My week of critical conference matchups continues with a trip to Osseo to see the #4AAAA Orioles host #3AAAA Champlin Park. Champlin Park won the 1st meeting by 3 and brought a 16 game winning streak. Osseo trying to get within a game in the conference standings. Fun student section on hand. Doug Erlien from Fox Preps working the public address. Tim Leighton, Josh Thurow (Minnehaha girls coach) and angry Sparty Leno are your officials. Osseo without Ian Theisen again and according to Ken Lien (Mr Basketball chairman) its possible he's done for the year.
Song of the Day
Back in Black - AC/DC
Total Beverage Consumption Counter: 980 ounces (90 games, 71 days)
- 36 oz Dr Pepper
- 36 oz Sprite
- 12 oz 7 Up
- 140 oz Red Powerade
- 120 oz Red Gatorade
- 444 oz Pepsi
- 152 oz Coke
- 20 oz Barq's Root Beer
- 20 oz Mug Root Beer
Northern St recruit Ian Smith with 7 straight points for Champlin Park and an assist for a 3. Wheeler Baker countering with a layup and then takes a lob on the break and stuffs that home. 14-10 Champlin Park at 13:35. Jordan Dembley for 3 and then a post bucket. Baker 2 buckets in an 8-0 Osseo run for a 21-17 lead at 10:30. Frosh McKinleyWright with a nice scoop for Champlin Park along with a pair of Brennan Witt post ups. 27 all at the 5:40 mark. Osseo would spurt away for the rest of the half. Dembley a crazy tough bucket, Baker runs for a layup and scores inside. A pair of 3 point plays from the bigs Pastrano and Roberson and Allen Anderson from deep at the halftime buzzer. Its a 19-6 run over the last 5:30 of the half. 46-33 Osseo at halftime. JT Gibson 11 points for Champlin. Baker with 14, Dembley 13 for Osseo.
Osseo continues to expand the lead. Dembley coast to coast, Baker for 3, Dembley with a sweet slip of a flare screen for a layup. That pushes the lead to 56-38 with 14:18 left. Dembley posts for 2 and Baker with a steal for 2 free throws. Dembley on the offensive glass for 2 free throws and a nice Baker fadeaway in the lane for 2 more. 66-41 Osseo in control with 11:10 to play. Its a 15-3 run to blow the game open.
Champlin Park too good to not have a run in them and they do have one. Witt with a reverse layup, Alex Hilley for 2 and a 3. Wright spins for 2, Alec Leabo with a right wing 3, Jeremy Johnson runs for a layup and Witt another reverse to conclude an 18-1 Rebels run. Hold the phone as the Osseo lead is down to 67-59 with 5 minutes left. Osseo hanging on as they go 8 minutes without a field goal. Elliot Kane with a layup to break that streak and then a strong hang and bang 3 point play from Baker after Champlin Park misses a front end. The lead is back to 14 and Osseo is out of danger. Osseo wins 83-74.
Post Game
Champlin Park falls to 17-2, 12-1 in the NW Suburban. They still lead the league by 1 game in the loss column. Brennan Witt with 18 of his 24 in the 2nd half. JT Gibson all 11 of his points in the 1st half. He had a couple of good looks at 3s when the lead was 8 that didn't fall. Ian Smith 12 points. Next big game for the Rebels will likely be the section final as they are done with Osseo and Armstrong. They visit Elk River next Wednesday.
Osseo improves to 16-3 and after losing 3 of 4 before the holidays, they've now won 10 straight, almost all of that without Ian Theisen. Who would have thunk that? Wheeler Baker with another big game performance of 31 points and 9 boards on my sheet. Jordan Dembley stepped up large with 23 points. Giovanni Pastrano with 7 points but gave Osseo great interior minutes off the bench. Osseo made the game a physical battle. They were the 1st team to the floor and outbattled Champlin Park for everything. Nice move to have a ton of post up opportunities for Dembley and Baker. Osseo now tied with Armstrong for 2nd in the league in the loss column and they'll host the Falcons next Wednesday.
Hypothetical Question
Assume for the sake of discussion that Osseo and Champlin Park win out. That would mean Osseo beats Hopkins in 2 weeks (play along people). That would give Osseo a home win over Hopkins while Champlin Park lost at Hopkins by 3. The teams split the season series but Champlin Park won the league by a game. Same record against 21 like opponents. CzarPI and QRF basically identical.
You're in the section 5AAAA seediing meeting. Who do you give the #1 seed to?
If Theisen is back Osseo if not CP.
ReplyDeleteI would have to give it to Champlin, conference record should matter and it would be too hard to give Osseo the #1 if they don't even win or tie for the conference.
ReplyDelete