Breakdown Tip-Off Classic - Prior Lake vs Park Center 12-2-17

Made my way over to Lindbergh Center on the campus of Hopkins High School on this Saturday morning to take in some of the action at the annual Breakdown Tip-Off Classic that features some of the top teams in the state.  One of the early games on this Saturday was a clash between Prior Lake out of the South Suburban Conference and Park Center out of the Northwest Suburban Conference.  I was running a bit late on this morning and being hobbled up as well didn't help matters but I got settled into the bleachers at Lindbergh Center at the 15:11 mark of the first half with the Lakers holding a 4-2 advantage.

The Pirates were able to knot the game at 4-all on a lay-up by senior guard Charo Nickens at the 14:42 mark but then Prior Lake unleashed an artillery barrage of three-point bombs in the next minute.  One by junior forward Lexi Hanson at the 14:27 mark from the left wing area and another one by fellow junior forward Alexandra Wiskow at the 13:32 mark had the Lakers up 10-4.  Laker point guard McKenna Hofschild had one of her own from the right wing area at the 13:10 mark that extended the lead to 13-4 before Park Center could finally stop the bleeding.  Sophomore guard Lauren Frost connected with a jumper from the right wing just inside the arc at the 12:36 mark and a lay-up in transition by freshman forward Adalia McKenzie at the 12:16 mark trimmed the deficit down to five points at 13-8.  Two free throws by speedy guard Sommer Blakemore at the 10:53 mark and a lay-up by slender senior guard Meghan DuBois at the 10:16 mark who drew a foul in the process and sank the obligatory free throw now cut the deficit down to a scant point at 14-13.  Another lay-up in transition by McKenzie with 9:51 left and a DuBois three-point bomb from the left wing area with 8:50 left in the first half capped this unpredictable 14-2 run by the Pirates as they now held an 18-15 lead. 

Prior Lake, perhaps somewhat alarmed by this sudden turn of events, tried to right the ship.  Senior post Madi Garcia knocked down two freebies after getting fouled with 8:32 left and a "3" from the left top area junior reserve forward Lexi Hanson with 7:58 left propelled the Lakers back out in front by a 20-18 count.  A short, pull-up jumper by Hofschild with 6:48 left got the lead to three points at 22-19 but getting the lead back and then actually keeping it was becoming a task for the Lakers who were starting to feel the wrath of the trademark pressure defense that Park Center loves to apply with its speed and athleticism.  And that pressure defense was starting to open up more and more opportunities for the Pirates as well.  A Blakemore "3" from the right top area with 6:10 left knotted things up at 22 a piece and an offensive rebound and putback by freshman reserve forward T'Naye Griffin with 5:39 left got Park Center the lead back at 24-22.  A lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve guard Kayla Cox with 4:55 left and a lay-up by Blakemore with 2:03 left allowed the Pirates to maintain a small edge at 28-25.  Prior Lake had several chances to close the gap in the last two minutes but an opportunistic Park Center team started to increase its cushion.  Two Blakemore free throws with 1:47 left and a DuBois lay-up in transition with 1:31 left now had the Pirates up 32-26.  One free throw by senior reserve forward Azsha Michael with :45.4 left and a drive into the lane and finish by sophomore reserve guard Aaliyah Ragulen with :20 left capped another important run of 7-1.  Prior Lake's Hofschild cut into that pad with two free throws with just :05.2 left before the halftime buzzer but the Lakers were still on the wrong end of a 35-28 score at the intermission.

It took Park Center a few minutes once the second half got underway to find its groove again but once they did they effectively put the Lakers behind the 8-ball.  McKenzie muscled into the paint for one score that also drew a foul and the ensuing "and one" got the lead up to ten at 38-28.  One McKenzie free throw at the 16:18 mark and one more at the 15:57 mark gave the Pirates a 40-28 lead and then it was Frost making a hard drive into the lane for a finish that drew a foul and the obligatory free throw now made it a fifteen-point game at 43-28 and Prior Lake Head Coach Mike Gidley now had no choice but to take a timeout after enduring this 8-0 Pirate burst.  To their credit, the Lakers were able to respond after the stoppage in play and whittle their way back into single-digit range.  Hofschild connected with a lay-up at the 14:41 mark that also drew a foul and the resulting "and one" got the deficit down to twelve points at 43-31.  Freshman reserve post Emily Kulstad knocked down a short jumper at the 12:59 mark and a "3" from the left wing area by freshman reserve guard Tatum Brostrom at the 12:38 mark now had Prior Lake back in business again in single-digit range trailing 45-36.  The Pirates, however, got the cushion back into double-digit range as McKenzie knocked down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 12:25 mark for a 47-36 ballgame but new Park Center Head Coach Barb Metcalf; still not totally convinced her squad was on the right track, called a halt to the action to talk to her team.  And probably not a moment too soon as the Lakers tried desperately to get things close again.  Hofschild connected with yet another short, pull-up jumper at the 11:38 mark and sophomore guard Haidyn Pitsch drilled a "3" from the left corner at the 10:31 mark that seemingly gave Prior Lake new life trailing 49-41. 

Hofschild would single-handedly try to keep the Lakers' hopes alive with her foray into the lane for a finish at the 10:15 mark that kept Prior Lake in the eight-point range trailing 51-43 but the Pirates soon doused that fire that the Lakers were trying to ignite.  Two Cox free throws at the 10:11 mark and one more by Charo Nickens at the 10:08 mark who was fouled after a steal got the lead back to double-digit range at 54-43 where it would stay.  Two more free throws by the lanky Griffin with 9:22 left and a Griffin score in the paint with 7:47 left had Park Center up 58-46.  McKenzie muscled into the paint for a score with 7:18 left and then it was Blakemore slithering into the lane for a finish with 6:53 left that expanded the Pirate lead to 62-46 and left little doubt as to how this one was going to go.  Blakemore would uncork a "3" of her own from the left wing area with 6:21 left and one DuBois charity stripe shot with 5:54 left and a Griffin lay-up with 5:31 left now had Park Center up comfortably 68-49.  Blakemore would add a lay-up with 4:36 left and Frost would unleash more damage with her three-point bomb from the left corner with 4:18 left that ballooned the lead to 73-51.  Prior Lake could only make incremental dents down the stretch as the Pirates breezed to 78-56 victory.