!  PICKET FENCE!  The guard picks up the dribble as Socha flashes high.  With the dead dribble, the player spins and gives a ball fake to Socha's flash.  Socha goes backdoor and is wide open for the layup.  That wins the game for Onalaska 61-59.