SUNDAY FOURSOME
After a two week break the action returned to the courts with two tournaments. I missed out on the first two days of action due to other obligations, but caught four title games at the MN Stars Kickoff at Jefferson. (North Tartan held their event at Hastings). June usually brings in other states now that school is out for many. Despite teams from Wisconsin and Nebraska at the Stars event, it was Minnesota only in the semis and finals. It was a good weekend for teams that were left out of championship contention two weeks ago. The Fury won four titles (two I charted) after finishing third and fourth at state two weeks ago. It was not a good weekend for teams that hoisted gold or silver two weeks ago. MN Stars 11 Nelson, second place in state, was second in their pool of three and ended up in fifth place. MN Stars 9 Hersch, the state champs, fell to an older team in the Mystic division semis—the MN Suns 2020 Blue Star.
SUNS: MN COMETS 9 ELITE 59, MN HEAT 9 VANG 55
These two teams have a history. The Comets beat the Heat in the consolation side of the freshman tournament 40-26. With prior knowledge of each other’s favorite play calls the action was much tighter this go around. When I arrived, the game was five minutes old. I was early by the way by three minutes, they just started ahead of schedule. The Comets were cruising at first 17-8, and that lead maintained out to half 33-24. A three from the right side by Anna Raney tied it at 45 with just under seven minutes remaining. Paige Meyer broke the tie with a lay up off a missed Heat shot. Everytime the Heat would threaten down the stretch, the Comets responded. They scored the last four times they touched the ball.
The Comets were sixth place finishers in the state freshman division.
MYSTICS: MN FURY 2021 GAUNTLET 54, MN SUNS 2020 BLUE STAR (MICHAUD) 42
In the first of the youth vs experience battles of the day MF21G eclipsed the Suns. The freshman established their hold on the game in the first half 24-14. That lead grew to 33-18 at the break. The Suns didn’t really start closing the gap until late in the game with their full court pressure, but by that time their was little time remaining.
MF21G ended up in third place in the freshman division this year. MS20BS finished fourth in the sophomore division at state.
SPARKS: MN STARS 11 BJORGAARD 68, MN STARS 11 BUERMAN 66
This was a civil war game that was actually played. Sometimes in these tournaments, when the host family has two teams colliding, they call it a draw. This was as darn close to a draw and featured the most scoring and the most dramatic finish. Bjorgaard’s Lauren Oyolo scored a runner on the right side at the buzzer to secure the win. But how Bjorgaard got the ball was pivotal. With 3.8 seconds the ball, which was controlled at the time by Buerman was knocked out of bounds. Time out Buerman. During the time out the refs gathered and reversed the ball direction to Bjorgaard. So the entire time out Buerman is planning offense and Bjorgaard was planning defense. Bjorgaard, who has two players from Thailand….Yes Thailand….helped create the last play. Shanique Lucas passed it to Oyolo for the finishing touch.
The late game theatrics had Buerman taking the lead at 62-61 on a 3 from Kendra Ekereke. Kaelyn Christian responded right back with a 3 for Bjorgaard. Barth-Lofton tied it up for Buerman, and Ekereke cashed in two free throws with 22.5 second left to lift Buerman to a 66-64 lead. Christian, who was the only player on the day to join the 31 club, made a driving shot from the left side to tie it with under 20 seconds.
Bjorgaard was the #16 seed in the state tournament; Buerman was #10. Both ended up 0-3 in state, in effect tied for 15th place.
LYNX: MN FURY 2019 GAUNTLET 55, MN STARS 10 ANTL 45
The Fury picked up the second win I charted. They also won a round for the veterans. The seniors to be cranked it up in the second half after trailing at the break 29-27. A prolonged drought dashed any upset dreams MS10A may have had. That drought lasted for the first six minutes. 10 unanswered points turned the tide. The left handed brigade for MF19G (Hofschild, McAulay) proved to be too much for the Stars. The Fury cashed in six 3s for the day. That is one more make than they had at the free throw line (5/18).
MF19G finished fourth in the state tournament. MS11A won 48-37 in state for third place. MF19G got their revenge on MN Stars 11 Amundson with a 53-39 win in the semis. That prevented an all Stars final. On the flip side MN Stars Antl prevented an all Fury final with their second win over MF20G this year. MS10A finished third in state.
| Team | Points | PP100 | Leading Scorer |
| MN Comets 9 Elite | 59 | 82.7 | Paige Meyer 21 |
| MN Heat 9 Vang | 55 | 92.3 | Two with 12 |
| MN Fury 2021 Gauntlet | 54 | 69.3 | Destinee Bursch 14 |
| MN Suns 2020 Blue Star | 42 | 56.0 | Nurjei Weems 13 |
| MN Stars 11 Bjorgaard | 68 | 90.7 | Kaelyn Christian 16 |
| MN Stars 11 Buerman | 66 | 88.0 | Three with 10 |
| MN Fury 2019 Gauntlet | 55 | 90.2 | McKenna Hofschild 16 |
| MN Stars 10 Antl | 45 | 73.8 | Emily Russo 16 |
If you notice MN Heat 9 Vang had a better pp100 than MN Comets 9 Elite. That is because I don’t have the early scores for the Comets decreasing their overall pp100 and, by the same token, I was missing some of MN Heat 9 Vang’s early misses thereby inflating their pp100 totals.
TRENCH PLAYER:
Game 1: Paige Meyer of MN Comets 9 Elite
Game 2: Destinee Bursch of MN Fury 2021 Gauntlet
Game 3: Lauren Oyolo of MN Stars 11 Bjorgaard
Game 4: Taylor McAulay of MN Fury 2019 Gauntlet
PLAYER OF THE DAY: PAIGE MEYER—-when the parents from the opponents react with appreciation for the big shots at key moments, you know you are playing well. How well? Her pp100 of 163.6 led all players as did her scoring. Meyer is from Albany.
STATE DREAMS
So which high school teams came up more often today? There were 15 schools with more than one player crossing my path.
5 Chaska
4 Becker (all Comets)
3 Centennial, Eden Prairie, Forest Lake, Mahtomedi, Tartan
2 Edina, Hill-Murray, Hopkins, Prior Lake, Roseville, St. Francis, St. Louis Park, Stillwater
Again it is top heavy with 4A teams—-12, the other three teams are 3A.