Saturdays are usually my long distance journeys to the farthest reaches of the state. After the plethora of early season metro mega events I have been to Jackson, Cloquet, Rochester, Kasson, Willmar, Moorhead, Alexandria. Today was an anomaly in that I spent the entire day in Hennepin County charting two games. Three of the teams reside there. The fourth came down from the Iron Range—-my greater Minnesota opportunity today.
I was able to knock off two top 100 teams, and that was thanks to the rescheduling of the famous blizzard/cold snap on January 17. This makes third make up game from that event I have charted. Using the Monday listing of QRF I am now left with seven teams. For those keeping track I am at 97% for the AAAA schools with two left; 74% for AAA. I will get the AAAA knocked off this year. AAA nope. QRF dicey.
MOUNTAIN IRON-BUHL 69, MARANATHA 52
Prior to the start of this game the announcer let the crowd know that these two teams are tied for most consecutive state tournament appearances with nine. MIB’s streak is still alive. Maranatha’s ended last year. The difference now is Maranatha has been bumped to AA two cycles ago. When these teams met in the past there was a race track feel to the game. Both teams love to run, that has not changed. Both teams love to launch behind the arc. That has not changed either. Perhaps the big change is in the stature of the players. The heights have dropped for both. 6-0 are rare. What isn’t rare is the single digit personnel. The MIB roster had eight players in single digit grades; four saw time; one led the team in scoring—an eighth grader. Maranatha’s youth movement featured three rostered players; two start; one led the team in scoring—a ninth grader. Today the visitors prevailed despite digging themselves into a 20-11 hole. After a Ranger time out at the nine minute mark, MIB went on a 24-11 rampage to lead 35-31 at the break. Fouls were starting to eat at each team. It was an eight point game when MIB’s offensive discipline shined. Holding a 57-49 lead the Rangers from the six minute mark on scored on six straight possessions with a 26 touch shot at the rim off a pass. All in all it was a 12-3 finishing kick with the only Maranatha bucket coming with 8 seconds left.
It was the depth of the Rangers that came to the rescue. The Ranger bench outscored the Mustangs 36-4. In fact the MIB bench outperformed the MIB starters in 2% 47-39; 3% 33-29; & ft% 75-43. Two reserves reached double digits. But it was eighth grade starter Jordan Zubich who led all players with 17 points, 7 distributions and 7 d stops for an exact entry to the 31 Club.
| MOUNTAIN IRON-BUHL | MARANATHA | |
| POINTS | 69 | 52 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 41/16 | 42/10 |
| TURNOVERS | 13 | 24 |
| 2FGA/% | 42/42.85 | 34/35.29 |
| 3FGA/% | 26/30.76 | 19/36.84 |
| FTA/% | 15/60.00 | 16/43.75 |
| PP100 | 92.0 | 69.3 |
| TOP SCORER | Jordan Zubich 17 | Chloe Jarnot 16 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Jordan Zubich with 17 points, 141.7 pp100, and right on the money for the 31 Club. Zubich is the first eighth grader to get the nod as a trench player this season.
ST. ANTHONY 70, RICHFIELD 59
For the second time this week the Huskies of St. Antony topped the Spartans of Richfield. Richfield has moved out of the Metro West Conference into the more inner-ring suburban Tri-Metro Conference this year. On Tuesday St. Anthony, at home, edged Richfield 52-49. This late afternoon contest was not that close. The final score was not the margin most of the game. The Huskies raced out to a 17-2 lead forcing the first Richfield time out at 13:39. At half the visitors led 44-23. For most of the second half the lead maintained a 20 point bump. When the Husky starters sat down with a 60-39 lead with 6:23 left, Richfield pounced. They outscored St. Anthony the rest of the way 20-10. In that window the St. Anthony starters reappeared. St. Anthony’s starters exited the game again with 35 seconds left and the threat of a Richfield resurgence was negated.
The highlight for the St. Anthony fans in this game was Sam Sibbet’s first field goal in the second half, which was a 3. That put her on top of the all time St. Anthony scoring leaderboard. There was the appropriate time out to celebrate.
One big differential in this game came at the free throw line. St. Anthony made 17 free throws. Richfield attempted 15. The Huskies made 10 more free throws in the game. Richfield was better from 2s by 14 points. St. Anthony ruled behind the arc 21 points to six.
Richfield, who started the season with 13 straight wins, has since fallen to 3-8 since January 10.
| ST. ANTHONY | RICHFIELD | |
| POINTS | 70 | 59 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 37/13 | 38/16 |
| TURNOVERS | 21 | 20 |
| 2FGA/% | 41/39.02 | 52/44.23 |
| 3FGA/% | 14/50.00 | 11/18.18 |
| FTA/% | 24/70.83 | 15/46.66 |
| PP100 | 95.9 | 79.7 |
| TOP SCORER | Samantha Sibbet 23 | Amayah Grindeland 12 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Samantha Sibbet with 23 points, 143.8 pp100 and in the 41 Club with a 44. Sibbet is also the new all time leading scorer at St. Anthony.