Anoka vs Park Center 12-15-17

Made the short run over to Park Center High School on this somewhat snowy December evening to take in this big early season match-up of two proud Northwest Suburban Conference rivals between visiting Anoka and host Park Center.  This would be my first look at the Tornadoes who have bolted out to a 6-0 start this season thus far and were trying to make amends for a somewhat disappointing 2016-17 season while the Pirates have entered a new era of sorts with a new head coach in Barb Metcalf and a lot of new faces to replace recently departed stars.  I had watched Park Center play at the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic where they beat Prior Lake but wasn't really sure how good they could be so early in the season.  On this night, the Pirates would definitely give me a better idea.

Both teams would trade blows in the opening moments of the first half as Park Center freshman guard/forward Adalia McKenzie connected with a lay-up in transition at the 17:32 mark but the Tornadoes would counter on a three-point bomb from the right wing area by sophomore guard Jersi McAlpine at the 17:14 mark.  Anoka would grab another one-point lead at 5-4 when senior post Lily Schoknecht got into the paint for a score at the 16:19 mark before the Pirates could put together a bit of a run to retake the lead.  McKenzie snared an offensive rebound for a putback of her own miss at the 16:01 mark and senior three-point bomb specialist guard Sommer Blakemore uncorked one of her trademark "3's" from the right wing area at the 15:39 mark for a 9-5 Park Center lead.  McKenzie would snare a steal and dash the other way for a lay-up at the 14:10 mark and an 11-5 Pirate lead before Anoka could shake off a few cobwebs and battle back.  Freshman reserve guard Olivia Anderson knocked down two free throws after being fouled in a transition opportunity at the 13:24 mark and Anderson would strike again at the 13:06 mark with a pretty drive and finish that got the Tornadoes back in single-possession range trailing 11-9.  Park Center would try to create a little more breathing room with a 4-0 push as Blakemore made a hard drive in transition for a finish at the 12:08 mark and slender senior guard Meghan DuBois connected with a lay-up in another transition opportunity for a 15-9 Pirate lead.  Anoka would cut the deficit down to four points on a "3" from the left wing area by junior reserve guard Lexi Huelsnitz at the 10:59 mark that made it 15-12 game.  Although it was becoming more obvious that Park Center's up-tempo style and pressure defense was definitely having an effect on the Tornadoes preferred half-court game, Anoka was staying close for the time being and weathering the storm reasonably well.

The Pirates would get their lead back to six again as speedy sophomore reserve guard Aaliyah Ragulen slithered into the lane for a finish and was fouled in the process and the ensuing "and one" gave Park Center an 18-12 advantage at the 10:04 mark.  A score in the paint by surprising freshman forward T'Naye Griffin at the 9:08 mark maintained the six-point lead at 20-14.  Two free throws by Tornado sophomore guard Emily Josephson with 8:17 left had Anoka down by only four at 20-16 but it was here that the Pirates made their first decisive move of the game.  Ragulen ventured into the land of giants for a drive and finish with 8:04 left and a steal and lay-up the other way by sophomore reserve guard Kayla Cox with 7:43 left now had Park Center up 24-16.  A short, turnaround jumper by McKenzie with 7:02 left and a short jumper from the left side by Ragulen with 6:35 left now had the Pirates up double-digits at 28-16 and Anoka Head Coach Zack Vogelsberg had seen enough to know that a thirty-second timeout was warranted to get his squad calmed down.  To their credit, the Tornadoes went on a 6-0 push to cut the deficit in half.  Two free throws by Schoknecht with 5:39 left and a pretty give-and-go lay-up by senior reserve guard Justine Watson with 4:59 left had Anoka back in single-digit range trailing 28-20 and a strong offensive rebound and putback by Schoknecht with 4:23 left had things much more manageable for the Tornadoes trailing 28-22.  Watson would strike again for Anoka with 2:35 left with a three-point bomb from the left top area that had things down to five points at 30-25 although the Pirates would flirt with another spurt.  Blakemore would drain another one of her patented three-point bombs from the right top area with 2:18 left for a 33-25 Park Center lead and a Cox lay-up with :50 left before halftime maintained the eight-point edge at 35-27.  Anderson would come to the rescue of the Tornadoes with a jumper along the right baseline with :33 left to keep things reasonably close at the halftime buzzer by a count of 35-29.  Anoka, however, was incredibly fortunate to be as close as they were as the Pirates missed several easy "bunny" shots that would have had Park Center up by considerably more had they been able to cash in.

The fact that the Pirates had allowed Anoka to hang around looked like it might come back to bite Park Center in the early moments of the second half.  A Schoknecht score in the paint at the 17:26 mark kept the deficit at six points at 37-31 and a lay-up by senior guard Noelle Josephson at the 16:22 mark and two Noelle Josephson free throws at the 15:22 mark now left things somewhat uncertain as the Tornadoes trailed by only four at 39-35.  It was here, however, that the roof gradually caved in on Anoka as the Pirates embarked on a game-changing 15-2 run fueled primarily by its pressure defense.  Griffin got into the paint for a score at the 15:10 mark and a three-point bomb by Blakemore from the left wing area at the 12:10 mark suddenly pushed the lead to nine points at 44-35.  McKenzie connected with a lay-up at the 11:27 mark and would also connect with a lay-up in transition at the 9:41 mark to push things back up to double-digit range at 48-37.  Ever-improving sophomore guard Lauren Frost got a lay-up in transition to go down as well at the 9:21 mark and the wily Ragulen drove into the lane for a finish with 8:47 left that now had Park Center up 52-37 and the Tornadoes' Vogelsberg had seen enough to know that he had to take a match to a timeout as this one was rapidly getting away from his squad. 

McKenzie would connect with a lay-up in transition after a steal to complete this run with 7:55 left that made it 54-37 before Anoka could finally stop the bleeding on a pretty drive and finish by Noelle Josephson with 7:08 left.  By now though, the damage had been done and any hopes for a Tornado comeback had long since gone out the window into the cold, snowy night.  An 8-0 Park Center push sealed Anoka's fate for good.  McKenzie connected on a pretty reverse lay-up with 6:55 left and then Blakemore let loose with a "3" from the left corner with 6:18 left that now had the Pirate lead up to twenty at 59-39.  DuBois would do the same from the opposite corner with 5:54 left that made it 62-39 and the Tornadoes could only make incremental dents in the large cushion down the stretch.  Griffin would get into the paint for a score with 5:01 left and although Anoka's Vogelsberg would call another timeout with 4:44 left, there was simply no stopping the Pirate onslaught.  Griffin would connect with a lay-up with 4:12 left and then Blakemore would unleash an NBA-range three-point bomb from the left top area with 3:25 left for a 69-43 Park Center lead.  Both Metcalf and Vogelsberg unloaded their benches in the final two minutes as the Pirates rolled to a 71-47 victory.

After bolting out to a 6-0 start, it was obviously a harsh defeat as the Tornadoes came crashing back to earth the hard way on this night.  I caught up with Vogelsberg afterward and asked him what was the culprit in tonight's loss.  "We just didn't move on offense" he replied.  "We stood around."  While Anoka has to go back to the drawing board and re-tool and tweak some things, I think they have enough weapons and mojo to recover from this setback but tonight was obviously a harsh lesson.  Meanwhile for Park Center, the more I see of this squad, the more I like them.  There's a lot of new faces that fans will need to get used to but they haven't deviated too much from what's made them successful in the past and with that kind of speed and athleticism that they possess, why would you?  I still think it's too early to project how well they can actually do come February or March but it's obvious that when they use that pressure defense to create turnovers and get into easy transition opportunities, they're going to be an incredibly tough team to beat. 

UST vs GAC 12-13-17

Was a bit of a snowy drive late yesterday afternoon down U.S. Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub portion of the famed "Omaha Route" mainline but got down to St. Peter okay to take in this huge early-season clash between visiting and 11th-ranked UST and host #12 GAC in what could be termed the MIAC Women's Hoops Game of the Century Part II.  While this one may not have had quite they hype and pomp and circumstance of the original back on February 1 of last season, this still had all the makings of a big game and one that could certainly loom large in MIAC playoff seedings as well as NCAA Tournament implications as well.  I got settled in early to catch some of the JV game that was won by the Gusties before the main event.

Things were on a very even basis in the opening minutes of the first period with both teams in man-to-man defense.  GAC senior forward Miranda Rice and UST lanky junior post Hannah Spaulding traded early scores and a lay-up by Gustie junior guard Taylor Anderson at the 8:31 mark gave the home team a 4-2 lead.  The Tommies would manage to knot the game up at 4-all on a short shot off the glass by senior guard/forward Lauren Fischer at the 7:16 mark but the GAC answer would be a strong offensive rebound and putback by junior forward Kendall Thompson a bit later at the 6:30 mark.  UST would again manage to tie the game a 6-all when Spaulding slithered inside for a score at the 6:14 mark before the Tommies could put together a 4-0 push.  A drive and finish by sophomore reserve guard Sarah Krynski with 4:45 left and two Spaulding free throws with 3:53 left had UST up 10-6 but the Gusties would answer this challenge 10-0 run to end the opening period.  Surprising freshman reserve point guard Ava Gonsorowski out of Esko connected with a lay-up with 3:39 left and dropped two free throws with 2:35 left to knot the game at 10 a piece.  A jumper from the right wing by Rice with 2:11 left pushed GAC back out in front and a pretty drive and finish by Thompson with 1:32 left now had the Gusties up 14-10.  Senior point guard Mikayla Miller polished off this late first period run with a jumper from the left elbow area with :40 left that gave GAC a 16-10 lead going into the second period.

A Rice lay-up at the 9:29 mark of the second period gave the Gusties more breathing room with an 18-10 advantage and when Taylor Anderson drained a "3" from the right wing area at the 8:26 mark, GAC had its biggest lead at 21-12.  Curiously however, the Gustie drive began stalling out right when they seemingly had the Tommies on the ropes and UST slowly but surely got out of a bad spot.  Two free throws by junior guard Kaylie Brazil at the 8:12 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by Spaulding at the 7:49 mark sliced the deficit down to five points at 21-16 and a drive and finish by junior guard Lucia Renikoff at the 7:18 mark kept the Tommies in that five-point range at 23-18.  Then it was Spaulding knocking down two freebies at the 6:43 mark to make further inroads and when Renikoff; the former Washburn standout, drilled a "3" from the left corner at the 6:15 mark, the game was suddenly tied at 23-all before a shocked crowd in Lund Arena.  UST was far from finished as two Spaulding free throws at the 5:18 mark got the Tommies out in front and then it was Renikoff again unleashing terror from three-point land as she banged home another bomb - this one from the left wing area with 3:56 left - that now had UST up by five at 28-23.  A shell-shocked Gustie squad tried to respond as Miller was able to connect with a lay-up in transition with 3:07 left that momentarily had GAC back to within a single possession trailing 28-25 but the Tommies decided to stretch things out further.  Lanky sophomore reserve post Elsa Anderson connected with a lay-up with 2:55 left and a lay-up in transition by senior guard Maddie Wolkow with 2:33 left before the half was all that Gustie Head Coach Laurie Kelly needed to see to know that a timeout was warranted with GAC now trailing by seven at 32-25.  But even that stoppage in play did not deter the Tommies from further extending their lead.  Krynski was sent to the charity stripe with 1:51 left where she promptly dropped two free throws and a "3" from the top of the key by rising freshman reserve guard/forward Kaia Porter with 1:22 left now had UST up by tean at 37-27 and Renikoff added one last stab before the half with a dagger jumper in the lane with just one tick left on the clock as the Tommies went whooping and hollering into the locker room with a 39-27 lead while GAC's Kelly and her staff were still trying to figure out how they gave up a 27-6 UST onslaught to end the second period.  Just a quick glance of the second period box score alone must have raised Kelly's blood pressure as she would have seen that her squad was outrebounded by UST by a 12-2 count and although the Tommies committed five turnovers to the Gusties one, UST was able to offset that by shooting 9-11 from FG range and 3-4 from behind the arc while GAC shot a paltry 4-14 from FG range and that one "3" from Taylor Anderson was all that the Gusties could produce from behind the arc.

GAC managed to cut into this double-digit deficit in the early moments of the third period as two Rice free throws at the 9:37 mark and a lay-up by junior guard Brooke Lemke at the 8:54 mark trimmed the deficit back to ten points at 41-31 and a Lemke lay-up in transition a bit later at the 8:33 mark provided some light at the end of the tunnel as the Gusties were now back in single-digit range trailing 41-33.  But UST would be able to keep its host in check for the time being as Wolkow unleashed a "3" from the right top area at the 8:09 mark and then Fischer's three-point bomb at the 7:21 mark helped re-establish the double-digit advantage at 47-36.  It wasn't until nearly a minute later that the Gusties seemed to fully recover from that second period disaster and make a move to get themselves on an even basis with its arch-rival; thanks largely in part to Miller, the former Goodhue standout.  The strong 5'8" guard banged home a "3" from the right top area at the 6:26 mark and then muscled into the paint for a score at the 5:42 mark that suddenly reduced the UST lead down to six at 47-41 and caused enough concern from Tommie Head Coach Ruth Sinn to prompt a thirty-second timeout being called.  But that short stoppage in play did not cool off GAC one bit as Miller would uncork another three-point bomb - this one from the top of the key off of an inbounds pass at the 5:16 mark - that got the Gusties back in single-possession range trailing 47-44.  A lay-up by freshman reserve forward Paige Richert with 4:21 left reduced the deficit down to a single point at 47-46 and a hard drive and tough scoop lay-up by Miller with 3:31 left capped this unlikely 12-0 run that allowed GAC to push its nose back out in front by a 48-47 count.  Somewhat alarmed by this latest development, the Tommies responded with a 6-0 push.  Porter knocked down a jumper in the lane with 2:59 left and Wolkow connected with a lay-up with 2:11 left that had UST back out in front by a 51-48 count.  That lead would increase to five as Brazil connected with a lay-up with 1:33 left.  The Gusties would get things back to a single possession as Rice snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 1:16 left but UST would get the lead to six by the end of the third period as Elsa Anderson snared an offensive rebound for a putback with :46 left and Brazil would drain a three-point dagger from the right wing with just one tick left on the clock that had the Tommies up by six at 58-52 so it was something of a good news/bad news proposition for GAC:  Yes, they did get on a nice run to take the lead and even though they were down by only six, the deficit was much more manageable this time around.  Yet, it was disappointing, too because once again, they let the Tommies off the hook when they really could have put them in a bad spot going into the fourth and final period.

The Gusties seemed to have some momentum going into the fourth period but whatever hopes the home crowd had were quickly dashed as UST went right to work.  Wolkow uncorked a "3" from the left wing area at the 9:22 mark that got the lead up to nine points at 61-52 and GAC would have to work very hard now to try and bring this back.  Rice would connect with a lay-up at the 9:04 mark and a short jumper from the left side in a transition opportunity by junior reserve guard Justine Lee at the 6:53 mark got the deficit back down to five points at 61-56 but the Gusties were unable for the time being to draw closer.  Renikoff would drop one free throw at the 5:12 mark as would Brazil with 4:32 left that upped UST's lead to 63-56 and the Gusties' Kelly would call a thirty-second timeout to try and draw up a plan for one last push.  But GAC would be foiled on its subsequent possession and would be unable to stop Spaulding's offensive rebound for a putback with 4:02 left that got the Tommie lead up to nine at 65-56.  The Gusties would take another crack at trying to claw their way back as Miller; in her senior season, tried to put her team on her back.  She dropped two free throws with 3:43 left and after Thompson did the same with 3:31 left that cut the deficit back down to five points at 65-60, Miller would make another trip to the charity stripe with 2:54 left where she got one freebie to go down and with 2:33 left, Miller would be sent to the line again where she would drop two more free throws that get GAC tantalizingly close trailing 67-63 with still plenty of time left.  UST would get the lead back up to six at 69-63 when Brazil got loose for a lay-up with 2:20 left but the Gusties' Miller still had some more heroics left when she connected with a tough lay-up with 1:57 left that again made it a four-point game at 69-65.  Kelly would call another thirty-second timeout as there was still some hope left but those dreams would vanish into the dark, cold night shortly thereafter.  Thompson was unable to get a lay-up attempt to cooperate and go down and Renikoff would be fouled on the defensive rebound with :40 left and she calmly dropped two free throws to up the Tommie lead to six at 71-65.  GAC still had a chance but Miller would be unable to get a three-point shot attempt to go down when the Gusties needed it most with :27 left.  The Tommies' Porter would be fouled with :19.2 left and the former Roseville standout got one of the attempts to go down for a 72-65 UST lead.  The Gusties would get one last ghost of a chance when Lemke was sent to the line for two free throws with :12.8 left but the former Delano standout was unable to get either attempt to go down that finally sealed GAC's fate.  Brazil dropped two insurance free throws for the Tommies with :08.3 left as UST was able to escape Lund Arena with a hard-fought 74-66 victory.

I was able to eventually catch up with GAC's Kelly afterward and, although upbeat about the big picture, she couldn't help but express disappointment at this latest setback to arch-rival UST.  The main culprits for this loss in her mind were some untimely defensive lapses that allowed some dagger three-pointers to be dropped on her team or drives into the lane that caused headaches.  Indeed, that critical second period where the Tommies took control of things seemed to bother her the most and that's where the Gusties were on the wrong end of a 12-6 count on points in the paint.  Though the Gusties would make amends for that in both the third and fourth periods, the damage had been done and that brief one-point lead that GAC took in the third period was very short-lived.  Moreover, Kelly pointed out that her team just needs more exposure; more opportunities in these big games against elite opponents before they finally figure out how to handle the situation better.  When I look at this rivalry between UST and GAC, I can't help but think about the time some years ago when my LA Rams were mired in a long-losing streak to arch-rival San Francisco and famed ESPN analyst Chris Berman would say somewhat half-jokingly (I think!) "Same old Forty-Niners.  Same old Rams."  It does seem sometimes that you could substitute Tommies for Forty-Niners and Gusties for Rams  doesn't it?  Especially when you consider the fact that the last time GAC beat UST was back in 2010 which seems like ages ago now.  But Kelly is determined to get her squad to the next level and the only way to do that is to get more opportunities against these elite teams.  They'll have their chance to do just that not far down the road.  Up next, the Gusties have one home game right before the Christmas break; against Coe out of the IIAC where, presumably anyway, they should be able to take care of business.  But right before the end of the year, they head down to Waverly, Iowa to take part in the Wartburg Holiday Tournament that will also feature UW-Whitewater, UW-Superior and IIAC powerhouse and fourth-ranked host Wartburg.  They'll take on WIAC powerhouse UW-Whitewater on 12-29 and the winner of that game will get the winner of the UW-Superior - Wartburg tilt the next day (12-30).  This get-together definitely has an NCAA Tournament-feel to it and is a great opportunity for GAC to establish itself as a regional power.  In any event, on this contest, UST had an incredibly balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures scoring-wise.  Renikoff led the way with 15 points and Spaulding was right behind with her 14 points.  Brazil would collect 12 points on this night and Wolkow was not far behind with 10 points.  GAC meanwhile relied on a fabulous scoring night by Miller who led all scorers with 24 points.  Rice added 14 points while Thompson had 11 points. 

Concordia vs Augsburg 12-9-17

Ventured over to Augsburg's Si Melby Hall on this sunny December Saturday afternoon to take in this early season MIAC clash between visiting Concordia which rumbled down U.S. Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline into the Twin Cities to take on host Augsburg.  The Auggies were coming off a 78-56 down at St. Peter against GAC while the Cobbers notched an important home win against St. Kate's on Wednesday.  Both teams spotted 4-3 overall records and 1-1 in the MIAC and this would be my first look at the Cobbers this season and I was anxious to see some of the new faces that Head Coach Jessica Rahman has.

Scoring would seem to come at a premium after both teams traded three-point bombs in the early going of the opening period - one by Auggie sophomore guard Tamira McLemore at the 9:46 mark and the other by Concordia senior guard Cassidy Rahman at the 8:47 mark.  But the Cobbers found a way to build a bit of a cushion a little more than two minutes later thanks to a 6-0 push.  Junior guard Jamie Mentzer connected with a lay-up at the 6:29 mark and two free throws by sophomore reserve forward Mira Ellefson with 4:17 left had Concordia up 7-3.  A pretty drive and finish by junior guard Grace Wolhowe with 1:48 left capped this Cobber surge to make it 9-3 before Augsburg finally was able to take the lid off of their basket.  Sophomore forward Camryn Speese used her jumping ability and athleticism to tip in a missed three-point attempt by sophomore reserve forward Abby Jordan with 1:31 left but junior forward Kirstin Simmons helped Concordia regain that six-point edge with a short jumper with 1:07 left that had the Cobbers up 11-5 going into the second period. 

Augsburg hoped to put their early-game frustrations behind them once the second period got underway and some full- and half-court pressure defense gave them some opportunities to help close the gap.  Sophomore guard K'Aezha Wubben snared a steal and whizzed the other way for a lay-up at the 8:50 mark and despite the fact that Cobber junior forward Lincoln Haiby drained a "3" from the top of the key at the 7:27 mark, two McLemore free throws at the 7:13 mark and a "3" from the right wing area by sophomore guard Arianna Jones at the 6:45 mark helped the Auggies closed things to two points trailing 14-12.  Two more McLemore free throws at the 6:24 mark again had Augsburg trailing by just two at 16-14 before Concordia could make another attempt at widening the margin.  A score in the paint by Ellefson at the 5:23 mark and a jumper by Mentzer from the left wing area at the 5:04 mark gave the Cobbers a bit more breathing room with another six-point lead at 20-14.  But Augsburg would whittle that margin down to one point before the halftime buzzer.  Jordan drilled a "3" from the right corner with 2:07 left and two free throws by freshman reserve forward Pashia Scott with 1:24 left had to give Auggie Head Coach Ted Riverso a bit of relief but a glance of the first half box score had to give Riverso and his staff reason for concern as both squads headed to the locker room for the half.  Concordia had a decided edge on the boards at 27-18 and that coupled with some very icy shooting up to this point by Augsburg (5-32 from FG range for 15.6% and 3-17 from behind the arc for 17.6%) was not a recipe for success.

The Auggies appeared as if they had found a way to cure those first half doldrums with a 6-0 run to start the third period.  Jones snared a steal like a thief in the night and promptly dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 8:19 mark that finally gave Augsburg the lead since the opening moments of the game at 21-20.  Then senior forward Bridget Bednar knocked down a jumper along the left baseline at the 7:23 mark and a lay-up at the 6:38 mark by the Pierz native suddenly had the Auggies up 25-20.  Concordia did not panic, however, as Wolhowe connected with a lay-up at the 5:48 mark and a jumper from the right wing area by freshman reserve guard Amber Lingen at the 5:15 mark cut the deficit down to one point at 25-24.  Two free throws by Ellefson with 4:49 left now had the Cobbers back in the lead by one at 26-25 but Augsburg, not willing to give up any advantage on their home floor, struck again.  Jordan drained a "3" from the right top area with 4:27 left to help the Auggies regain the lead and a Jordan lay-up in transition less than thirty seconds later with 3:59 left got Augsburg's lead up to four at 30-26.  A lay-up by junior reserve forward Carlee Kobow with 2:58 left made it 32-26 and a Kobow "3" from the right top area with 2:03 left completed this 10-2 Auggie run that - for the moment anyway - appeared to have them in very good shape holding a 35-28 lead.  Concordia would manage to chop their way back into single-possession range on pairs of free throws by Wolhowe with 1:38 left and by Mentzer with :43.2 left but Augsburg managed to end the third period on a high note when sophomore reserve guard Aiza Wilson made a hard drive and finish with :10 left that had the Auggies up 37-32 going into the fourth period.

Presumably, Augsburg had momentum going its way now that it had the lead and by applying both full- and half-court pressure defense, they could successfully disrupt the Cobbers offensive sets and take control of things.  But this young Concordia team; maybe not yet quite sure of itself up to this point, took a huge step forward and wrested control away while the Auggies reverted back to some incredibly cold shooting when they could least affort it.  Mentzer's great defensive play at the 9:33 mark where she was able to snare a steal near mid-court and dash the other way for a lay-up perhaps provided the spark that the Cobbers used the rest of the way.  Junior forward Lincoln Haiby connected with a lay-up at the 8:46 mark that cut the deficit down to a scant point at 37-36 and a Mentzer jumper from near the free throw line at the 7:41 mark put Concordia ahead for good at 38-37.  A Wolhowe "3" from the right wing area at the 6:57 mark capped this unlikely 9-0 Cobber run that made it 41-37 before a shaken Augsburg team could recover enough to cut things back to a single possesseion on a short shot off the glass by freshman reserve forward Jazmyn Solseth at the 6:32 mark.  A short jumper in the lane by Concordia freshman reserve guard Elizabeth Birkemeyer at the 5:34 mark got the lead back to four at 43-39 and now Augsburg had to fight to get things back into single-possession range once again.  Wubben was able to get one free throw to go down with 4:14 left and Riverso called a timeout shortly thereafter but his plans designed to reverse the course of this game backfired when Ellefson knocked down two free throws after getting fouled after a steal with 3:40 left and after the Auggies were unable to score on the other end, Wolhowe connected with a lay-up with 2:45 left that suddenly pushed the Cobber lead to seven at 47-40 and the last remaining lifelines for the home team in this contest were slipping away.  Augsburg would be unable to capitalize on two successive scoring opportunities that may have at least got them back into single-possession range and the coup de grace applied by the Cobbers was a desperation lay-up attempt in traffic by Mentzer as the shot clock was expiring that impossibly came off near the top end of the glass and found its way into the cylinder for a 49-40 Concordia lead that, for all intents and purposes, was the ballgame.  Jones would nail a somewhat meaningless "3" for the Auggies from the left top area with :21.4 left but it would be much too little and much too late.  Ellefson would knock down two insurance freebies with :15.1 left and the Cobbers stole a precious early-season road win by a final count of 51-43.

Jessica Rahman winced a bit afterward when I was finally able to catch up with her and said that "It wasn't very pretty" but it was a "gritty win."  I asked her if she felt that this year's team was ahead of where last year's team was at this point but she replied that that was tough to answer as she said that those were really two different teams.  I did mention that I felt that I saw some of the characteristics of the recent successful teams that she's had in that her squad played very smart in that fourth quarter and didn't beat itself.  She smiled and agreed and replied that "I only wish we would have done that at Macalester (referring to her squad's 60-58 loss last week Saturday on 12-2).  Still, this has to be a big step forward for this young Concordia team and Jessica Rahman was in agreement with that.    Meanwhile, an incredibly frustrating outing for the Auggies on this Saturday on a day where they shot just 15-64 from FG range for 23.4% and an equally-icy 6-27 from three-point land for 22.2%.  Yikes.  I mentioned the three-point shooting woes to Riverso and he replied that it was more than that; that there were plenty of transition opportunities not capitalized on as well.  Another sore spot had to be the rebounding front where Concordia held a 43-35 advantage and Riverso was quick to admit that those two factors combined won't win you many ballgames.  Mentzer's heroics were key on this day as she led all scorers with 14 points and Wolhowe added 11 points.  Jones led Augsburg with eight points while McLemore had seven points.     

Bethel vs UST 12-6-17

Made my way over to UST's Schoenecker Arena on the St. Paul side of town on this cold, windy, somewhat snowy Wednesday evening to take in a critical early season clash between visiting Bethel and host UST.  The Royals; whose fortunes looked so incredibly bright right after Thanksgiving with the big non-conference home win against highly-regarded George Fox have sagged as of late with a loss at neighbor Northwestern out of the UMAC and then a MIAC season-opening loss at CSB last weekend.  The Tommies, despite a loss to highly-regarded Bowdoin in the second game of the season, have recovered nicely since then and they opened up their MIAC portion of the schedule this last weekend with a convincing win at Hamline.  Going into this contest, however, there was no question that Bethel was in desperation mode and they needed to right the ship - now. 

It would be the Tommies setting the tone early in this contest with some very hot three-point shooting.  A score in the paint by lanky 6'2" junior post Hannah Spaulding at the 9:45 mark helped UST draw first blood and back-to-back three-point bombs by fellow junior guard Lucia Renikoff had the Royals on their heels - one from the left corner at the 9:00 mark and another from the right wing area at the 7:36 mark as the shot clock was winding down - as the Tommies established an 8-2 advantage.  Bethel senior guard Angie Kirchoff dropped a jumper from the left elbow area at the 6:45 mark that allowed the Royals to temporarily draw closer but UST answered that with a "3" from the left wing area by senior three-point specialist Lauren Fischer at the 6:15 mark and a Spaulding score in the paint at the 5:45 mark that now had the Tommies up 13-4.  Bethel cut into the deficit on an offensive rebound and putback by willowy 6'1" junior post Hannah Johnson at the 5:24 mark but Royals Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer didn't want to see his squad in a big hole early on and called a thirty-second timeout to talk with his squad and make some adjustments.  That short stoppage in play allowed Bethel to draw closer down the stretch of the opening period.  Sophomore forward Taite Anderson connected with a lay-up with 3:32 left that whittled the deficit down to five points at 13-8 and a short jumper in the lane by Johnson with 2:02 left kept the Royals in that five-point range trailing 15-10.  One free throw by speedy senior guard Abby Miller with 1:44 left and a lay-up by senior reserve guard Hannah Simpson with 1:26 left now had Bethel back within a single possession trailing 15-13.  UST senior guard Maddie Wolkow would uncork a "3" from the right wing area with :24 left that pushed the Tommie lead up to five again at 18-13 but the Royals would get back to single-possession range again as freshman reserve forward Makenna Pearson knocked down a jumper from near the free throw line with just one tick left in the first period so Bethel at least avoided an early disaster and had - for the time being anyway - a much more manageable situation.

The Royals still appeared to be in decent shape in the early moments of the second period as Kirchoff knocked down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 8:12 mark that still had Bethel in single-possession range trailing 20-17.  But a 7-0 Tommie push changed the dynamics once again.  Spaulding got into the paint for a score at the 7:22 mark and another Wolkow three-point bomb - this one from the right wing area at the 6:41 mark - got UST's lead out to 25-17.  A Fischer score in the paint at the 5:53 mark capped this run that made it a 27-17 ballgame and the Royals once again had to try and work their way back.  Kirchoff single-handedly tried to do just that as she wiggled into the paint for one score at the 5:37 mark and the Barrington, Illinois native then unleashed a "3" from the left corner on a subsequent Bethel possession that cut the deficit down to a somewhat more manageable five-point range at 27-22.  But the Tommies would increase their lead before the halftime break.  Renikoff made a hard drive into traffic for a finish with 4:41 left and one Spaulding freebie with 2:23 left had UST's lead up to eight at 30-22.  Bethel would be unable to capitalize on at least two different opportunities down the stretch and Spaulding would add one more free throw with :32.1 left as the Tommies took a 31-23 lead into the locker room at the half.  One item that had to be bothering Bethel's Herbrechtsmeyer during his halftime talk to his squad was that UST held a sizable advantage in "second-chance" points at 22-7 and rebounding; which is a Bethel staple, was a sore spot at this point.

The Tommies would establish their first double-digit advantage in the early minutes of the third period as Wolkow would uncork a "3" from the top of the key at the 9:31 mark for a 34-23 UST lead and a short jumper in the lane by Renikoff at the 8:27 mark maintained the eleven-point edge at 36-25.  Then it was Fischer again showing her three-point prowess by unleashing a dagger from the right corner at the 7:56 mark for a 39-27 Tommie lead.  Fischer would also connect with a short jumper off the glass at the 6:20 mark that made it 41-29 UST and perhaps the only fly in the ointment from a Tommie perspective was that Spaulding would get tagged for her third foul at the 5:11 mark.  UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn had to make the decision to let Spaulding sit for a spell but that didn't seem to affect the Tommies offensive production any.  Leading 42-30, sophomore reserve post Elsa Anderson got into the paint for a score with 4:55 left that gave UST  a 44-30 advantage.  The Royals now had the difficult task of battling back from this double-digit deficit but it looked for a moment that they might be able to make some inroads.  Two free throws by Taite Anderson with 4:39 left and a steal and lay-up the other way by Miller with 4:21 left gave Bethel some hope down ten at 44-34.  But the Tommies would douse those Royal dreams as an offensive rebound and putback by Fischer with 3:03 left and a "3" from the left corner by junior guard Kaylie Brazil with 1:58 mark now had UST up fifteen at 49-34 and the Royals' Herbrechtsmeyer definitely did not like what he was seeing and called a full timeout to try and rectify the situation.  But the Tommies' Fischer would unleash more hurt as she drilled another three-point bomb - this one coming from the right top area that gave UST its largest lead of the evening at 52-34 and although Miller would connect with a jumper from the right wing off the glass with :42 left, Bethel did indeed appeared buried as they were staring at the wrong end of a 52-36 score heading into the fourth period.

Whatever Herbrechtsmeyer told his team in the huddle before the start of the fourth period must have been awfully good as the Royals embarked on a huge comeback attempt that few inside Schoenecker Arena on this night (including your's truly) did not see coming.  Taite Anderson's "3" from the right wing area at the 9:41 mark was the start of an utterly shocking 17-2 Bethel run.  Sophomore reserve guard Haylee Barker's steal and lay-up the other way provided another big spark that reduced the deficit down to eleven points at 52-41.  UST tried to calm the waters as Spaulding connected with a lay-up at the 8:37 mark but the Royals were just getting started.  Johnson knocked down a jumper along the right baseline at the 8:19 mark and a Johnson score in the paint at the 7:43 mark now had Bethel back in single-digit range trailing 54-45.  The Tommies' Sinn recognized the imminent danger facing her squad and called a thirty-second timeout to try and get her squad calmed downed and refocused but the Royals were not done yet.  Another Johnson foray into the paint that resulted in a score at the 7:14 mark reduced the deficit further and a bit later at the 6:56 mark, Sinn was forced to yank Spaulding when she picked up her fourth foul of the night.  Bethel took full advantage as Taite Anderson connected with a lay-up in transition at the 6:21 mark and another Johnson score in the paint at the 5:48 mark now had the Royals back in single-possession range trailing 54-51.  Finally, it was Miller; the former Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted standout delivering the seeming coup de etat with her three-point bomb from the right top area that found its mark that suddenly had this one knotted up at 54 a piece before a shocked crowd inside Schoenecker Arena.  Elsa Anderson would give UST a brief 56-54 with her score in the paint with 4:21 left but two charity stripe shots by Taite Anderson with 4:09 left allowed the Royals to knot things up again at 56 a piece.  At this point, it just seemed like Bethel had so much going for it and that they were a hair away from taking over this game.  Strangely, however, the dream died right then and there for the Royals as the Tommies slowly but surely recovered from what could have been a disastrous setback.  Spaulding; riding those four fouls, got into the paint for a score with 3:11 left to put UST out in front for good at 58-56 and less than a minute later, Johnson picked up her fourth foul that further damaged the Royals hopes.  Renikoff would be fouled shortly after that and her two free throws with 2:26 left now gave the Tommies a bit more breathing room with a 60-56 advantage.  Bethel would manage to climb back to trail by just one when Taite Anderson unleashed another "3" - this one from the left top area with 2:14 left but that was offset when the Tommies' Renikoff did the exact same thing with 1:35 left that reestablished the four-point edge at 63-59.  The Royals still had one last hope left when Spaulding finally fouled out but Johnson; the recipient at the charity stripe, was unable to get either free throw attempt to go down.  Elsa Anderson; the understudy at the post spot for UST, was fouled with :38.2 left and she did knock down both free throw attempts that got the lead to six at 65-59.  Sinn would call back-to-back timeouts; the latter to avoid a five-second call on an inbounds pass attempt but the Tommies had all the edge they would need.  Fischer would knock down two free throws after getting fouled with :24.5 left and Wolkow, Brazil and Renikoff would add more insurance free throws in the last gasp as UST escaped with a 72-65 victory. 

I managed to catch up with Bethel's Herbrechtsmeyer afterward and complimented him on his team's courageous comeback effort but also pointed out two things that likely contributed to his team's eventual downfall in this one - the rebounding department where UST had a sizable 42-31 edge and also the "second-chance" points where the Tommies had a 22-7 advantage.  "Not good enough" he replied of his team's effort and noted that his squad's rebounding has just got to get better.  It's hard to pinpoint exactly the reason or reasons for this latest Royal free-fall with their third straight loss that leaves them with an overall record of 3-4 and 0-2 in MIAC play.  I suppose you could look at it from afar and list some different possibilities:  (a) Maybe they're not as good as everybody thought they were, (b) they need to rebound better, and possibly (c) plain bad luck.  I would opt towards b and c myself.  It would be one thing if the Royals were getting blown out but in each case, they're right there at the end and just can't quite seem to get over.  Whatever the reason, the fact remains that their  margin for error is now zilch, nada, nothing.  It's highly, highly unlikely that they'll be able to count on getting a bid to the NCAA Tournament on an at-large basis (assuming, of course, they're in the MIAC playoffs which I still think they will be).  They'll have to find a way to bounce back from whatever ails them and put all their marbles in one basket which is winning the MIAC Championship Game.  I just don't see any other way for them at this point and it's only early December.  Meanwhile, UST's Sinn was obviously relieved from having avoided a near-disaster and was quick to give praise on how her team recovered from that big Bethel run.  She mentioned that her squad is still trying to carve an identity for itself; there are still some things they've got to figure out yet and they're nowhere near to hitting their stride yet.  Moreover, Sinn admitted that she didn't think that her squad was quite ready for the tough, early season schedule that featured the likes of Bowdoin, George Fox, UW-Stevens Point, Bethel and next week at GAC.  Coming out of this with only the loss being to Bowdoin out at an early season tournament in Saratoga Springs, New York has to have Sinn and her staff feeling pretty good at this point although another big one awaits next week Wednesday down in St. Peter.  Both teams had four players in double-figures scoring-wise on this night.  Taite Anderson led the way for Bethel with her 17 points while Johnson was right behind with 16 points and Miller had 14 points while Kirchoff added 11 points.  Renikoff led the way for UST with her 17 points and Fischer added 15 points with many of those coming from behind the arc.  Spaulding had a solid night despite fouling out with 14 points and Wolkow added 10 points.

Carleton vs St. Kate's 12-2-17

Had to hustle over to Butler Center on the campus of St. Kate's from Hopkins' Lindbergh Center to take in an important 3:00 P.M. clash between visiting Carleton and host St. Kate's.  This would be my first look at the Knights this season and I was very interested to see how much improved they were over last season.  Carleton was coming off a tough home loss to highly-regarded Calvin at home over the Thanksgiving holiday while the Wildcats were coming off a big non-conference win over Northland on the road.

It would be the Knights getting off to a great start in this one.  Sophomore point guard Katie Chavez buried a "3" from the top of the key at the 9:40 mark of the first period and one lay-up by senior forward Sarah "Waffles" Waldfogel at the 9:07 mark and a jumper from the left elbow area by senior forward Anne Hamilton at the 8:26 mark had Carleton up 7-1 and new Wildcat Head Coach Don Mulhern; not liking at all what he was seeing, called a halt to the action to discuss things with his squad.  But a Waldfogel jumper in the lane at the 6:53 mark helped the Knights maintain that six-point edge at 9-3 before St. Kate's was able to get untracked.  Senior guard Audra Clark nailed a "3" from the left wing area at the 6:21 mark and one Audra Clark free throw with 4:10 left closed the gap to two points at 9-7.  Then it was lanky freshman reserve forward Kaitlyn Struemke dropping a three-point bomb from the right wing area with 3:25 left that pushed the 'Cats out in front by a score of 10-9.  Carleton would be quick to regain the edge, however, as Katie Chavez buried another "3" from the top of the key with 3:05 left for a 12-10 Knight lead and a third three-point bomb by Katie Chavez from the top of the key with 2:40 left gave Carleton a 15-12 lead.  And Katie Chavez; the Westminster, Colorado native let loose with another three-point dagger with 1:46 left - this one coming from the left wing area that now had the Knights up 18-12.  Pairs of free throws by St. Kate's - two by senior guard Meg Clark with :39 left and two more by freshman forward Megan Kurth with :24.2 left - drew the Wildcats closer trailing 18-16 but overcoming a hot-shooting Carleton team was proving to become problematic. 

The Knights managed to retain a small edge in the opening moments of the second period as two free throws by junior forward Cece Leone at the 9:37 mark and a lay-up by freshman reserve point guard Nia Harris at the 8:52 mark had Carleton up 22-18 but the Wildcats would embark on a 10-0 run to usurp the advantage.  Audra Clark connected with a short shot off the glass at the 7:36 mark and then it was twin sister Meg Clark connecting with a lay-up in transition that also drew a foul and the resulting "and one" pushed St. Kate's out in front 23-22.  A pretty drive and finish by Audra Clark at the 6:41 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by sophomore guard Jackie Radford at the 5:56 mark upped the lead to 27-22.  One Radford freebie after she was fouled in a transition opportunity at the 5:28 mark capped the run before the Knights could pick up the pieces.  Waldfogel connected with a lay-up and was fouled in the process and the obligatory free throw had Carleton back to within a single possession trailing 28-25.  Keeping Katie Chavez covered was proving to be quite a task and she burned St. Kate's with yet another three-point dagger from the right top area with 4:50 left that cut the Wildcat lead down to two points at 30-28.  St. Kate's would manage to open up a little more breathing room as Struemke knocked down a short jumper with 4:22 left and an Audra Clark drive and finish with :58 left pushed the 'Cat lead to 34-28.  Carleton would manage to get back within single-possession range just before the end of the first half as a Harris drive and finish with :48 left and a Harris lay-up that drew a foul and resulted in an "and one" with just :05 left had the deficit down to a much more manageable three points at 36-33.  A check of the first half box shows that the Knights did indeed shoot well in the first half; shooting 40% from FG range and 45.5% from three-point land - thanks in large part to Katie Chavez going 5-6 from behind the arc).  St. Kate's held a sizable edge in the rebounding department, however, with a 24-17 advantage while turnovers were almost even - Carleton with seven and St. Kate's with six.

The Knights would slowly regain the edge as the third period got underway as a score in the paint by strong sophomore forward Samantha Cooke at the 9:48 mark and another one by Hamilton at the 9:02 mark cut the deficit down to a scant point at 38-37.  Carleton's hopes may have taken a bit of a hit at this point, however, as Katie Chavez took an inadvertent blow to the midsection and was forced to the bench to recover but the Knights were still able to press on.  Harris made good on a drive for a finish at the 7:51 mark to put Carleton back out in front 39-38 and a Leone drive and finish at the 6:01 mark had the lead up to three at 41-38.  A jumper from the right wing area by senior reserve guard Lindsey Chavez at the 5:22 mark maintained the three-point edge at 43-40 before St. Kate's was able to light another fire.  Struemke was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:51 left that ignited an 11-0 Wildcat run.  Radford got into the paint for a score with 3:54 left and was fouled in the process and the resulting "and one" now had St. Kate's up 45-43.  Then it was senior sharp-shooting guard Alexis Garcia draining a "3" from the left corner with 3:14 left to get the lead out to five points at 48-43 and a Struemke "3" from the left wing with 1:59 left now had the Wildcats in very good shape up 51-43.  Perhaps the only downer in all of this from a St. Kate's perspective was that Audra Clark suffered an apparent knee injury with 2:17 left and she would not return.  Carleton tried to recover on yet another Katie Chavez three-point bomb from the top of the key with 1:41 left but a Meg Clark drive and finish with 1:18 left had the Wildcats seemingly in control with a 53-46 lead going into the fourth period.

The Knights showed the sense of urgency needed in the opening moments of the fourth period embarking on a 7-0 push to knot the contest.  Leone connected with a lay-up in transition at the 9:42 mark and Cooke used her big frame to get into the paint for a score at the 8:56 mark to get Carleton back to within a single possession trailing 53-50.  Cooke would strike again in the paint at the 7:12 mark and drew a foul in the process and the obligatory free throw by the Chesterfield, Missouri native had this one tied up at 53-all.  Defense would reign supreme over the next four minutes as both sides tried desperately to gain any advantage; looking for any nooks or crannies to penetrate and there were few to be found.  Radford would give St. Kate's a one-point edge at 54-53 with 3:37 left on a charity stripe shot but it wasn't until with 1:23 left on the clock that the Knights were able to make a decisive move that would point the way to ultimate victory.  Hamilton; not necessarily known for her three-point shooting prowess, got open in the right corner with 1:23 left and unleashed a dagger that put Carleton up 56-54.  The Wildcats would manage to tie the game up on two free throws by Kurth with 1:08 left but they never were able to regain any edge.  With :48 left, Cooke was able to connect on a short, turnaround jumper to put the Knights back out in front 58-56 and Mulhern called a timeout to try and set up a play.  But a tough Carleton defense stifled the Wildcats on their possession and although Knight Head Coach Cassie Kosiba was forced to use a timeout with :24.7 left to avoid a five-second call on an attempted inbounds pass, Harris would be fouled with :18.7 left and the former Blake standout got one free throw to go down to get the Carleton lead to 59-56.  Mulhern would call another timeout as St. Kate's still had a chance for a three-point shot but on the subsequent possession, the 'Cats lost the ball out of bounds; effectively killing their chances.  Harris would be fouled with :04.8 left and she got two free throws to go down this time as the Knights secured a precious road win by a 61-56 count. 

Both Kosiba and Assistant Coach Chris Dalhed admitted afterward that this squad is still a work in progress and Dahled went as far to say "We have a long way to go."  Still, this is an important first step in taking this Knight program forward.  More importantly, Kosiba finally has what she has been seeking in her eighth season in Northfield:  size on the front line, solid backcourt play and some depth at each position to back it up.  How this all translates in the long-run remains to be seen but I couldn't help but like what I saw today.  If the Knights can stay healthy and keep a reasonable amount of consistency going, there's no reason why they shouldn't be in play for a MIAC playoff spot come February.  Meanwhile, an incredibly disappointing setback for St. Kate's that had its chances at the end.  And even more disappointing for Audra Clark whose injury and status remains uncertain as of this writing and with a trip up U.S. Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to Moorhead and a date with Concordia on Wednesday (12-6) looming, this could be some tough sledding for the 'Cats.  If I had to give out game balls, one of them for sure would go to the Knights' Katie Chavez who easily led all scorers on this afternoon with her 20 points with many of those coming from behind the three-point line.  Cooke also had 11 points and Hamilton; although she had only seven points on this day, did grab 12 rebounds.  St. Kate's had two players in double figures scoring-wise as Audra Clark had 14 points and Radford had a "double-double" with 11 points and 15 rebounds.  Oddly enough, St. Kate's won the rebounding battle on this day by a 43-33 count but also suffered 17 turnovers in the process and Carleton had a 17-11 edge in points off of turnovers.  St. Kate's did have the edge in second-chance points at 14-6 and also an edge in points in the paint at 24-22.   

Breakdown Tip-Off Classic - Forest Lake vs Minnetonka 12-2-17

Another big game on tap on this Saturday at Lindbergh Center on the campus of Hopkins High School was a 12:45 P.M. match-up that had something of a possible state tournament flavor to it:  Forest Lake out of the Suburban East Conference taking on perennial powerhouse Minnetonka out of the Lake Conference.  Both teams are projected to win their respective sections this season (Forest Lake in Section 7AAAA and Minnetonka in Section 2AAAA) so it would be a shock to see these two in the State Tournament come next March.

Minnetonka would grab a 2-0 lead on a lay-up by senior forward Kayla Mershon at the 17:33 mark but the Skippers would soon be in a world of trouble as their boat would drift out to sea with no one on it and the Rangers were only too happy to take advantage.  Junior sparkplug guard Lexie Hultman drained a "3" from the left wing area at the 17:01 mark and right away Minnetonka Head Coach Leah Dasovich saw some things she didn't like about her squad's defense and called a thirty-second timeout to try and rectify the situation.  Still, Forest Lake seemed to push all the right buttons in the early going as Hultman unleashed another three-point bomb - this one coming from the left corner at the 15:58 mark - that pushed the Ranger lead to 6-2 and another three -point dagger by junior guard Abby Leach from the right wing area got the lead to 9-3.  Then it was Leach striking again a bit later at the 15:06 mark with a drive into the lane and finish after a steal that made it 11-3.  Minnetonka tried to restore order as junior guard Blake Greer knocked down a jumper from the left wing at the 14:54 mark but the Skippers had to endure yet another round of Forest Lake three-point bombs.  One came from Hultman from the left top area at the 13:40 mark and another one came from Leach from the right wing area at the 13:10 mark that had the Rangers up 17-5 and Minnetonka looked completely befuddled as Dasovich was forced to take a match to a full timeout.  The Skippers came out of that stoppage in play a bit more refocused as a 7-2 push tightened up things a bit.  Junior guard Megan Walker made good on a drive into the lane for a finish at the 11:02 mark and one Mershon free throw at the 10:39 mark along with a score in the paint by senior post Zoe Hardwick with 9:13 left had Minnetonka back in single-digit range trailing 19-12.

The Rangers appeared to step on the gas again as a drive and pretty scoop shot by junior reserve guard Maddy Rice with 8:25 left and a Rice "3" from the top of the key with 8:03 left got Forest Lake's lead back to double-digits at 24-14 and a "3" from the top of the key by senior guard Grace VanBergen with 6:30 left maintained that ten-point edge at 27-17.  Another VanBergen trey - this one from the left corner with 5:14 left - now had the Rangers up 30-17 and Minnetonka indeed appeared to be in serious trouble.  A Walker "3" from the right wing area with 3:28 left got the deficit back down to ten points at 32-22 but the Rangers would keep the pressure on down the stretch.  Two free throws by senior guard Katherine Taylor with 1:35 left and a short jumper by junior guard Abigail Groeneweg with :52 left had Forest Lake up 38-27 as both squads headed to the locker room for the half and the Skippers no doubt had their work cut out for them.

Whatever Dasovich told her Minnetonka team during the halftime break certainly had the intended effect as the Skippers came right out of the gate in the second half and seized control; embarking on a 12-2 run over a course of six minutes.  Walker knocked down a jumper from the free throw line at the 17:30 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by Hardwick at the 16:40 mark whittled the deficit down to seven points at 38-31.  Then it was a "3" from the right top area by senior guard Katey Bratland at the 15:44 mark followed by a score in the paint by Mershon at the 15:07 mark and one Mershon free throw at the 14:34 mark and suddenly Minnetonka was back within a single possession trailing 40-37 and Ranger Head Coach Jen Wagner called for a thirty-second timeout to get her squad regrouped.  Two Walker free throws at the 14:01 mark capped this game-changing run and cut Forest Lake's lead down to a scant point at 40-39 although the Rangers did try desperately to regain the edge.  Rice connected with a lay-up at the 13:12 mark to give Forest Lake a bit more breathing room with a 42-39 lead and a score in the paint by Hultman at the 12:14 mark maintained the three-point margin at 44-41. 

But it was becoming clear by the midway point of the second half that the Skippers size and length was starting to become a factor in this game and it eventually wore down Forest Lake.  Bratland got into the paint for a score at the 11:40 mark and when Hardwick did the same a bit later at the 10:48 mark, Minnetonka had finally regained the lead since the opening moments of the ballgame at 45-44.  Junior reserve guard Hannah Fransen's "3" from the right corner at the 10:15 mark pushed the Skippers' lead to four at 48-44 and although Forest Lake would momentarily reduce the deficit down to two points on a lay-up by Leach at the 10:00 mark, two Mershon charity stripe shots with 9:38 left got Minnetonka's lead back up to four points at 50-46 and the Rangers' Wagner could see this one possibly slipping away from her team and called a timeout to try and prevent the seemingly inevitable.  Forest Lake would manage to get things back to a single possession range thanks to Hultman's ability to knock down three-point bombs.  She uncorked one from the left top area with 8:08 left that cut 'Tonka's lead down to 52-49 and another one from the left wing area with 6:26 left that had the Rangers trailing only 55-52.  One Groeneweg free throw had Forest Lake tantalizingly close trailing 55-53 with a lot of time left with 6:01 left on the clock and a Rice "3" from the left top area with 5:08 left now had the Rangers down by just a scant point at 57-56.  But Minnetonka would never let its opponent take this game away from them.  A short jumper by Walker with 4:47 left and a short jumper by junior reserve forward Erin Shoemaker with 4:16 left got the Skippers lead back up to five points at 61-56 and a score in the paint by Hardwick with 3:07 left maintained that five-point edge at 63-58.  The Rangers would manage to throw one last scare into Minnetonka down the stretch as two free throws by Groeneweg with 2:21 left and one more by junior guard Lindsey Johnson with 2:08 left had Forest Lake right back in single possession range trailing 63-61 and the Rangers narrowly missed an opportunity to tie the contest with 1:03 left when Johnson was unable to get a lay-up to go down.  Surviving the close call, Minnetonka sought to increase its breathing room as Hardwick got into the paint for a huge score with :41 left and Mershon was able to get one free throw to go down with :21.4 left to make it 66-61.  Forest Lake got one more wisp of hope when Hultman banged home a "3" from the left wing area with just :03 left that cut the Skippers' lead down to 66-64 but Minnetonka was able to inbounds the ball on the ensuing inbounds pass and one Bratland free throw helped save the Skippers on this day with a narrow 67-64 victory.

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.