SMF’S THOUGHTS ON THE BREAKDOWN SUMMER LEAGUE TOURNAMENTS

I think that the Minnesota Breakdown does a good job of running one-day boys’ basketball tournaments. I attended the tournament at Prior Lake High School  on Sunday July 7, 2013. The tournament was well run.

 

I thought that the players played hard and it gave teams a chance in the summer to play with their high school teams.

 

I think that it is a good idea for high school basketball teams to play with each other during the summer months because there is less of a structure in the offense and players can work on improvements in their own game that they can use during the high school season.

 

Also the summer season is a lot less stressful on both coaches and players. Players are out in the summer working on their own game and this gives them a chance to do that in a laid back atmosphere.

 

The Breakdown gets to know who these players are in the summer and that helps them determine their rankings during the summer.

 

SIMLEY TOOK ON PRIOR LAKE IN A BOYS’ BASKETBALL GAME

In the varsity division of the Minnesota Breakdown boys’ basketball tournament Simley took on Prior Lake.

 

Prior Lake did a good job of moving the ball down the floor and were able to get a lot of good open looks at the basket early in the game.

 

Simley had a hard time making shots in the first half. They didn’t give up as they kept on looking for shots that they wanted to hit.

 

Prior Lake was in control of the game as they were able to hit pretty much any shot that they wanted to take.

 

Simley called a timeout with 12:23 left in the first half. The score was Prior Lake 15, Simley 4.

 

Simley was able to get the ball down the floor and hit shots in transition. Prior Lake was just a step quicker than Simley on both ends of the floor.

 

Simley was not afraid to shoot both the two and long three-point shots. If they thought that they could make a long three-pointer they would shoot it.

 

Prior Lake went to a zone defense. They looked to force Simley to take long three-point shots. Simley had trouble shooting the ball against the Prior Lake zone defense.

 

Prior Lake also was able to make a lot of shots in transition. As soon as Simley shot the ball Prior Lake looked to get the rebound and headed to their basket on the other end of the floor as they looked to get layups in transition.

 

At halftime Prior Lake led 29-17.

 

As the second half got underway both teams continued to attack the basket and look for shots that they thought that they could make.

 

Simley was able to make some fast break baskets that through Prior Lake off guard. Prior Lake was not able to slow down the Smiley shooters on defense and Simley was able to come up with some uncontested shots.

 

Both teams looked for fast break baskets and they were both able to score on them.

 

Simley kept in close as Prior Lake continued to find the basket. Prior Lake had a 37-28 lead with 12:00 left in the second half.

 

Both teams played hard throughout the contest. Prior Lake did a good job of talking on the defensive end as they were able to let their own teammates know where the other one was supposed to be on the floor and they did a good job of calling out picks on the pick and rolls.

 

NEW PRAGUE TOOK ON PRIOR LAKE IN A BOYS’ BASKETBALL GAME

The Minnesota Breakdown put on a boys’ basketball tournament in Prior Lake on July 7, 2013. Games consisted of a pair of 20 minute halves.

 

In the JV division, New Prague took on Prior Lake. The game got off to a slow offensive start as each team’s defense was able to slow the one team down.  

 

Prior Lake did a good job of moving the ball around the three-point line to take time off the clock.

 

They also did a good job of cutting and getting everyone involved in the offense.

 

The score remained low and close throughout the first half. Neither team took a lot of shots.  

 

Both teams subbed a lot as they were able to get everyone involved in the game.

 

Prior Lake went on a run with 12:00 left in the first half. They were up 13-4 with 10:00 minutes left in the first half.

 

New Prague didn’t back down however. They continued to attack the basket and looked to get good shots whenever they had their chance.

 

New Prague switched between man-to-man and zone defense. Prior Lake was confused by this and it was hard for Prior Lake to hit shots late in the first half.

 

Both teams played hard throughout the first half. At halftime the score was Prior Lake 26, New Prague 16.

 

As the second half got underway both teams continued to attack the basket and look for easy open shots.

 

Prior Lake was not afraid to shoot both the two and three-point shots. New Prague had a hard time defending the long three-point shot.

 

New Prague did a good job of hitting baskets in the second half. They were able to close the deficit with just under 16 minutes to go. They got to within 5 points just under the 16 minute mark in the second half.

 

Prior Lake called a timeout with 13:09 left in the second half. The score was Prior Lake 28, New Prague 27.

 

New Prague did a good job of attacking the basket. Their shots were able to for them in the second half.

 

The game was a close and hard fought throughout. I thought that both teams played well. Both teams were aggressive on both ends of the floor and they each had to work hard for shots that they took.

 

New Prague went on a run late in the second half. They took the lead with just under 8:00 to go.

 

The game was hard fought both teams played solid.

 

Prior Lake kept on looking for layups late in the contest. They were down 4 with 4:48 left in the second half. New Prague called a timeout.

 

Prior Lake stepped back behind the three-point line and looked for the deep three-point shot late in the contest to keep them in the game. That worked for them as New Prague had a 40-37 lead with 2:55 left in regulation.

 

The game came down to the wire. New Prague tried to hold the ball to run out the clock. Prior Lake fouled right away to get them to the line. Prior Lake got the ball back for the last play of the game and Prior Lake nailed a three pointer at the buzzer to with the game 43-42.