The Virtual Breakdown of Classic Tipoffs

The Breakdown Tipoff Classic is the biggest marathon of our normal high school hoops season.  In the gym by 8:30 AM, maybe out the door by 11 PM.  1 seat all day, Pepsi by the gallon and hoops galore.  Sadly COVID took that away from us this season.  Plus its usually a week or 2 into our season.  With that spirit in mind, I made up for lost time with an all video 13 hour 7 game marathon Saturday session plus a couple Sunday games for fun.  I already covered 2 of those Saturday games live in my previous post (read it here).  So far 43 total games, 81 total teams (79 were previewed here).  That includes at least 2 teams from every conference that I previewed and 39 of the 62 teams in AAAA, 22 teams in AAA.  Here are some comments from rest of what I took in on tape delay skipping the Wednesday thru Friday games that I already did, see those in the archives. 

Wednesday: Minnehaha 68 Duluth East 41
After meeting in Duluth over a week ago, the Greyhounds made the trip south for a rematch.  Mattie Thompson getting the unenviable task of trying to defend Chet Holmgren.  Noah Paulson got the job after some Thompson foul trouble.  I thought they did a reasonable job on him.  Its an especially tough matchup outside for Paulson but he moved his feet well.  He also used his big body to go right at Chet on the block and had some success with a couple of hoops against that shot blocking.  Another great Minnesota recruiting haul for UMD with Paulson and Thompson.  Holmgren didn't have a monster night.  11 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks on my sheet.  4 of those blocks in the 1st half.  Of course, his rim protection was still a huge factor even in shots not taken.  Hercy Miller was outstanding poaching passing lanes on his way to a team high 18 points.

Thursday: Park Center 70 Osseo 48
The Pirates ran away and hid in the 2nd half of this matchup as it was only a 2 point game at the break.  Dawson Rudolph with 3 back breaking treys in a 21-2 PC run that busted the game open in the middle of the 2nd half.  He finished with a game high 18 points including 4 3s.  Long wing Kabine Kaba with 4 easy buckets in limited minutes.  Josh Ola-Joseph with a team high 17 points for Osseo.  He didn't shoot it as well in this meeting but his shot looks improved.  If he has a consistent jumper, look out with that freakish athleticism.

Thursday: West Lutheran 49 Eagle Ridge Academy 43
I finished out the last 2 MCAA teams on my list with this one.  Senior wing Garrett Tesmer with a team high 12 points including a late clutch 3.  Cade LaFavor with a game high 19 for ERA.  ERA 7th grader Aidaen Musoke with a productive outing of 9 points.  Looking forward to seeing his development in the future.

Friday: Simley 56 Hastings 50
Speaking of finishing out a list, these were the last 2 teams that I hadn't seen in the Metro East.  Nice work from the Hastings booster club to provide video and overlay the radio feed on it.  Simley never able to break this one open.  They held a 10 point 1st half lead and a 7 point 2nd half lead.  Their 1-2-2 zone forced almost exclusively 3 point shots.  I had 36 of the 46 Hastings attempts from deep.  Japhe Gudissa 3 2nd half bombs to keep Hastings close.  Ultimately not enough.  Breyton Buysman with 14 of his 21 in the first half to lead Simley.  With Buysman, RJ Jioklow and Devin Robinson at the guard spots plus Luke Vandermeer on the front line plus their experience, Simley is not an easy matchup.  

Friday: #10AAA Columbia Heights 68 #3AAA DeLaSalle 63
This was the newsmaker of Friday night.  DLS using an 8-1 first half run to take the lead and keep it for most of the 1st half.  Columbia Heights scored the 1st 6 of the 2nd half to reclaim the lead.  Muja Burton with a couple of big threes as Heights would open a 4 point lead.  Cade Haskins with a block leading to an Islanders layup for a 45 all tie with 8 minutes left.  Heights with a late 10-2 run to ultimately win it.  Hassan Kamara with 2 of his 6 triples sandwiched around a lob assist to Donnavin Hinsz.  Heights with 4-4 FTs to seal it in the last 14 seconds.  Hinsz physicality inside gave Cade Haskins problems trying to block out. Haskins on the other end held to 2-12 shooting, 5 TO, 5 assists, 8 rebounds with 6 points on the night.  Czar's law violated here but thanks to 20 DLS turnovers, Heights wins the turnover number.  Czar's law now 38-5 on the season.

Friday: Eden Prairie 63 Minnetonka 57
Biggest surprise for me was how much youth was on the floor for 2 big schools.  Tonka playing 2 freshmen.  PG Andy Stefonowicz one of those and he gets a starting nod (no Ibo El-Amin for Tonka yet).  Eden Prairie 2 best interior players are sophomores.  Story here was EP soph Chiddi Obiazor.  The versatile forward bullied anybody who played him in the post and he could step out and go by slow bigs on the perimeter.  He fouled out both of Minnetonka's main big men. 28 points to lead all scorers, 17 of them in the last 9:11 of the game where he went full blown beast mode.  Good move by coach Flom to keep throwing him the ball and getting out of the way (scoring chances on 9 of 14 possessions late).  EP needed it too.  After all the hot shooting we saw from EP over the last few years, the Eagles were 3-23 from deep in this one.  22-32 from the charity stripe was a major difference.  Hard to figure out Minnetonka's identity offensively. 

Friday: Jordan 64 New Prague 52
Checking off 2 of the last 3 in the Wright County East in this game.  Jordan coming off a big win vs Delano. Big 1st half for Jordan's star PG Reagan Koch with 18 points.  He big for a PG, can pass it and shoot it, hence a steal for Colorado Mines.  Junior guard Ashton Sivilay for Jordan having a big season but held to 7 points in this one.  New Prague would use a 13-4 run to start the 2nd half and pull within 4 points with under 11 minutes left.  Koch with the response.  A pair of 3 point plays, a steal that leads to a layup, then he gets a layup off a turnover.  That's all in a 19-5 run that eliminates any doubt.