An early playoff experience

Prologue
With Bethany Academy moving back to section 1A, that means there's a metro team in the playoffs a week earlier than in past years.  Better yet the 10-14 Eagles host 17-9 Glenville-Emmons from the southern border in the west subsection 4 vs 5 game.  The Wolverines lost to Rochester Home School by 17 while Bethany defeated them, hence Bethany gets the home game.  Glenville-Emmons entering the day with a schedule strength of 156 out of 167 in the CzarPI.  Only 4 outstate schools not in the EMAC have a worse schedule strength value.  So it's March 1st and the Madness is underway.

Game Time
Glenville-Emmons comes out in a Triangle and 2.  Gotta love junk defense in the playoffs.  They decide to man up on Max Mattila and soph Sam Hagen.  Junior Wyatt Madson uses the Play of the Day for an early bucket and then a spin in the lane for 2 more.  8-0 Glenville-Emmons just 2 and a half in.  Madson adds a pullup and the lead is 12-2 at 13:45.  Mattila starting to find other ways to get touches for Bethany.  Off the diamond press, he gets a free throw.  Then he poaches the passing lane for a steal and bucket.  3 on 2, why not pull up and drain that 3.  That gives him the 0123 line on my stat sheet.  Then a miss that he taps in.  18-13 Wolverines at the 8:35 mark.  RT Mould off the Eagles bench with a pair of 3s, 1 from Mattila.  Sam Hagen adds a free throw and its 22 all at the 3:32 mark.  The teams trade 3s.  Zach Hagen ends the scoring in the half for Bethany with a bucket in the last minute.  28-27 Glenville-Emmons at the break.

The 2nd half is all Bethany.  Mattila with another steal for 2 and that's Bethany's 1st lead of the night.  30-29 Eagles with 17:05 left.  Zach Hagen to the basket for 2, Dana Poppen jumper off an extra pass, Luke Mikhail for 3.  37-29 Bethany after a 9-0 run and the Wolverines need a timeout with 15:08 left.  The teams trade 3s as Mattila gets lose again.  Then a turnover on the sideline and the Wolverines want another timeout.  Sam Hagen to the rack and Mattila runs down a long rebound and takes it the distance in a backbreaking play if you're Glenville-Emmons.  17-3 Bethany run forces a 3rd Wolverines timeout with 13:06 left.  44-31 Bethany in control.  Madson with a pair of buckets as Glenville-Emmons tries to hang around.  Then a skip pass finds Mould for his 3rd 3 of the night, Sam Hagen with a nice spin and its 52-35 Bethany with 7:40 left.  Bethany takes time with 6:06 left and that's still the score.  They're in control and that's all I need to see.  Bethany moves on to the 2nd round with a 64-47 win.  They will likely play #1 seed in the west Bethlehem Academy on Monday night at the Rochester Civic Auditorium.  Max Mattila finishes with 18 points for Bethany to lead all scorers.  Wyatt Madson 14 to lead Glenville-Emmons.

Play of the Day
Basic box set.  Wings pop out and we'll enter to the wing.  On that entry, the ball side post will pop to the corner for the catch. Backside post cuts across to the ballside block.  Backside wing comes straight across and sets the back screen for the wing with the entire backside cleared.  This was open at least 4 times in the 1st half.