A Grand Opening in Style

Prologue
Its a quiet but fortuitous Wednesday on the schedule.  The schedule takes me to the 1st game at Hope Academy's new gym where they have a section 4A battle with Kaleidoscope.  Nice setup with 6 rows of bleachers to fill one side and a nice area for the table and big court.  I love the irony of a sign at the entrance saying "This is not a Hope Academy entrance" but its the door you need to use. Then its up the stairs, around the corner, and then down the hall after the pay window and u-turn for the gym.

Season Ticker:

• Number of Games: 82
• In Person: 60
• Online: 22
• Number of Teams: 116
• 4A: 43
• 3A: 31
• 2A: 19
• 1A: 11
• Non-Minnesota: 8 (6 Wisconsin)
• Girls: 4
• Number of Buildings: 30
• Number of Bands: 1

Beverage Ticker: 483.6 ounces (5530 calories)

• Coke: 92.9 ounces (1100 calories) 
• Dr. Pepper: 32 ounces (390 calories)
• Pepsi: 194.7 ounces (2440 calories)
• 7-Up: 12 ounces (140 calories)
• Sprite: 56 ounces (650 calories) 
• Mug Root Beer: 12 ounces (160 calories)
• A&W Root Beer: 12 ounces (170 calories)
• Fruit Punch Gatorade: 72 ounces (480 calories)

Food Ticker:

• Hot Dogs: 11
• Pizza: 6
• Walking Tacos: 1
• Extras
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: 3 (630 calories)
• Lays Potato Chips: 2 (320 calories)

Game Time:
This game was much like the section 4A game that I saw last night.  Caleb Hoilien comes out on absolute fire for Hope Academy.  After an opening 3 he scores the next 14 Hope Academy points in a personal 14-4 run.  He'll add a steal for a dunk and then he blocks 2 shots which leads to a Hope layup.  Then 2 more buckets for good measure.  Another sequence where he pulls for 3, puts back a miss, hits another triple and blocks another shot that leads to a Lions layup.  He finishes the 1st half with 32 points and 3 3s.  Plus he holds Comets star Jacob Donnett to 1 FG in the half.  Donnett struggling to finish over Hoilien's length.  47-28 Hope Academy in control at the half.  20-7 Hope run over the last 6:15 to extend the lead.

Hope throttles back slightly in the 2nd half.  Plus their offense stagnates and becomes hero ball.  Add in some defensive lapses and long with Donnett heating up.  That keeps this one from getting too far out of hand.  Hoilien with a stepback triple makes it 66-42 with under 9 minutes left.  Donnett with 3 buckets to keep it at 20 with 4 minutes left.  Hope sits the starters but after Donnett scores 10 straight they have to come back in.  That lead was down to 13 with a minute left.  Hope hits a late 3 for the final 80-62 margin.

Post Game:
For Kaleidoscope, Jacob Donnett with 22 of his 26 points in the 2nd half.  He got 3 triples to go and found more success inside in that stretch but the game was basically out of reach for most of his damage.  Frosh PG Michael Jude with 3 triples and 11 points.  Soph guard AJ Kargel also with 11 points.  The Comets fall to 6-6 overall.  They visit Chesterton/International School next Monday and then host Lakes International Language Academy next Wednesday.

Hope Academy gets a monster night of 37 points from Caleb Hoilien to lead all scorers.  32 of those points in the 1st half.  He was also on the glass for a bunch of rebounds plus a handful of assists and blocks.  Plus the 1st half defense on Donnett was a difference maker.  Kaleb Dube with 13 points playing out of the finishers spot.  Caleb Irving chips in with 11.  The Lions won't like how they played in the 2nd half but they do get a win.  This is a roster without their expected starting backcourt.  Elijah Wade sitting out with a torn ACL from football season.   Next for the Lions is Lakes International Language Academy at home on Friday.  Then a huge home game next Tuesday in a rematch of last year's section final vs CHOF.