Minnehaha wins IMAC showdown

Prologue
Off to Bergstrom Court at Minnehaha Academy to see the #5AA Redhawks in a big IMAC showdown vs previously ranked St. Paul Academy.  Its a boys and girls doubleheader night.  Minnehaha wins the girls game 74-11 after being up 44-2 at the half.  Minnehaha is always one of my favorite places to visit.  And quite often there's a food surprise (e.g. chicken wild rice soup).  Tonight is no different.  The pulled pork combo was outstanding with Lays chips and Gatorade.  I did make the mistake of not adding BBQ sauce though.  With these schools being so close together, I was surprised there wasn't a bigger crowd.  Our tune is honor of the late Glenn Frey

Song of the Day
Glenn Frey - Smugglers Blues

Number of Teams I've Seen: 129 (46 courts, 2 new, 2 TV games, 86 varsity games)

Beverage Ticker: 548 ounces (4440 calories) + 5.5 liters (670 calories)

• Pepsi: 260 ounces (3000 Calories) + 1.5 liters (630 Calories)
• Coke: 24 ounces (280 Calories)
• Dr Pepper: 60 ounces (750 Calories)
• Sprite: 24 ounces (280 Calories)
• Water: 3.5 Liters + 160 ounces (0 Calories)
• Gatorade: 500 ml (40 Calories) + 20 oz (130 calories)

Hot Dog Ticker: 8
Pizza Ticker: 9
Walking Taco Ticker: 7
Pork Sandwich Ticker: 5

Game Time:
Emerson Egly with a pair of early layups, then a skip pass for 3 and its 10-7 SPA at the 9:30 mark.  Minnehaha counters with JaVonni Bickham for a 3 point play and a putback as part of a 12-2 run.  19-12 Redhawks at 6:20.  Bickham another hoop but picks up his 3rd late in the half.  SPA goes for 7 7 in a row to cut the lead down to 1.  Jalen Suggs scores Minnehaha's last 5 points of the half with Bickham sitting.  26-23 Minnehaha at the half.

Kent Hanson with 2 pretty cuts for a layup and a dunk plus he buries a 3.  Tommy Dicke adds a triple to conclude the spurt out of halftime.  33-29 SPA with 15:44 left.  Suggs scores 7 in a row and Bickham adds a 3 point play.  10-0 Minnehaha run forces an SPA timeout with 13:15 left.  Dalante Peyton with 5 in a row to cut the lead down to 1.  Suggs looking for the contact and converting the 3 point play to help spot that momentum.  Bickham with a push off (dicey call maybe) for his 4th foul and he'll sit with 9:26 left.  Minnehaha clinging to a 47-44 lead.  Jose Williamson with a 3 point play and a Jake Richardson steal for 2 push the lead right back to 8.  Suggs with back to back hoops including a steal and wraps it around his back on his way to the layup and the lead is double digits.  Dalante Peyton for 3 to cut the lead to 58-50 with 4:47 left.  Bickham returns and makes a jumper.  Suggs with 2 drives for scores and a bonus free throws.  That closes it out.  Minnehaha wins 70-60.

Post Game:
Kent Hanson leads St. Paul Academy with 17 points and 9 rebounds.  Emerson Egly with 12, Dalante Peyton with 11.  Lots more Princeton Offense from SPA in this one.  That has really taken Peyton out of his element.  Its a big adjustment from all of the high pick and roll they ran with him and Hanson last year.  SPA falls 2 games back in the IMAC at 1-2 with losses to both teams in front of them.  They are 11-5 overall.  The rest of the schedule is very winnable.  The rematches with Breck and Minnehaha are in 2 weeks and both are at home.

Jalen Suggs played the best game I've seen him play for Minnehaha.  I had him for 27 points and 8 rebounds.  20 of those points in the 2nd half as SPA had no answer for him getting to the rim.  He did all of that without making a single 3.  He had an early 2nd foul and did well to not get the 3rd like in other games this year.  JaVonni Bickham with 14 points and 8 rebounds despite foul trouble.  Only 4 3s for Minnehaha which is a good thing for them.  Attacking the rim rather than settling for lots of 3s.  The Redhawks stay undefeated in league play and will play at Breck to break the 1st place IMAC tie on Friday.  Overall record is 12-5, 3-0 in the IMAC.