APPLE VALLEY’S TYUS JONES AND LAKEVILLE NORTH’S J.P. MACURA SPLIT AP PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

According to the Associated Press: “Apple Valley's Tyus Jones and Lakeville North's J.P. Macura are the co-winners of the 2014 Minnesota Associated Press Player of the Year award for boys basketball.

 

Joining Jones and Macura on the AP's first team are DeLaSalle's Reid Travis, Osseo's Wheeler Baker and Alex Illikainen of Grand Rapids. Illikainen is the only junior; the rest are seniors.”

 

Both Macura and Travis won state Basketball championships this year. Osseo was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the state tournament this year. Both Grand Rapids and Apple Valley were eliminated in the region tournament. 

GRAND RAPIDS TOOK ON LAKEVILLE NORTH IN THE 2014 MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES SHOOTOUT

The Target Center was the spot for the 2014 Minnesota Timberwolves Shootout. In the first game Grand Rapids went up against Lakeville North.

 

Grand Rapids looked to get the ball into the hands of Alex Illikainen. Illikainen was all over the floor on both ends of the court.

 

Neither team took many shots in the early goings.

 

Lakeville North went to a zone in the first half. They switched up between man-to-man and zone defense. That made it difficult for Grand Rapids to get shots off.

 

Grand Rapids called a timeout with 8:18 left in the first half. The score was Lakeville North 11, Grand Rapids 10.

 

Grand Rapids went to a zone defense and that made Lakeville North have to take longer shots.

 

At halftime the score was Lakeville North 25, Grand Rapids 15.

 

The second half got off to a quick start as both teams looked to get energy. Both teams looked sluggish in the first half.

 

Lakeville North’s JP Macura was all over the floor he was able to hit shots from everywhere on the court.

 

Lakeville North was too much for Grand Rapids as they came away with the 59-36 victory.

 

As a team Grand Rapids shot 11-41 from the field, that included going 2-14 from behind the three-point line, they were 12-21 from the free throw line. As a team Grand Rapids brought down a total of 36 rebounds 30 of them on the defensive end. They were lead in scoring by Illikainen with 17 points.

 

As a team Lakeville North 21-57 from the field, that included going 6-27 from behind the three-point line, they were 11-17 from the free throw line. As a team Lakeville North brought down a total of 42 rebounds 30 of them on the defensive end. They were lead in scoring by Macura with 24 points.