Closing the Regular Season with a Bang

Its the final day of the regular season.  Now due to snow there's more games than usual.  But the 2 staples of the final Saturday still remain.  That's the Twin Cities Series and the TCAC Conference Tournament title games.  The timing works out so that I manage to get see both this year.

Twin Cities Championship: Central 77 North 74
This year was unique for the Twin Cities Series in that Central and North both swept the 3 titles.  North ran away in the freshman game for a 76-43 win.  In the JV game, North hit a 3 in the last minute to take the lead and would win 60-57.  That was against a Central squad that will basically be their varsity team the next 2 years.

As to the big game, Eli Campbell would get hot in the 1st half.  He hits 3 3s in a 18-4 run that puts North up 25-16 at the 8:30 mark.  Central cuts that to 2 thanks to a couple Ronnell Porter buckets.  Then Omar Brown with 6 in a row, Campbell adds another 3 and Brown with a block that leads to a Campbell layup.  Brown finishes the 13-1 North run with a dunk.  North's 1-2-2 zone giving Central trouble.  North takes a 45-31 lead to the break.

North scores 9 in a row after Central scores the 1st bucket of the half.  All of a sudden the lead is 54-33 with 15:36 left.  Campbell with his 6th 3 of the night in that run.  Timeout Central but it doesn't help much.  Omar Brown with a layup from Campbell and Clifford Brown buries a 3.  61-39 North under 12:30 left to play.  But here comes Central.

Daveonte Davis 5 in a row.  Dion Ford adds 3 free throws and runs the floor for a layup.  North's lead down to 64-51 as we cross the midpoint of the half.  Central going to their own 1-2-2 and its giving North fits.  Khai West 2 steals which leads to a 3 point play and bonus free throws.  Davis adds 2 free throws.  66-60 North with 6:30 left after the 21-5 run.  North with 6 of the next 8 to push the lead back to 10 with 5 minutes left.

Ford 2 buckets and another West steal for a bucket.  Ford tips in a miss, North misses 2 free throws and Luke McElroy from the top of the key for 3 with 44 seconds left and Central has the lead 75-74.  Out of North's last timeout, Central uses their last 2 fouls to give.  North misses a 3 with 3.2 left and Davis closes it out with 2 free throws.  Central comes back from 22 down with 12:30 left to win.  The Minutemen outscore North 15-2 in the final 4:45.  Daveonte Davis leads Central with 24 points.  Dion Ford adds 19.  Khai West 11 points off the bench and his defense was a major factor.  Eli Campbell 19 of his 23 in the 1st half.  He had nothing after a free throw with 10:23 left.  He didn't find any spots against the Central zone.  Omar Brown another very good game with 16 points and he did harass Davis on the defensive end. 

TCAC D2 Championship: Liberty Classical Academy 60 Avail Academy 58
Then its off to Hiawatha Collegiate for the TCAC D2 title game.  This game is the 4th meeting of these teams this season.  But best of all we get another appearance from the rhino (the Avail mascot).  Forwards Thomas Conroy and Hans Dykstra leading their teams in the 1st half.  A late 6-0 spurt by Liberty thanks to 2 Conroy putbacks gives the Lions a 34-30 halftime lead.

Avail with an early 15-2 run in the 2nd half run.  Joey Ritzema with a 3 point play to draw the 4th foul on Conroy with 12:36 left.  He adds a putback as well.  Freshman Josiah Schaap gets his offense going as well with a free throw, bucket and ends the run with a 3.  47-38 Avail with under 11 minutes to play.  Liberty with a very thin bench so they'll leave Conroy out there with the 4 fouls.  That gamble will pay off.  He adds 2 free throws working inside.  Schaap counters with a bucket and bonus free throws.  Conroy comes back with 2 hoops.  53-47 Avail with 7:43 left.

A Liberty putback, Conroy 2 freebies and he'll score off of a missed bonus front end.  After an Avail missed front end, Conroy makes his bonus free throws and we're tied at 55 with 3:42 left.  Schaap breaks that 8-0 run with a bucket.  Conroy all over the offensive glass and it results in 1-2 FTs.  After an Avail missed front end its Conroy attacking for 2 more.  Fans on their feet as that gives Liberty the lead 58-57 with 2:18 left.  Liberty 3 late turnovers but Avail has a couple of misses.  Then a tough illegal screen call against Liberty with 52.7 left and Avail still can't convert.  Who else but Conroy as he makes 2 free throws with 16.9 left.  Avail gets 1 last chance to set up a play with 4.1 left.  They miss a 3 and an offensive board at the horn is no good.  Liberty evens the season series at 2-2 with the Valor.  Liberty outscores Avail 17-5 over the last 8 minutes.  Thomas Conroy with 17 of his 29 in the 2nd half including the last 9 for the Lions.  Ryan Grill's size also a factor as he ends with 15 points.  Josiah Schaap with 12 of his 17 in the 2nd half to lead Avail.  Hans Dykstra with 12 of his 14 inside in the 1st half for the Valor.