Fulfulling Fridley Fun

To friendly Fridley where the schedule and a nice conversation with Heat boss Willie Vang leads me to an evening doubleheader.  We get the hot dog and Mug Root Beer (no Killebrew Root Beer even though it was listed was unfortunate, love Killebrew) at Fridley for their non-conference game with Stillwater.  That's the usual 6 PM early start at Fridley so that means we have time afterwards to cross Rice Creek to the classic EMAC venue at Avail.  Avail welcoming Hiawatha for a showdown of EMAC contenders there.  This also means we see all 4 classes in 1 night.  To be fair to the concession stand, I do pick up 210 Calories from Reese's at halftime.  I even get an apology for the rhino not showing up again.  Love me a good fan with that kind of attention to detail.  No basketball in the nachos so no payout for those with that prop bet (entertainment purposes only kids, don't gamble!)

Game 1: Stillwater 61 Fridley 55
Max Richardson 7 points for Stillwater as the Ponies jump out to a 15-3 lead just over 5 minutes into the game.  Micah Niewald with 3 consecutive triples and Fridley is right back in the game.  Christian Crockett giving Fridley good minutes off the bench by pushing the ball and with deft passing.  Stillwater decides to let him shoot and he knocks down a couple of threes just for good measure.  Ben Smalley with 10 first half points of his own to keep Stillwater ahead. They lead by 3 at the break.

Fridley gets Yoal Ruei and Isaac Burns into the lineup early in the 2nd half after they sat out the 1st half.  Smalley with a jumper and then Sam Shikenjanski with the nice feed out of the post to a cutting Smalley for 2 more.  50-36 Stillwater with just under 10 minutes left.  Burns heats up for Fridley with 9 points in about 3 and a half minutes.  But the margin is still 55-40 Stillwater with 5:28 left.  The Ponies go 4 corners and its a disaster.  Fridley cuts the lead to 4 with 1:45 left and they'll miss 3 different chances to cut the margin further.  Stillwater goes 6-6 from charity stripe in the last 28 seconds to close it out.  The Ponies win despite no field goals in the last 8:25.  Ben Smalley 16 pts, Max Richardson 15 to lead Stillwater.  Frosh PG Max Shikenjanski (like brother Nate, not like dad or brother Sam) very solid 12 points as well.  Micah Niewald 11 of his 14 points in the 1st half for Fridley.  Isaac Burns with all 13 of his points in the last 9:15.   Christian Crockett 10 of his 12 in the 1st half in a productive night off the Tigers bench.

Game 2: Avail 87 Hiawatha 85
Avail jumps out to a 19-5 lead with Josiah Loge and Josiah Schaap leading the offense.  Hiawatha not making anything early.  But their stars Jessye Lewis and Jaheim Houts do get it going to bring the Wolves back.  Houts knocks down a couple of 3s and Lewis taking advantage of no help defense all night.  That pulls Hiawatha within 5 at the half.

Avail decides to have Joey Ritzema faceguard Houts for the 2nd half but interestingly enough no strategy on Lewis who had 18 points in the 1st half.  Hiawatha with numerous runs in the 2nd half but Avail had an answer for everyone of them to not give up the lead.  Lewis puts back 2 of his own misses and Houts puts back another to cut the lead to 3 but Loge answers with a 3 point play to keep the lead at 6 with 7:58 left.  Houts with a bucket off a nicely called backscreen followed by a Lewis bucket to cut it to 2 with 4:45 left.  Houts goes end to end (1 way to beat a faceguard just go get the board and take it from there) and the lead is down to 1 with 3:15 left. Loge with a nice cut for a bucket on the next possession.  Mitchell Pfeiffer with 2 layups and the lead is 5 with 1:30 left.

After a Hiawatha miss and Avail missed front end, Houts scores underneath off a BLOB on a strong move.  Under a minute left, Avail up 3.  Schaap with the oh no why shoot that 3, great shot with 30 seconds left.  Hiawatha immediately hits one of their own.  Avail makes 1 free throw, then a backscreen for Lewis on a SLOB for a quick and easy bucket with 7 seconds left.  Joey Ritzema makes 2 free throws to seal it.  A foul at the buzzer for 2-3 FTs is meaningless.  Jessye Lewis leads Hiawatha with 36 points on my sheet.  Jaheim Houts with 25 from his forward spot.  Mitchell Pfeiffer leads Avail with 23 points and he hit big 2nd half shots.  Josiah Schaap with 19.  Josiah Loge and Joey Ritzema each add 18.  Ritzema is a player that I've really enjoyed watching the last 2 games.  Does all the dirty work and makes plays.  That's an important home win for Avail as they keep pace with Hiawatha and Twin Cities Academy/Great River in the EMAC race.