...and there are some BIG suprises. Perhaps none bigger than:
1AAAA--#2 Rochester Mayo 49 #1 Lakeville North 40
But there are more:
5AAAA--#3 Osseo 57 #1 Roseville 53
7AAAA--#2 Anoka 64 #1 Forest Lake 60
6AA--#2 Sauk Centre 60 #1 New London-Spicer 45
8AA--#3 Pelican Rapids 61 #1 Crookston 56
Player of the Day: Clare Lundberg, Anoka, 30 points, though ya also gotta love Olivia Korngable, Rochester Mayo 8th grade guard, who scored 12, and Kiara Russell, Kennedy, 9th grade guard, who scored 16--the latter 2 coming off the bench for their heroics
Coach of the Day: Rich Decker, Rochester Mayo
4AAAA
1 Rochester Mayo
2 Bloomington Kennedy likely #2 seed
3 Eastview #3
4 St. Paul Central #4
5 Osseo #5
6 Hopkins #1
7 Anoka
8 St. Michael Albertville
I picked 6 of 8 correctly in my previews 5 weeks ago, and all 8 of my picks made their section finals.
3AAA
1 Red Wing #5
2 New Prague #4
3 DeLaSalle should be #1
4 Hill Murray
5 Monticello
6 Richfield #3
7 Chisago Lakes
8 Fergus Falls #2
I picked 7 of 8 correctly while all 8 picks at least made the finals.
2AA
1 Pine Island
2 NRHEG
3 BOLD
4 Mpls. Washburn
5 Providence
6 Sauk Centre
7 Braham
8 Pelican Rapids
Only 4 of 8 correct here, 6 of 8 made the finals. The brackets are 1 vs. 5, 3 vs. 7, 4 vs. 6 and 2 vs, 8. That goes for both 2AA and 1A.
1A
1 Faribault Bethlehem Academy
2 Mankato Loyola
3 Minneota
4 Maranatha
5 Upsala
6 Ada
7 Mountain Iron-Buhl
8. Win-E-Mac
Got 6 of 8 right and 7 of 8 made the finals. TOTAL 23 of 32 correct, and only 4 of my picks failed to reach the section finals.
Friday, March 8, 2013
The Big Game March 7--Sectionals Continue
Boys
#1 seed Maple River survived United South Central 73-71 in section 2AA
#5 Cooper defeated #4 Maple Gfove 78-67 in 5AAAA as Rashad Vaughn scored 28 points
#1 Mountain Lake survived Mankato Loyola 70-69 in 2A
#7 St. Anthony upset #2 Columbia Heights 58-57 in 3AAA
Girls
#2 Hill-Murray upset #1 Simley 44-40 in 3OT in 4AAA
#1 Braham edged #2 Esko 58-53 in 7AA
Player of the Day: Cody Painschab, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, a senior forward, scored 37 points as HLWW defeated Sibley East 84-83 in OT.
Coach of the Day: Erin Herman, Hill-Murray girls
#1 seed Maple River survived United South Central 73-71 in section 2AA
#5 Cooper defeated #4 Maple Gfove 78-67 in 5AAAA as Rashad Vaughn scored 28 points
#1 Mountain Lake survived Mankato Loyola 70-69 in 2A
#7 St. Anthony upset #2 Columbia Heights 58-57 in 3AAA
Girls
#2 Hill-Murray upset #1 Simley 44-40 in 3OT in 4AAA
#1 Braham edged #2 Esko 58-53 in 7AA
Player of the Day: Cody Painschab, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, a senior forward, scored 37 points as HLWW defeated Sibley East 84-83 in OT.
Coach of the Day: Erin Herman, Hill-Murray girls
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The Big Game March 6--Upsets litter sectional landscape
Among the boys, the big 'uns include:
#6 Henry Sibley 65 #3 Eagan 61
#5 Cretin 59 #4 Eastview 48
#6 Mahtomedi 69 #3 Tartan 55
Among the girls:
#2 Howard Lake 47 #1 Annandale 42
#2 Sauk Centre 54 #1 Staples-Motley 48
#3 Osseo 54 #2 Centennial 51
Player of the Day: Bailey Norby was a 1-girl wrecking crew with 27 points as Forest Lake beat Andover 62-44.
EDIT: I now see and gotta add: Among the boys: Mack Johnson of Roseville, 45 points, as Roseville hammered North St. Paul 86-45 in quarter-final play in section 4AAAA
Coach of the Day: Keith Newman, Mahtomedi
#6 Henry Sibley 65 #3 Eagan 61
#5 Cretin 59 #4 Eastview 48
#6 Mahtomedi 69 #3 Tartan 55
Among the girls:
#2 Howard Lake 47 #1 Annandale 42
#2 Sauk Centre 54 #1 Staples-Motley 48
#3 Osseo 54 #2 Centennial 51
Player of the Day: Bailey Norby was a 1-girl wrecking crew with 27 points as Forest Lake beat Andover 62-44.
EDIT: I now see and gotta add: Among the boys: Mack Johnson of Roseville, 45 points, as Roseville hammered North St. Paul 86-45 in quarter-final play in section 4AAAA
Coach of the Day: Keith Newman, Mahtomedi
The Big Game March 5--Boys sectionals move into the spotlight
Girls sectionals remain in full swing, but the boys nudged their way into the spotlight Tuesday night as well with several big games.
#3 Hopkins survived #6 Wayzata 63-58 in section 6AAAA, erasing a 9-point Wayzata lead late in the 2nd half. Apparently the officials bought a Kamali Chambers flop with the score tied at 56 inside of 1 minute, and Wayzata coach Phil Ward got a T for his reaction to the call.
#4 Robbinsdale Armstrong survived #5 St. Louis Park 65-64 with the help of a 19-5 run to start the 2nd half. That was also in 6AAAA.
#3 Richfield defeated #6 Mpls. Washburn 69-63 in section 6AAA, after Washburn led by 12 at the half.
Player of the Day: Travis Chmielewski scored 34 points to lead #9 Princeton edged #8 Hibbing 88-82 in a pigtail game in section 7AAA. This was one of precious few upsets among either the boys or the girls.
Coach of the Day: Tom Weko of #7 seed Mpls. Southwest who threw a scare in #2 Minnetonka with a furious 2nd half rally before falling 84-77.
#3 Hopkins survived #6 Wayzata 63-58 in section 6AAAA, erasing a 9-point Wayzata lead late in the 2nd half. Apparently the officials bought a Kamali Chambers flop with the score tied at 56 inside of 1 minute, and Wayzata coach Phil Ward got a T for his reaction to the call.
#4 Robbinsdale Armstrong survived #5 St. Louis Park 65-64 with the help of a 19-5 run to start the 2nd half. That was also in 6AAAA.
#3 Richfield defeated #6 Mpls. Washburn 69-63 in section 6AAA, after Washburn led by 12 at the half.
Player of the Day: Travis Chmielewski scored 34 points to lead #9 Princeton edged #8 Hibbing 88-82 in a pigtail game in section 7AAA. This was one of precious few upsets among either the boys or the girls.
Coach of the Day: Tom Weko of #7 seed Mpls. Southwest who threw a scare in #2 Minnetonka with a furious 2nd half rally before falling 84-77.
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Big Game March 4--Miami Heat 97 Minnesota Timberwolves 81
It was 6:05 when my buddy Mase called to say that he couldn't use his Timberwolves tickets tonight. Let's see. I've got 55 minutes to finish dinner, change clothes, brush my teeth, find somebody to ride shotgun, and get my ass from Stillwater down to the Target Center for a 7 p.m. gametime. I must have hesitated because he added, I'm really pissed that I'm going to miss LeBron the one time he comes here all year long. I knew that. I'm good, I said.
Well, I never did find that shotgun, and I missed the first 1:30, enough time for the Wolves to take a 4-0 lead. Quickly it was 6-0 as Ricky Rubio hit a pretty reverse layup. Looks like a rout, I thought. NOT. This won't last is more like it, and it didn't. 6-0 was their largest lead of the night. 8-7 was the last lead of the night. Suddenly it was 15-8, then 20-12, then 29-18.
And don't let anybody tell you any different. Miami is LeBron and Wade, Wade and LeBron. For most of the night, Luke Ridnour guarded Wade while Mickael Gelabale guarded LeBron, each giving up 35-45 pounds. At one point in the 2nd half, I noted that LeBron and Wade had out-scored Ridnour and Gelabale 40-10. The final tally was 52-15.
Nevertheless the officials, especially #14 Ed Malloy, thought the Heat needed their help, and it was delivered. The Wolves fought back time after time, and trailed 71-68 after a 3 by Alexey Shved and 76-70 after a Shved layup at 8:19. Down at the other end Ray Allen clearly pushed off J.J. Barea with his off hand, then took off for the rim. Barea recovered and raced to intervene, which he did, giving Allen a bump, one that failed to knock Allen off his feet. Initially the officials called a flagrant-1 foul, which was totally inappropriate. But after Allen went after Barea, 5 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter, the officials asked Mr. Allen what would be his pleasure, apparently, and his pleasure would be a flagrant-2 and an ejection, and that is what Barea now got. Before they could get the clock started again, Adelman got a T.
It is dangerous, of course, to be right when the officials are wrong. So the next 2 times down the court the Wolves were whistled for offensive fouls. Shved hit a 3 and was clearly whacked across the arms. No call. In fact, when the Wolves shot a 3, Miami as often as not put the shooter on the ground. All night long, not a single call on a 3.
Bottom line: Miami plays physical, they play hard, they get away with shit, and they cannot be beaten when they are doing those 3 things. They go to the rim and when they do, their teammates find them for dunks and layups in large numbers: 24 of 38 FG tonight were dunks and layups. Their passing is impeccable. They out-scored Minnesota 21-9 after Barea's so-called "hit," with 15 of those 21 points coming on dunks and layups.
Miami shot 24-of-28 (86 percent) on layups and dunks, 14-of-46 (30 percent) on all other shots. LeBron 7-of-8 on dunks and layups, 2-of-8 otherwise. They're just another team when they're not dunking.
Player of the Day: #14 in the gray, official Ed Malloy, did what the Heat had been unable to do, he made sure the Wolves rally came to a halt
Well, I never did find that shotgun, and I missed the first 1:30, enough time for the Wolves to take a 4-0 lead. Quickly it was 6-0 as Ricky Rubio hit a pretty reverse layup. Looks like a rout, I thought. NOT. This won't last is more like it, and it didn't. 6-0 was their largest lead of the night. 8-7 was the last lead of the night. Suddenly it was 15-8, then 20-12, then 29-18.
And don't let anybody tell you any different. Miami is LeBron and Wade, Wade and LeBron. For most of the night, Luke Ridnour guarded Wade while Mickael Gelabale guarded LeBron, each giving up 35-45 pounds. At one point in the 2nd half, I noted that LeBron and Wade had out-scored Ridnour and Gelabale 40-10. The final tally was 52-15.
Nevertheless the officials, especially #14 Ed Malloy, thought the Heat needed their help, and it was delivered. The Wolves fought back time after time, and trailed 71-68 after a 3 by Alexey Shved and 76-70 after a Shved layup at 8:19. Down at the other end Ray Allen clearly pushed off J.J. Barea with his off hand, then took off for the rim. Barea recovered and raced to intervene, which he did, giving Allen a bump, one that failed to knock Allen off his feet. Initially the officials called a flagrant-1 foul, which was totally inappropriate. But after Allen went after Barea, 5 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter, the officials asked Mr. Allen what would be his pleasure, apparently, and his pleasure would be a flagrant-2 and an ejection, and that is what Barea now got. Before they could get the clock started again, Adelman got a T.
It is dangerous, of course, to be right when the officials are wrong. So the next 2 times down the court the Wolves were whistled for offensive fouls. Shved hit a 3 and was clearly whacked across the arms. No call. In fact, when the Wolves shot a 3, Miami as often as not put the shooter on the ground. All night long, not a single call on a 3.
Bottom line: Miami plays physical, they play hard, they get away with shit, and they cannot be beaten when they are doing those 3 things. They go to the rim and when they do, their teammates find them for dunks and layups in large numbers: 24 of 38 FG tonight were dunks and layups. Their passing is impeccable. They out-scored Minnesota 21-9 after Barea's so-called "hit," with 15 of those 21 points coming on dunks and layups.
Miami shot 24-of-28 (86 percent) on layups and dunks, 14-of-46 (30 percent) on all other shots. LeBron 7-of-8 on dunks and layups, 2-of-8 otherwise. They're just another team when they're not dunking.
Player of the Day: #14 in the gray, official Ed Malloy, did what the Heat had been unable to do, he made sure the Wolves rally came to a halt
Sunday, March 3, 2013
The Big Game Mar. 3--Rochester CTC wins MCAC, advances to nationals
#3 nationally-rated Rochester CTC ran its record to 27-3 and earned a trip to the national JC DIII tournament with an 89-76 win over Minnesota West Sunday afternoon. The Yellowjackets have now won 19 straight games. They were national runners-up in 2010 and 2011.
Joe Beck, 6-8 post from Lake City, averaged 15 points and 11 boards in 3 MCAC tournament games this weekend, including 12 and 15 in Sunday's final. Rico Gunn led the Yellowjackets on Sunday, however, with 27 points. Beck, Gunn and Justyn Galloway were named to the all-tournament team for RCTC.
The national tournament is scheduled for March 14-16 in Loch Sheldrake, NY.
Player of the Day: Rico Gunn, RCTC, freshman guard
Coach of the Day: Brian LaPlante, RCTC
Joe Beck, 6-8 post from Lake City, averaged 15 points and 11 boards in 3 MCAC tournament games this weekend, including 12 and 15 in Sunday's final. Rico Gunn led the Yellowjackets on Sunday, however, with 27 points. Beck, Gunn and Justyn Galloway were named to the all-tournament team for RCTC.
The national tournament is scheduled for March 14-16 in Loch Sheldrake, NY.
Player of the Day: Rico Gunn, RCTC, freshman guard
Coach of the Day: Brian LaPlante, RCTC
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Game of the Day March 2013
The following is all subject to finding out when and where Minnesota's D2 and D3 (and maybe even our D1) basketball programs might be playing in the various NCAA tournaments. Edits to follow as such becomes known.
Fri., Mar. 1--Girls sectionals including 2A, 3A, 2AA, 3AA, 7AAA. Best bet is the 3A semi-final double-header at Southwest State U in Marshall potentially matching top seeds Minneota, Dawson-Boyd, Wabasso and Southwest Minnesota Christian.
Fri., Mar. 1--Girls sectionals including 2A, 3A, 2AA, 3AA, 7AAA. Best bet is the 3A semi-final double-header at Southwest State U in Marshall potentially matching top seeds Minneota, Dawson-Boyd, Wabasso and Southwest Minnesota Christian.
Sat., Mar. 2--The boys Twin City Game featuring as-yet unknown conference champs. Mpls. Southwest and Washburn are tied for 1st in Minneapolis and, ironically, both finish conference play this week against Roosevelt. If both win or both lose, I don't know what the tie-breaker is, but I know that they split their season series. In St. Paul Highland Park and Johnson are tied for 1st. Assuming both are victorious early this week (against also-rans Harding and Humboldt), then they'll decide things the old-fashioned way, face-to-face and head-to-head Thurs., Jan. 28 at Johnson. The Minneapolis champ hosts.
Sun., Mar. 3--Minnesota Gopher women travel to last place Indiana.
Mon., Mar. 4--Miami Heat and LeBron and Dwayne at the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are desperately trying to salvage something from this season beside ping-pong balls.
Tues., Mar. 5--Girls sectionals 2A, 4A, 8A, 2AA, 4AA, 7AA, 3AAA, 5AAAA and 7AAAA. Best bet is Section 5AAAA at Anoka where, if things go according to the seeds, it will be Roseville vs. Maple Grove and Osseo vs. Centennial.
Wed., Mar. 6--Girls sectionals including the 6AAAA final, likely to pit Hopkins vs. Minnetonka.
Thurs., Mar. 7--Girls sectionals including the 7AA final, likely to be Braham vs. Esko.
Fri., Mar. 8--Northern Sun Final Four in Rochester where, if things go according to the seeds, you'll see the St. Cloud vs. Winona and Mankato vs. Augustana men, and the Winona vs. Mankato and Concordia (St. Paul) vs. Augustana women. Anytime Mankato plays Winona it's a war, and the men's final will feature just such a war. The women winner will come from the other bracket, however.
Sat., Mar. 9--With any luck, the Gopher women will still be alive in the Big 10 tournament quarter-finals. Sans luck, they will have bowed out on Thursday last. If so, the Big Game becomes a boys sectional from among 1A, 3A, 4A, 7A, 8A, 1AA, 3AA, 4AA, 7AA, 1AAA, 2AAA, 5AAA, 6AAA, 8AAA, 1AAAA, 2AAAA, 3AAAA, 4AAAA and 8AAAA. If I had to chose 1 right now I would go see 4AAAA where according to QRF you'd be seeing Roseville vs. Tartan and Woodbury vs. Stillwater.
Sun., Mar. 10--It will be a miracle if the Gopher women are playing today in the Big 10 semis. Sans miracle, there's Dallas at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Mon., Mar. 11--No games that I'm aware of.
Tues., Mar. 12--Boys sectional action in 4A, 8A, 4AA, 3AAA, 4AAA, 5AAAA and 6AAAA. All are semis except 6AAAA which is the final. I would always opt for a double-header if possible meaning (projected) Osseo vs. Maple Grove and Park Center vs. Champlin in 5AAAA even ahead of Edina vs. Hopkins for the 6AAAA title.
Wed., Mar. 13--Girls state tournament action begins with 4A and 2A at Target Center, and 3A and 2A at Williams. I think 3A will provide some closer games than 4A, and then in 2A New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva and Carlie Wagner will also be at Williams.
Thurs., Mar. 14--No offense to the girls 1A quarter-finals at Williams and 3A and 4A semis at Target, but the Gopher men open Big 10 tournament play today except in the utterly implausible possibility that they rally into 1 of the top 4 spots in the regular season standing and get a 1st round bye. Ain't gonna happen, folks. Let's just hope we draw somebody who doesn't know how to play a zone!
Fri., Mar. 15--Here's hoping the Gopher men win at least 1 game in the Big 10 tournament and live to play a quarter-final game today. If not, boys sectional finals are on tap in 2A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 2AA, 4AA, 5AA, 6AA, 8AA, 1AAA, 3AAA, 4AAA, 7AAA, 1AAAA, 2AAAA, 3AAAA, 5AAAA and 7AAAA. I'll take the 3A/3AA double-header at Southwest State, perhaps Dawson-Boyd v.s Southwest Minnesota Christian and Redwood Valley versus Fairmont.
Sat., Mar, 16--Girls state finals. Right now I'd think you'll see Maranatha vs. Mountain Iron-Buhl, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva vs. Providence. DeLaSalle vs. Fergus Falls, and Eastview vs. Hopkins.
Sun., Mar. 17--Could the Gopher men be playing for the Big 10 title? I didn't think so. That leaves New Orleans Peli-nets or Hor-cans at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Mon., Mar. 18--Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis.
Tues., Mar. 19--No games that I'm aware of.
Wed., Mar. 20--Boys state tournament action begins with 4A and 2A at Target Center, and 3A and 2A at Williams. I think 3A will provide some closer games and better entertainment than 4A.
Thurs., Mar. 21--Boys state tournament action including 1A quarter-finals at Williams, and 3A and 4A semis at the Target. My usual strategy is to catch 3 games at Williams and then 2 at Target.
Fri., Mar. 22--1A and 2A semis at the Target Center.
Sat., Mar. 23--Boys state finals. I'm guessing they'll match Maranatha vs. Southwest Minnesota Christian, Melrose vs. St. Peter, Delano vs. DeLaSalle, and Apple Valley vs. Osseo.
Sun., Mar. 24--OMG, withdrawal, BIG TIME. I cannot even focus on the Chicago Bulls at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Tues., Mar. 26--I'm still not out of the fog of withdrawal, but I think that the Minnesota Timberwolves are at Detroit.
Wed., Mar. 27--Hey, it's Kobe! I'm starting to emerge from the fog. L.A. Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves.
Fri., Mar. 29--When does the AAU start? Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sat., Mar. 30--Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves. Hey, by the way, the way to build a winning tradition is to win! If you don't think you can win with the 12th draft pick--oh, no, you gotta have #10!--then I'll tell you what. HAVE SOMEBODY MAKE THE PICK WHO CAN PICK THE RIGHT GUY WITH #12. Don't be throwin' games to get #10. WIN AND THEN MAKE THE RIGHT FREAKIN' PICK!
Sun., Mar. 31--Hey, how about those Twins?!
Tues., Mar. 26--I'm still not out of the fog of withdrawal, but I think that the Minnesota Timberwolves are at Detroit.
Wed., Mar. 27--Hey, it's Kobe! I'm starting to emerge from the fog. L.A. Lakers at Minnesota Timberwolves.
Fri., Mar. 29--When does the AAU start? Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sat., Mar. 30--Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves. Hey, by the way, the way to build a winning tradition is to win! If you don't think you can win with the 12th draft pick--oh, no, you gotta have #10!--then I'll tell you what. HAVE SOMEBODY MAKE THE PICK WHO CAN PICK THE RIGHT GUY WITH #12. Don't be throwin' games to get #10. WIN AND THEN MAKE THE RIGHT FREAKIN' PICK!
Sun., Mar. 31--Hey, how about those Twins?!
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