2022 TCO Holiday Classic Day 1 Thoughts

The annual holiday week in the gym starts with a trip to Augsburg for day 1 of the TCO Holiday Classic.  A marvelous winter day means we have the grill fired up and burgers at the concession stand.  Along with Pepsi, that will most definitely work.  Lithgow evaluating the early games.  Now to the game action and Czar Insights.

Quarterfinal #1: #5AAAA Hopkins 83 Cambridge-Isanti 54
Since the tournament's inception in 2009, Hopkins has won the title every year from 2010 until now except for a 2016 loss to Minnehaha (and COVID in 2020 of course).  The Royals look on pace to continue that streak.  They blow open an 11 point halftime game by shooting 60% in the 2nd half.  That's despite 8-32 from 3 for the game.  They win points off turnovers 31-11 thanks to 21 Bluejackets turnovers.  That also leads to a 44-18 advantage on points in the paint.  Jayden Moore another outstanding game with 33 points and distributing.  Anthony Smith 19 points with 3 triples.  Kobe Karels 4 triples in the 1st half to help C-I hang around.  He finishes with 20 points to lead the Bluejackets.

Quarterfinal #2: Andover 78 Minneapolis Southwest 58
Fun matchup here with each team featuring a guard who's having a monster year.  Ben Kopetzki with 17 of his 24 points in the 1st half to lead Andover.  Landyn Nelson adds 4 triples and scores all 16 of his points in the 1st half for Andover.  7-17 from 3 for Andover to build a 10 point halftime lead.  Liam Farniok having his own big year for the Lakers.  He has 9 early points in the 2nd half to keep Southwest within 7.  Sam Musungu with a couple of steals for buckets to kill 1 of the Southwest runs.  He scores 15 of his 16 in the 2nd half.  Andover wins despite only shooting 1-15 from 3 in the 2nd half.   They make up for it by winning points off turnovers and 2nd chance points.  A very common theme on this day.  Baraka Tarleton with 4 critical baseline jumpers in the 2nd half for Andover as well.

Quarterfinal #3: Minneapolis Washburn 64 Forest Lake 54
A delightful meeting of AAU teammates with Kyle Jorgensen taking on Owen Waldoch.  Jorgensen was a monster against Hiawatha last week and showed up big again today.  Waldoch didn't disappoint on his side of the matchup either.  He went on a personal 8-0 run to put Forest Lake up 5 early in the 2nd half.  Then in a 1 point game, Jorgensen decided to 1 up him.  A putback, a steal for 2, a triple and a baseline jumper and why not convert a turnover too.  Down the stretch he scores 17 out of 18 Washburn points.  Washburn goes 22-12 on the offensive glass with Jorgensen being a factor there.  But a 21-6 edge on turnover points was huge.  Kyle Jorgensen leads Washburn with 20 of his 29 points in the 2nd half to go with 11 rebounds on my officially unofficial stat sheet.  Owen Waldoch 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Forest Lake.  Brennan Sauvageau made important shots in the 1st half for Forest Lake. He finished with 14 points and a pair of threes.

Quarterfinal #4: Osseo 66 Richfield 46
On paper this looked like the best matchup of the day.  Richfield would get the 1st basket of the day and then promptly turn it over 9 times before scoring again.  Osseo would go on a 12-0 run thanks to that and never give up that lead.  Richfield would pull to within 23-20 at the 5 minute mark thanks to buckets on 6 out of 7 trips.  But only 2 hoops on their other 28 possessions of the half.  The drought led to a 16-0 run across halftime and allowed Osseo to take a 39-20 lead early in the 2nd half.  Richfield would get no closer than 11 the rest of the way. 15-1 2nd chance points edge for Osseo with 50-28 points in the paint.  Alvin Jones with great bench minutes to lead Osseo with 10 of his 12 points and both of his 3s in the 1st half.  2 others with 10 points and 2 others with points in a very balanced attack for the Orioles.  CJ Armstrong leads Richfield with 17 points.  Jalen Hayes adds 10.

Czar Insights

For details on exactly what the value in the chart mean, click here for the full explanation of Czar Insights.