2017 Augsburg semifinal day

Back to Augsburg for day 2 of their early holiday tournament.  Lithgow once again lurking to do evaluations.  The JMOA also gets another 4 PM game.  Only 1 hot dog and can of battery acid for my concessions.  Here are the day's sights and sounds.

Game 1: St. Paul Johnson 65 Schaeffer Academy 48
Schaeffer would come out in a flat 3-2 zone and that would keep things under wraps in the 1st half.  Only the Govs offensive rebounding would keep them ahead.  Then in the 2nd half, Johnson decided to up the pressure.  Something that I expected far earlier in the game.  That pressure would break a 38 all tie inside 12 min left in the game and inspire a 26-4 run over 10 minutes of the 2nd half.  7 turnovers leading to points in that run.  Keylon Jackson owned the paint for 17 points for the Govs.  Shemar Tucker-Adams adds 13.  Cole Bothun leads Schaeffer Academy with 3 triples and 14 points.

Game 2: Mayer Lutheran 63 Minneapolis Southwest 55
Southwest playing again without star forward Niko Polydorou.  Mayer Lutheran jumps out to a 9-3 lead.  Matt Menth with 3 early 3s as the lead grows.  It would stretch to 11 at the half.  Southwest would cut that lead to 3 with Traevon Nystrom converting a turnover with 11:40 left.  Ari Bogen-Grose with a triple at 5:50 and that keeps the margin at 4.  But Menth hits another bomb and Kobey Woolhouse drives to push the lead back to 9.  Branden Carlson with 4 late FTs to close it out.  Baden Noenning another nice outing of 16 points to lead the Crusaders.  Branden Carlsen adds 14, Matt Menth 4 3s for 13.  Alex Fischer leads Southwest with 18 points.  Traevon Nystrom with 14 and Ari Bogen-Grose with 13 for the Lakers.

Game 3: #3AAAA Hopkins 105 Fridley 65
Hopkins with back to back 3s from Blaise Beauchamp and Kerwin Walton to start 6-0.  Nate Soto with a pair of early 3s and 9 points from Jerome Cunningham as Fridley rallies.  That puts Fridley up 22-20 inside of the 11 minute mark of the 1st half.  The rest is all Hopkins.  Anthony Davis with 2 free throws and a jumper.  Zeke Nnaji 2 hoops.  But a 3 point play from Issac Burns keeps Fridley within 8 at the 3:36 mark.  But its 15-3 Hopkins the rest of the half.  Walton for 3 and 3 Anthony Davis buckets.  52-32 Hopkins at the break as they go 32-10 the last 10:30 of the half.  The 2nd half is more of the same.  Hopkins steamrolls from there.  Zeke Nnaji with 15 of his 26 in the 2nd half.  Joe Hedstrom with 9 of his 14 in the 2nd half.  Too much Royals size.  Anthony Davis adds 16.  Nate Soto with a nice game yesterday and he adds 27 today with 4 triples.

Game 4: #1AA Minnehaha 81 Eastview 69
Minnehaha with a 9-2 run via a Terry Lockett triple, JaVonni Bickham coast to coast 2 and 2 Jalen Suggs FTs.  22-13 Redhawks at 9:09.  Despite Bickham sitting with 2 fouls, the lead stays at 8 when Eastview takes a late 1st half timeout. The response is there as the Lightning score 8 of the last 10 of the half thanks to a pair of triples and a Tate Machacek post spin move.  41-39 Minnehaha at the break.

Suggs ignites a Redhawks run as he blocks Machacek on a lob attempt.  He then takes a steal for a dunk.  The lead is 7 and Eastview takes a quick and well advised timeout.  Lockett with the transition hoop and then a 3 point play off a UCLA cut.  Chet Holmgren tip dunks a miss and its 59-49 Redhawks with 10:50 left.  Then a turn of events.  Max Bolger 2 hoops, Steven Crowl with a nasty shimy in the post for 2 and the harm.  Suggs picks up a T on the play.  The 3 point play chance is no good but the technicals are.  Bolger converts the possession with another jumper.  Just like that its a 10-0 Eastview run and we're tied at 59 with 9:37 left.

Minnehaha counters with the next 7 points.  Lorenzo Smith on the break for 2 and a Kaden Johnson steal leads to 2 more in that run.  Bickham with 2 free throws out of the post and bonus free throws from Smith push the margin to 10 with 4:32 left.  Smith hits a dagger 3 with 2:10 left.  No further danger from there.  Terry Lockett outstanding with 25 points to lead all scorers.  JoVanni Bickham adds 18, Lorenzo Smith 15 for Minnehaha. Jalen Suggs held to 1 FG but made 11-13 FTs on his way to 13 points.  Tate Machacek leads Eastview with 22 points. Max Bolger adds 19 with a pair of 3s.