Semifinal Saturday

Its semifinal Saturday from one end of the metro to the other.  We'll start in Chaska with the 6AAAA semifinals and end with 4AAAA at East Ridge for the night session.  Weird to see 6AAAA at Chaska after 2AAAA hosted it in past years.

Game 1: Hopkins vs Armstrong
The Hopkins pressure really bothering Armstrong.  But after trailing by 9, Jerome Dixon ISOs for a bucket and then knocks down a 3 in a 9-0 run to bring the Falcons back to even.  They'll take a 39-38 lead to the half.  Hopkins puts the game out of reach with a 17-3 run early in the 2nd half.  John Warren with a big first half and Noble Fahnbulleh with a big second half in his starting role.  Amir Coffey outstanding all day.  Sean Burns and Ryan Casperson productive inside in the 2nd half but its not enough.  Hopkins wins 88-76.  Amir Coffey with 27 points.  Noble Fahnbulleh and John Warren 21 each.  Sean Burns with 19 and Ryan Casperson with 18 for Armstrong.  Stephon Sharp very limited minutes off the Hopkins bench.

Game 2: Eden Prairie vs Minnetonka
No Grantham Gillard, Anthony Anderson or Brady Rudrud for Eden Prairie.  That leads to guard Blake Cashman playing some in the post.  Minnetonka struggled with 1st half foul trouble.  Justin Moes with a late 3 despite his 2 fouls to send Minnetonka to the half with a 28-25 lead.  Andre Wallace carrying the Eagles offense and he has a big 2nd half.   He buries a 3, makes a free throw and scores again.  Zach Hovey adds a 3 point play to 3nd an 11-2 run.  51-43 Eden Prairie with 9:33 left.  Careino Gurley getting plenty of post touches and looking more to pass than score.  But at this point he looks to score and that brings Tonka back.  He goes for 2 and then a 3 point play and a layup before ducking the shoulder for an offensive foul.  That's his 4th with 6:58 left and Tonka is down 5.  Wallace with a steal for 2 more and another turnover for an Alex Ihrke layup pushes the lead to 9.  The teams trade 3s before Cashman gets a 3 point play inside.  65-55 Eagles with 3:29 left.  Minnetonka makes a big come back.  Gurley with a 3 point play inside, Seth Coatta catch and shoot 3 out of a great SLOB set, offensive foul on Cashman pushing off undersized Amar Miller in the post, Miller counters with a 3.  Then on the way back down the floor, extra curricular activity and its a technical on Eden Prairie.  Coatta makes both of those and Gurley fouled in the post on the possession for 2 free throws.  The Skippers run is 13-0 and they lead 68-65 with 1:38 left.  Wallace right to the rim for 2.  Tonka spreads but Miller drives and forces against Hovey at the rim.  Wallace right back to the rim for 2 more.  Miller with a chance to tie but misses on the give and go.  Its out to Minnetonka with 8.4 left down 2.  After the timeout, Gurley catches inside and goes middle but gets stripped.  Wallace makes 1 free throw and a desperation 3 is no good.  Eden Prairie wins 71-68,  Andre Wallace struggled from the free throw line but got to the rim at will on his way to 36 points.  Seth Coatta 12 of his 16 in the 2nd half.  Careino Gurley all 14 of his points in the 2nd half and he basically ran the offense from the right box in the 2nd half.

Game 3: Mounds View vs Tartan
Mounds View gets a huge first half from star junior Ryan Kaczynski.  He scores 12 points in a 20-2 Mounds View run.  That allows the Mustangs to run out to a 26-10 lead.   Just beautiful basketball from the Mustangs in first 12 minutes.  Tartan would counter with a 13-0 run of their own to get back in the game.  Frosh Emanuel Humphrey off the Tartan bench replacing Brody Jackson and he scores 6 points before rolling an ankle (he'd come back from that).  36-30 Mounds View at half.  Kaczynski with a pair of run stopping buckets to keep Mounds View up 55-49.  He gets fouled as Tartan presses and makes 2 free throws with 7:19 left.  57-52 Mounds View lead but that would be last points from Kaczynski as Tartan switches guard Eric Winter on to him.  Mounds View with only 2 field goals in the last 8 minutes.  Frosh Jordan Horn outstanding as he spins for 2 and finds Humphrey for a layup.  Then he runs out and gets foul but converts the crazy finish for a 3 point play with 1:16 left that is the dagger.  Tartan wins 75-65.  Ryan Kaczynski with 18 of his 27 in the 1st half.  Tim Hanson with 15 but his shooting left him in the 2nd half.  With those 2 not scoring, Mounds View was unable to generate any offense in the last 8 minutes.  Jordan Horn leads Tartan withi 18 points.  Tommy Hanson with 4 3s and 14 points.

Game 4: Woodbury vs Stillwater
Woodbury's offense all about the 3 early on.  They make 7 3s and have a 3 point play for a 26-22 lead.  Kyle McKinley with a pair of early blocks to send the message that the lane is not to be used.  Nick Ogren with 3 bombs in the half and his 2 free throws at 1.7 give Stillwater a 33-32 halftime lead.  Woodbury opens up the lead in the 2nd half.  Isaiah Codden a putback, Charlie Olson with a 3 point play on a no look pass and his steal gives Coddon a layup.  Nick Yan to the floater to end the 9-0 run. Olson with a 3 as Woodbury spreads the floor against McKinley to get him away from the basket.  Frosh Jeremiah Coddon for 3 to end a 9-2 run at the 6 minute mark.  Woodbury lead up to 67-53.  McKinley scores 5 in a row.  Yan adds 2 free throws to keep the lead at 8 with 1:41 left.  Connor Gamble 2 free throws, Matt Anderson puts back a miss for a 3 point play. Woodbury turns it over and its Gamble for 3 and we're tied at 70 with 53 seconds left.  That's a 17-3 Stillwater run with Woodbury playing not to lose.  Woodbury holds for the last possession and a ball goes off McKinley's foot with 4.3 left.  Woodbury draws up a great BLOB set.  Matt Ambriz sets a back screen in the right corner for Ben Rizzardi and Rizzardi is wide open.  The pass from the top is tipped away and we'll go to overtime.  Woodbury controls the overtime and wins 84-78.  Kyle McKinley and Nick Ogren each with 22 points for Stillwater.  Ogren with 6 3s of his own.  Arguably one of McKinley's best games of the year.  Woodbury with 5 in double figures and they hit 11 3s.  Isaiah Coddon with 16 points.  Matt Ambriz held to 13 thanks to being faceguarded most of the night.