2010 East Metro Showcase Day 2

To the second day of the 2010 East Metro Showcase, 3 games yesterday and 4 on day 2 to finish the event.

Game 1: Washburn vs Superior, WI
12-10 Superior in a back and forth tilt in the first 6 minutes.  Then Joel Lindberg goes on a big run.  He drives for 2 and finds Jake Lindberg for 2.  Then a drive for 2 and a pullup followed up a by a 3 point play.  Then he kicks to Rob Kraft and knocks down a pullup triple.  That's 12 points and 2 assists for 5 more as Lindberg is part of 17 straight points.  Kraft adds on another pair of layups.  33-16 Superior after the 21-6 run over 8:40 as Washburn also had no answer for the 1-2-2 zone.  Lindberg keeps it going in the second half as he finishes with 28 points in an easy 71-54 Superior win.  That's the 43rd straight win for Superior vs a Minnesota team.  Clarence Thomas with 13 points to lead Washburn.

Game 2: St. John's Military Academy (WI) vs Eastview
Eastview with Vinard Birch back but still not 100% and his backup Darin Haugh eligible for the 1st time today (transfer).  St. John's tries to pull away early as they lead 18-9 at the 8:59 mark.  Jordan Kuhn keeping Eastview close as he scores 9 of their next 11 points, mostly inside.  24-20 St. John's leads.  Oshari Arnett off the Eastview bench with a pair of hoops and Eastview is back to within 28-26 at halftime.  Back and forth second half and we'll go right to the end.  57-55 Eastview when Vinard Birch makes a great switch out his zone spot and forces a turnover with 42 seconds left but then he misses 2 free throws.  After 2 free throws tie it, Birch makes 2 freebies with 19 seconds left and another turnover but Eastview misses 2 free throws with 8 seconds left.  Kevin Mays misses a follow dunk and it looks like Eastview has won but an official has a foul with no time on the clock.  Both free throws are good and we'll play OT. 66-64 Eastview down with 31 seconds left in OT when a bogus technical foul is assessed to the Eastview bench (other coach had 1 T and couldn't stand and ref got confused).  The refs correct the error, thankfully and 1 free throw is good for St. John's.  Eastview turns it over on the inbounds and St. John's Military Academy wins 70-65 in OT.  Chris Narum with 21 points off the Eastview bench with 5 triples.  They really struggle to score.  Kevin Mays with 25 to lead St. John's.

Game 3: Maple Northwestern vs La Crosse Aquinas
Hmm, who am I rooting for in this one?  Nice moment before the game when Eastview coach Mark Gerber came over to shake hands with Aquinas coach Rick Schneider.  Aquinas took out a very good Eastview team in this event 2 years ago in an absolute classic.  Aquinas down 14-3 out of the gate and Northwestern fought off a bunch of Aquinas runs.  But a Bronson Koenig (#4 WI frosh) jumper with 2 minutes left ties the game.  Northwestern holds and turns the ball over with 10 seconds left.  But Aquinas can't get a good look and Northwestern dominates the overtime for a 68-64 overtime win.

Game 4: Milwaukee Vincent vs St. Paul Central
1st look at Central this season.  Fun occasional matchup in this one of Deonte Burton and Central's LeDarian Horton.  Burton reminds me a bit of Madison East's Marquis Mason.  Central has a lead that grows to 9 in the 1st half but they go to halftime up 29-26.  Central open the half with a 9-2 run for a 38-28 lead.  Vincent right back with 9 in a row of their own.  Vincent goes zone at the 12 minute mark of the second half and Central just can't find an answer.  3 point lead for Vincent with 2:50 left when Philip Nolan dunks against the press.  Burton finishes it with a big dunk coming left to right under the rim and hammers it home.  68-60 Vincent wins. Marlon Speed 18 points for Central.  Taylor Smaller 11 points.

2010 East Metro Showcase Day 1

Estan Tyler

Prologue
Day 1 of the 4th annual East Metro Showcase.  Rene Pulley, Chris Monter, Chris Carr and Wishoops.net editor Mark Miller taking in the game with Jason Jesperson.  Gotta like the plump hot dog too.  Tough break with the weather forcing Sioux City Heelan to cancel their trip.  Nice job by coach Simmons to readjust the schedule and get the games in.

Game 1: Superior vs St. John's Military Academy
How crazy is it to have 2 Wisconsin teams playing each other but under Minnesota rules?  Kevin Mays was big with 21 points for St. John's Military Academy but they had no answer for the Superior 1-2-2 zone.  The poise and shooting stroke of DJ Mlachnik were evident in this one despite a low point total.  Isaiah Gray struggled with foul trouble in the 2nd half and didn't shoot it well.  Superior's Joel Lindberg with most of his 21 points in the 2nd half after 3 fouls (2 charges) had him in 1st half foul trouble.  Superior was down 2 at half but won easily 68-53.

Game 2: St. Paul Johnson vs Milwaukee Vincent
Vincent is a historically strong program, but they're mid-level in Milwaukee this season behind Hamilton, King and Washington at a minimum.  Vincent forces 3 quick turnovers with the diamond press and forces a quick Johnson timeout in the 1st minute of the game, but its only 3-0 Vincent.  Vincent's star frosh Deonte Burton with an assist for 3 to put Vincent up 8-6 at 14:25 before Johnson goes off on a run.  The Govs apply their own pressure, run and jump in this instance and not the 2-2-1 I'm accustomed to seeing from them.  Jordan Pluff with great energy off the bench and providing the offense to go with the defense in a 21-4 Johnson run over 5:50.  27-12 Johnson with 8:35 left in the half.  36-21 Johnson at half and they push the lead to 25 less than 6 minutes into the second half.  Johnson wins easily again 70-51.  Estan Tyler with 11 points and 6 assists.  Jordan Pluff with 16 points to lead the scoring.  Donte Warlick with 13 points and stellar passing in this one.  Anthony Lee scored 12 points in the balanced attack.

Game 3: Hopkins vs Maple Northwestern (WI)
Steve Tecker still on crutches for Northwestern so no best player for the Tigers (OK we knew that coming in).  10-8 Hopkins leads after a Northwestern postup basket at 14:10.  Hopkins is too much defensively as they take advantage of forced turnovers to open the lead up to 40-20 (30-12 run over 9:30).  But 3 triples from Northwestern in an 11-2 run threaten to make this one interesting.  But DJ Peterson nails a 3 and Jeremiah Tolbert with a steal for 2 both in the last 30 seconds of the half for a 46-31 halftime lead.  2nd half score is almost identical as Hopkins wins 93-62.  Siyani Chambers with 7 points and 5 assists in the 1st half with the assist largely on the break after turnovers.  Joe Coleman finishes with 21.  Marvin Singleton with 18.  Northwestern star Donnie Hissa with only 8 points.  1 sleeper from up north for you 2nd tier AAU folks is Tyler Forysthe who finished with 15 points and is a big shooting guard who can knock it down. 

Estan Tyler photo courtesy of MNPhotoNet.net

2010 East Metro Showcase pairings announced

From Wishoops.net, here's the schedule for this year's East Metro Showcase at Johnson. Unfortunately it goes up against the Border Battle again this year but as always the event will more than hold its own.

NOTE: Sioux City Heelan unable to attend due to ice conditions in Iowa.  Updated schedule is below.

Friday January 22, 2010
4:00 p.m. -- St. Paul Johnson vs. St John’s NW Military Academy (WI)
6:00 p.m. -- Superior (WI) vs. Milwaukee Vincent (WI)
8:00 p.m. -- Hopkins (MN) vs. Maple Northwestern (WI)

Saturday January 23, 2010
10:00 a.m. -- Superior (WI) vs. Minneapolis Washburn (MN)
Noon -- St John’s NW Military Academy (WI) vs. Eastview (MN)
2:00 p.m. -- Maple Northwestern (WI) vs. LaCrosse Aquinas (WI)
4:00 p.m. -- Milwaukee Vincent (WI) vs. St Paul Central (MN)