Rubber match for 4AAAA title

Prologue
Off to East Ridge for the section 4AAAA final between the top 2 teams in the Suburban East.  Roseville and Woodbury split their regular season meetings on each other's home court, 89-75 Royals at Roseville, and a 77-76 Roseville win at Woodbury.  A late change of plans sends me to this game and I just make it with 2 minutes to spare before tip.  Big line out the door but surprisingly empty in the upper decks while the lower decks were full.

Game Time
Renard Suggs another quality outing in this one for Woodbury.  He starts the game with a long 3.  Then a spin for 2 for the Woodbury lead.  Rickey Suggs ends 5 in a row for the Royals.  Then Renard goes the other way off a blocked shot for the dunk.  7-0 run for a 17-11 Woodbury lead at the 9:45 mark.  Jordan Burich in the middle has been in foul trouble in the 1st 2 meetings but he stays out of it tonight and a big first half.  He knocks down a jumper and scores on the block.  After a Renard Suggs 3, Burich converts a feed for a layup.  Tied at 20 at the 7:20 mark. Rickey Suggs with the drive and then a blocked shot for a Renard Suggs layup.  Mack Johnson with the runner and a bomb then Burich follows a miss with a 2 handed tip dunk.  The 7-0 run forces a Woodbury timeout at the 4:27 mark.  Mack Johnson with another 3 to end a 10-0 Raiders run.  Roseville leading 32-24 inside of 4.  Burich 2 late blocks and he was on the glass too in a very productive first half.  36-28 Roseville at halftime.  Renard Suggs and Mack Johnson cancel each other out with 2 3s and 3 buckets.  Burich with 10 points and 3-4 blocks.

A 10-2 spurt opens the biggest Roseville lead of the night.  Emeche Wells flying in for a putback and he drives for 2 more . Burich with a block on one end and ends up with a layup on the other.  46-32 Roseville with 12:47 to play and Woodbury talks it over.  These 3 meetings have been all about runs and this game was no different.  Woodbury gets a putback from Rickey Suggs.  Renard Suggs with a steal for a dunk and a BLOB layup.  Tack on another steal for 2.  48-41 Roseville at the 10:33 mark after the 9-2 run.  Rickey Suggs with another putback, very active on the boards in this one.  Tyler Graves off the Woodbury bench with a pair of 3s and a nice give and go for 2 from Connor McKeen.  Roseville lead is cut to 52-51 with 8:25 left.  20-5 Royals run in 4:20.  Woodbury would then miss 2 chances to take the lead.  Burich swatting away one of those chances.  Wells to Burich for a layup with 5:05 left and Roseville clinging to a 56-53 lead.  After a Woodbury free throw, McKeen with a great backcut for a layup while his defender ends up somewhere near the volleyball line.  56 all with 3:45 to play.  Renard Suggs with the reverse layup off the inbounds to tie the game at 58 with 3:05 left.  Renard gets it back but Burich swats him with 2:19 left.  Ryan Fritze makes 1 of 2 free throws with 2:09 left and Woodbury finally has the lead 59-58.

Renard Suggs with a steal for 2 free throws with 1:56 left.  Mack Johnson comes back with the 1 bounce straight away 3 that's nothing but net with 1:40 to play.  That ties the game at 61.    Woodbury with a quick bad shot and Roseville has it back.  The teams trade turnovers and Roseville rushes their shot when they get it back.  Woodbury has it back with 45 seconds to play and they hold for 1.  Renard Suggs gets the ball and it looks like 1-4 low.  But the play gets started late and it becomes a fading 3.  A second putback attempt is good but well after the buzzer and correctly waved off.  Tied at 61 as we'll play overtime.

Renard Suggs with a putback and gets out after a Roseville miss for a dunk.  65-61 Woodbury with 2:55 left.  Then a defensive gamble ends up with a pass to a wide open Mack Johnson who drains the 3.  Woodbury has a 3 go in and out and Wells drives and converts 2 free throws on the other end.  66-65 Raiders with 1:48 left in OT.  After a Woodbury free throw, Roseville has it back.  On the drive, up in the air but no shot twist and nobody there to receive the pass except an opponent.  Woodbury has it back as we go inside a minute tied at 66. Renard Suggs on the pick and roll finds McKeen going toward the rim.  McKeen makes the extra pass to a wide open Diallo Powell for a layup with 25 seconds left.  Roseville brings the ball to the front court and nothing develops.  They take timeout with 10.2 seconds left down by 2.  The set looks to be drawn up for Johnson as a misdirection (look like flex cut but come back high).  Roseville doesn't wait for him and it becomes a 1 on 1 force.  The shot is long, Woodbury grabs that and a berth in the state tournament.  68-66 Woodbury wins in overtime

Post Game
For Roseville, a tough loss considering they had a 14 point lead with 12:47 to play.  Mack Johnson leads with 4 3s and 22 points. Jordan Burich with 14 points and likely had a double digit rebounds and around 5 blocks.  He stayed out of foul trouble and was very productive.  Emeche Wells 10 points.  Roseville ends an outstanding season at 24-5.  4 of the 5 losses by a total of 11 points and 2 of those in overtime.  Emeche Wells and Collin Johnson are important losses but they have their backcourt returning as well as Burich so expect the Raiders to contend again next year in the Suburban East.

For Woodbury, Renard Suggs has another huge game vs Roseville.  This time he only makes 2 3s but lots to the rim has he goes for 28 points.  Rickey Suggs active on the glass with 12 points.  Tyler Graves with the 6 points on 2 3s during the big 20-5 run that got Woodbury back in the game when they were down 14.  Not a great shooting night for either team and that wasn't just because of shot selection.  Woodbury will most likely draw against a top 4 team.  That's a team with size like Osseo, Lakeville North or Eastview, which Woodbury doesn't have, or Hopkins who matches up well defensively.  None of those are good draws.