2018 Dream Classic Night Session

Off to Roosevelt for the 4th annual Dream Classic.  As in past years, I take in the late 2 games.  We get the Roosevelt drum line.  Nothing like a drum line in a small loud city gym.  But not quite like the old drum line in the MTS gym.  Excellent choice to get food ahead of time and how sad that the main beverage choice was Pepsi.  More for me.

Game 1: Minneapolis Roosevelt 80 Simley 49
I was looking forward to the Jake Binley vs Deszi Sims scoring battle in this one.  It certainly did not disappoint.  Binley opens the scoring with a post up out of the Swing Offense.  Sims gets it going right away too.  A steal for a dunk and he converts another turnover.  He adds a triple and then a nice spin and he's off to the races for a coast to coast bucket.  Those end an 18-2 Roosevelt run and the Teddies lead 18-4 7 minutes in.  Sims takes another turnover for a dunk to push the lead to 20.  Binley with a BLOB finish and bonus free throws.  Sims with a triple and an assist on another Teddies 3.  41-17 Roosevelt at the break.

The 2nd half was more interesting than expected.  Binley fouled on a 3 and make all the freebies.  Sam Vujovich with 3 triples and an assist to Binley for another.  Binley also has a putback of his own miss for a 3 point play during the run.  Its 5 triples during the run plus a 3 point play and 3 free throws being fouled on a 3.  That result is a Simley 21-6 run in under 6 minutes.  That cuts the Roosevelt lead to 49-38 with over 11 minutes left.  But its all Roosevelt from there.  Sims dunks a turnover, puts back a miss for a 3 point play, makes 2 free throws on an intentional foul (turnover), spins for a 3 point play and scores again.  That's 12 points in a 17-0 run over the next 4 minutes.  That pushes the lead back to 28, 66-48 inside of 7:30 to play.  The rest is garbage time.  Deszi Sims scores 39 points to lead Roosevelt.  Eric Atson adds 11 for the Teddies.  Jake Binley leads Simley with 22 points.  Tyler Walker with a pair of 3s and 10 points off the Simley bench.  A very lethargic SImley performance on both ends.

Game 2: Minneapolis South 66 Jordan 65
South's quickness was a problem all night long for Jordan.  Add in some timely first half 3s, 5 of them to be exact and South goes to the break with a 37-35 lead. Very balanced South offense.  Jordan's Eric Tiedman (Augustana commit) had 7 quick points but only 1 bucket in the last 12:40 of the half.  Ryan Samuelson with 3 triples in the half to help Jordan hang around.

Back and forth early in the 2nd half.  Tiedman on the elbow iso for a 3 point play to break a tie.  South counters with the next 4 to regain the lead.  Then Josiah Lossow with a long 2 and then a South hustle play gets him a layup.  Jordan takes timeout with 8:55 left down 5 and their staff is not happy with the energy level.  They claw their way back to the lead with Tiedman picking up his play.  South responds and pushes the lead back to 5 with post Cossy Kowouto making a pair of freebies and tipping in a miss.  Jordan not going away.  Big center Andrew Niebuhr runs the floor for a 3 point play.  Then a set side elevator play for Samuelson is a long 2 (thought it was 3) and we're tied at 61 with 2:45 left.  Then he finds Tiedman for 2 free throws.  7-0 Hubmen run and South needs a timeout down 2 with 2:05 left.

Set play for Curtis Jones in the left corner for 3 and South goes up 1.  Time Jordan and Tiedman grabs a miss and feeds Niebuhr for 2 free throws to put Jordan up 1.  Niebuhr with a clutch block but Jordan turns it over. South misses a layup on that turnover but Jordan throws it away trying to save the rebound.  South takes another timeout.  Kowouto scores on Niebuhr with about 20 seconds left to put South up 1.  Jordan takes timeout.  The play breaks down and Samuelson's fade away from the left baseline is no good.  South pulls off the upset.  Cossy Kowouto with 16 points inside.  Josiah Lossow adds 12.  4 others combine for 34.  Ryan Samuelson with 19 points and 3 triples to lead the Hubmen.  Eric Tiedman with 18 points and a bunch of little plays down the stretch to help the cause.  Andrew Niebuhr with 11 points.