The Battles of Midway

We resume our St. Paul programming this week with a split doubleheader.  A chance to cross the final 2 teams left to see off the EMAC list with Groves visiting Hmong Academy in an early 4:25 start.  Then down the road we go for a St. Paul City showdown between Central and Highland Park.  Both teams coming in 1 game behind Johnson for the top spot in the league.

Game 1: Hmong Academy 79 Groves Academy 59
Alfie Galle 3 inside hoops early for Groves against the small Hmong Academy lineup.  Then the Warriors get their shooting going.  Calvin Yang bangs home 5 triples.  Elijah Vang with 2 triples of his own and converts a turnover.  Groves goes 8 minutes without a FG as Hmong Academy goes on a 27-4 run.  Elijah Vang adds 4 free throws as the Warriors stretch the lead to 43-28 at the half.  A couple of Groves triples early in the 2nd half cut the lead to 11.  Elijah Vang spins for 2 and Calvin Yang hits yet another 3.  No more danger from there as the Warriors coast to the win after that.  Junior guard Calvin Yang makes 6 3s and finishes with 26 points.  Elijah Vang adds 3 triples and 23 points for Hmong Academy.  Post Alfie Galle leads Groves with 29 points.  Daniel Schoenfelder chips in with 13.  Too many turnovers for Groves.  Hmong Academy's 1st half shooting vs the 2-3 zone was critical too.  Groves won the 1st meeting by 9 between the teams.  Both teams are now 2-10 in the EMAC and tied for 8th.  They are 2 games out of the last spot held by AFSA.

Game 2: St. Paul Central 49 St. Paul Highland Park 46
Good size student sections on hand for this one.  Nico Peterson 3 early blocks to set the tone of a defensive struggle.  He also contributes on offense with a free throw and a post up that results in a dunk.  Offense hard to come by as its 9-8 Highland Park at the 9:35 mark.  Jalen Cardenas off the Central bench with a putback and converts a turnover into a layup.  Kaden Doram scores inside and adds a 3 point play as Central opens up a 22-11 lead.  Peterson scores the last 4 of the half to keep the Scots within 24-17 at the break.  He had 4 1st half field goals, the rest of the Highland Park roster had 3.

Central threatens to run away with this one early in the 2nd half.  Gavin Gothard with a steal for a 3 point play.  Cardenas 2 layups, Highland misses 4 of 5 FTs and Gothard with a floater.  Donnie Preston with a nice cut for a layup out of 5 out offense.  Its a 14-3 Minutemen run and Central pushes the lead to 40-22 with 9 minutes left.  Then Paul Revere yelled THE SCOTS ARE COMING, THE SCOTS ARE COMING.  Peterson with 2 FTs off a SLOB. Then he'll get a strip out top and he goes the other way for the poster dunk on somebody's poor head and the foul.  2 more Central turnovers for 2 more Scots layups.  Peterson a putback for a 3 point play.  Joey Kottke knocks down a kickout 3 and scores another hoop.  Central turns it over again and Highland Park has the ball back down 2 with 4 minutes left.  But they take a bad 3 to not convert that possession.  Timeout Central with the ball up 2 and 3:14 left.

They come out of the timeout with THE WORLD'S WORST OFFENSE.  That lasts the 1st half of the 90 second possession before we're back to 5 out.  The end result is a Central turnover with 1:45 left.  But Highland Park gives the ball right back with an illegal screen.  Central makes bonus free throws but Kottke counters with a 3 to cut it to 1 with 1 minute left. Central holds and then misses 2 FTs with 22.8 left.  Highland Park takes their last timeout with 17.6 left but can't convert.  Central makes 1 free throw with 7.6 left.  Last chance for Highland Park down 2 without a timeout. They'll push and their attempt is no good, mad scramble and as we have a putback attempt off goes the horn.  Couldn't hear that or the whistle.  Its a shooting foul against Central and we'll put 1 second up on the clock.  1st free throw is no good.  Second is missed intentionally but its a lane violation.  Central makes 1 FT with 0.6 left for the final margin.  Highland Park now 5-12 overall, 3-2 in the St. Paul City.  Central now 7-8 overall, 5-1 in the St. Paul City.  Central visits Johnson next Tuesday night for what is likely the chance to split the conference crown.  But due to the Rose Bowl rule, Johnson would host the Twin Cities Game if there's a tie with Central.  Johnson won the 1st meeting at Central by 6 earlier this month.