Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Big Game 3-7-12: Upsets Continue in HS Sections

There were about 30 boys sectional basketball games last night and about 1 in 5 resulted in a surprise. The biggest, by the numbers, would be 3 wins by #6 seeds over #3 seeds.

Section 1AAA #6 Albert Lea 82 #3 Kasson-Mantorville 68
Section 1AAAA #6 Rochester John Marshall 59 #3 Rochester Century 56
Section 4AAAA #6 White Bear Lake 53 #3 Tartan 50

Of course, Kasson-Mantorville is new to AAA this year. Playing a Big 9 team must put KM back in an underdog mindset. (#5 Winona upset #4 Red Wing in the same section, and again with the Big 9 perhaps being undervalued because their schedule is going to be substantially tougher than what's his name's.

And anything can happen when crosstown rivals go at it.

And White Bear is a member of the tough AAAA Suburban East, and Tartan belongs to the mixed (AAA-AAAA) Classic Suburban, not nearly as tough as the Suburban East. So the W-L records there clearly were not apples to apples. Note that #5 seed Mounds View hammered #4 seed Mahtomedi, with the same conference affiliations as White Bear and Tartan, 73-53.

So I dunno, maybe there were no upsets. Well, maybe #5 Kennedy 71 #4 Lakeville South 68 in 2AAAA.

The Girls

There were no upsets here as #1 seed and #1 rated (statewide) Hopkins defeated #2 seed and #2 (statewide) Wayzata 71-44. Hopkins led 20-0 in this game. After losing to Wayzata 2 weeks ago, Hopkins came out and played mad, and that did not go well for Wayzata. Leading 42-10 late in the 1st half, Hopkins visibly relaxed and the second half was even-stephen.

Player of the Day

Nia Coffey led Hopkins in every category. She is awesome.

Coach of the Day

Keith Lockwood, White Bear boys, probably had the toughest match-up of any of the upset winners.

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