3 Championship Games from the Hall of Fame Tournament

The window is closing on the high school coaches with the ability to work with their teams.  Tomorrow it closes. Another tournament has popped up on the crowded July calendar taking advantage of the lack of club action and the high school coach’s availability. The MN Basketball Hall of Fame held their first summer two day tournament at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and it wrapped up on Tuesday with three title games and a smattering of secondary games. Teams were placed fairly closely to the class divisions and given HOF inductee names (Tracy Henderson, Lindsay Whalen, Janet Karvonen, Miller Twins, Kelly Skalicky).

Some of the themes for the day: a plus two for the winners as the day went along (73-75-77); teams from the Mississippi 8 (at least in 2019) were 0-3 in title games; power players are power players. There were 4 31 Club members (or better).

GAME 1: CHASKA 73, ROGERS 38

Chaska upended Hopkins Monday afternoon 74-70 which no doubt was the game of the tournament. Any time Hopkins falls it is news. Chaska probably did not have to face Paige Bueckers, the recent MVP of the FIBA U19 World Cup Tournament in Thailand. She was wandering the halls at A-R today, and center N was also in street clothes with the speculation she did not play on Monday. At any rate Chaska showed they are ready for the bright lights with a romp over Rogers. The Hawks don’t have a senior to be in the starting line-up. Transition baskets to the tune of 12/13 on layups and 17 overall made life difficult for the Royals. Rogers did have one lead at 3-2 after an Ellie Buzzelle 3 on the fourth possession, but then failed to score on their next twenty chances. Chaska scored 27 unanswered points in the meantime. By half Chaska led 42-14. Running time kicked in at the nine minute mark in the second half.

The Chaska starters checked in with a 129.5 pp100 with 71% from 2s. The Hawks’ bench was a more pedestrian 59.3 pp100. 2022 center Mallory Heyer played possessed. In less than 20 minutes of action she accumulated 29 points and would have obliterated the top score in the 31 Club with an impressive 81 (prorated).

Chaska guard Destinee Bursch, a starter last year, has left the district and will be at Eden Prairie in the winter.

Rogers will be leaving the Mississippi 8 conference for the NW Suburban this year.

	CHASKA	ROGERS
Points	73	38
Reb/Off	49/14	31/14
Turnovers	17	16
FTA/%	6/66.67	9/22.22
2FG%/3FG%	62.26/10.00	16.67/32.00
PP100	102.8	54.3
Top Scorer	Mallory Heyer 29	Ellie Buzzelle 14

GAME 2: DULUTH MARSHALL 75, BUFFALO 65

The one-two punch of the G Girls, Grace Kirk (34 points) and Gianna Kneepkens (33 points), knocked out Buffalo. That comes to 89% of the scoring for the Hilltoppers. Those two never left the floor and both made the 41 Club. Buffalo had the early advantage with a 13-6 lead. A 3 by Kirk put DM up 22-20, a 14-7 turnaround. The Hilltoppers, with their full court defense, were creating turnovers with a plus seven for the game, but also allowed some easy layups. At the break DM led 41-37. Buffalo again surged in the early goings in the second half leading 52-47 with 12:25 remaining. Two DM possessions later it was Kneepkens turn to tie it at 52 with a 3. There was another tie at 57. In the next two minutes DM seized control of the contest with a six point margin 65-59. Buffalo was unable to stop the two talents and was forced to play catch up the last six minutes.

Buffalo is another school that is departing the Mississippi 8. They were placed in the Lake, which is now a seven team conference.

	DULUTH MARSHALL	BUFFALO
Points	75	65
Reb/Off	39/13	40/12
Turnovers	14	21
FTA/%	30/80.00	19/57.89
2FG%/3FG%	39.47/33.33	53.84/20.00
PP100	96.2	83.3
Top Scorer	Grace Kirk 34	Two with 14

GAME 3: SPRING LAKE PARK 77, BIG LAKE 60

When you shoot good, you look good. Spring Lake Park, the surprise runner up in 5AAAA last year after the upset of Park Center in the semis, showed why they are a dangerous team to play with ten 3s on the day at a 62.5 clip. At that rate they were the best at 2s for the day topping the impressive 62.3 by Chaska in the first game. Five different Panthers connected long distance. Big Lake was no slouch behind the arc dropping eight from four different hands and their 44% was the second best totals of the day.

Just like the second game, the victors had to rally for the win. Big Lake did hold a 13-8 lead early. It soon morphed into a nip and tuck battle the rest of the half with the Hornets inching forward at the break 39-36 on a put back by Hailey Mallam. BL stretched it out to 41-36 before SLP scored on six of seven possessions including three treys by three different players, two back to back which helped break BL’s back (53-43) capping a 17-2 surge.

Part of the problem for BL came when they dipped into the bench. The starters produced at 102.1 pp100, the bench 75. There was no drop in production from the SLP bench with a stellar 126.1, improving upon the high marks the starters had at 120.

Big Lake is NOT leaving the Mississippi 8. But they joined former members in an 0-3 championship performance.

	SPRING LAKE PARK	BIG LAKE
Points	77	60
Reb/Off	31/10	32/10
Turnovers	11	15
FTA/%	29/58.62	19/63.15
2FG%/3FG%	45.45/62.50	38.70/44.44
PP100	122.2	95.2
Top Scorer	Macy 21	Caela Tighe 17

TRENCH PLAYER

GAME 1: Mallory Heyer of Chaska with 29 points, 138.1 pp100 and a member of the 41 Club with 45. On a per minute basis Heyer would have been a member of the 81 Club…..with an 81.48. She played less than 20 minutes and there was running time.

GAME 2: this could be a heads/tails contest between the one-two DM punch. It goes to Gianna Kneepkens with 33 points, 110.0 pp100 and a 55 score in the 31 Club, tops for the day (at a full 36 minutes of action).

GAME 3: In Brazil they identify their soccer heroes by first name. They might be doing that at SLP too. Macy finished with 21 points, 150 pp100 and was the fifth and final member of the 31 Club today with a 37—-all this was accomplished off the bench.

PLAYER OF THE DAY: Heyer