Aaargh Matey! Its a happy valentines day as I'm off to a former late season tradition of Blaine at Park Center. Blaine with some youngsters that I wanted to see 1st hand and I haven't seen Park Center in a while. First game between these 2 was a high scoring 93-85 Blaine win. What would we get tonight? We wouldn't see Park Center's Arione Farror who was in street clothes. We get no real good music, but with tomorrow's USA vs Russia hockey matchup, we only need 1 song.
Song of the Day
Olympic Theme
Total Beverage Consumption Counter: 1248 ounces (106 games, 86 days)
- 12 oz 7 Up
- 20 oz Barq's Root Beer
- 20 oz Mug Root Beer
- 68 oz Sprite
- 84 oz Dr Pepper
- 160 oz Red Powerade
- 192 oz Red Gatorade
- 184 oz Coke
- 508 oz Pepsi
Jason Travis with a dunk right off the opening tip set play, then he banks home 1 three and knocks down another. Soph Kyle Cappard with his second drive to the bucket and its 16-6 Blaine at the 12:58 mark. Then a big Park Center spurt as Isaiah McKay heats up. His second bomb of the half cuts the lead to 4. Isaac Matthews back to back buckets. Amani Hooker 2 free throws to tie the game at 20. Hooker with 2 more and a triple and Park Center is up 7. McKay with a BLOB layup and scores 2 more on a turnover. That concludes a 30-8 Park Center run in 7 minutes. It also puts McKay over 1000 points for his career so the game is stopped to give him the game ball. Travis sits all but the 1st bucket of that run but down 12 he can't sit any longer. That helps stop the bleeding as Park Center leads 45-36 at half.
Travis backdoor and a Cappard drive to start the half and the lead is down to 5. Cappard playing point with a big lineup for Blaine. Park Center sees Matthews take it to the rim for 2, McKay with a steal for 2 free throws, Matthews again and McKay with a cut and gets lost for an easy 2. 63-48 Park Center with 12 minutes left after the 8-0 run. Travis runs for a layup, McKay with a step back 3, Travis for 3 and McKay for 3, Matthews inside and the lead is 71-53 with 9:35 left.
But there are still plenty of points left in this game. Travis from somewhere in Andover, Chris Novak with a 3 point play, Travis 4 more and Cappard converts a turnover. 12-4 run makes it 75-65 Park Center with 7:20 left. McKay 2 free throws and an assist to Matthews. Novak a pair of buckets but Park Center slicing up the Blaine press. Hooker with a drive with 3:50 left keeps the lead at 83-71. Novak with a putback for a 3 point play. Hooker with a second chance at a 3 point play and then he tips in a missed free throw with 1:42 left for a 91-80 lead. Blaine 1 last gasp. Matt Barthels with 2 free throws, Novak with 2 freebies after a turnover, Andy Leo with a block that leads to a Travis 3. Another Pirate turnover and Travis sticks that back with 40 seconds left and the lead is down to 2. Blaine strangely chooses not to foul and McKay takes it to the rack for 2 with 17 seconds left. Blaine turns it over and McKay makes 1 free throw late. Park Center hangs on 94-89.
Post Game
Blaine falls to 9-15 overall, 6-12 in the NW Suburban. They've lost 6 in a row. Great game from Jason Travis with 33 points and 5 bombs from the 6'5" wing. 22 of those points in the 2nd half. Really enjoyed his game. Soph Kyle Cappard with 15, Chris Novak with all 15 of his points in the 2nd half. Blaine has a ton of length but they need somebody to run the show. Park Center's pressure able to take advantage of that. Blaine still hoping for a home seed in round 1 of the ugly 7AAAA playoffs but an 87-58 loss to Forest Lake in November may cost them that.
Park Center now 13-10 overall and 8-10 in the NW Suburban. The Pirates still fighting for home court with Centennial in the 5AAAA playoffs. Both teams with critical wins over Osseo in the last week. Isaiah McKay with 5 3s of his own and he also goes off for 33 points. Sweet shooting from the senior. Amani Hooker finishes with 28. Isaac Matthews with 17 of his 24 in the 2nd half. Rest of Park Center players combine for 9. The benches combine for a grand total of 7 points in this one. Coach Bo Powell with a very interesting move in the last 5 minutes putting Matthews out top as a ball handler trying to kill some clock.
Shakopee has won 13 of last 14 one loss by 2 at Chanhassen. Which is a better loss than losing to Redwing. Like Shakopee over Chanhassen as they have been hot extra revenge motivation.
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