The 2024 Border Battle took place at Benilde-St. Margaret's. A full day of 8 games on the schedule. Based on my bold Breakdown prediction, I had the full 8 team Minnesota parlay. Would it pan out? Here are the days highlights.
Game 1: #1A Cherry 90 #1 D5 Solon Springs (WI) 71
A few minutes into the game, there's a loose ball into the media table and a hustling player blows up the whole thing. That sends my 1st Pepsi of the day flying. CLEAN UP ON AISLE 5!!! Total disaster that gets replaced by a Coke later. OOF!
As to the game itself, Cherry would take an 8 point lead mid first half and then blow that open to 23 later in the half. 20 points at halftime explodes to 31 with 14:15 left. Solon Springs does make it look respectable as they chop the lead to 13 but this one was all Cherry. The Tigers had 4 starters in double figures led by Soph Noah Asuma. Gopher commit Issac Asuma close to a triple double in the win. Bemidji St commit Isaiah Kastern was the early offense for Solon Springs. He led the Eagles with 24 points and double figure boards. Dylan Taggert led the 2nd half run with 4 3s and 18 of his 20 in that half.
Game 2: #1AA Breck 94 Heritage Christian (WI) 64
Another small school blowout in this one as Breck had their way. 7 1st half 3s for the Mustangs as they led by 25 at the break. Wisconsin commit Daniel Freitag led the way with 22 points and close to a triple double as well. Soph JP Musoke 18, Miles Newton and each with 3 triples. I liked the game of Heritage point guard Mike Bowen Jr. The big point guard led the Patriots with 22 points.
Game 3: Edina 84 vs #5 D2 River Falls 63
The Edina defense was a major factor early in the game as they ran River Falls right to the end of the shot clock on 3 straight trips. River Falls had a lead midway thru the half but then Josiah Coleman finished the half for Edina on a big run. Its 16-4 to go from 1 down to up 41-30 at the break. Edina hits 10 3s in the 2nd half and this one is another blowout. Coleman with 16 of his 26 during that 1st half spurt for the Hornets. 4 others in double figures with Billy DeMars 4 triples giving him 15. Forward Eli Johnson 14 to lead the Wildcats.
Game 4: #6AAA Orono 78 La Crosse Central (WI) 54
You know you're old when you see your alma mater playing a kid whose parents were your classmates umpteen many years ago. The methodical Central offense struggled against the shot clock. But despite having their top guy, wing Henry Meyer, on the bench for the last 6:24 with 2 fouls, the Red Raiders Riverhawks were still within 5 at the half. The roof caves in during the second half. The lead quickly grows to 15 and 20 and coasting from there. Central did throw a bunch of defenses at Orono. That included a box and 1 on Nolan Groves when Brady Wooley was out of the game. Groves led Orono with 16 points but no 3s. 3 others in double figures and 2 others with 9. Henry Meyer with 19, Peyton Strittmater 21 with 5 3s for Central.
Game 5: #3AAAA Minnetonka 86 #9 D2 Grafton 76
At least I got 1 thing right on this day as this game was competitive as expected. This was the closest game of the day. Greyson Uelmen 3 first half fouls and 11 points in the limited minutes. But Minnetonka would still lead by 7, 41-34 at the half. Grafton with a quick 11-2 run to tie it up and then they push their lead to 58-51 with 11:36 left. Northern Michigan commit Michael McNabb dominating during that run. Juan Guerrero Hernandez (sick) decided to play it like a Michael Jordan flu game as Grafton pushed the lead to 69-57 with 7:50 left. Timeout Grafton there as Hernandez reached 1000 career points. Shrug the shoulders kid, everything going in for him. 6 3s and 22 points in the 2nd half on his way to a game high 32.
But Grafton fell apart after that 1000 point marker with only 3 FG the remainder of the game. Minnetonka goes on a 25-4 run to win it. Isa El-Amin And 1 on a turnover. Jordan Cain And 1, Greyson Uelmen pull up and bury that 3 to tie it at 71 with 4:55 left. Andy Stefonowicz high pick and roll and after passing up a 3 on the previous trip, he'll bury this one from the top of the key for the lead with 1:55 left. Kayden Wells 2 FTs on a critical offensive board with 1:04 left when Grafton needed a stop. Cain dunks a turnover as an exclamation point. Cain and Stefonowicz 22 points each to lead Minnetonka.
Game 6: #1AAA Totino-Grace 98 Onalaska 66
Onalaska down 1 starters for this one. Great start for the Hilltoppers as Jack Smith hits 3 triples for an 11-8 lead that draws a Nick Carroll timeout. TG would go on a 22-5 run but Onalaska would use the foul line to keep the game close at halftime. 47-39 Eagles with the lead. Miami commit Isaiah Johnson would start the 2nd half after coming off the bench. Big impact in the half. In the post for 2, knock down a 3 and run out for a layup as this one got out of hand.
Isaiah Johnson 16 of his 23 in the 2nd half to lead Totino. Dothan Ijadimbola adds 18. Frosh PG Malachi Hill continues to play well off the Eagles bench. 4 triples and 17 points for him. South Dakota commit Evan Anderson leads Onalaska with 22 points. Isaac Skemp 4 triples and 18 points. Jack Smith adds 5 triples and 17 points.
Game 7: #2AAAA Park Center 83 Eau Claire Memorial 58
Park Center playing without Chiang Ring and Jackson Fowlkes in this one. Ari Gooch started hot attacking the rim and never let up. He had 10 points in a early 15-0 PC run. The Pirates would open a 22-8 lead and look to run away but the Old Abes kept the margin at 16, 45-29 at halftime of a foul plagued no flow first half.
A bit of drama in the 2nd half. Cash Chavis sits at 12:56 with what is said to be his 4th foul, but it looked like the board went from 2 to 4 and the PC book (along with me) had him for 3. This causes an excessively long discussion and we stay at 4. So the big 3 are out, can Memorial make a run? No they can't. Temi Omotoyinbo steps up with a dunk and a layup to keep the Pirates offense going. Chavis back in with the lead at 19 and 7:56 left is a surprise but doesn't end up being a problem. Aidan Memene and Gooch with triples and the blowout is on. Gooch leads Park Center with 29 points, Omotoyinbo with 18, Chavis with a quiet 17. Julius Clark with 22 to lead Eau Claire Memorial. Cooper Jesperson adds 15 wtih 3 triples.
Game 8: #9 D1 Homestead 80 Benilde-St. Margaret's 64
A chance for the parlay to make it goes bad here, I should have taken the house offer to cash out. St. Thomas commit Tim Franks of Homestead playing in front of his future staff. He didn't disappoint. He make a living at the charity stripe with 15-20 in this one. Nice work attacking the lane off of pindowns. He also added 6 triples so you had to run at him. 39 points for him was the day's best performance. The game was closer than the final as BSM was within striking distance until the very end. Franks with a huge 3 with 2:35 as a dagger to go from a 6 point lead to 9. Jaleel Donley 14 of his 18 in the 1st half to lead Benilde-St. Margaret's. Abu Keita adds 16. Jalen Wilson held to 12. Trevor Polite added 14 for Homestead.
Closing Thoughts
The 8 winning teams made 88 triples, the losers made 55. Half of those 8 wins showed a major disparity. As expected we did see a small number of cases where the Wisconsin didn't realize there was a shot clock and it ran out unexpectedly. This was the largest Border Battle we've played (8 games). I suppose the 7-1 result shouldn't be totally unexpected as the home state has traditionally dominated. While last year Wisconsin won the final game to win 4-3, the previous 10 events were blowouts. You have to go back to 2011 to find a 3-3 tie in St. Cloud. Minnesota now leads the all-time series 64-42 and 10-7 event wise. 1st win for Minnesota since 2020 at La Crosse Central.
The Czar's All Border Battle team
Josiah Coleman - Edina
Tim Franks - Homestead
Ari Gooch - Park Center
Juan Guerrero Hernandez - Grafton
Isaiah Johnson - Totino-Grace
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