From Mayari to Moorhead

Prologue
Its the final day of the 2011-2012 regular season and that means the annual Twin Cities series.  This year moved back to Arlington (St. Paul Washington I know, but tradition dictates) for the 1st time since the 2009 melee that forced the games to be alternated between city champion sites.  A very good crowd on hand for the varsity game.  Arlington wins the hot dog battle for the day.

Session 1: Twin Cities Series
I begin with Mayari Marshall and Johnson taking on Washburn in the freshmen edition of the series.  Johnson used a big run before halftime to open a 7 point lead.  Washburn would come back and take the lead 43-42 with 4:28 to go.  Sedrick Clark would break a 47 all tie with 1:30 to go and Washburn couldn't get a bucket after that.  Johnson wins 55-48.  Dametris Davis-Crosby 17 points to lead the Govs.  JoBreil Powell 15, Tyrell Howze 14 for Washburn.

Central broke the Johnson stranglehold on the league by being the JV rep for St. Paul.  Washburn again the JV champ from Minneapolis.  Washburn with 3 freshman starting on the JV squad which makes their frosh title even more impressive.  That includes star Evan Shepherd and point guard Kevin Gleason.  Central controls the game early before Washburn claws back to within 26-24 at the half.  Shepherd with a strong 2nd half to bring the Millers back.  A poor call of a T on Central with 8:08 left leads to 5 of 6 free throws for Washburn.  They open a 48-42 lead with 7:40 left.  Central would rally and Davontrell McAdory would make a running bank from the left wing with 4 seconds left for the game winner.  62-61 Central wins.  I loved Gleason's passing and the lefty Shepherd is one of the better players in the 2015 class.

To the main event.  Johnson has jumped back into the state polls and this game showed its legit.  No Wayland Johnson which is a missed athlete against Washburn.  A very back and forth game.  7-0 Johnson runs puts them up 9-5 at the 15:32 mark.  Extra pass to Jeff Jones for 3 and he takes a turnover for a layup.  Noah Scarver on the post for 3 before Jones converts another turnover into a 3.  25-23 Washburn at the 9:05 mark.  That finishes a 10-2 Washburn run.  Marcus Marshall playing as well as he has all year with a bucket and pair of 3s.  38-34 Johnson at 4:30 mark.  Late in the half the scoreboard gets whack.  Its says 50-44 and then magically changes to 49-48 Washburn at the half.  Somehow that stands.

Charles Smith for 3, Joseph Doby with a putback, Dejon Davis with a free throw and dunk.  Doby another jumper and Dwight Anderson for 3.  62-50 Washburn with 14:24 remaining.  Then Johnson's defense ignites a run.  Marshall with a steal for 2, a bucket and a putback.  Marshall for 3 around a pair of De'Vonta Durr buckets.  Quashingm Smith-Pugh with a putback and adds on a 3 point play.  74-66 Johnson with 9:10 left after a 24-4 run in 5 minutes.  Jerry Pratt runs the floor, gives it up and gets it back from Nick Anderson for the dunk for Washburn.  Darius Watson drives with 6:45 left and the Johnson lead remains 8, 78-70.

Washburn took good to not have another run.  Dejon Davis for 3, Dwight Anderson 2 free throws, Smith with a bucket.  80-78 Johnson with 4:50 left and we'll go right to the end.  Pratt with the strong post move in the middle of the lane and no charge.  Marshall counters to keep the lead at 4.  Bajuan Adams with an inbounds layup at the 2:35 mark for an 86-80 Johnson lead.  The teams trade buckets and after an Adams free throw with 1:28 left, Johnson leads 89-82.  Davis with another bomb with 1:10 left and Johnson turns it over with a minute left.  Pratt from Nick Anderson again for an easy bucket with 50 seconds left.  Then Washburn gets a trap on the sideline and its a total mugging.  But the call is a jump ball and it goes to Washburn with 41.7 left.  Millers down 89-87.  Smith with a 3 that goes in and out, Doby rushes a 3 and misses.  Washburn gets it back for a 3rd time and Smith is fouled with 21.7 left.  Washburn in a huge hurry and there was tons of time left.  Smith has the 1st free throw go around and out.  2nd is good and Johnson has the ball and the lead 89-88.  Adams steps up and misses 2 so Washburn has a chance to win.  Nick Anderson's 18 footer is long with 5.5 left and out of bounds underneath to Washburn.  Pratt curls off a stack and his shot is no good.  But he tips the miss in with 2 seconds left and the clock runs out.  Washburn comes from 7 down in the last 1:28 to steal the Twin Cities Title 90-89.  This was the highest combined score in Twin Cities game history.  Marcus Marshall scores 15 in each half and leads all scores with 30 points.  3 triples on the day and the best I've seen him play all year.  De'Vonta Durr 14, Quashingm Smith-Pugh 13.  Jerry Pratt again impressive with 25 points.  Charles Smith and Dejon Davis 15 each.  Davis with 3 bombs and his game has come along during this sophomore campaign.

Session 2:  Moorhead at De La Salle
Back to Minneapolis for Moorhead's visit to the island.  DLS getting Reid Travis started.  He finds Jarvis Johnson on the back screen for 2.  Then Travis drives for 2 and scores on the inbounds.  He adds a 3 point play as DLS opens a 14-6 lead.  Spuds junior star Aaron Lien trying to keep Moorhead close as he buries back to back triples.  He scores 14 of the 1st 17 points for the Spuds.  He finishes his run with a 3 point play off a nice back door set.  21-17 DLS at the 7:15 mark.  Then its all Islanders.  Luke Scott with a pair of 3s.  Travis with a 3 point play on the block and he even buries a straight away 3.  39-23 DLS at the half.

The 2nd half is even worse for the Spuds.  Travis off the bounce and another bucket.  Then he turns and faces and knocks down the 10 foot jumper with the defender backing off.  James Lawson the post.  Trey Shepherd coast to coast for a layup and he tacks on a 3 point play.  Lawson with another inside bucket and we're at running time with 8:37 to go.  De La Salle rolls 79-38 over a solid Moorhead team that can contend in 8AAAA.

Reid Travis absolutely dominates with 30 points.  He knocks down a 3, he faces up and scores, he scored with contact, he took guys off the bounce.  This was like his play in Vegas during the Super 64 last summer.  Luke Scott 4 more 3s and 14 points.  Aaron Lien leads Moorhead with 14 points but all early.  6'5 PG (yes PG) Austin Nelson with 3 3s and 13 points.  He's a sleeper kid to keep an eye on this spring (if you can find him)