THE MINNESOTA HEAT ALTENA TOOK ON THE MINNESOTA COMETS-HANSON IN A BOYS' BASKETBALL GAME

The Minnesota Heat AAU team hosted the Great Plains Alliance tournament in St. Cloud, Minnesota. AAU teams from around Minnesota and the upper Midwest converged on the Witney Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota for a basketball tournament. Games were played in two 16:00 half's.

In the first game of the Great Plains Alliance boys' basketball tournament that I did the Minnesota Heat Altena took on Minnesota Hanson in a tournament game. The game got off to a quick start as each team tried to figure out what the other team was doing offensively.

Heat looked to get the ball into the hands of Garrison Gilliard. Gillard was all over the floor. He got his team involved in the offense early. He called plays and he told his teammates where they should be on the floor. On the defensive end he was able to slow the guy down that he was guarding.

The Comets also did a good job of using the clock to their favor and swinging the ball around the three-point line to use time off the clock.

The first half was very competitive. Each team played well on the offensive end as they both used the clock well and the score went back and forth throughout the first half.

Each team had to work hard for every shot that they took because the defensive pressure was just that tough. The Comets stuck to a zone defense and they shifted well . They tired to force the Heat to make out side shots. The Heat used a tight man-to-man defense that didn't allow for easy baskets.

The Comets got off to a quick start and continued that throughout the first half. They were able to get past the Heat defense as they had success shooting mid range jump shots from inside the three-point line.

Jonah Esienschenk for Comets-Hanson took the ball hard to the basket. He was able to hit jump shots throughout the first half. He was also able to draw fouls and get to the line and he was able to hit free throws that he put up.

At halftime the score was Comets-Hanson 44 and Heat Altena 35.

As the second half got underway both teams came out with a sense of pride and urgency. They dove on the floor for loose balls and flew around on the floor going after deflections and passes.

Josh DeWitt for Heat did a good job of running his teams offense. He instructed his players where they were supposed to be on the floor. I thought that the Heat did a good job of running plays to start the second half.

The Heat started out on fire as they were able to get the deficit to 7 trailing 53-46 with 12:00 left to go in the contest.

Both teams did a good job of trying to get the ball down the court in a rush as they each tied to score baskets in transition.

Minnesota Comets Hanson did a good job of attacking the basket on the offensive end ans they were able to make easy baskets. Heat-Altena had a difficult time hitting shots in the second half.

The score got out of hand with 8:00 left in regulation. The Heat-Altena kept on attacking the basket and looking for their shots.

The Minnesota Comets-Hanson came away with the 76-54victory over Heat-Altena in a hard fought game.