BLAKE WENT UP AGAINST MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST IN A BOYS’ BASKETBALL GAME

On Feb. 18, Blake and Minneapolis Southwest went up against each other in a non conference boys’ basketball game. Going into the game Blake had a record of 16-5 while Southwest’s record was 12-9. 

Blake won the tip and took their time on the offensive end. Blake looked to get the ball into the Robert Lee Grace IV. 

Grace brought the ball down the floor and got his team in the offense. He passed the ball around to his teammates and shouted instructions on where they were supposed to be on the floor.

Blake started the game in a zone defense. That made Southwest pass the ball around the 3-point line. 

Southwest looked to trap Grace and put pressure on him as they looked to turn him over. 

Blake wasn’t afraid to take deep 3-point shots. Everyone on the floor crashed the boards. 

Both teams dove on the floor after the ball. There were multiple jump balls in the first half. 

Southwest used a motion offense as they passed and cuts and there was a lot of movement on the offensive end for Southwest. 

Both offenses stalled for a period in the first half. The defensive pressure made it difficult for either team to come up with shots.

Southwest took their time on the offensive end. They didn’t panic. Southwest’s Gabe Senseman-Cassidy came up with mid-range jump shots and layups. His teammates knew where he was always on the floor and they got him the ball where he could shoot it.

Blake called a timeout with 11:24 left in the first half. The score was Southwest 10, Blake 5.

Blake’s Theo Liu looked to come up with mid-range jump shots and layups throughout the first half. Theo Liu knew where everyone was on the floor.

Southwest’s Jaden Reed looked to come up with mid-range jump shots and layups. On the defensive end, guarded Grace and tried to slow him down.

Both teams dove on the floor after loose balls on both ends of the game. 

Southwest’s Kentrell Gaulden looked to come off screens and make jump shots and layups. His teammates knew where he was on the floor and got him the ball.

Blake’s defensive pressure made it difficult for Southwest to inbound the ball. 

Southwest called a timeout with 6:35 left in the first half. The score was Southwest 12, Blake 9. 

Gaulden set good screens for his teammates. He was able to get his teammates open on the offensive end. 

The zone defenses that each team played throughout the first half made if difficult for both teams to take open shots. 

Southwest’s Marcus Mattox came up with deep 3-point shots left in the first half. 

The Blake offense went cold in the first half as they were not able to knock down a shot. Southwest took advantage of Blake’s cold shooting by attacking the basket on their offensive end. 

Southwest came up with steals on the defensive end and came up with layups on the offensive end. 

The score went back and forth late in the first half. Neither team went on a significant run in the first half. 

At halftime, the score was Blake 22 Southwest 19. 

As the second half got underway Southwest looked to get the ball into the hands of Christo Polydorou. Polydorou came up with mid-range jump shots and layups. He wasn’t afraid of contact while he was driving to the basket. He was plagued with foul trouble as he picked up his fourth personal foul with just under 15 minutes to go in the second half. 

The score remained close throughout the second half. Neither team went on a run. 

Both teams continued to rebound well on both ends of the floor. 

Southwest continued to push the ball down the floor and look for their shots. 

Blake called a timeout with 11:09 left in regulation. The score was tied at 30. 

The score continued to go back and forth throughout the second half. Neither team went on a run. 

Blake passed the ball around the 3-point line taking time off the clock and looking for their shots. 

Blake got the lead with just under 10 minutes left in the game. Southwest struggled to shoot the ball, but they kept on shooting. 

Blake kept on looking to shoot 3-point shots and going after the rebounds on the offensive end. 

Southwest called a timeout with 6:51 left in regulation. The score was Blake 36, Southwest 34. 

Blake was patient on the offensive end. They took their time looking for their shots. 

Grace took the ball strong to the basket and looked to come up with mid-range jump shots and layups. 

Southwest looked to trap Grace as he brought the ball down the floor, but Grace was able to get past the defense and came up with layups. 

Blake called a timeout with 4:43 left in regulation. The score was Blake 42, Southwest 37. 

The game remained close late in the game. Neither team gave up open looks at the basket late. 

Blake ran their motion offense and Grace came up with deep 3-point shots. Teammate Sam Deignan also came up with mid-range jump shots and layups. 

Southwest struggled shooting the ball late in the game. Blake used that to their advantage as they were able to come up with shots. Southwest also started fouling with just under 2:00 left in regulation. 

Blake called a timeout with 1:40 left in regulation. The score was Blake 46, Southwest 40.

Blake got the lead midway through the second half and never looked back. 

Southwest called a timeout with 1:13 left in regulation. The score was Blake 50, Southwest 40. 

Both teams played hard throughout the game. In a hard-fought game, Blake came away with the 55-45 victory over Southwest.

The leading scorers for Southwest were Polydorou with 11 points, and Reed and Ford both with 9 points. 

The leading scorers for Blake were Liu and Grace each with 15 points, and Deignan with 14 points.