Wolves prey on the Pumas

Prologue
Its a late season trip to the Colin Powell Center to see section 4A foes Cristo Rey and Minnesota Transitions.  We're playing on court 1 with the old fashioned metal bleachers and only the score on the scoreboard.  No fouls, no possession arrow, no scoring etc.  I smuggle in some A&W Root Beer for the evening.  That keeps the beverage counter happy.

Number of Teams I've Seen: 148 (62 courts)

Beverage Consumption Counter: 1397.8 ounces (86 days, 119 games, 2 scrimmages added on)

• Pepsi: 664 ounces
• Coke: 192 ounces
• Dr. Pepper: 48 ounces
• Sprite: 180 ounces
• Sierra Mist: 12 ounces
• Barq's Root Beer: 20 ounces
• A&W Root Beer: 48 ounces
• Red Powerade: 100 ounces
• 0 Calorie Fruit Punch Powerade: 20 ounces
• Red Gatorade: 96.9 ounces
• Water: 500 ml

Hot Dog Counter: 17

Song of the Day
Cat Stevens - Moonshadow

Game Time:
Quick pace before MTS tries to break the game open.  Seth Cupersmith with 3 straight steals that lead to layups.  Isaiah Wade with a pair of hoops.  Another turnover for a 3 point play by Zach Adams and he finishes the run with a 3.  21-5 is the run to put the Wolves up 27-9 at the 11 minute mark.  Then a bad intentional foul call and a later T on Transitions.  Davonte Smith with 9 points in the 16-3 Cristo Rey run.  37-34 MTS at the 2:50 mark.  MTS would respond with a 11-3 to end the half, 6 of those by Adams.  48-37 MTS at half.

The run for the Wolves continues with the 1st 6 of the 2nd half.  Back to back turnovers for hoops end that run.  Smith with a 3 to keep the Pumas within 17 with 14:15 left.  Then it gets way out of hand as guard Lewis McCaleb heats up.  1 bounce and he'll bang home the jumper, 2 free throws off a turnover, back to back 3s and 2 free throws on a Cristo Rey technical  He'll add another 3 for good measure to close out the 19-2 MTS run. 82-48 MTS with 11 minutes left.  Most of the rest of the way its running time with plenty of free throws.  MTS wins 96-59.

Post Game
Davonte Smith with 24 to lead Cristo Rey.  Jericho Sims 15 points on my sheet and hit some tough jumpers with his flat shot.  Turnovers were the downfall.  They up a truckload of easy hoops on live ball turnovers and that's no way to win. Cristo Rey falls to 12-9 with the loss. The Pumas are in that 3rd tier of teams in section 4A with Heritage and CHOF so I'm thinking 7 seed give or take 1.  The rest of the schedule is super full the next 10 days.

MTS continues their better than expected season as they improve to 19-5.  They have 2 very winnable games left against Trinity and Bethany.  Isaiah Wade with another double double.  I had him for 19 points and pretty sure he had double digit boards.  Lewis McCaleb went off in the big 2nd half run on his way to 24 points.  Zach Adams 14 of his 18 in the 1st half.  Wade showed nice versatility being able to step out and make a jumper in addition to being active on the glass.  MTS in the 2nd tier of teams in section 4A with Legacy and SW Christian.  They beat Legacy and lost a tough one to SW Christian.  Despite the head-head win, it was a close game and the strength of schedules are actually about even.  MTS has a win over Columbia Heights which SW Christian can't really match.  I would give MTS the 3 seed, SW Christian 4 and Legacy 5.  But you have the MCAA voting block, don't be shocked to see MTS at 4.