A Different 1st Saturday in March

This 1st Saturday of March has been my traditional trip to watch all 3 games in the Twin Cities Series.  But the pandemic means we have an overflowing plate of Saturday games.  The schedule would allow 4 but I slack off and do just 3 games on this busy day.

Game 1: Highland Park 64 Johnson 63
Only fitting that since I've seen many a Twin Cities game at Johnson on this day that start with their early game vs Highland Park.  These teams come in 1 game behind Central in the loss column for the top spot in the St. Paul City.  Johnson would open up a double digit first half lead thanks to a couple of triples and lead by 7 at the half.  Fast forward to the 2nd half and the Johnson lead is 57-43 with 7 minutes left.  The Scots fight back. Carter Owens for 3 and a putback to quickly cut the lead in half.  Joey Kottke pulls up for a deep 3 from Shoreview.  Nico Peterson scores off a nice dish.  Then he'll grab an offensive board for 2 and the foul.  Highland Park grabs the missed free throw and its Kottke again from deep.  Johnson lead down to 63-62 with 1:45 left.  Johnson travels to give the Scots the ball back.  Its Peterson with the offensive putback with 25 seconds left and the Scots take the lead.  Another Johnson turnover and now Johnson has to foul with 10 seconds left.  Highland Park misses 2 front ends but gets the rebound on both.  Highland Park now in the double bonus and they miss both of those.  Highland Park gives their final foul with 2.9 left.  Halfcourt attempt at the buzzer is no good.  Highland Park comes from 14 down in the last 7 minutes to steal one from the Govs.  Highland Park now 7-2 in the league and 1 game back of 1st.  They still control their own destiny in the St. Paul City with 2 games left vs Como Park and the season finale on March 15th at Central.  Johnson now 8-3 in the league and they fall to 3rd in the loss column in the league.  Highland Park won both meetings by 1 point this season.  Carter Owens 17 points, Joey Kottke 15 points for Highland Park.  Christian Jones 13 points, Julian Hodges 12 to lead Johnson.

Four Factors

FACTOR	Johnson	Highland Park
Effective FG %	41.5%	41.9%
Offensive Rebound %	42.6%	51.7%
Free Throw Rate	23.1%	35.3%
Turnover %	16.4%	20.9%
Points Per Possession	0.94	0.96

Game 2: #4AAA South St. Paul 76 #9AAAA Tartan 67
South St. Paul won the 1st meeting 70-69 in overtime.  Now the rematch with the Packers leading the league by that 1 game over the Titans.  A Packers win would most likely give them the Metro East title outright.  Curtis Favors gets going late in the half for Tartan.  Plus David Perkins providing 8 pts off the bench.  That helps Tartan to a 34-29 halftime lead.

D'Marco Chelley carrying the Tartan offense in the 2nd half.  But Tartan with no answer for Devin Newsome off the bounce.  He finishes a 14-2 run with a 3 point play for a 43-36 SSP lead.  Chelley a 3 point play and a triple.  Perkins for 3, Chelley 3 point play and we're tied at 48.  Alonzo Dodd coast to coast for 2 and and assist for a 58-54 SSP lead with 6:10 left.  Newsome a 3 point play, 2 buckets from Marquise Gleb on turnovers and 2 buckets from Newsome.  9-2 run puts SSP up 70-60 with 2:25 left and its over.  Newsome finishes with 28 points, 22 of them in the 2nd half. Alonzo Dodd adds 13.  D'Marco Chelly with 15 of his 19 in the 2nd half to keep the Tartan offense going.  David Perkins 14 off the bench including 3 triples.  Dewayne Thompson with 11.

Four Factors

FACTOR	South St. Paul	Tartan
Effective FG %	47.2%	48.4%
Offensive Rebound %	40.8%	34.2%
Free Throw Rate	23.6%	19.1%
Turnover %	16.3%	32.5%
Points Per Possession	0.95	0.84

Game 3: Farmington 53 Shakopee 49
Nick Katona end to end for an early 8-4 Shako lead.  The Farmington 1-3-1 really slowing the pace and messing with Shakopee.  Max Darrington finishes an 11-0 Tigers run for a 15-8 Farmington lead. Then its Katona with 4 triples to provide the rest of the offense for the half for both sides.  20-17 Shakopee at the break.

Shakopee with 9 turnovers in the 1st 10 times down the floor to start the 2nd half.  But only 3 buckets and a FT from Farmington in that stretch.  But that still allows the Tigers to regain the lead 25-20.  Frosh Isaac Snell off the bench with 2 3s to finally break the ice for Shakopee just outside the 10 minute mark.  26-25 Shakopee back on top.  

Isaac Ask with a bucket and a 3 point play to end a 13-4 Farmington run.  Tigers up 38-30 as we go under 6 minutes left.  Katona back to his scoring ways with an offense board for 2 free throws and a triple.  Yonis Mohamud with his 2nd and 3rd treys of the half to pull Shako within 45-43 at the 2 minute mark.  Shako misses a front end and 1 of 2 free throws on the next possession.  But they'll trap and get the jump ball call with just under a minute left.  Arrow goes their way but a 3 to tie is no good with 45 seconds left.  Ask makes 5 of 6 free throws to close the game out.  Ask scores all 15 of his points in the 2nd half to lead Farmington.  Eli Green adds 12 pts for the Tigers.  Nick Katona with 16 of the 20 Shakopee points in the 1st half.  He finishes with 26 points and 5 3s.  Yonis Mohamud adds 3 triples in the 2nd half off the bench for 9 points  Farmington remains in the 4th place log jam in the South Suburban at 10-6.  Shakopee drops into a 2nd place tie with Lakeville North at 12-4.  Those 2 will play in Lakeville on Tuesday.

Shakopee with 45 field goal attempts and this wild number.  37 of them were from 3 as they struggled to find good looks vs the 1-3-1 all night.  Also had 22 turnovers and 7-17 from the charity stripe.  But they win EFG because they made 10 of those 3s. That means Czar's law goes 1-2 on the day.  Now 86-20 for the season.  Farmington with one of the lower PPP numbers I've seen for a winning team all season at 0.80.

Four Factors

FACTOR	Farmington	Shakopee
Effective FG %	40.91%	46.7%
Offensive Rebound %	48.8%	38.5%
Free Throw Rate	70.5%	37.8%
Turnover %	25.8%	34.4%
Points Per Possession	0.80	0.77