If its free its for me

Prologue
A fun week so far as we wind down the season.  Monday took me to Hope Academy where the originally intended home opener at Hope's new gym took place vs South.  As to the game, South jumped out to a 32 point lead in the 1st half and then pumped the brakes hard.  Easy 96-75 win for the Tigers over a depleted Hope squad.  Caleb Hoilien with 37 points and 9 boards on my sheet but not much help.  Anthony Martin with 6 triples and 31 points to lead South.  He looks primed for a monster year next year for the Tigers.

Tuesday I had the chance to take La Crosse Central at Hudson.  La Crosse Central with twins Johnny and Jordan Davis who are committed to Wisconsin.  Luke Healy of Hudson averages 20 a night and will be playing locally with Fury this spring.  Central roles to an easy 73-46 win.  Johnny Davis with 32 points and 8 boards on my sheet.  He passed the 2000 career points mark.  Jordan Davis 15 points and 12 boards by my count.  He passed 1000 career points.  Love the new gym at Hudson.  With 5 of the top 6 returning and a nice Chin Offense, plenty to see there.

Now to tonight.  I wanted to cross 2 independents off my list with LILA at Prairie Seeds but that was called off.  So that means I get to fall back to a good one in the NW Suburban with north division leader Maple Grove visiting #6AAAA Spring Lake Park.  Back to regular concessions after a could day.  We get OT in the JV game but that was just the start of the fun.

Season Ticker:

• Number of Games: 131
• In Person: 96
• Online: 35
• Number of Teams: 165
• 4A: 62 (everybody)
• 3A: 35
• 2A: 24
• 1A: 19
• Non-Minnesota: 11 (7 Wisconsin)
• Girls: 12
• Number of Buildings: 49
• Number of Bands: 6

Beverage Ticker: 897.4 ounces (10176 calories)

• Coke: 161.8 ounces (1920 calories) 
• Dr. Pepper: 52 ounces (630 calories)
• Pepsi: 299.6 ounces (3750 calories)
• 7-Up: 12 ounces (140 calories)
• Sprite: 108 ounces (1250 calories) 
• Mug Root Beer: 32 ounces (420 calories)
• A&W Root Beer: 48 ounces (680 calories) 
• Barq's Root Beer: 12 ounces (160 calories)
• Killebrew Root Beer: 16 ounces (246 calories)
• Fruit Punch Gatorade: 144 ounces (980 calories) 
• Berry Gatorade Zero: 12 ounces (0 calories)

Food Ticker:

• Hot Dogs: 26
• Pizza: 11
• Walking Tacos: 3
• Extras
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: 3 (630 calories)
• Lays Potato Chips: 6 (960 calories) 
• Doritos: 1 (150 calories)

Game Time:
Spring Lake Park with 2 early timeouts and then a 3rd on a loose ball.  Maple Grove jumping out to 18-8 lead to force that.  Spring Lake Park rallies with Kaleb Skelly scoring 6 in a 13-1 run.  Blake Remme drains a 3 to end the run and give SLP their 1st lead, 21-19 at 8:30.  Lovell Williams scores 13 of the last 22 of the half for Maple Grove. 5 attacking hoops and a triple for those.  41-36 Maple Grove at the break.  Crimson with 3 in double figures (Williams, Haakenson, Boettcher).  Gabe Myren with 10 for Spring Lake Park at the half.

Daydor Phillips bookends a 6-0 run to give the Panthers the lead again.  Williams breaks that with a 3 and we go to a Crimson MoKiller timeout at the 13:17 mark.  Spring Lake Park makes a run from there. Maple Grove with nothing on a long possession and it turns into a turnover for a Remme 3 point play.  Jacob Say 2 drives for hoops.  Remme for 3 in transition and Phillips scores to end the 15-5 Panthers run.  61-53 SLP as we approach 8:30 to play in regulation.

Caden Boettcher with a free throw and 2 buckets to cut the margin to 3.  Myren drifts to the corner for 3 and converts a turnover to keep the lead at 8 with just over 6 minutes left. Jon Haakenson with bonus free throws followed by a Sean O'Dwyer putback for a 3 point paly.  MG back within 3.  Williams 2 free throws, Remme a drive to his left and lefty finish to counter it.  Williams and O'Dwyer for 3.  Maple Grove back up 71-70 with 4 minutes left.  Crimson go 2-3 high out of a timeout after they get it back.  It ends up with a turnover and a scramble on the Spring Lake Park end before Remme cleans up the mess with a 3 point play. 73-71 SLP with 2:30 left in regulation.

Haakenson scores and Williams puts back his own miss with 1:45 left.  MG back on top and they'll get it back up 1 after 1-2 Myren FTs with 1:38 left.  They add 2 free throws and Haakenson with a layup after a SLP miss.  79-74 MG with 50 seconds left.  Myren puts back a miss and gets fouled with 40.1 left.  That cuts the margin to 2.  Williams with 4 free throws around Myren 1-2 FTs.  Myren for 3 with 7.1 left.  Last Spring Lake Park timeout down by 2.  Myren fouls out on the inbound with 5.5 left.  Maple Grove makes the 2nd of 2 free throws.  One last chance for the Panthers.  Remme will push it and his pull up from the right side of the top of the key is good at the buzzer!  84 all and we'll play overtime.  FREE BASKETBALL!

Kaleb Skelly with a free throw. He adds a a putback for a 3 point play after a Remme blocks a shot on the other end.  Skelly wipes away a Maple Grove shot which leads to a Say free throw.  SLP by 5 with 1:20 left in the 1st OT.  O'Dwyer with a 3 point play and Williams converts a turnover to tie it.  Say counters with a triple with 40 seconds left but RaShaun Parker answers with a 3 of his own.  Remme's final attempt is no good.  Maple Grove heave is no good.  92 all and we'll play a 2nd overtime.  MORE FREE BASKETBALL!!

Williams opens the 2nd overtime scoring with a floater.  Skelly responds with 2 free throws.  Maple Grove holding with a 2 point lead under 90 seconds left.  Say with pure robbery and he gets a clean strip and steal to tie it with 1:17 left.    Remme with another block with 40 seconds left.  Spring Lake Park will play for 1.  Remme gets it and he'll drive and score the tough bucket with 4.2 seconds left to win it.  Last chance for Maple Grove is no good.  What a ball game, #6AAAA Spring Lake Park wins 98-96 in double overtime.  All 15 players who played scored.

Post Game:
Maple Grove falls to 12-2 in the NW Suburban north division and 17-4 overall.  Guard Lovell Williams was fantastic as he topped all scorers with 35 points.  He hit 3 triples and 6 free throws along with 7 regular buckets.  His quickness was too much to deal with all night off the bounce.  Jon Haakenson with 19 points before fouling out in regulation.  Caden Boettcher adds 16.  The Crimson still have 3 tough road games left at Park Center, at Champlin Park and at Armstrong.  Champlin Park only 2 games back and the other tough game they have is at home vs Spring Lake Park.  So don't count the Rebels out of the division race just yet.  Despite all of those tough games, hard to see Maple Grove falling out of the 1 seed in 8AAAA.

Spring Lake Park has their stars shine.  Gabe Myren with 27 all in regulation before fouling out.  Blake Remme with 25 points including the game winner.  Plus a couple of important blocks in overtime.  Kaleb Skelly with 14 points, 6 of those in the overtimes.  Jacob Say with 6 of his 17 in the overtime.  His 2 OT buckets were super clutch.  The 2nd half defense tightened up a little but in the 1st half, especially early, Maple Grove made it look like a layup drill.  The win improves Spring Lake Park to 18-3 overall, 12-2 in the NW Suburban west division.  They remain 1 game behind Park Center for the division crown. The finish is tough with a trip to Armstrong, home games vs Osseo and Park Center and the finale at Champlin Park.  But they control their own destiny which is all you can ask.  Park Center, Champlin Park and the Panthers all also battling for seeding in section 5AAAA as well.  Win out and Spring Lake Park could make a case for the 1 seed.  Lose those 2 tough road games and to Park Center and they may end up down in the 4 spot.