Free hoops in a river rivalry

Prologue
To Brooklyn Center where the Centaurs hosted cross-river rival Fridley.  I remember this from the days of the short lived Metro Alliance Conference.  Newer bleachers on the stage with the scorers table give the gym a much different feel.  Water is the beverage of choice

Number of Teams I've Seen: 133 (50 courts, 2 new, 2 TV games, 93 varsity games)

Beverage Ticker: 588 ounces (4950 calories) + 7 liters (880 calories)

• Pepsi: 280 ounces (3250 Calories) + 2 liters (840 Calories)
• Coke: 24 ounces (280 Calories)
• Dr Pepper: 60 ounces (750 Calories) 
• Mug Root Beer: 20 ounces (260 Calories)
• Sprite: 24 ounces (280 Calories)
• Water: 4.5 Liters + 160 ounces (0 Calories)
• Gatorade: 500 ml (40 Calories) + 20 oz (130 calories)

Hot Dog Ticker: 8
Pizza Ticker: 9
Walking Taco Ticker: 8
Pork Sandwich Ticker: 5

Game Time:
Close game early with Tirik Reeves to the rack for 2 countered by a Landon Kirkwood jumper.  Deshawn Pickford with the triple and attacks for a 3 point play.  13-8 Brooklyn Center 4 minutes into the game.  Tessy Pal already with 2 fouls so Fridley goes to a 3-2 for the rest of the night.  That sparks a 13-3 Tigers run.  Tyree Caruthers with a pair of hoops in that run.  Pal getting a rest but comes back in and quickly picks up his 3rd foul.  He'll sit the last 9:33 of the half.  21-16 Fridley with the lead at that point.  Davonta Prince with a steal for 2 and a nice scoop for 2 more.  Kirkwood to the rack and we're all tied at 26 going to the last 5 minutes of the half.  Soph Evan Nelsen with a 3 and a layup for Fridley.  Caruthers runs for a layup and converts a turnover for 2 more.  Its a 13-2 Fridley run before a Kirkwood 3 ends the scoring for the half.  Fridley up 39-31 at the break.

Shyheem Murray with a long 3 with 14:45 left to stretch the Fridley lead to 47-35.  Brooklyn Center starts their comeback.  Pickford with a drive for 2 and another drive for 2 free throws.  Lu'Cye Patterson takes a kickout and buries a 3.  Kirkwood to Prince for a dunk.  A late (but correct) charge call on Pal is his 4th with 10 minutes left.  All the momentum with Brooklyn Center and the fans are awake.  Kirkwood converts a turnover, Pickford makes bonus free throws, then a nice Centaur cut to the middle of the zone for a short jumper.  Brooklyn Center back on top 53-51 with 8:30 to play.  The math is 18-6 in 5 and a half minutes.

Murray scores and then buries another 3 as Fridley regains the momentum with a 9-3 spurt.  Brooklyn Center needs timeout down 60-56 with 4:38 left.  Fridley with a block but they miss bonus free throws. Pickford hits the textbook inside out of the zone triple.  He then is open on the break but fumbles away a pass for a go ahead layup.  Centaurs end up turning it over and Fridley makes bonus free throws to push the lead back to 3.  Prince fouled on a 3 and makes 2 of those with 1:38 left.  Fridley misses another front end but Brooklyn Center turns it over.  Fridley scores to go up by 3.  Pickford with a quality look for 3.  No good but they get it back.  It finds Pickford again and this time its pure gold from 3.  66 all with 23 seconds left.  Fridley turns it over on their possession but Brooklyn Center can't get a good look at the horn.  We'll play free basketball.

Caruthers starts the OT with 2 free throws.  Pickford counters with another hoop to tie.  But the Centaurs can't get anything else to fall in the overtime despite a bunch of good looks.  Fridley makes 9-12 FTs in the overtime and they win 77-68.

Post Game:
For Brooklyn Center, Deshawn Pickford with a career high 26 points.  He made 3 triples.  Davonta Prince with 14, Landon Kirkwood with 11.  Kirkwood quiet night of points but he was in the middle of the zone effectively distributing.  Loved the decision by coach Matt McCollister to go to his dribble drive man offense vs the 3-2 zone.  Brooklyn Center's 3 game winning streak is snapped.  They fall to 10-7 overall, 3-4 in the Tri-Metro.  The week doesn't get any easier with Roosevelt coming in on Thursday and a trip to St. Anthony on Friday.

Tyree Caruthers leads Fridley with 21 points.  All of those bunnies.  Shyheem Murray with 10 of his 15 in the 2nd half.  Tessy Pal with 8 points due to foul trouble along with a couple large rejections.  Good minutes from soph Evan Nelsen off the bench with 7 points.  Coach McDonald's move to the zone was a wise one.  Fridley hosts old rival Spring Lake Park on Thursday before visiting Minneapoils Henry on Saturday.  This was the 1st of 2 meetings between Brooklyn Center and Fridley.  They'll meet again at Fridley in 2 weeks.