No Storm Surge

Prologue
After a surprise night off and problems with the Czar's technology, we're back.  Tuesday's TCAC showdown was entertaining but 3 technicals cost PSA 5 points and they lose by 6.  Charter Stars will also have a say with 2 vs Prairie Seeds and a rematch with Cristo Rey.  As to tonight, its a usual cold trip to the Haben Center to see Chanhassen take on the host Benilde-St. Margaret's.  Small but quality hot dog with the delicacy known as A&W for the beverage.  The Old Spice Guy, The Commish and a D1 college lady official working the game in front of a small crowd.

Number of Teams I've Seen: 124 (109 games, 64 days, 41 buildings, 20 online)

Beverage Ticker: 826.3 ounces (9150 Calories)

• Pepsi: 263.6 ounces (3290 calories)
• Coke: 149.8 ounces (1780 calories) 
• Dr. Pepper: 36 ounces (450 calories)
• Sprite Zero: 20 ounces (0 calories) 
• Sprite: 156.9 ounces (1860 calories) 
• 7 Up: 12 ounces (140 calories)
• Red Gatorade: 100 ounces (700 calories)  
• Red Powerade: 40 ounces (260 calories) 
• A&W Root Beer: 36 ounces (510 calories) 
• Mug Root Beer: 12 ounces (160 calories)

Food Ticker:

• Hot Dogs: 23
• Walking Tacos: 5
• Pizza: 17
• Pulled Pork Sandwich: 1
• Chipotle: 1 (thanks to Bethel staff)

Game Time:
This was tight the entire way.  Soph Luke Gitzen off the Chanhassen bench with a reverse layup and a transition 3.  Soph Walker Johnson counters with his 2nd 3 and we're tied at 12 and over 7 minutes in.  Patient offense from both sides with Benilde using the Swing and Chanhassen with their 5 out continuity. Dylan Drees with a transition 3 and the Benilde-St. Margaret's takes a 18-13 lead at the 8:50 mark.  Ryder Hutton with a layup and 3 to bring Chanhassen back to even at 20 just 2 minutes later.  Johnson with his 3rd right wing triple of the night and he'll hit his 4th 3s of the half.  That counters Austin Carter's stepback jumper and triple.  27-26 BSM inside 4 minutes.  Gitzen then with a block on 1 end that leads to him hitting a 3 on the other end.  Chris Wandling adds the final bucket of the half.  That sends Chanhassen to the locker room with a 31-27 lead.

Johnson and Riley Miller with 3s to counter Carter scoring a hoop and adding another backdoor bucket.  39 all 2 minutes in.  Miller hits 2 technical free throws countered by a Chanhassen bucket.  43-41 Chan at 13:45.  Then Benilde has a spark.  Chanhassen gets nothing out of THE WORLD'S WORST OFFENSE and Johnson scores a 3 point play on the other end.  Then Johnson with 2 steals and he'll convert the 2nd one.  Quick timeout by Chanhassen as the 7-0 Red Knights run puts Benilde-St. Margaret's up 48-43 with 11:17 left.

Drees with 2 critical threes but the lead will only stay at 6.  Carson Hollowaty with bonus free throws and Charlie Ash off the bench with the surprise bomb.  That means the Storm cut the lead to 56-55 with 6:39 left and now BSM needs a timeout.  Hollowaty with a great find of Regan Tollefson for a 3 point play but Joe Dunn answers right back with a 3 point play of his own.  Hollowaty again and a Dunn free throw.  62 all with 4:19 left.

Then a great possession by Benilde.  The ball moves inside and out and it finds Drees for 3 with 3:23 left.  Great patience and moving the ball against the help in the post.  BSM will miss 2 FTs with 2:01 left but Tollefson has a 3 go in and out with 1:40 left.  It ends up with Carter and that's good for 3.  We're tied at 67 with 1:20 to play.

Riley Miller makes 2 free throws with 1:08 left to put BSM back on top.  Then the Red Knights go 2-3 zone and Chanhassen turns it over on back to back possessions.  BSM makes 3 of the 4 free throws to go up 5.  But Holloway and Wandling make triples around 2 Dunn free throws to cut the lead to 1 with 4.3 left.  Miller makes 2 more freebies with 2.6 left.  Chanhassen out of time outs.  Wandling's heave from half court is just off.  Benilde-St. Margaret's hangs on 76-73.


Post Game
For Chanhassen, Austin Carter leads the way with 18 points.  Chris Wandling with 11, Ryder Hutton and Luke Gitzen each with 10.  Quiet nights for Carson Hollowaty and Regan Tollefson.  I like the 5 out motion stuff the Storm ran.  Thought it was effective enough to run more of it.  Also like the stuff they did out of high post flashes and cutting off of that.  Plus they threw in some 1-4 high stuff.  Chanhassen loses their 3rd game in a row.  The Storm fall to 7-9 overall, 2-3 in the Metro West.  They play at St. Michael-Albertville in the Community Clash on Saturday.  Then Monday, Wednesday, Friday games in league play next week.  That includes a visit from current league leader St. Louis Park on Monday.

Soph Walker Johnson leads Benilde-St. Margaret's with 20 points.  He had 5 3s, 4 of them in the 1st half to carry the offense early.  Riley Miller with all 14 of his points in the 2nd half.  Dylan Drees with 14 points, 3 big 3s in the 2nd half.  Joe Dunn 1 field goal but 10-13 FTs for 12 points.  The Red Knights shot 24-31 from the line.  That was compared to 10-12 for Chanhassen.  Dunn and Miller with 19 of their 26 points at the charity stripe.  The Red Knights continue to run the Swing.  Plus they'll add some 2-3 high with the post screening motion.  But no real use of the 1-3-1 which coach Moore has liked in the past.  Carter Uphus wearing the face mask tonight and coming off the bench.  Don't sleep on Benilde come section time.  They have shooters and size and have played top teams tough including a 23 point blowout of Wayzata.  The Red Knights improve to 9-8 overall, 3-2 in the Metro West.  That keeps them 1 game out of 1st.  They too have 3 league games next week.  They get league winless Richfield and Kennedy with a trip to 1 league loss Chaska in the middle on Wednesday.