The Wolfpack bites back

Prologue
A quiet opening night of the new year takes me to Henry Sibley for a section 3AAAA showdown between the Warriors and Park of Cottage Grove.  After some extra exercise to get in the building, I miss the JV outing.  Then still half frozen I miss the walking taco on the menu, NOOOOO!  But I do get the extra Lays chips calories out of the hot dog meal deal.  I'm not a big hip hop guy but old school stuff can get my attention.  Some Run DMC - Its Tricky rocked the air waves along with this classic.

Song of the Day: Humpty Dance - Digital Underground

Number of Teams I've Seen: 84 (58 games, 35 days, 24 buildings, 8 online)

Beverage Ticker: 365.8 ounces (3950 calories)

• A&W Root Beer: 12 ounces (170 calories)
• Coke: 12 ounces (140 calories)
• Dr. Pepper: 12 ounces (150 calories)
• Fruit Punch Gatorade: 108.9 ounces (760 calories)
• Pepsi: 172 ounces (2150 calories)
• Sprite: 48.9 ounces (580 calories) 

Food Ticker:

• Hot Dogs: 10
• Pizza: 2
• Walking Tacos: 2 
• Extras
• French Onion Sun Chips (210 calories)
• 2 Lays Chips (320 calories)
• Kit Kat (210 calories)
• 3 Snickers (750 calories)

Game Time:
Even game early on before Jayden Lane drives for 2 and then adds a 3 point play on a turnover.  Those buckets end a 10-0 Park run for a 19-10 Wolfpack lead at 9:51.  But out of a timeout, Sibley calms down and moves the ball very well vs the Park 1-2-2 zone.  Dayton Massie from the left corner off the extra pass for 3 and repeat that on the other side.  Then its inside out for lefty Brandon Loucks to bury a 3.  Soph Cameron Latvis off the bench with 3 buckets as well during the 17-4 Sibley run.  That happens in just 3:45 and Sibley back on top 27-23.  Domenik Block sitting with 2 fouls for the last 7 minutes of the half.  Massie from deep again off an extra pass and a couple Malik Spearman buckets in the last 90 seconds.  That keeps Sibley ahead 35-30 at the half.

Park comes out of the zone and goes all man for the 2nd half as coach Weah saw enough ball movement and 6 Sibley 3s to get out of that zone.  Its Lane driving for 2 and burying a 3 and Park quickly scores the 1st 6 of the half to regain the lead.  Loucks for 3 countered by a Lane triple after an offensive board.  44-43 Sibley clinging to the lead with 12:37 left.  Center Jeremiah Smith off the pick and roll for 2 and then adds 2 other strong inside moves for Park.  53-48 Park with 5:53 left after an 8-0 run thanks largely to Smith.

Sibley recovers after a technical on Smith on the last hoop.  Eli Lone Tree for 3 and Malik Spearman scoring with under 4 minutes left and Sibley regains the lead 56-55 after a 7-0 run.  Park misses a free throw, Sibley missed 2 free throws.  But its Massie with another 3 off an extra pass and Sibley goes up 3 with 2:20 to go.  Lane makes 1 free throw, Park gets the board but can't convert.  Spearman with a great backcut out of the high post with 1:45 left and the Sibley lead is 4.

Block makes 2 free throws and then a Sibley over and back violation vs pressure in the front court.  Park converts as they go flare screen iso for Charlie Gorres and he hits the pullup 10 footer with about 46 seconds left.  Lone Tree bumped on the sideline and he makes both ends of the 1 and 1 with 20.94 seconds left (love the hundredths of a second on the clock).  Sibley by 2 as Park comes the other way.  Spearman with a great block with 15 seconds left but just holds the ball and is tied up.  The possession arrow goes to Park with 12 seconds left.  After 1 inbound pass is knocked away, Park gets it in and gets nothing.  Gorres has it on the right wing against Spearman as time winds down.  He pivots and buries an off balance 3 at the buzzer.  Park wins 64-63.

Post Game
Heartbreak hotel for Henry Sibley as they fall to 0-10 overall, 0-1 in the Metro East.  Eli Lone Tree with 13 points.  Dayton Massie 4 extra pass 3s for 12 points and Malik Spearman also with 12.  Brandon Loucks adds 3 triples on his way to 10 points.  Sibley hosts league rival St. Thomas Academy on Friday.  Then 3 winnable games over the next 2 weeks.  They visit Simley and Hill-Murray next week before a full week off to prepare for a home game with South St. Paul.

Park improves to 3-6 overall, 0-1 in the Suburban East.  More importantly it gives them a section win since they've already lost to Eastview and Hastings out of 3AAAA.  Jayden Lane leads the Wolfpack with 16 points.  Jeremiah Smith adds 13 inside.  Domenik Block with 12 points, half of those at the charity stripe.  Charlie Gorres held to 7 but had 5 in the last 46 seconds to win it.  Park continues Suburban East play on Friday against district rival Woodbury.