Roll along Playoffs, roll along

A fun couple of playoff nights on the schedule.  Thursday gives the small schools center stage.  Friday is a quiet night with the 1st AAAA semis on the schedule.

Thursday: Humboldt 65 Hiawatha 52
This was the 8 vs 9 game in 4AA and I had the upset correctly picked in this one.  No Jaheim Houts for Hiawatha in this one.  Desmond Lugo a pair of 3s and Humboldt storms out to a 15-4 lead.  But a mysterious lack of game plan from Humboldt coach Augie Garcia.  He lets the 1 Hiawatha weapon, PG Jessye Lewis, pretty much do whatever he wants.  Plus he lets his guys settle for 3s against the 2-3 zone rather than easier looks against a defense that was one of the worst I saw all year.  Humboldt gets a couple of free throws at the halftime buzzer to go up by 5.

Romelle Bell lights up the 2nd half for Hiawatha.  He starts with 2 buckets.  Lewis with a 3 and a drive.  Bell from Lewis and he'll cut for 2 more.  Lewis for 3 and Bell for 3 to end an 11-2 run from a tie game.  44-35 Hiawatha with their biggest lead of the night with just under 12 minutes left.  Lewis with another assist for a 3 to keep the Wolves lead at 47-40 with 10:10 left.  But Hiawatha gets only 1 more field goal the rest of the way.  Hawks go on a 25-5 run to finish the game.  Lugo 2 more trips to the deep beyond.  Keith Pabon 2 triples with the 2nd coming as Bell cramps up.  A turnover for a layup and the Humboldt lead is 59-50 with 4:14 left.  The rest is basically free throws.    Jessye Lewis 22, Romelle Bell 20 for Hiawatha but no help beyond that.  Desmond Lugo with 5 triples and 18 points to lead Humboldt to the quarters on Saturday vs St. Croix Prep.

Friday: Hopkins 66 Wayzata 56
Hopkins with 2 buckets in the 1st minute but then only 1 FG in the next 12:50.  Wayzata with a 12-0 run after those buckets with a couple Camden Heide assists included.  Heide with a floater and a Drew Berkland 3 to push the lead to 22-11 at 5:28.  Walton backdoor for 2 free throws plus a jumper and Hopkins converts a turnover to cut the lead to 5 with just over 3 minutes left.  Wayzata rallies with 2 Carter Bjerke 3s in an 8-0 for a 33-20 lead.  Walton closes the half with 2 free throws to cut the margin to 33-22.  Walton 12 in the half, 8-8 FTs.  Half of that damage done with his primary defender Kody Williams sitting with 2 fouls.

Bjerke scores inside to open the half for another 13 point lead.  Here come the Royals.  7-0 run with 2 Xavier White buckets to force a quick Wayzata timeout.  Walton for 3 and a putback for a 3 point play to cut the lead to 1.  Regan Merritt another productive night off the bench for Hopkins.  His steal for a 3 point play and another 3 tie it up.  Walton to a fadeaway and Hopkins is back on top 47-45 with 8:45 left.  Back and forth we go with Merritt making 1-2 free throws for a 53-52 Hopkins lead with 4:21 left.

Then its time for Kerwin Walton to take over.  He drives and hits a crazy off balance banker for a 3 point play with 3:33 left.  Then a sweet backcut on a BLOB for another 3 point play.  Teams trade a couple of buckets and its Walton to Andre Gray for a bucket with 1:32 left to keep the lead at 7.  He adds 2 free throws to help the margin get to double figures.  Kerwin Walton finishes with 30 points, half of them at the charity stripe.  Much to the chagrin of Wayzata coach Brian Schnettler who had to be held back from the officials late.  Carter Bjerke 3 triples and 15 points to lead Wayzata.  Drew Berkland adds 3 triples and 13 points for the Trojans.  Hopkins advances to face Cooper in the section final next Wednesday.  Cooper and St. Louis Park played 3 games this year with margins of 2, 2 and 4 points.