GBB Out & About: 4AA Semifinal: Concordia v St. Paul Humboldt 3.3.2020

CONCORDIA ACADEMY 69, ST. PAUL HUMBOLDT 38

4AA #3 seed Concordia endured a box and one defense scheme put on Ivane Tensaie, and despite that challenge, came within an eyelash of running time Tuesday at #2 seed Humboldt. The Hawk defensive game plan was sound—-on initial defense. It is when rebounds became available that the defense broke down.

I charted Concordia late in January at Mahtomedi when Tensaie erupted for 34 points—helped by seven 3s. Tonight she led three Beacons in double figures with 18. The box & one did limit Tensaie on initial offense. Emily Bonk had the &one responsibility. As with most teams facing a box & one, Tensaie tried to break free by running to and fro to get open. Her touch count went from 105 vs the Zephyrs to 79 tonight. Tensaie didn’t score her first points, which happened to be a 3 until the 11:40 mark. Her next score, another 3, came at the 5 minute mark. That was after a missed initial Concordia shot.

With Humboldt putting effort into holding Tensaie down, they also had issues scoring. After the first basket of the night, which happened to be a 3 courtesy Makayla Mapp on the second possession, the Hawks failed to score in their next unlucky 13 possessions. Humboldt was frigid inside shooting 16%. Beyond the arc was safer territory and warmer and they doubled their percentage there to almost 35%. They made eight on the night, two more than CA’s total. A late surge before the half helped by 3s cut the Concordia lead to 27-16 at the break.

CA scored three of the first four possessions in the second half for a 10-2 advantage. Eight of those points came on second chance opportunities. CA had a whopping 25 offensive rebounds, or to phrase it another way, had 53% of the offensive boards. That broke the initial Humboldt defense all night. At the nine minute mark CA was well on their way to victory at 51-20. Subs were entered. With three straight Humboldt scores and eight unanswered points (two on 3s), CA took time out up 51-28. Starters returned. The margin quickly got back to the 30 point neighborhood.

It was primary election day in Minnesota. Many schools host voting. This was the case at St. Paul Humboldt where signs along the street indicated only voters could park in designated areas. All this to the lead up for an 8 p.m. start. I got out of Duluth earlier than I got out of Humboldt.

4AA abdicates their responsibility and seeds by QRF, and the QRF had Concordia #2. But in the 4AA infinite wisdom, they jockey teams based on questionable alternative universes. I know because it is done in other sports too. I have no idea as to their flawed rationale. Clearly Concordia should have been the number two seed and should have hosted tonight.

  CONCORDIA ACADEMY ST. PAUL HUMBOLDT
POINTS 69 38
REBOUNDS/OFF 52/25 37/15
TURNOVERS 16 28
2FGA/% 48/37.50 31/16.12
3FGA/% 20/30.00 23/34.78
FTA/% 20/75.00 6/66.67
PP100 100.0 54.3
TOP SCORER Ivane Tensaie 18 Shkira Willis 17

TRENCH PLAYER: Ivane Tensaie with 18 points, 150.0 pp100, and a 35 score in the 31 Club despite being the focus of the box and one.

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