A weekend of nailbiting hoops

Time to catchup on my last 3 games.  Here's what I saw over the last couple of days.  3 more beverages and 56 more ounces puts me at 21 drinks and 340 ounces for the season.  3 more hot dogs puts that count in double digits at 10 for the season.

Friday - Blake at Edina
Edina came in 0-4 but finally got on the board with a 70-62 win.  I was surprised that Blake didn't do more to try and keep the ball out of Graham Woodward's hands.  Early on the Edina role players struggled to put the ball in the basket.  But they ended up playing their best game of the year.  Woodward was outstanding scoring and passing (I had him with 21 points and 8 assists late in the game).  Reggie Lynch almost had a triple double.  8th Grader Walt McGrory gave the Hornets good minutes off the bench.  Soph Ben Boone chipped in double figure points.  John Veil had some good looks for Blake but was ice cold starting 1-12 from the field.  Blake would but the lead to 3 with 10:30 left.  Veil then with a 3 point play and long assist to Blaine Crawford to keep the Bears within 4 with 7:30 left.  Officiating went Edina's way as touch calls and 50/50 calls were in their favor but that's life on the road.

Saturday
Forest Lake at Irondale
A very strange game in the afternoon session.  Irondale comes out 3-2 zone and Forest Lake befuddled by it.  That allowed the Knights to open up a 33-20 halftime lead.  Then Irondale all 1-3-1 and 2-3 in the 2nd half.  Noah Davis goes off for 5 3s in the 2nd half for Forest Lake and that helps force overtime.  Irondale then goes man for both overtimes.   They never came back to the 3-2 zone that was so effective in the first half.   Forest Lake comes back from 13 down to win 65-61 in 2 overtimes.  Jack Martinek leads Irondale and all scorers with 30 points.  19 of those after halftime.  Noah Davis very quiet in the first half but scores 20 of his 25 after halftime.  He buried 6 3s in the game.  Soph Devin Malik productive off the Irondale bench with 10 of his 12 in the first half.   3 others in double figures for Forest Lake.  They have 3 sophs in the rotation (including starter Connor Knutson) and frosh Noah Alm saw meaningful minutes in the 2nd half and overtimes.  A nice core to build for a couple years down the road.

White Bear Lake at Totino Grace
Then the 2nd half of the Suburban East at North Suburban showdowns.  White Bear Lake turnover prone early but once they figured it out their pressure led to a 15-0 run late in the first half.  30-23 White Bear Lake at the half.  Beau Smit with his 2nd 3 point play of the 2nd half, a block and he converts that for 2 on the other end.  White Bear opening up a 43-36 lead after an 11-4 run.  Reggie Meyer back to back 3s from the left wing and he adds a bucket on a post mismatch.  Intentional foul adds 2 Colin Fleming free throws for Totino Grace.  11-0 Eagles run to put Totino-Grace back on top 47-43.  Meyer with another 3 in his big 2nd half to keep TG ahead 52-50 with 8:50 left.  Then a 9-0 White Bear Lake run with Beau Smit and Stevie Hjelmberg scoring all those points.  59-52 Bears 5:50 left.  Meyer with back to back putbacks to cut the Bears lead to 3 inside of 3 minutes left.  After a White Bear Lake turnover, Fleming pulls up on the break for 3 and buries it to cut the lead to 63-61.  After a pair of Bears free throws, Fleming kick to Luke Gasperlin for 3 with 30 seconds left.  65-64 White Bear Lake.  Totino-Grace doesn't foul to extend the game and they really didn't get a trap either.  Timeout White Bear Lake.  Beau Smit makes 1 of 2 with 8.9 seconds left for a 2 point lead.  Totino-Grace pushes to the front court and takes timeout to setup 1 last look.  Luke Gasperlin catches in the opposite deep left corner on the inbounds and appears to have a wide open 3 for the win.  Out of nowhere it is swatted away and White Bear Lake hangs on to win 66-64.  Beau Smit 23 points, Tanner Hinck 5 3s and 21 points to lead the Bears.  Reggie Meyer 20 of his 22 in the 2nd half for Totino-Grace. Colin Fleming 3 3s and 23 points.