On the Road Again

Prologue
Its another random Saturday of running around the metro to find games.  Always one of the fun things I do.  So this particular Saturday brings me to 3 games in 3 venues, including 1 new unique venue.

Game 1: Rockford 91 at Burnsville 50
This one was close for about 9 minutes.  Then Rockford totally took over.  Nolan Perry 3 late 3s and Derek Pepin 11 1st half points for an 16 point lead at the break, 42-26.  Pepin then explodes in the 2nd half. He scores 15 straight and 20 out of 22 Rockford points in 1 stretch (only interrupted by a nice Sam Zilmer tip dunk).  In the post, bank in a 3, midrange, it was all working for Pepin.  Pepin ends up with 35 points, 24 in the 2nd half.  4 triples included in that list.  Nolan Perry adds 21, Sam Zilmer 15.  Khalif Bettis with 15 points to lead Burnsville.  Rockford gave up some looks in the middle of their 3-2 zone but otherwise was dominant.  Fun to get another look at Burnsville soph 7 footer Henry Buchanan as well.  He showed some nice footwork inside.

Game 2: Eagle Ridge 78 at Chesterton 50
Chesterton no longer combined with International School this season.  ISM playing a JV only schedule this year.  So Chesterton on their own and that takes this game to their new home court, Holy Family Academy in St. Louis Park.  Nothing like 3 rows of the metal bleachers on 1 side and only 1 scoreboard hung in a corner.  Fun little gym to be in.  Eagle Ridge runs away and hides in this one.  Cade LaFavor 23 points.  Hunter LaFavor adds 14. This was like playing against your younger brother.  They just bullied Chesterton inside.  8th grader JP Musoke adds 15 points with 3 triples on the day.   Mike Hornecker leads Chesterton with 18 points.

Game 3: Two Rivers 59 at St. Croix Lutheran 56 (OT)
After starting my season with 4 blowouts, this 5th game was absolute craziness.  Two Rivers takes a 7 point lead in the 1st half after trailing early.  SCL reclaims the lead but an Eric Lail triple sends Two Rivers to the locker room up 1 at the break.  Two Rivers extends the lead to 9 just after midway thru the 2nd half, but their soph star Jaden Morgan has to sit with 4 fouls.  SCL rallies back and their soph star Jaden Neish buries a 3 with just over 2 minutes left to tie the game at 50.

Two Rivers misses a front end, SCL makes 2 freebies, Morgan buries a 3 for a 53-52 Two Rivers lead wit under 90 seconds left.  2 SCL misses sandwiched around another missed front end..  Then a Two Rivers turnover but SCL can't convert. They have to foul and Two Rivers misses the 3rd front end.  They get the rebound back and make the 1st of 2.  The 2nd is no good and the rebound is out of bounds back to Two Rivers with a 2 point lead and under 15 seconds left.  But they throw it away on the inbounds.  Ben Austin takes that the other way for 2 and the foul with 6.4 seconds left.  Oh My!  Two Rivers ices Austin before the potential go ahead free throw.  That freebie is no good so we're tied.  Sibley throws the quick outlet to halfcourt but Neish steps in front of it and SCL looks to have a layup to win it.  They have a 2 on 1 but a floater at the buzzer is no good and we'll play overtime tied at 54.  

Soph forward Max Mogelson with all 5 Two Rivers points in the OT.  His layup vs the press puts the Warriors up 3 late. SCL turns it over, Two Rivers misses 2 free throws with 2.2 seconds left in the OT.  Making either would have iced the game.  1 last prayer from half court is not answered.  Two Rivers survives 59-56 in overtime after coming up with almost every possible way to attempt to give the game away.  Great bench minutes for Two Rivers from Carson Christensen and Yantuan Colon.  They combined for 18 points.  Sophs Jaden Morgan 10 points and Max Mogelson 9 points.  Ben Austin 15 points to lead St. Croix Lutheran.  Omarion Miller 14 points all in the 1st half before struggling with cramps in the 2nd half.

Czar Insights