Made the trek over to Williams Arena on this Friday night in the midst of March Madness to catch this WNIT first round matchup between host Minnesota and visiting Ball State. The Gophers, who just missed a trip to the Big Dance (they should be in, IMHO) would be heavily favored in this game against Ball State as the Cardinals had a very up-and-down year; sporting a 15-15 record. At the same time, however, in order to make the most of this opportunity, the Gophers simply could not afford to overlook anybody as the simple truth of the matter is that you've got to be ready to go at this time of the year because it's a one-and-done deal and if you have one bad night, you're going home. And, on this night, they would find out the hard way that you have to come out with full intensity and a sense of urgency on the opening tip-off.
The first two minutes of the first half did not go well for the home team. Treys from Cardinal junior Brandy Woody and sophomore Brittany Carter plus a score in the paint by junior Katie Murphy had Ball State up 8-0 before the Gophers knew what hit them. A "3" by Carter at the 15:23 mark pushed the Cardinal lead to 11-0 before Minnesota's Kiona Kellogg finally got the Gophers on the scoreboard at the 14:04 mark. But the Gophers would struggle mightily over the next seven minutes in trying to put the ball into the cylinder as Ball State would retain the lead at 16-8 with 7:56 left. The good news for Minnesota, though, was that their defensive pressure was not allowing Ball State to open up a sizable lead that would have them in an incredibly tough spot. The Gophers were also getting the better of it on the glass but this opportunistic Ball State squad still was managing to keep the Gophers at bay as they held a 22-12 advantage with 3:42 left in the first half. A "3" from Woody from the left wing with 2:20 left stretched the Ball State advantage to 25-14 and the Cardinals would keep that double-digit advantage at 27-17 going into the locker room at halftime thanks to a drive and finish by Carter with :07 left (just as the shot clock was expiring). Clearly the Gophers had their work cut out for them in the second half if they were to keep the 2012-13 season going. The halftime stat sheet had all the ugly numbers: 21.2% FG shooting; 1-8 from three-point land for a miserable 12.5% - and ten turnovers to boot. The Gophers did indeed have the advantage on the boards at 25-21 (including a 10-5 advantage in offensive rebounds) but they sure weren't able to take advantage of all those extra rebounds. Woody paced the Cardinal attack with 11 points while sophomore Rachel Banham was leading Minnesota with 8 1st half points.
The Gophers hoped to get right back into the thick of things after an early second half score by Kellogg and indeed, the Gophers would make some inroads on the Ball State lead. Two charity stripe shots by freshman Shayne Mullaney with 13:00 left and then a tough score inside by strong junior post Micaella Riche cut the Cardinal lead to a somewhat more manageable 34-27 count but Ball State would strike right back as a drive and finish by Woody that got her fouled in the process along with the obligatory free throw upped the Cardinal lead to 40-27 with 11:20 left. Two treys by lanky junior forward Lyzz Smith - at the 10:14 and 7:51 marks - allowed Ball State to maintain that double-digit advantage at 46-35. A jumper by Woody with 6:56 left along with a "3" by senior Shanee Jackson with 6:12 left made it a 51-35 game and all hope appeared lost for the Gophers. But this Minnesota team knows a few things about comeback victories as they had to fight off a double-digit hole to overcome Creighton earlier in the season. And this group showed that they had one more run left in them. A "3" by junior guard Sari Noga with 5:37 left commenced this unlikely comeback bid by the Gophers. Then it was Riche's time to shine as she had a monster second half for the Gophers. Two scores in the paint - at the 5:10 and 3:51 marks - helped slice the deficit back into single digits and another "3" by Noga - this one from the left top area with 2:58 left - suddenly had the Gophers to within six at 51-45. A harrassing Minnesota defense was giving the Cardinals fits handling the ball and this gave the Gophers even more opportunities. Two freebies by Riche with 2:13 left and a short jumper with just 1:11 left had the Gophers within a possession at 51-49. Alas, Minnesota could get no closer. Junior forward Katie Murphy connected with a huge jumper for Ball State with :53 left. A jumper in the paint by Banham once again cut it to a single-possession game at 53-51 and after a turnover by Ball State, the Gophers had their chance with :16 left as they brought the ball up the court. A screen allowed Banham to get the ball - and get a good look behind the arc but her three-point attempt bounced off the rim and into the waiting hands of Ball State's Woody where she was immediately fouled with just :04 left. Woody made the front end at the charity stripe but missed the back end and Banham was there for the rebound. She made a few strides up the floor and let loose with a heave and a prayer from just behind the half-court line that missed its mark and allowed Ball State to escape with a narrow 54-51 win at the Barn. Woody led all scorers with 19 points while Riche was right behind for Minnesota with her 18 points and 8 rebounds.
Afterward, elated Ball State Head Coach Brady Sallee talked about his team's composure coming down the stretch when Minnesota made its run. "We didn't come into this tournament just to be a participant" he stated. And no doubt about it - Sallee believes this win tonight is a huge one for his program - and for the Mid-American Conference as well. A subdued Minnesota Head Coach Pam Borton was short and to the point. "Definitely a step backward" she explained as she pointed out the turnovers and missed shots that hurt. At this point it's difficult to say with any exact certainty where the Gophers go from here. They need to find consistency and, perhaps just as important, they need to have that passion and sense of urgency out there and I didn't see it at all times tonight.
Los Angeles Rams
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Class AAAA Championship Game Recap - Bloomington Kennedy vs Hopkins 3-16-13 8:00 P.M.
The finale of this 2013 Minnesota State Girls Basketball Tournament took me back to old times; the days of 2005 and 2006 when Bloomington Kennedy and Hopkins were meeting in the Class AAAA finals two consecutive years. The players are different now, of course, but you couldn't help but think about those old times. Hopkins, the two-time defending state champs, was a juggernaut and the heavy favorite in this match-up. But Bloomington Kennedy seemed to be the ONE team that, from an athletic standpoint anyway, might be able to stand up to the Hopkins dynasty. Just as interesting on this night was that the Hopkins coaching staff was decked out in pink shirts in honor of breast cancer awareness and the team was also wearing pink shoes; a very nice touch.
The first few minutes saw the teams neck and neck as they were knotted at 5-all by the 14:10 mark. Tied at 7-all, Hopkins embarked on a 5-0 push; aided by some costly Eagle turnovers that made it 12-7 Hopkins with 12:21 left. Moreover, Bloomington Kennedy was having an incredibly hard time trying to box out Erin "Big Country" O'Toole down low. Hopkins looked like they might be on the verge of opening up a cushion on Bloomington Kennedy but credit the Eagles for hanging tough on the big stage. With 6:23 left, they drew to within 19-17 and a "3" by Jasmyn Martin; the 8th grader at the 6:03 mark gave Bloomington Kennedy its first lead at 20-19 and had the Bloomington Kennedy student section rocking. Older sister and senior Jade Martin expanded that lead to 23-20 at the 4:48 mark with one free throw. The Eagles were trying desperately to maintain that slight edge but Hopkins' famous pressure defense was creating the turnover bugaboo to rear its ugly head for Bloomington Kennedy. Nia Coffey's "3" from the top with 1:03 left gave the Royals the lead back at 28-26 which they took to the locker room at the half but, for Bloomington Kennedy, this is right where they wanted to be - in the thick of things - with a fighting chance. Coffey led the Hopkins Express with 12 first half points while Jade Martin led the Bloomington Kennedy effort with 8 points and younger sis Jasmyn was right behind with 7 points. Hopkins, though, did have a slight edge in the rebounds with 26 to Bloomington Kennedy's 22.
The one thing you didn't want to have happen from a Bloomington Kennedy standpoint is for Hopkins to get off to a roaring start in the second half that put you in a hole right away - and that's exactly what happened in the first 1:15 of the second half as the Royals went on a quick 5-0 burst that suddenly bulged the lead to 33-26 and Bloomington Kennedy Head Coach Quintin Johnson called a quick timeout to try and put a halt to all this. But Hopkin's Taylor Anderson nailed a "3" from the right corner at the 15:00 mark to expand the Royals lead to 10 at 36-26 and Bloomington Kennedy was in serious trouble. At the 13:05 mark, Bloomington Kennedy junior Tonoia Wade picked up her fourth foul on a charge and things were slowly falling apart for the Eagles as that initial 5-0 burst by Hopkins suddenly turned into a 15-0 breaking of the dam for Quintin Johnson's squad as they now found themselves down 43-26 at the 12:34 mark. There was a slightly scary moment at the 9:35 mark when Coffey, on one of her blazing fast break lay-up attempts, went down and was grabbing her right leg. She was eventually able to get up with some assistance and it LOOKED as if it was nothing more than a leg cramp (I've had those before; they hurt like hell, believe me). With 8:33 left, Coffey checked back in for the Royals and everything was just peachy keen from a Hopkins point of view. A brief Bloomington Kennedy run just under the 6:00 mark had their student section cheering for a bit but the damage was already done; the war already lost. Hopkins Head Coach Brian Cosgriff inserted his reserves late and Hopkins rolled to a 68-45 victory to claim their third straight Class AAAA state title.
Not surprisingly, Nia Coffey led all scorers and paced the Hopkins attack with 25 points and 16 total rebounds; a devastatingly effective performance. Jade Martin led Bloomington Kennedy with 19 points. Afterward, Bloomington Kennedy Head Coach Quintin Johnson expressed disappointment that his team did not handle the Hopkins pressure defense better. "All those points they got off of turnovers really hurt". But he does seem optimistic about the future and where this program is headed. For Hopkins, they will be graduating a bevy of great players, including one Nia Coffey who is one of the greatest players to come out of Minnesota. But with Brian Cosgriff leading this Hopkins program, don't expect them to fall too far off the map.
The first few minutes saw the teams neck and neck as they were knotted at 5-all by the 14:10 mark. Tied at 7-all, Hopkins embarked on a 5-0 push; aided by some costly Eagle turnovers that made it 12-7 Hopkins with 12:21 left. Moreover, Bloomington Kennedy was having an incredibly hard time trying to box out Erin "Big Country" O'Toole down low. Hopkins looked like they might be on the verge of opening up a cushion on Bloomington Kennedy but credit the Eagles for hanging tough on the big stage. With 6:23 left, they drew to within 19-17 and a "3" by Jasmyn Martin; the 8th grader at the 6:03 mark gave Bloomington Kennedy its first lead at 20-19 and had the Bloomington Kennedy student section rocking. Older sister and senior Jade Martin expanded that lead to 23-20 at the 4:48 mark with one free throw. The Eagles were trying desperately to maintain that slight edge but Hopkins' famous pressure defense was creating the turnover bugaboo to rear its ugly head for Bloomington Kennedy. Nia Coffey's "3" from the top with 1:03 left gave the Royals the lead back at 28-26 which they took to the locker room at the half but, for Bloomington Kennedy, this is right where they wanted to be - in the thick of things - with a fighting chance. Coffey led the Hopkins Express with 12 first half points while Jade Martin led the Bloomington Kennedy effort with 8 points and younger sis Jasmyn was right behind with 7 points. Hopkins, though, did have a slight edge in the rebounds with 26 to Bloomington Kennedy's 22.
The one thing you didn't want to have happen from a Bloomington Kennedy standpoint is for Hopkins to get off to a roaring start in the second half that put you in a hole right away - and that's exactly what happened in the first 1:15 of the second half as the Royals went on a quick 5-0 burst that suddenly bulged the lead to 33-26 and Bloomington Kennedy Head Coach Quintin Johnson called a quick timeout to try and put a halt to all this. But Hopkin's Taylor Anderson nailed a "3" from the right corner at the 15:00 mark to expand the Royals lead to 10 at 36-26 and Bloomington Kennedy was in serious trouble. At the 13:05 mark, Bloomington Kennedy junior Tonoia Wade picked up her fourth foul on a charge and things were slowly falling apart for the Eagles as that initial 5-0 burst by Hopkins suddenly turned into a 15-0 breaking of the dam for Quintin Johnson's squad as they now found themselves down 43-26 at the 12:34 mark. There was a slightly scary moment at the 9:35 mark when Coffey, on one of her blazing fast break lay-up attempts, went down and was grabbing her right leg. She was eventually able to get up with some assistance and it LOOKED as if it was nothing more than a leg cramp (I've had those before; they hurt like hell, believe me). With 8:33 left, Coffey checked back in for the Royals and everything was just peachy keen from a Hopkins point of view. A brief Bloomington Kennedy run just under the 6:00 mark had their student section cheering for a bit but the damage was already done; the war already lost. Hopkins Head Coach Brian Cosgriff inserted his reserves late and Hopkins rolled to a 68-45 victory to claim their third straight Class AAAA state title.
Not surprisingly, Nia Coffey led all scorers and paced the Hopkins attack with 25 points and 16 total rebounds; a devastatingly effective performance. Jade Martin led Bloomington Kennedy with 19 points. Afterward, Bloomington Kennedy Head Coach Quintin Johnson expressed disappointment that his team did not handle the Hopkins pressure defense better. "All those points they got off of turnovers really hurt". But he does seem optimistic about the future and where this program is headed. For Hopkins, they will be graduating a bevy of great players, including one Nia Coffey who is one of the greatest players to come out of Minnesota. But with Brian Cosgriff leading this Hopkins program, don't expect them to fall too far off the map.
Class AAA Championship Game Recap - Red Wing vs DeLaSalle 3-16-13 6:00 P.M.
After a scintillating Class AA final to wrap up the afternoon, anything after that would be anti-climactic but the Class AAA title game would get this Saturday night going. This one featured defending state champion DeLaSalle against Red Wing. The purple-clad Wingers broke through into the title game by virtue of their exciting win over favored Richfield while DeLaSalle's entry into the final game of the season was a given by many. Now the question would be, would Red Wing have enough to take down the heavily-favored Islanders?
The first three minutes of this one suggested an emphatic "No" as DeLaSalle raced to a 6-0 lead by the 14:46 mark. The Islanders were up as much as 10-0 before Red Wing finally found itself and made a sudden flurry to make it 10-5 by the 11:51 mark and two Tesha Buck pull-up jumper in transition pulled the Wingers to within four at 13-9 (yes, the same score UCLA beat USC by back in '06 :) ) with 10:21 mark. But just when it looked like Red Wing was ready to play spoiler in this one, the Islanders responded with an 8-2 run over the next four minutes that had DeLaSalle up by ten at 21-11 with 6:18 left and a lot of the damage was done by senior standout Tyseanna Johnson who has an incredible knack for snaring offensive rebounds for putbacks - and drawing the foul in the process as well. DeLaSalle looked as if they were on their way again but right back came Red Wing as they drew to within three at 28-26 when McKenzie Muelken made good on a drive and finish that drew a foul and sent her to the charity stripe to sink the obligatory free throw with 1:04 left. Two more freebies by McKenna Schaffer tied it up soon thereafter but a late DeLaSalle basket allowed the Islanders to limp into the locker room with a (now) slim 30-28 lead at the halftime break. Johnson led the way for the Islanders with 11 points while Tesha Buck led Red Wing with 10 points and both McKenzie Muelken and Kelly Macy each had 7 points. As expected, DeLaSalle did have the edge in rebounding in the first half by a 23-17 margin.
The Wingers would stay close with DeLaSalle in the early going of the second half but a surge by the Islanders got them out to a 38-32 lead with 12:53 left. At that point, the Islanders were in position to break things open again but right back came Red Wing to close the gap and, to make matters even worse for DeLaSalle, Allina Starr picked up foul #4 at the 11:01 mark that had to have even the most faithful Islander fan worried. With 7:00 left, DeLaSalle had once again righted the ship and embarked on another run that had them up 49-40 with just under 7:00 left; punctuated by a steal by Tyseanna Johnson on Tesha Buck that resulted in an easy Johnson lay-up. At this point, you had to wonder if Red Wing had one more run in them; one more push that could get them to within striking distance again. But the Islanders simply were not to be denied on this Saturday night as they carefully and craftily took time off the clock; being incredibly patient and then, waiting for the right moment, found either Starr or Johnson for a shot down low that got both of them to the charity stripe numerous times coming down the home stretch. Johnson was simply a monster on the boards in the second half and with 3:00 left, DeLaSalle was riding comfortably on a 57-42 margin with no looking back. With :52 left, Red Wing Head Coach Dave Muelken took his star senior, Tesha Buck, out of the game to a standing ovation from the Red Wing contingent and DeLaSalle Head Coach Faith Johnson Patterson soon began doing the same. DeLaSalle scored a convincing 65-50 win and with it captured the Class AAA crown for the third time in a row which tells you a little something about the dynasty Faith Johnson Patterson has built at DeLaSalle and what a great coach she truly is.
The first three minutes of this one suggested an emphatic "No" as DeLaSalle raced to a 6-0 lead by the 14:46 mark. The Islanders were up as much as 10-0 before Red Wing finally found itself and made a sudden flurry to make it 10-5 by the 11:51 mark and two Tesha Buck pull-up jumper in transition pulled the Wingers to within four at 13-9 (yes, the same score UCLA beat USC by back in '06 :) ) with 10:21 mark. But just when it looked like Red Wing was ready to play spoiler in this one, the Islanders responded with an 8-2 run over the next four minutes that had DeLaSalle up by ten at 21-11 with 6:18 left and a lot of the damage was done by senior standout Tyseanna Johnson who has an incredible knack for snaring offensive rebounds for putbacks - and drawing the foul in the process as well. DeLaSalle looked as if they were on their way again but right back came Red Wing as they drew to within three at 28-26 when McKenzie Muelken made good on a drive and finish that drew a foul and sent her to the charity stripe to sink the obligatory free throw with 1:04 left. Two more freebies by McKenna Schaffer tied it up soon thereafter but a late DeLaSalle basket allowed the Islanders to limp into the locker room with a (now) slim 30-28 lead at the halftime break. Johnson led the way for the Islanders with 11 points while Tesha Buck led Red Wing with 10 points and both McKenzie Muelken and Kelly Macy each had 7 points. As expected, DeLaSalle did have the edge in rebounding in the first half by a 23-17 margin.
The Wingers would stay close with DeLaSalle in the early going of the second half but a surge by the Islanders got them out to a 38-32 lead with 12:53 left. At that point, the Islanders were in position to break things open again but right back came Red Wing to close the gap and, to make matters even worse for DeLaSalle, Allina Starr picked up foul #4 at the 11:01 mark that had to have even the most faithful Islander fan worried. With 7:00 left, DeLaSalle had once again righted the ship and embarked on another run that had them up 49-40 with just under 7:00 left; punctuated by a steal by Tyseanna Johnson on Tesha Buck that resulted in an easy Johnson lay-up. At this point, you had to wonder if Red Wing had one more run in them; one more push that could get them to within striking distance again. But the Islanders simply were not to be denied on this Saturday night as they carefully and craftily took time off the clock; being incredibly patient and then, waiting for the right moment, found either Starr or Johnson for a shot down low that got both of them to the charity stripe numerous times coming down the home stretch. Johnson was simply a monster on the boards in the second half and with 3:00 left, DeLaSalle was riding comfortably on a 57-42 margin with no looking back. With :52 left, Red Wing Head Coach Dave Muelken took his star senior, Tesha Buck, out of the game to a standing ovation from the Red Wing contingent and DeLaSalle Head Coach Faith Johnson Patterson soon began doing the same. DeLaSalle scored a convincing 65-50 win and with it captured the Class AAA crown for the third time in a row which tells you a little something about the dynasty Faith Johnson Patterson has built at DeLaSalle and what a great coach she truly is.
Class AA Championship Game Recap - Braham vs New Richland-H-E-G 3-16-13 2:00 P.M.
I have to admit that, the ONE game I was really looking forward to taking in today was the Class AA Championship game that featured undefeated Braham, led by its superstar, Rebekah Dahlman and New Richland-H-E-G, led by its superstar, Carlie Wagner. Last year, the Panthers unceremoniously dumped Braham in the state quarterfinals and you had to think that Braham was seeking a measure of revenge in this one at the very least. The question in my mind was if Braham could prevent a repeat of last year; especially considering their lofty 32-0 record.
The first seven minutes in the first half saw New Richland-H-E-G getting out to an 11-6 lead by the 10:53 mark as (shock of all shocks) Carlie Wagner was leading the way with pull-up jumpers in transition or uncorking a "3" from the top of the key. Dahlman, on the other hand, had recorded only one score up to this point and had already collected her first foul. With 9:04 left, the Panthers had extended their lead to 15-6 and Braham was already in some trouble as they simply could not stop Wagner streaking down the court where she could either knock down a pull-up jumper or finish with a lay-up. With 8:35 left, Dahlman picked up her second foul on a somewhat controversial play under the Braham basket that had Target Center howling. At the 7:17 mark, Dahlman inexplicably picked up her third foul that sent her to the bench as New Richland-H-E-G now had their chance to build their lead. To their credit, Braham hung tough, however, and kept themselves within striking distance trailing 27-15 at the half. But, without question, they would have to come out on fire in the second half to stem the Panther momentum. Nobody claim close to Carlie Wagner's 19 first half points on the New Richland-H-E-G side. Braham was led by Jaclyn Hollenkamp's 6 points while Dani Braund had five first half points for the Bombers.
And in the opening minutes of the second half, it very much indeed looked as if Braham had come out with a new determination as Dahlman suddenly came alive. The Bombers whittled the New Richland-H-E-G advantage to 31-28 at the 14:01 mark and it was definitely a new ball game now. A jumper by Dahlman at the 11:31 mark sliced the Panther lead down to 35-34 and then "3" by Kayla Nickles gave Braham its first lead of the day at 37-35 that had Target Center rocking and had New Richland-H-E-G Head Coach John Schultz calling for a timeout to try and stem this sudden Braham surge. Things were looking good for Braham but, with 7:38 left, those hopes took a jolt when Dahlman picked up foul #4 on a charging call. Slowly, Braham's fortunes began to fade. And, when New Richland-H-E-G needed her most, Carlie Wagner was just phenomenal when it counted: a "3" from the top of the key with 5:23 left, a jumper with 4:59 left, and then a drive and finish that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the freebie made it a 54-45 game with 3:44 left. With 2:02 left, a drive and finish by Wagner in transition made it a 58-51 game that had Braham hanging by a thread. A lay-up by Nickles with 1:27 left cut the Panther lead down to 58-55; still time for the Bombers to make up lost ground. A lay-up by Dahlman with 1:12 left cut the deficit to one at 58-57. Braham's hopes appeared dashed for good when Dahlman finally fouled out with :37.4 left but a steal and lay-up by Nickles with 26.2 left tied it up at 59-all. With :06.1left, Wagner was fouled on a drive but made only one free throw which gave Braham one last chance to steal this. But when Nickles drove up the court with the ball she had the ball stolen away from her by Carlie Wagner and that sealed the deal - and championship - for the Panthers as New Richland H-E-G claimed the Class AA title with an incredibly thrilling 60-59 win.
I have to be honest here....These kinds of games; particularly at the high school level, are so incredibly tough to write about because there's so much emotion here. You can see it, feel it, taste it and when it's over and someone loses a game like this, you can't help but feel the sadness for the losing team. Those tears are real and those hearts are simply crushed. I know it's not the greatest analogy, but I remember how heartbroken I was when my Los Angeles Rams lost to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl 14 when it appeared they were on their way to victory. I remember how crushed I was when I lost a tough match in a junior tournament in a tough three-setter and how I cried afterward. You just don't forget those things and when you see it happening to someone else, you remember the feeling well.
It was only fitting that Carlie Wagner not only broke 5 tournament records but also tied another one in the process. She broke her own tournament scoring record; netting an amazing 50 points to help lead her team to victory today. When asked what was going on in her head in those last few final frantic seconds, she admitted that she wasn't "thinking" at all; it was more a matter of just reacting and doing what came naturally. Paige Overgaard said "It was all about heart" and that "We just wanted it so badly." Dahlman, who scored 30 of her 32 points in the second half, led the way from Braham and Kayla Nickles finished with 12 points.
All I can say after this one is, WOW....WHAT a game.
The first seven minutes in the first half saw New Richland-H-E-G getting out to an 11-6 lead by the 10:53 mark as (shock of all shocks) Carlie Wagner was leading the way with pull-up jumpers in transition or uncorking a "3" from the top of the key. Dahlman, on the other hand, had recorded only one score up to this point and had already collected her first foul. With 9:04 left, the Panthers had extended their lead to 15-6 and Braham was already in some trouble as they simply could not stop Wagner streaking down the court where she could either knock down a pull-up jumper or finish with a lay-up. With 8:35 left, Dahlman picked up her second foul on a somewhat controversial play under the Braham basket that had Target Center howling. At the 7:17 mark, Dahlman inexplicably picked up her third foul that sent her to the bench as New Richland-H-E-G now had their chance to build their lead. To their credit, Braham hung tough, however, and kept themselves within striking distance trailing 27-15 at the half. But, without question, they would have to come out on fire in the second half to stem the Panther momentum. Nobody claim close to Carlie Wagner's 19 first half points on the New Richland-H-E-G side. Braham was led by Jaclyn Hollenkamp's 6 points while Dani Braund had five first half points for the Bombers.
And in the opening minutes of the second half, it very much indeed looked as if Braham had come out with a new determination as Dahlman suddenly came alive. The Bombers whittled the New Richland-H-E-G advantage to 31-28 at the 14:01 mark and it was definitely a new ball game now. A jumper by Dahlman at the 11:31 mark sliced the Panther lead down to 35-34 and then "3" by Kayla Nickles gave Braham its first lead of the day at 37-35 that had Target Center rocking and had New Richland-H-E-G Head Coach John Schultz calling for a timeout to try and stem this sudden Braham surge. Things were looking good for Braham but, with 7:38 left, those hopes took a jolt when Dahlman picked up foul #4 on a charging call. Slowly, Braham's fortunes began to fade. And, when New Richland-H-E-G needed her most, Carlie Wagner was just phenomenal when it counted: a "3" from the top of the key with 5:23 left, a jumper with 4:59 left, and then a drive and finish that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the freebie made it a 54-45 game with 3:44 left. With 2:02 left, a drive and finish by Wagner in transition made it a 58-51 game that had Braham hanging by a thread. A lay-up by Nickles with 1:27 left cut the Panther lead down to 58-55; still time for the Bombers to make up lost ground. A lay-up by Dahlman with 1:12 left cut the deficit to one at 58-57. Braham's hopes appeared dashed for good when Dahlman finally fouled out with :37.4 left but a steal and lay-up by Nickles with 26.2 left tied it up at 59-all. With :06.1left, Wagner was fouled on a drive but made only one free throw which gave Braham one last chance to steal this. But when Nickles drove up the court with the ball she had the ball stolen away from her by Carlie Wagner and that sealed the deal - and championship - for the Panthers as New Richland H-E-G claimed the Class AA title with an incredibly thrilling 60-59 win.
I have to be honest here....These kinds of games; particularly at the high school level, are so incredibly tough to write about because there's so much emotion here. You can see it, feel it, taste it and when it's over and someone loses a game like this, you can't help but feel the sadness for the losing team. Those tears are real and those hearts are simply crushed. I know it's not the greatest analogy, but I remember how heartbroken I was when my Los Angeles Rams lost to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl 14 when it appeared they were on their way to victory. I remember how crushed I was when I lost a tough match in a junior tournament in a tough three-setter and how I cried afterward. You just don't forget those things and when you see it happening to someone else, you remember the feeling well.
It was only fitting that Carlie Wagner not only broke 5 tournament records but also tied another one in the process. She broke her own tournament scoring record; netting an amazing 50 points to help lead her team to victory today. When asked what was going on in her head in those last few final frantic seconds, she admitted that she wasn't "thinking" at all; it was more a matter of just reacting and doing what came naturally. Paige Overgaard said "It was all about heart" and that "We just wanted it so badly." Dahlman, who scored 30 of her 32 points in the second half, led the way from Braham and Kayla Nickles finished with 12 points.
All I can say after this one is, WOW....WHAT a game.
Class A Championship Game Recap - Minneota vs Ada-Borup 3-16-13 12 Noon
The Class A Championship Game featured a familiar face that's been in this position a few times before - Ada-Borup - going up against newcomer Minneota. Both teams are relatively young; the Vikings of Minneota have only two seniors while the Cougars from Ada-Borup have only one - so the future seems quite bright for both programs. This game then would seemingly then see which young group was ready to step up and grab the mantle so to speak; to be ready and step up and take their team to the Promised Land.
While Ada-Borup may have been the odds-on favorite in this one, it was Minneota that got off to the good start in this one as the Cougars simply couldn't find the hole in the early going. Trailing 7-2 early, it wasn't until the 11:52 mark when Ada-Borup made it a one-possession game again thank to senior Megan Kolness' two free throws. A jumper by Kolness at the 11:22 mark got the Cougars their first lead at 8-7 but the Vikings would not be deterred as they kept things tight and sophomore Taylor Reiss was having an outstanding first half getting offensive rebounds for putbacks. With 6:23 left, Minneota had forged a small 18-15 lead but then it was Ada-Borup going on a 7-1 run of its own to grab a 22-19 edge with 3:57 left. The Cougars then looked as if they were on the verge of getting some cushion in this one but the Vikings; particularly Reiss, would not let that happen as they once again closed the gap to a single-possession ballgame as Ada-Borup took a slim 29-27 lead into the locker room at the half. Not surprisingly, it was Reiss' 14 points which paced Minneota while Kolness and Monica Vega led Ada-Borup's attack with 7 points a piece. One item on the stat sheet that must have had Ada-Borup Head Coach David Smart steaming in the locker room was that Minneota had a decided advantage on the boards - 22 to 7 - and the Cougars had to change that stat in the second half.
The Minneota contingent was thrilled as their team charged out of the gates in the second half to a 36-31 lead but this Ada-Borup group; even as young as they are, has been in these pressure-cookers before and they calmly responded to tie things up at 36-all with 10:24 left. With 5:45 left Minneota was clinging to a 44-43 lead and you knew it was going to be one of those kinds of deals where things would be incredibly tight coming down the stretch. The Vikings would have a little burst that saw them grab five point leads on a couple of occasions but Ada-Borup refused to break out the proverbial panic button. With just under two minutes left they had sliced the Minneota lead down to 50-47 and now it was a matter of trying to get a stop. Unfortunately for the Cougars, however, they had to contend with an incredibly determined Taylor Reiss. The key late moment came with 1:36 left when the Cougars failed to box out Reiss on a missed Minneota free throw attempt and the lanky sophomore snared it for a rebound and putback that gave the Vikings a 52-47 lead that now had Ada-Borup behind the 8-ball. The Cougars had been having trouble trying to penetrate inside against a taller Minneota front line and now had no choice but to start thinking in terms of the three-pointer to try and quickly make up lost ground. They couldn't, however, and Minneota was sent to the charity stripe on several occasions in the waning moments as they claimed a 61-51 victory; a win which could be considered a mild upset at the very least. Taylor Reiss, who simply had an outstanding game, led all scorers with 30 points and, just as important, 12 boards which included NINE offensive rebounds. Megan Kolness led the Ada-Borup attack with 12 total points while Heidi Eggen, who had a solid second half for the Cougars, finished with 11 points.
Ada-Borup Head Coach David Smart was quick to point out afterward the stark contrast in the rebounding advantage that Minneota had (40-20 overall). "We just didn't do a good job of keeping them off the glass" a disappointed Smart remarked. He also agreed that they had a a tough time working the ball inside as well. "We didn't get a lot of good looks, either" he lamented. Still, he was very proud of this squad and diminutive junior point guard Shaina Stevenson made clear her and her team's desire to work incredibly hard during the off-season to get themselves into this position next year.
While Ada-Borup may have been the odds-on favorite in this one, it was Minneota that got off to the good start in this one as the Cougars simply couldn't find the hole in the early going. Trailing 7-2 early, it wasn't until the 11:52 mark when Ada-Borup made it a one-possession game again thank to senior Megan Kolness' two free throws. A jumper by Kolness at the 11:22 mark got the Cougars their first lead at 8-7 but the Vikings would not be deterred as they kept things tight and sophomore Taylor Reiss was having an outstanding first half getting offensive rebounds for putbacks. With 6:23 left, Minneota had forged a small 18-15 lead but then it was Ada-Borup going on a 7-1 run of its own to grab a 22-19 edge with 3:57 left. The Cougars then looked as if they were on the verge of getting some cushion in this one but the Vikings; particularly Reiss, would not let that happen as they once again closed the gap to a single-possession ballgame as Ada-Borup took a slim 29-27 lead into the locker room at the half. Not surprisingly, it was Reiss' 14 points which paced Minneota while Kolness and Monica Vega led Ada-Borup's attack with 7 points a piece. One item on the stat sheet that must have had Ada-Borup Head Coach David Smart steaming in the locker room was that Minneota had a decided advantage on the boards - 22 to 7 - and the Cougars had to change that stat in the second half.
The Minneota contingent was thrilled as their team charged out of the gates in the second half to a 36-31 lead but this Ada-Borup group; even as young as they are, has been in these pressure-cookers before and they calmly responded to tie things up at 36-all with 10:24 left. With 5:45 left Minneota was clinging to a 44-43 lead and you knew it was going to be one of those kinds of deals where things would be incredibly tight coming down the stretch. The Vikings would have a little burst that saw them grab five point leads on a couple of occasions but Ada-Borup refused to break out the proverbial panic button. With just under two minutes left they had sliced the Minneota lead down to 50-47 and now it was a matter of trying to get a stop. Unfortunately for the Cougars, however, they had to contend with an incredibly determined Taylor Reiss. The key late moment came with 1:36 left when the Cougars failed to box out Reiss on a missed Minneota free throw attempt and the lanky sophomore snared it for a rebound and putback that gave the Vikings a 52-47 lead that now had Ada-Borup behind the 8-ball. The Cougars had been having trouble trying to penetrate inside against a taller Minneota front line and now had no choice but to start thinking in terms of the three-pointer to try and quickly make up lost ground. They couldn't, however, and Minneota was sent to the charity stripe on several occasions in the waning moments as they claimed a 61-51 victory; a win which could be considered a mild upset at the very least. Taylor Reiss, who simply had an outstanding game, led all scorers with 30 points and, just as important, 12 boards which included NINE offensive rebounds. Megan Kolness led the Ada-Borup attack with 12 total points while Heidi Eggen, who had a solid second half for the Cougars, finished with 11 points.
Ada-Borup Head Coach David Smart was quick to point out afterward the stark contrast in the rebounding advantage that Minneota had (40-20 overall). "We just didn't do a good job of keeping them off the glass" a disappointed Smart remarked. He also agreed that they had a a tough time working the ball inside as well. "We didn't get a lot of good looks, either" he lamented. Still, he was very proud of this squad and diminutive junior point guard Shaina Stevenson made clear her and her team's desire to work incredibly hard during the off-season to get themselves into this position next year.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Class AA Semifinal Recap - Minneapolis Washburn vs New Richland-H-E-G 3-15-13 8:00 P.M.
The second semifinal on this Friday night featured yet another highly anticipated match-up: the Millers from Minneapolis Washburn going up against the Panthers of New Richland-H-E-G. Both teams featured star players - Washburn's 6'3" junior post Chase Coley and New Richland-H-E-G's scoring machine junior Carlie Wagner. Both student sections were in full bore for this one and it was already raucous by the time I got settled in my chair for this one.
The Millers built up a 10-4 lead in the early going as they had things going their way for the most part. Trailing 15-8 by the 11:34 mark, New Richland-H-E-G's situation was made even more difficult when Carlie Wagner picked up foul numero dos. But two quick baskets by Wagner narrowed the deficit by the midway point of the first half. A jumper by Carlie Wagner at the 4:56 mark tied the score at 21-all then a "3" by senior Katie Cole gave the Panthers their first lead of the game at 24-22 with 3:35 left. Coming down the stretch of the first half, it seemed as if things were slowly falling apart for the Millers and New Richland-H-E-G was doing all the things such as getting steals and rebounds. Even more striking was the fact that Coley was scoreless with 2:00 left in the first half and you just had to think that that HAD to change if the Millers were going to reverse their fortunes in this one. With Coley rendered ineffective from a scoring standpoint, New Richland-H-E-G took a 32-29 lead into the locker room at the half - only three points - but they clearly had momentum in their corner. Wagner had an astounding first half with 21 of the Panthers 32 points along with 8 rebounds. Minneapolis Washburn was led by Megan Lucas' 11 points.
The Panthers picked up right where they left off at the end of the first half as Carlie Wagner was making her presence felt all over the court and making the Millers collective playing lives miserable. A steal here, a forced bad pass there, and then a "3" by Carlie Wagner from the left wing at the 14:56 mark pushed New Richland-H-E-G's lead to 38-33. With 14:01 left, Coley FINALLY got into the scoring books and then another score by senior Megan Lucas cut the Panther lead down to 40-38. At the 12:24 mark, Coley took an inadvertent shot to the face and had to sit for a spell. Just before the midway point of the second half, the Panthers embarked on a run; highlighted by a Carlie Wagner rebound of Paige Overgaard's missed free throw where she made an incredible reverse shot under the basket that helped extend their lead to 48-39 with 10:04 left. The Panthers would retain their advantage but Coley finally started getting untracked for the Millers as they slowly crept their way back into the thick of things. With 6:31 left, New Richland-H-E-G's lead had been cut to 54-49 and the Millers weren't through yet. A basket by Natalie Holdahl with 3:36 left further cut into the New Richland-H-E-G advantage as it was now a single-possession game at 55-53 and, as you can imagine, things were getting wild and wooly inside Target Center. But just when it looked like the Panthers might crack, Carlie Wagner remained calm and cool and just put on a display that saved New Richland-H-E-G's title hopes. I have to say that, in some ways, I was so captivated by it all that I simply had to sit back and watch in amazement. Whether it was at the free throw line, hitting a key jumper, grabbing an offensive rebound, forcing a turnover or getting a steal, she simply did it all on this night. Even more amazing on this night is that she was just two points shy of matching her individual game scoring record of 50 points in one game (she finished with 48); nobody else was even in double-digits for the Panthers. New Richland-H-E-G would win this one 69-60 to force the Saturday afternoon showdown against Braham in the Class AA title game. Natalie Holdahl led Minneapolis Washburn with 17 points and Chase Coley, who came alive in the second half, finished with 16.
Afterward, a very humble Carlie Wagner was quick to point out that, while it's great to be able to score like this, it's a team thing and she wants to help make her team and teammates better more than anything. Head Coach John Schultz shook his head in amazement afterward as well; marveling at what Carlie Wagner did for his squad tonight. "She just has a knack for stepping up when she has to" he stated. So now this sets up the huge showdown tomorrow afternoon in the Class AA title game. At this point, I'm not sure who to give an edge to but if Carlie Wagner has a repeat performance tomorrow, New Richland-H-E-G is going to be awfully tough to beat.
The Millers built up a 10-4 lead in the early going as they had things going their way for the most part. Trailing 15-8 by the 11:34 mark, New Richland-H-E-G's situation was made even more difficult when Carlie Wagner picked up foul numero dos. But two quick baskets by Wagner narrowed the deficit by the midway point of the first half. A jumper by Carlie Wagner at the 4:56 mark tied the score at 21-all then a "3" by senior Katie Cole gave the Panthers their first lead of the game at 24-22 with 3:35 left. Coming down the stretch of the first half, it seemed as if things were slowly falling apart for the Millers and New Richland-H-E-G was doing all the things such as getting steals and rebounds. Even more striking was the fact that Coley was scoreless with 2:00 left in the first half and you just had to think that that HAD to change if the Millers were going to reverse their fortunes in this one. With Coley rendered ineffective from a scoring standpoint, New Richland-H-E-G took a 32-29 lead into the locker room at the half - only three points - but they clearly had momentum in their corner. Wagner had an astounding first half with 21 of the Panthers 32 points along with 8 rebounds. Minneapolis Washburn was led by Megan Lucas' 11 points.
The Panthers picked up right where they left off at the end of the first half as Carlie Wagner was making her presence felt all over the court and making the Millers collective playing lives miserable. A steal here, a forced bad pass there, and then a "3" by Carlie Wagner from the left wing at the 14:56 mark pushed New Richland-H-E-G's lead to 38-33. With 14:01 left, Coley FINALLY got into the scoring books and then another score by senior Megan Lucas cut the Panther lead down to 40-38. At the 12:24 mark, Coley took an inadvertent shot to the face and had to sit for a spell. Just before the midway point of the second half, the Panthers embarked on a run; highlighted by a Carlie Wagner rebound of Paige Overgaard's missed free throw where she made an incredible reverse shot under the basket that helped extend their lead to 48-39 with 10:04 left. The Panthers would retain their advantage but Coley finally started getting untracked for the Millers as they slowly crept their way back into the thick of things. With 6:31 left, New Richland-H-E-G's lead had been cut to 54-49 and the Millers weren't through yet. A basket by Natalie Holdahl with 3:36 left further cut into the New Richland-H-E-G advantage as it was now a single-possession game at 55-53 and, as you can imagine, things were getting wild and wooly inside Target Center. But just when it looked like the Panthers might crack, Carlie Wagner remained calm and cool and just put on a display that saved New Richland-H-E-G's title hopes. I have to say that, in some ways, I was so captivated by it all that I simply had to sit back and watch in amazement. Whether it was at the free throw line, hitting a key jumper, grabbing an offensive rebound, forcing a turnover or getting a steal, she simply did it all on this night. Even more amazing on this night is that she was just two points shy of matching her individual game scoring record of 50 points in one game (she finished with 48); nobody else was even in double-digits for the Panthers. New Richland-H-E-G would win this one 69-60 to force the Saturday afternoon showdown against Braham in the Class AA title game. Natalie Holdahl led Minneapolis Washburn with 17 points and Chase Coley, who came alive in the second half, finished with 16.
Afterward, a very humble Carlie Wagner was quick to point out that, while it's great to be able to score like this, it's a team thing and she wants to help make her team and teammates better more than anything. Head Coach John Schultz shook his head in amazement afterward as well; marveling at what Carlie Wagner did for his squad tonight. "She just has a knack for stepping up when she has to" he stated. So now this sets up the huge showdown tomorrow afternoon in the Class AA title game. At this point, I'm not sure who to give an edge to but if Carlie Wagner has a repeat performance tomorrow, New Richland-H-E-G is going to be awfully tough to beat.
Class AA Semifinal Recap - Providence Academy vs Braham 3-15-13 6:00 P.M.
The real soul-tugger game in this 2013 Minnesota State Girls Tournament for me anyway easily had to be this 6 P.M. titanic semifinal clash between two old rivals - Providence Academy and Braham. Braham had eliminated the Lions two years ago in the semifinals; in fact, had beaten them in heart-breaking fashion in a regular season game that same season as well so there would be some emotion in this one. Braham, of course, was unbeaten and being led by the great Rebekah Dahlman and Providence Academy was being led by point guard Leah Szabla and fellow senior Taylor Finley. The other big thing in this one is that both teams have VERY contrasting styles - the up-tempo, fast break style that Braham favors against the slow it down, patient half-court offense that is Providence Academy. Needless to say, I had been waiting in great anticipation for this one.
Braham built an early 7-4 lead in the first half thanks to "3's" from both Dahlman and junior Jenna Winter and Providence Academy had some difficulty running that famous patient, half-court offense of theirs. Another "3" by Dahlman and then a steal and breakaway lay-up by senior Dani Braund that got her fouled and allowed her to sink one freebie pushed the Bomber lead to 13-6 by the 11:50 mark and Providence Academy definitely seemed rattled. Braham pushed the lead to as much as 19-8 before a "3" by Providence Academy senior Taylor Finley cut into the deficit a bit. With 6:23 left, Braham had increased their lead to 23-11 and, worse yet for the Lions, they were forcing Providence Academy to play their up-tempo game which is not what they wanted to do and, you had to think that, at some point anyway, the Providence Academy Head Coach Ray Finley would have to roll the dice and change some things up. The foul situation was also becoming a problem as Finley picked up her second foul and then junior post McKenna Hapke picked up her third foul with 2:25 left. Still, somehow, someway this resourceful Providence Academy found a way to battle back and was able to knot the score at 25-all with less than thirty seconds left before another very late foray into the paint and finish enabled the Bombers to take a slim advantage into the locker room at the half. As expected, Dahlman led the way for Braham with 14 points while Szabla's 13 hard-earned points paced Providence Academy. The big question now for the Lions was could they somehow get a two-possession advantage and then utilize their famous (or infamous, depending upon your point of view) clock-eating patient offense to pull off the upset?
Providence Academy would take two brief leads early on in the second half but with 10:59 remaining, the issue was tied at 32 a piece and that's all the Lions needed to start taking some of the air out of the ball. With 8:35 left, a hard drive into the paint by Dahlman drew a foul by Happke which was her fifth and forced Providence Academy Head Coach Ray Finley to insert sophomore Ashley Borland. More important, it was quite evident that things were getting chippy out on the floor - and in the stands as well. With 5:57 left, a hard drive into the paint by Braham junior Kayla Nickles drew a foul by Szabla, her fourth, and the obligatory freebie made it 38-34. With 4:27 left, Szabla grabbed a rebound and started to head the other way but, in doing so, inadvertently lowered her shoulder into Dahlman and was whistled for her fifth and final foul that sent the Lions best player to the bench. Providence Academy had not been having much luck from behind the arc either and with 3:30 left, Dahlman hit two free throws after being fouled to make it a 40-36 game and now the Lions had no choice but to roll the dice some. With 2:32 left, Taylor Finley picked up her fourth foul as Providence Academy's situation became even more dire as they were down 42-36. With 1:34 left Taylor Finley fouled out on a somewhat controversial call and now Nathalie Ratliff was the only experienced starter left out there for the Lions. With :45.4 left Dahlman snared a steal and drove the other way for a lay-up where she was fouled in the process that made it 46-38 that, for all intents and purposes, was the game.
Braham built an early 7-4 lead in the first half thanks to "3's" from both Dahlman and junior Jenna Winter and Providence Academy had some difficulty running that famous patient, half-court offense of theirs. Another "3" by Dahlman and then a steal and breakaway lay-up by senior Dani Braund that got her fouled and allowed her to sink one freebie pushed the Bomber lead to 13-6 by the 11:50 mark and Providence Academy definitely seemed rattled. Braham pushed the lead to as much as 19-8 before a "3" by Providence Academy senior Taylor Finley cut into the deficit a bit. With 6:23 left, Braham had increased their lead to 23-11 and, worse yet for the Lions, they were forcing Providence Academy to play their up-tempo game which is not what they wanted to do and, you had to think that, at some point anyway, the Providence Academy Head Coach Ray Finley would have to roll the dice and change some things up. The foul situation was also becoming a problem as Finley picked up her second foul and then junior post McKenna Hapke picked up her third foul with 2:25 left. Still, somehow, someway this resourceful Providence Academy found a way to battle back and was able to knot the score at 25-all with less than thirty seconds left before another very late foray into the paint and finish enabled the Bombers to take a slim advantage into the locker room at the half. As expected, Dahlman led the way for Braham with 14 points while Szabla's 13 hard-earned points paced Providence Academy. The big question now for the Lions was could they somehow get a two-possession advantage and then utilize their famous (or infamous, depending upon your point of view) clock-eating patient offense to pull off the upset?
Providence Academy would take two brief leads early on in the second half but with 10:59 remaining, the issue was tied at 32 a piece and that's all the Lions needed to start taking some of the air out of the ball. With 8:35 left, a hard drive into the paint by Dahlman drew a foul by Happke which was her fifth and forced Providence Academy Head Coach Ray Finley to insert sophomore Ashley Borland. More important, it was quite evident that things were getting chippy out on the floor - and in the stands as well. With 5:57 left, a hard drive into the paint by Braham junior Kayla Nickles drew a foul by Szabla, her fourth, and the obligatory freebie made it 38-34. With 4:27 left, Szabla grabbed a rebound and started to head the other way but, in doing so, inadvertently lowered her shoulder into Dahlman and was whistled for her fifth and final foul that sent the Lions best player to the bench. Providence Academy had not been having much luck from behind the arc either and with 3:30 left, Dahlman hit two free throws after being fouled to make it a 40-36 game and now the Lions had no choice but to roll the dice some. With 2:32 left, Taylor Finley picked up her fourth foul as Providence Academy's situation became even more dire as they were down 42-36. With 1:34 left Taylor Finley fouled out on a somewhat controversial call and now Nathalie Ratliff was the only experienced starter left out there for the Lions. With :45.4 left Dahlman snared a steal and drove the other way for a lay-up where she was fouled in the process that made it 46-38 that, for all intents and purposes, was the game.
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