2019 NCAA MEN’S FINAL FOUR BASKETBALL THOUGHTS

The 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four came to Minnesota. Events came to the Downtown Minneapolis area.

During the week leading up to the Final Four there were activities throughout the Downtown Minneapolis area.

I was able to partake in some of the Final Four events in the area. I also worked the Final Four and National Championship game.

Nicollet Mall was the hub for most of the Final Four activities. Also, the Target Center hosted the slam dunk championships.

I was able to take a walk down Nicollet Mall and took in some of the events. Some things that happened on Nicolet Mall were ESPN came in and did some of their NCAA basketball coverage.

On Saturday and Monday, I was able to get to work the Final Four and National Championship games.

Overall the atmosphere downtown throughout the week was electric. The city of Minneapolis really put on a good show throughout the NCAA Final Four week and weekend.

I also think the staff at the US Bank Stadium did a good job in transforming the football stadium into a makeshift basketball stadium.

With two big events in the book I really think that both the NFL and NCAA will be taking another look at the US Bank Stadium to host other big-time sporting events.

THE TARGET CENTER WILL HOST THE 2022 NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR

On Sept. 24, the NCAA announced that the Target Center in Downtown Minneapolis will host the 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four.

Minnesota has been in the running and has hosted big sporting events in recent years. Other big sporting events that have taken place in Minnesota were the Super Bowl LII and two Frozen Fours.

Upcoming event’s in the area include the NCAA Volleyball Final Four, December 2018 at the Target Center. The men's basketball Final Four in April 2019 at U.S. Bank Stadium, The NCAA Men’s wrestling championships in March of 2020 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Men's NCAA basketball tournament regional in March of 2021 will be played at the Target Center, and the NCAA men's gymnastics championships in April 2021, at the University of Minnesota Maturi Pavilion.

MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST WENT UP AGAINST ST. PAUL HIGHLAND PARK IN A BOYS’ BASKETBALL GAME AT THE TARGET CENTER

On Feb. 2, Minneapolis Southwest and St. Paul Highland Park in a boys’ basketball game. The game was played at the Target Center.

Highland Park jumped out to a quick 13-2 lead with 13:30 left in the first half.

Highland Park swung the ball around the 3-point line. Highland Park talked to each other on both ends of the court and they knew where their teammates were on the floor.

After a slow start Southwest was able to come up with layups and mid-range jump shots. They were able to get within 2 points with just under 3 minutes to go in the first half.

At halftime the score was tied at 34.

Highland Park looked to get the ball down the floor quickly and score baskets in transition. They were able to get the ball into the hands of Amitri Collins-Westlund who was able to make mid-range jump shots and layups.

Southwest’s Dakota Fleming came up with 3-point baskets for his team. On the defensive end Fleming came up defensive stops.   

The score went back and forth with just under 9 minutes left in regulation.

Neither team went on a run late in the contest. The game was very close.

Collins-Westlund and teammate Emanuel Murphy came up with fast break layups and mid-range jump shots throughout the second half. Dreem Kelly-Jabbar came up with steals and layups for Highland Park.

Highland Park was able to make layups and jump shots late in the game. Southwest struggled to shoot the ball after the 9 minute mark.

Highland Park came away with the 79-69 victory over Southwest.

The leading scorers for Southwest were Frazier with 16 points and Alexander with 15 points.

The leading scorer for Highland Park was Murphy with 23.

KASSON-MANTORVILLE TOOK ON FERGUS FALLS IN THE CLASS 3A STATE QUARTERFINALS

Kasson-Mantorville went up against Fergus Falls in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota State High School League tournament.

 

Both teams looked to push the ball down the floor and looked to score baskets in transition. The score went back and forth in the opening few minutes of the game.

 

Fergus Falls did a good job of getting everyone involved in the offense. They were able to pass the ball around and get good shots in their motion offense.  

 

Fergus Falls’ Bailey Strand stepped up and knocked down jump shots in the paint. Her teammates did a good job of getting her the ball in spots where she could shoot it.

 

There were many ties and lead changes throughout the first half. Neither team went on a run.

 

Strand continued to step up and knock down shots from the paint. On the defensive end she was able to slow down the player she was guarding.

 

Fergus Falls called a timeout with 3:34 left in the first half. The score was Fergus Falls 24, Kasson-Mantorville 23.

 

Fergus Falls were able to make fast break layups late in the first half. They were able to slow Kasson-Mantorville down on the offensive end.

 

At halftime the score was Fergus Falls 31, Kasson-Mantorville 29.

 

Fergus Falls continued to look to get the ball into the hands of Strand. Strand had great court awareness. She knew where her teammates were on the floor. Stand got hot from the paint early in the second half.

 

Kasson-Mantorville’s Kristin Scott found her mid-range jump shot in the second half. Her teammates did a good job of getting her the ball. Scott was also able to come off screens and make layups.

 

Fergus Falls was able to hit layups in transition. Brianna Rasmusson made jump shots in the second half that kept her team in the game.

 

Kasson-Mantorville called a timeout with 6:11 left in regulation. The score was Fergus Falls 51, Kasson-Mantorville 39.

 

Fergus Falls swung the ball around the three-point line as they looked to take time off the clock.

 

Kasson-Mantorville called a timeout with 3:07 left in regulation. The score was Fergus Falls 53, Kasson-Mantorville 42.

 

Fergus Falls tried to play keep away in the final three minutes of play as they did work the ball around the three-point line and attacked the basket but they wanted to take as much time off the clock as possible.

 

Fergus Falls came away with the 61-52 victory over Kasson-Mantorville.

 

The leading scorers for Kasson-Mantorville were Miller with 13 and Scott with 12 points.

 

The leading scorers for Fergus Falls was Strand with 23 points.

 

MONTICELLO TOOK ON MINNEAPOLIS WASHBURN IN THE CLASS 3A STATE QUARTERFINALS

Monticello and Washburn went up against each other in the Class 3A state quarterfinals.

 

Washburn looked to push the ball down the floor and score baskets in transition. Washburn looked to get the ball into the hands of Chase Coley. Coley looked to get the ball on the low block and was able to score on layups.

 

Washburn was able to score baskets in transition. Monticello was in a zone defense. They wanted to force Washburn to take long three-point shots.

 

Monticello looked to get the ball inside to Emily Gruber. Gruber was able to make layups.

 

Monticello turned the ball over and Washburn was able to take advantage of that as they were able to make layups on offense.

 

Monticello called a timeout with 6:35 left in the first half. The score was Washburn 16, Monticello 8.

 

Washburn continued to hit shots late in the first half.  

 

Both teams played very well on the defensive end. Neither team let the other team take open shots.

 

At halftime the score was Washburn 24, Monticello 20.

 

As the second half got underway both teams continued to push the ball down the floor.

 

Monticello’s Gruber was all over the floor. On the offensive end she was able to get her mid-range jump shot to fall. Her teammates did a good job of getting her the ball in spots where she could shoot it.

 

Monticello called a timeout with 12:21 left in regulation. The score was Washburn 41, Monticello 36.

 

Coley came up with some big mid-range jump shots late in regulation. Her teammates did a good job of getting her the ball in spots where she could shoot it.

 

Washburn called a timeout with 8:28 left in regulation. The score was Washburn 47, Monticello 45.

 

Gruber kept on coming up with big shots late in regulation.  

 

Monticello called a timeout with 6:27 left in regulation. The score was Washburn 52, Monticello 47.

 

Washburn continued to push the tempo late in the contest. They were able to slow down the Monticello offense late in the game.

 

Washburn came away with the 62-53 victory over Monticello.

 

The leading scorers for Monticello were Gruber with 24 points and Sawatzke with 11 points. The leading scorer for Washburn was Coley with 29 points.

SIMLEY TOOK ON PARK CENTER IN THE CLASS 3A STATE QUARTERFINALS

Simley and Park Center went up against each other at the Target Center in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

 

Simley looked to push the ball down the floor and score in transition. Simley’s Abby Kain and Maya DeLao came up with mid-range jump shots in the first half.

 

Park Center looked to score baskets in transition. They were able to get the ball into the hands of Cayla McMorris and Mikalya Hayes. They were able to make mid-range jump shots throughout the first half. Their teammates did a good job of getting them the ball in spots where they could shoot it.

 

Kain kept on coming up with big mid-range jump shots late in the first half.

 

At halftime the score was Simley 30, Park Center 26.

 

Park Center’s McKena DuBois came up with three point shots to give her team energy to start the second half.

 

Park Center came out scoring multiple baskets to start the second half. They looked like they were more aggressive on both ends of the floor.

 

Both teams battled after loose balls and rebounds.  

 

Park Center gained the lead and kept attacking the basket.

 

Simley called a timeout with 6:41 left in regulation. The score was Park Center 50, Simley 44

 

Park Center kept on hitting shots. They looked to score baskets in transition.

 

Park Center called a timeout with 5:36 in regulation. The score was Park Center 54, Simley 44.

 

Park Center kept the scoring throttle on.

 

Park Center was too much for Simley to handle. They were able to wear Simley down

 

Park Center came away with the 68-53 victory over Simley.

 

The leading scorers for Simley were Brown with 14 points, Paulsen with 12 points and DeLao with 10 points.

 

The leading scorers for Park Center were McMorris with 24 points and Hayes with 13 points.

ST. MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE WENT UP AGAINST BLOOMINGTON KENNEDY IN A GIRLS BASKETBALL GAME

St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) and Bloomington Kennedy went up against each other in a quarterfinal game of the girls state tournament.

 

Kennedy looked to get the ball down the floor as they got the ball into the hands of Kenisha Bell and Tonoia Wade. They were able to hit layups and jump shots in the first half.

 

Kennedy kept moving the ball down the floor as they were able to score layups.

 

STMA was able to get the ball into the hands of Sydney Tracy and Erin Autio. They were each able to knock down mid-range jump shots in the first half. Bloomington Kennedy had a hard time slowing them down.

 

At halftime the score was Bloomington Kennedy 39, STMA 32.

 

As the second half got underway Kennedy continued to push the ball down the floor as they were able to get the ball into Bell’s hands. Bell did a good job of attacking the basket and making her layups. Teammate Wade also able to hit her shots.

 

STMA’s Autio and Tracy continued to attack the basket and was able to get to get layups.

 

Kennedy turned on the offensive jets midway through the second half.

 

Kennedy came away with the 71-57 victory over STMA.

 

The leading scorers for STMA were Tracy with 19 points and Autio with 15 points.

 

The leading scorers for Kennedy were Bell with 29 points and Wade with 14 points.

LAKEVILLE NORTH TOOK ON CENTENNIAL IN A GIRLS STATE CLASS 4A QUARTERFINAL GAME

Lakeville North and Centennial went up against each other in the girls state quarterfinals at the Target Center.

 

It took a while for each team to get into an offensive shooting rhythm.

 

Centennial called timeout with 14:04 left in the first half. The score was Lakeville North 8, Centennial 4.

 

Lakeville North’s Temi Carda, Kendall Naatjes and Polly Sjoberg all stepped up and were able to knock down mid-range jump shots.

 

Lakeville North was able to push the tempo.

 

Centennial called a timeout with 12:01 left in the first half. The score was Lakeville North 20, Centennial 4.

 

Centennial continued to struggle to shoot the ball.

 

Lakeville North opened the game with a 22-7 run.

 

Lakeville North was able to score on layups and jump shots.

 

Centennial was able to get their offense together as they were able to mid-range jump shots late in the first half.

 

Centennial trailed 37-18 after a sluggish first half.  

 

As the second half got underway Lakeville North continued to push the ball down the floor and score baskets in transition.

 

Centennial came up with layups and jump shots in the second half. They were able to get everyone involved in the offense.

 

Lakeville North called a timeout with 11:32 left in regulation. The score was Lakeville North 42, Centennial 35.

 

The game remained close in the second half. Centennial kept on chipping away at the deficit. They looked to get layups.

 

Centennial called a timeout with 5:41 left in regulation. The score was Lakeville North 54, Centennial 44.

 

Centennial started out slow but fought their way back but were not able to get the lead.  

 

Lakeville North came away with the 69-52 victory over Centennial.

 

The leading scorers for Lakeville North were Denk with 21 points, and Carda with 18 points.

 

The leading scorer for Centennial was Conrad with 18 points.

ANOKA TOOK ON EDEN PRAIRIE IN THE CLASS 4A GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE QUARTERFINALS

Anoka and Eden Prairie went up against each other in the quarterfinals of the girls state basketball tournament at the Target Center.

 

It took a while for each team to get into an offensive shooting rhythm. Both teams took a lot of time off the clock early.

 

Eden Prairie looked to push the ball down the floor and score baskets in transition.

 

Eden Prairie’s Martha Kuder made the first basket of the game coming off a layup.

 

Eden Prairie called a timeout with 13:28 left in the first half. The score was Anoka 3, Eden Prairie 2.

 

Anoka went to a zone in the second half. They wanted to force Eden Prairie to take long shots.

 

Anoka’s Kyrah Fredenburg was all over the floor. She was able to knock down mid-range jump shots.

 

There were many ties and lead changes in the first half.  Both teams took a lot of time off the clock.

 

Kuder kept on coming up with shots in the paint. The defense had a hard time of slowing her down on the offense.

 

At halftime the score was Eden Prairie 36, Anoka 32.

 

As the second half got underway Eden Prairie swung the ball around the three-point line as Anoka came out in a zone defense.

 

Eden Prairie continued to swing the ball around the three-point line as they took time off the clock and working to get the ball into their offense.

 

Eden Prairie called a timeout with 11:50 left in regulation. The score was Eden Prairie 41, Anoka 39.

 

Anoka continued to score layups in transition.

 

Anoka’s Ashley Bray came up some nice mid-range jump shots in the second half.

 

Eden Prairie called a timeout with 8:32 left in regulation. The score was Anoka 47, Eden Prairie 44.

 

Eden Prairie’s Esabelle Levine came up with three-point shots in the second half.

 

Eden Prairie went to a full court man-to-man trap and was able to force Anoka to turn the ball over.

 

Eden Prairie was able to score off of the turnovers.

 

Anoka called a timeout with 4:22 left in regulation. The score was Eden Prairie 54, Anoka 49.

 

Eden Prairie’s Jayla Mayes-Jackson made shots down the stretch. Her teammates did a good job of getting her the ball in spots where she could shoot it.

 

Anoka called a timeout with 2:32 left in regulation. The score was Eden Prairie 59, Anoka 53.

 

Eden Prairie continued to hit shots late in the contest.

 

Eden Prairie came away with the 67-57 victory over Anoka.

 

The leading scorers for Anoka were Ashley Bray and Fredenburg each with 14 points.

 

The leading scorers for Eden Prairie were Kuderer with with 19 points, Mayes-Jackson with 17.

ST. PAUL CENTRAL TOOK ON EASTVIEW IN THE STATE GIRLS QUARTERFINALS IN CLASS 4A

On March 18, St. Paul Central took on Eastview in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Minnesota State High School Leagues girls basketball tournament at the Target Center.

 

Central set the tempo of the game early. They passed the ball around the three-point line as they were able to get good shots into their offense.

 

Central’s guard Chelcie Kizart brought the ball down the court and was able to get her team into an offensive rhythm. She also stepped up and knocked mid-range jump shots.

 

Eastview’s Madison Guebert found her mid-range jump shots as her shots were able to fall. She was also able to hit layups.

 

The score went back and forth throughout the first half.  

 

Eastview scored baskets in transition. They were able to beat Central off the fast break.

 

Central used both man-to-man and zone defenses in the first half. They were able to confuse Eastview on offense.

 

Eastview called a timeout with 8:21 left in the first half. The score was Central 14, Eastview 11.

 

Eastview did a good job getting the ball down the floor and getting layups.

 

Central called a timeout with 6:09 left in the first half. The score was Eastview 18, Central 16.

 

Eastview’s defense made Central take deep three-point shots. Eastview was able to hit their three-point shots.

 

The score continued to go back and forth late in the first half.  

 

At halftime the score was Eastview 30, Central 28.

 

As the second half got underway Eastview’s Guebert and Kari Opatz kept on attacking the basket and they were able to get their mid-range jump shots to fall.

 

Eastview stayed in their zone for most of the second half.

 

Central called a timeout with 10:14 left in regulation. The score was Eastview 44, Central 42.

 

Central got rebounds on the defensive end and pushing the ball down the floor and get fast break chances.

 

Because of the zone defense that Eastview played Central took a lot of time off the clock as they were able to work their motion offense.  

 

Opatz continued to come up with some nice mid-range jump shots late in regulation.

 

The game came down to the wire.

 

Central called a timeout with 1:45 left in regulation. The score was Eastview 58, Central 54.

 

Both teams came up with some big shots late in the contest.

 

Eastview came away with the 63-58 victory over Central.

 

The leading scorers for Central were Sherow with 16 points and Kizart with 14 points.

 

The leading scorers for Eastview were Guebert with 29 points and Opatz with 26.