Expanding the Kingdom

The final 2 nights of the 2018-19 regular season have me on the road for 1 non-metro game and seeing another team outside my metro list on the final night.  No great concession stories or visits, just hoops.  That's not a bad thing. 

Thursday: Alexandria 67 Big Lake 62
Fire up that train for a chance to see Alexandria star soph Treyton Thompson play.  For the game, Big Lake with a 19-4 run out of halftime to take a 3 point lead midway thru the 2nd half.  Alexandria would counter with a 10-2 run to take the lead for good, but it was tight late.  Guard Carrson Jones with slick inbounds pass off the defender's back to himself for a layup in the last minute was a major dagger.  Thompson finishes with 18 points and 3 blocks on my officially unofficial stat sheet.  He needs strength but the upside and skill is definitely there.  Big Lake center DeVonne Harris gave him all he wanted with 20 points on his own.  Alexandria soph Colton Roderick adds 12 points.  Alexandria with the 2 sophs plus a freshman point guard seeing time.  Very bright future for the Cardinals.

Friday: Blake 63 Mayer Lutheran 50
Mayer Lutheran playing this one without star forward Baden Noennig (Upper Iowa commit).  They give up the 1st 7, counter with an 18-3 run into a MoKiller timeout.  Blake comes out of that with an 18-0 run of their own.   A pair of 3 point plays to start the run and then Sam Deignan with 10 points in a row off the Blake bench.  Despite no Noennig, the Crusaders were still too big and that size kept them close.  Sawyer Kubasch with 10 in the half including a bucket and 2 free throws in the later stretches and Kaleb Winter with a putback in the last minute of the half.  31-27 Blake at the half.

Forward Sawyer Kubasch with a post up and and a pretty 3 point play on a slick pick and roll pocket pass.  But Mayer Lutheran is still down 7 with 8:07 left.  Frosh guard Dylan Nelson for 3 and bonus freebies and the Blake lead is at 6 with 5:47 left.  Rob Grace puts the game away for Blake with 8 straight points.  A nice lefty finish, then 2 off the pick and roll with an immediate steal for 2 more.  Mayer Lutheran has to trap and he is left alone for an easy layup.  That's the end of a 9-0 Blake run that puts the game away.  Rob Grace finishes with 24 points, 13 in the 2nd half.  Sam Deignan with 15 off the Bears bench.  Sawyer Kubasch with 15 to lead Mayer Lutheran.  Blake finishes their regular season tomorrow at home against Mounds Park Academy.  Then they'll open section 5AA play in the 8 vs 9 game at Brooklyn Center on Thursday.  Fun matchup there.  Mayer Lutheran opens section 2A play on Monday at home in a rematch with 6 seed Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity.  More on that game in my upcoming Better Than Chalk section predictions.