Its been a busy week bouncing around the metro from Bloomington to White Bear Lake to NE Minneapolis. Let's get caught up on the 3 games I've seen this week.
Game 1: Bethany Academy 61 Math and Science Academy 51
An outstanding walking taco, my 1st of the year, on the menu. Mix your own salsa and sour cream and they had raw onions on the side too. I added a spoonful. Very interesting addition. Bethany's enrollment has shrunk over the years. To the point where they have a girl playing with the boys as the 1st one off the bench. Not sure how that works when the girls program is listed as a co-op with New Life. But there's a 1st for everything. As to the game, Seth Peters works inside and Chase Bixel attacks the rack for Bethany's points. Soph Nate Stephen 4 triples for Math and Science. Bethany scores the last 6 of the game after the Dragons cut it to 4.
Game 2: White Bear Lake 96 Cambridge-Isanti 76
Not a trip I'll normally do during the week but the Donatelli's pizza always makes it worthwhile. The thick slice was the right choice. Henry Abraham with a couple early 3s for C-I but ice cold after that. Jeremy Beckler totally dominated the inside for WBL. He ends up with 32 points and somewhere around 20 rebounds. I'd love to know the real total. Sam Schwartz adds 27. The Bluejackets hit 10 3s to hang around in the 1st half. But in the 2nd half the roof caved in. WBL would go on a 36-3 run with only 1 Cambridge field goal in a 9 minute stretch. The lead grew to 35 that stretch ended. Cambridge closing the gap in the last garbage time 3 minutes. Henry Abraham with 18 points but a deceptive night. After 2 early 3s he couldn't hit anything until after the big run. Plus I had him a shocking 6-15 from the charity stripe. As one of the state's top shooters, I don't think you'll see him shoot worse all season. But credit White Bear Lake's defense too as he didn't get many clean looks. But man Cambridge can shoot it. Micah Ladd 6 triples, Luke Malamusiro 21 points with 5 3s of his own. But size was the Bluejackets downfall as they had no answer for Beckler.
Game 3: St. Paul Highland Park 71 Minneapolis Edison 69
Another city game, another night with The Rev for this one. Another walking taco too. Highland Park's JVs get blown out something like 76-6. The Edison JV coach kept his press on in the 2nd half to the point where the Highland Park JV coach had something to say and the ref actually had to tell him to stop. But the kids still looked for double teams in the front court. Plus letting one of his reserves try to mixtape embarass an opponent at halfcourt in the final minute. All of this with no timeouts or instruction from the Edison JV coach to try and stop the nonsense. Bottom line, it was incredibly bush league. It has to be said. Totally disrespected the game and the opponent and there's no place for that. Its shocking too that its Edison considering they've been on the wrong end of blowouts for many years.
As to the varsity game, Edison jumped out to a 20-7 lead but then foul trouble mounted. Highland Park would shoot 22 FTs in the half but only make 10. Edison would stretch the lead back to 14 with under 13 minutes left but another Scots rally would be on hand. Benny Hughes for 3 and the foul but missed the free throw. He scores on a turnover and then flashes to the top of the key vs trap and a cold blooded 3 with 4:10 left. Highland Park back on top 61-60.
Edison counters with a 3 of their own for the lead. Center Abdalla Mohamed with a short jumper. Hughes with an assist for a layup. Then after an Edison missed front end, Mohamed makes 2 free throws on a nice BLOB set. Jeremiah Thompson both ends of the bonus for Edison and then a Tommies steal for 1 of 2 free throws with 52 seconds left. Mohamed with 2 more clutch free throws around a pair of Edison icing timeouts to keep the lead at 3. Thompson 2 more freebies and then he grabs a miss off a turnover. He makes 1 of 2 with 20 seconds left to tie the game. Highland Park takes timeout and their possession is a scramble that almost results in a turnover. But it ends up in Carter Owens hands for a putback with 7 seconds left. Edison throws long and a 3 is back iron no good.
Benny Hughes with 21 points for Highland Park to lead all scorers. The Scots played 5 sophs and an 8th grader, Ishmael Powell, so despite the JV result the future actually looks bright. Remember that soph group won the freshman Twin Cities game last year. White Bear Lake also has a talented 8th grader in lefty point guard Jack Janicki.
Did Evan Brodtmann play for Highland?
ReplyDeleteWasn’t listed on my roster and DNP
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