2019 Tipoff Classic Review

Hopkins hosted the 16th annual Breakdown Tipoff Classic.  As usual we had 16 games split between 2 courts.  I took in the main court with between game glances at the east court.  Here are some highlights.

Game 1: Lakeville North 59 #4AAA Totino-Grace 56
Totino-Grace went 13 straight minutes across halftime without their halfcourt offense generating a field goal.  Game could have been a blowout but Lakeville North missed a bunch of good looks.  TG finally saw some success by going to Joe Alt in the post.  TG would twice cut a 12 point margin in the 2nd half down to 4.  Lakeville North makes 7 FTs to put it away.  Joe Alt leads TG with 16, freshman CJ O'Hara with 14.   All of those points for both players in the 2nd half.  Carter Patterson leads Lakeville North with 19.  Josh Kamara with 15.  Great defensive effort from Lakeville North.  They held star frosh PG Taison Chatman without a 2nd half field goal.

Game 2: Champlin Park 63 #1AA Waseca 41
This was a tied game at the half.  Then all Champlin Park after that as they run away with a 28-5 run over 11:15.  Waseca unable to get anything on the offensive end in the half.  Another outstanding game for Champlin's Francis Nwaokorie inside with 17 points.  Waseca's Andrew Morgan held to 8 by a smothering defense. Ryan Dufault with 13 to lead Waseca.

Game 3: #2AAA De La Salle 67 #3AAA Mankato East 63
De La Salle playing without center Jalen Travis due to the all-star football game.  Mankato East jumped out to an 8-0 lead and held the lead for the majority of the game.  In the 1st half, they were able to get out and run for easy buckets.  Plus their center Jordan Merseth was able to get buckets against the small Islanders lineup.  But De La Salle would apply the defensive clamps and take the game over midway thru the 2nd half.  Jax Madson would score the last 9 for Mankato East to keep them in it.  But a late missed front end was a killer.  Madson leads all scorers with 18 of his 23 in the 2nd half.  Jordan Merseth with 15.  Great balance for De La Salle.  Amir Whitlock with 16, Cade Haskins with 14, Semaj Hart with 14.  Haskins had to spend more time playing inside with Travis out.

Game 4: #9AAAA Eastview 98 #8AAAA Wayzata 82
No Camden Heide for Wayzata in this one due to injury.  Jaylen James hot early and often for Eastview with 7 of his 8 3s in the 1st half.  The more hot shooting in the 2nd half for Eastview plus Steven Crowl doing his thing inside.  They break open a close game mid-1st half and turn it into a 29 point 2nd half lead.  The teams combine for 30 total triples (16 Wayzata, 14 Eastview).  Jaylen James 28 points 8 3s for Eastview, Steven Crowl with 27.  Carter Bjerke 6 3s from his big man spot for 18 points to lead Wayzata. Kody Williams adds 17.  Good minutes from Connor Yarbrough as well for the Trojans.

Game 5: #7AAAA Shakopee 85 #6AAAA Hopkins 82
This was one of the better main court games of the day.  An early 7-0 run in the 2nd half would see Shakopee stretch their lead to 12.  That lead would stay at 11 with 7 minutes left.  Hopkins would roar back behind Tristan Lee scoring 7 points in an 11-0 run.  71 all with 4:15 left.  Caleb Druvenga scores the last 6 with a nice cut and 4 free throws to close it out.  Will Cordes with big shots all day and he finishes with 23 points.  Druvenga ends with 21.  Charlie Katona with 11 points and foul trouble all day.  Kerwin Walton 23, Cornell Richardson 17 for Hopkins.  Regan Merritt and Tristan Lee each with 11 points in very good bench minutes.

Game 6: #1AAAA Eden Prairie 79 #4AAAA Prior Lake 58
This was a rematch of last year's section final and it had similar results.  Eden Prairie takes the game over with a 20-2 first half run.  3 straight 3s to start the 2nd half doubles the lead to 18 points and its over from there.  Austin Andrews with 17 of his 21 points in the 1st half inside.  Drake Dobbs with 17.  Connor Christensen and John Henry 14 pts and 3 3s each.  Dawson Garcia had to really work to get his 26.  Christensen really battled him on the defensive end, but nobody else had any luck there.  Tyree Ihenacho adds 16.

Game 7: #5AAAA East Ridge 62 #2AAAA Park Center 57
Lots of highlights here.  Kendall Blue with a post dunk on Dain Dainja during the game.  Dainja replies later with a wicked poster dunk of his own.  Dainja with 24 points for the Pirates.  Ben Carlson gets the better of the individual matchup as he goes for 25 of his 40 points in the 2nd half.  After Dainja's poster helped Park Center pull within 4 with 3 minutes left, its was a Carlson 3 point play, followed by another post bucket and a dunk to keep the game out of reach.  He had 15 of the last 17 Raptors points.

Game 8: #3AAAA Cretin-Derham Hall 75 #1AAA Minnehaha 66
Full house on hand for this one.  It was Jalen Suggs 1st game of the year and you could tell he still had football legs.  CDH would lead this one for almost the entire game.  Curtis Jones with 3 early 3s as CDH would build a 19-12 lead inside the 8 minute mark.  Minnehaha with an 8-0 run for their only lead of the game 20-19 thanks to a Suggs hoop and 3.  Tre Holloman for 3 and an assist to Jack Clipper as the Raiders build the lead to 9 at the half. 

Suggs for 3 as here comes Minnehaha with the 1st 6 of the 2nd half.  Amari Carter for 3 and back to back bombs from J'Vonne Hadley kill that momentum as the lead grows to 14.  Suggs trying to keep Minnehaha close with 6 in a row for the Redhawks.  But a turnover leads to another Jones 3.  Hadley blocks Chet Holmgren and they find him for 3 on the other end.  Huge momentum play to keep the lead at 57-43 outside of 7 minutes left.  It stays at 14 until under 4 left.  But Suggs isn't done. He has an assist for 3, kicks his legs out and Cheadle gives him the flop call for 3 free throws.  CDH misses a front end and Suggs with a steal that he immediately turns into a 3 with 2:25 left.  CDH lead down to 5.  CDH adds a layup under 2 minutes to keep the lead at 7.  Its free throws from there.

Jalen Suggs with 20 of his 30 points in the 2nd half for Minnehaha.  Prince Aligbe and Chet Holmgren with 10 each.  Aligbe's defense on Holloman was really fun to watch.  He emerged as a defensive star last year and it shows.  Holmgren with a handful of blocks and an even bigger list of "No way do I want to see him send my shot 18 rows up into the bleachers" plays that won't show up in the box.  Curtis Jones with 5 big triples and 19 points to lead CDH.  Tre Holloman with 17 points.  J'Vonne Hadley with 16.  CDH really tough to deal with when all 3 weapons get going.

East Court Quick Hits
  • Minnetonka's Cam Steele must love this event.  He had 44 points last year on the east court.  This year he goes for 38 points and 8 rebounds in a win over Mahtomedi.
  • Nate Heise answers the bell big time with 39 points and 11 rebounds for #2AA Lake City in their win over #4AA Minneapolis North.  UNI staff on hand to watch him in that one.
  • The King brothers do it again for Caledonia.  The #3AA Warriors come from 5 down at half to run away from Maranatha in the 2nd half.  Caledonia vs Lake City next Saturday night in Rochester should be a great game in a possible section final preview.
  • Reid Patterson's 28 points helps Lakeville South hold off 25 points from Buffalo's Matt Willert in a 70-58 win.
  • #2A BOLD runs away from #3A Minneota in the 2nd half.  2 point game at half becomes a 78-53 BOLD win.  Drew Sagedahl 34 and Gavin Voiska with 30 for Warriors.  
  • Wildest game of the day was the 99-82 St. Cloud Apollo win over Cambridge-Isanti.  Apollo was down 59-38 with 14 minutes left and then went on a 43-4 run to turn the game completely around.  Henry Abraham goes off for 47 for Cambridge-Isanti.  Michael Gravelle with 31 for Apollo.
  • Blake Remme passed the 1000 career points mark for Spring Lake Park in their 66-51 win over North St. Paul.  Teammate Gabe Myren just did that earlier in the week.  North St. Paul now 0-3 and Minnehaha comes calling on Wednesday followed by games against Edina and Eden Prairie.  Yikes

No comments:

Post a Comment

Have a different take than mine? You can provide your take here.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.