A great day of pizza , Pepsi and blowouts if you're a Minnesota supporter at the 2013 Border Battle. Prior Lake (the finest resort town in the Kingdom) was a quality host for the event. The 2 slices of pizza always quality and an event like this runs up the beverage tally with 48 more ounces. Good early crowds on hand and a smaller than expected crowd for the big finale. Tubby Smith making an appearance for most of the day. My thoughts on the 7-0 sweep.
Gane 1: Mahtomedi vs Eau Claire Regis
Good to finally see Mahtomedi this season after I underestimated them in my season preview. After a losing by 13 at Tartan on Friday night in a big Classic Suburban game, you know the Zephyrs had to be anxious to get that taste out of their mouth. Turnovers would ultimately be the downfall of a young Ramblers team. They would hang within 6 at half and about 10 until 10 minutes left. 7 in a row from Nuni Omot and Mahtomedi blows open a 14 point game from there. 77-49 Mahtomedi wins. Omot with 26 on my sheet in a very productive performance for the lanky forward. Zach Lindquist another double double of 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Game 2: Eden Prairie vs Manitowoc Roncalli
Without Jack Cottrell, Grant Shaeffer and Zach Hovey, the Eagles were shorthanded enough to give a sophomore and freshman time. The story here was Eden Prairie's physical play and switching all of the screens in the great Roncalli offense. That bothered the Jets and when they did have looks, they didn't make shots. An 11-2 run in the 2nd half with 3 triples (2 triples and a bucket from Nate Lassila) would get the Jets as close as 44-39 with 8 minutes left but they would only score 5 more points. Eden Prairie wins 59-44. Lassila finishes with 23 and 4 triples. Roncalli with 9 3s and 8 2s. Andre Wallace with a quick spurt to start the 2nd half and a pair of 3 point plays late to extend the margin. He leads Eden Prairie with 18.
Game 3: Hopkins vs DePere
Hopkins would open a 14 point lead in the 1st half against the Redbirds before a 48-39 lead at half. Kamali Chambers with 8 early 2nd half points to push that lead out to 20, 69-49 with 11 minutes left. A 10-0 from DePere would cut that lead in half as soph scorer Brevin Pritzl had 6 of those. The lead would stay at 10 when Pritzl saw a 3 go in an out. He would score again to cut the lead to 8 with 3 minutes left but Hopkins would hang on from there for a 85-70 win. Pritzl leads all scorers with 27, 4 triples but I'd like to see him focus on better shot selection. Hopkins gets 6 in double figures led by Jamal Davis and his 18 points. The Hopkins pressure defense just too much for DePere as it really kept the Redbirds out of getting good looks in the halfcourt.
Game 4: DeLaSalle vs Appleton West
This one was all DeLaSalle from the start. Reid Travis with a bucket in a 2 on 1 and then a post spin for a bucket and foul. Jarvis Johnson with a 2 handed throw down and Travis facing up inside and knocking it down. 26-9 Islanders late in the 1st half. West does get 7 in a row before DeLaSalle opens the lead back up to 34-20 at half. Troy Mielke with with 4 points and a lob layup for E Illinois signee Jake Verhagen. West within 46-37 with 8 minutes left. Then Travis 2 chances at a putback and scores. Another bucket on the break. James Lawson for 2 on a turnover. Jarvis Johnson takes another turnover for 2 more and the lead is back to 17. Mielke with 2 buckets to keep it at 54-41 at 5:15. Islanders outscore the Terrors 11-2 the rest of the way as Luke Scott hits a 3, Travis with bonus free throws and an emphatic dunk on a 3 on 0 break. DeLaSalle wins 65-43. Reid Travis 26 points for DeLaSalle.
Game 5: Osseo vs Hudson
Osseo just too talented here. 15 all game inside of 8 minutes left in the 1st half after an Alex Herink 3 for Hudson. Then Osseo closes the half on a 19-5 run for a 34-20 halftime lead. A Herink bucket and a Hudson 3 would cut the lead to 46-33 with 11 minute left but the Raiders would get no closer. Osseo rolls from there to a 76-45 win. Bridge Tusler 22 points 5 assists and 6 steals on my sheet as he was all over the place making plays. Ian Theisen 12 of his 14 in the 2nd half as he got some great post looks. Alex Herink 16 points to lead Hudson.
Game 6: Prior Lake vs Rice Lake
No Carson Shanks for Prior Lake in this one due to an injury. Prior Lake up 18-17 at the 7 minute mark before Henry Ellenson gets it going. He scores 8 points in a 14-4 run. That leads Rice Lake to a 31-24 halftime lead. Jon Sobaski with a nice sequence to start the 2nd half for Prior Lake. He swats away a layup after a Lakers turnover, finds Nick Hart for a layup, screen and roll for 3, pass to Jeff Probert for a big throwdown and an inbounds triple at the 13:45 mark. Prior Lake right back in it as that ties the game at 34. Ellenson keeping his offensive up in the 2nd half as well. A 3, post for 2, a lob inbounds for a free throw and a putback. 49-45 Rice Lake with 7:43 left. But the Warriors wouldn't score again for almost 6 minutes. Jason Faul with a 3 point play for the lead and Taylor Heidecker with a back breaking 3 in a 17-0 run for Prior Lake. Prior Lake goes on to win 66-53. Henry Ellenson 27 points and 18 boards on my sheet. Jon Sobaski 21 points and he came up big in the 2nd half after struggling to end the 1st half.
Game 7: Apple Valley vs Madison Memorial
Madison Memorial came in after a tough Big 8 loss to Sun Prairie the night before so you had to wonder where they'd be mentally. Somehow I don't think it would have mattered. Tyus Jones absolutely ridiculous in this one. Tied at 9 just over 4 minutes in. Tyus with a long 2 and a steal for 2. Then an assist to Robert Tobroxen for 3. Harry Sonie for 3 and a 2nd pass for a Brock Bertram layup. 21-12 Eagles at the 10:50 mark. Memorial is within 27-21 before a 17-2 Eagles run. Tyus with a steal for a 3 point play and a coast to coast bucket in that run. That gives Apple Valley a 47-28 halftime lead. 7 assists in the half for Tyus along with a team leading 11 points.
Reggie Roemer would lead Memorial back as he had his way getting to the rim on 4 straight possessions. That would allow Memorial to cut a 22 point lead down to 58-48 just inside 8 minutes to play. But Tyus would have none of that. He knocks down a 3 then pulls up in transition for 3 more. He then takes a turnover for a bucket and drives for a 3 point play. Its an 11-1 Tyus run over 2:26 for a 69-49 lead. Apple Valley goes on to win 81-60. Tyus Jones 26 points and 9 assists to go with at least 4 steals. Brock Bertram 16 points inside for the Eagles. Reggie Roemer 17 for Memorial. Interesting strategy from Memorial as they started the game man to man on Sonie, Fronk, and Jones with a top/bottom zone from the other 2 defenders. A couple easy layups out of that and with Memorial quickly falling behind, there wasn't much of a chance for coach Steve Collins to go into the bag of tricks.
All Border Battle Team
Tyus Jones - Apple Valley (MVP)
Jon Sobaski - Prior Lake
Bridge Tusler - Osseo
Henry Ellenson - Rice Lake
Reid Travis - De La Salle
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