An 18-3 run over the final nine minutes of the game turned things around for the Ell-Saline Cardinals, as they came from behind to beat Minneapolis, 39-36 on Tuesday night at Minneapolis High School for the first game of the Tri-County Classic.
Neither team could gain separation in the first half as Ell-Saline led 8-7 after one and Minneapolis led 21-19 at the break.
The second half, however, was a see-saw affair.
The Minneapolis Lady Lions continued to use its tight defense and dominating rebounding presence of Courtney Forte to control the game in the third quarter. Forte took over and propelled Minneapolis to a 12 point lead late in the period. Ell-Saline hit a Brynna Rowley baseline jumper as time expired to give the Cardinals some hope, but still, the Lady Lions led 33-23 going in to the fourth quarter.
The bucket, though, afterall, did give Ell-Saline some momentum. Rowley heated up to lead the slow, but steady Cardinal comeback in the final quarter.
Ell-Saline used a 12-0 run to tie the game at 33-33 with a little more than three minutes to play.
Minneapolis finally ended the run with some Forte free-throws, however, the Lady Lions were held without a field goal make in the last quarter.
By that point, Ell-Saline had all of the momentum. With key makes from Reece Ditto, Bayleigh Schneider and of course, Rowley, the Cardinals finally regained the lead with under two minutes to play and never relinquished it again.
Minneapolis (0-2, 0-0 NCAA) couldn’t find enough consistent offense down the stretch to hold off Ell-Saline. The Lady Lions were led by Forte’s double-double, 14 points and 21 rebounds, unofficially.
Ell-Saline (1-1, 0-0 HOA) outscored Minneapolis 16-3 in the final quarter. Rowley led the way with 12 points–nine of which came in the second half.
The Nex-Tech Wireless “Players of the Game” are Rowley for Ell-Saline and Forte of Minneapolis. Raleigh Kramer of Ell-Saline wins the H&R “Block of the Game” with her shot block in the first quarter.
MINNEAPOLIS BOYS 64, Ell-Saline 25
The Minneapolis Lions open up their season with back-to-back wins over Heart of America competition as the Lions had no problems with the Cardinals in the first game of the Tri-County Classic.
Minneapolis used its full-court press to take control of the game early. The Lions turned defense in to easy buckets as they raced out to a 24-5 first quarter lead.
Ell-Saline was able to slow Minneapolis in the second quarter, as the Cardinals held the Lions to just 13 points. However, Ell-Saline only mustered up a single point in the period to trail 37-6 at halftime.
Minneapolis led 57-17 going in to the final stanza, before a running clock quickly got the game over with.
Ell-Saline (0-2, 0-0 HOA) was led by Garrit Caswell’s seven points in the blowout loss.
Minneapolis (2-0, 0-0 NCAA) had eight different players score in the game and forced over 30 turnovers against the inexperienced Cardinals. Spencer Davidson led the way with 20 points and Trent Moeckel added in 13.
The Nex-Tech Wireless “Players of the Game” are Davidson of MHS with his second double-double on the year and Ell-Saline’s Kade Wilson for his effort on the boards. Davidson also wins the H&R “Block of the Game.”
Up next for both teams is the second game of the Tri-County Classic, as Ell-Saline hosts Solomon on Thursday–a game that can be heard at 6 p.m. on FM 104.9, while Minneapolis plays at Bennington. That game is also on Thursday at 6 p.m. on 92.7 The New Zoo.
