When two of the best small-class boys basketball teams in Minnesota met Friday, it took two long scoring runs to keep it going and two overtimes to settle it.
Host Maranatha Academy defeated New Life Academy 104-91. Class 2A, No. 3 Maranatha led Class 1A, No. 2 New Life by 11 points with 2 minutes, 6 seconds left in regulation, until four Mustangs turnovers caused an 11-0 Eagles run that sent the game to overtime.
"New Life is a well-coached team that battled," Maranatha coach Ervin Bryant said. "They wanted it more in regulation. It was good for us to play with a team that continued to compete until the end."
The Mustangs played without injured guard Trell McCrimmon, and Bryant said that helped explain the New Life comeback.
"Missing [him] was a part of the reason why," Bryant said. "The lead guard sets the tone. It is hard to play good without good players."
Maranatha Academy (16-2) and New Life Academy (14-4), playing in front of a sellout crowd, remained tied after the first five-minute overtime period, but the Mustangs scored the first 10 points of the second overtime and won that five-minute period 23-10.
"We stayed focused on the lesson at hand," Bryant said. "[The 10-point run] set the tone for the victory. Our defense stepped up and we stayed true to the system."
Girls hockey teams reach postseason
The regular season ended Saturday for girls hockey teams, and section tournaments are up next. Stillwater, ranked seventh in Class 2A by Let's Play Hockey, will need a turnaround.
Edina defeated the Ponies 3-1 on Friday at Braemar Ice Arena, and Andover defeated Stillwater 8-0 on Saturday at St. Croix Valley Recreation Center. Those aren't average opponents: Edina is ranked fifth in Class 2A, and Andover is ranked third.
Hill-Murray, ranked second in Class 2A, closed the regular season with a 4-1 victory at Maple Grove, ranked sixth.
St. Paul Johnson springs boys basketball upset
Kenny Turner made 10 baskets Saturday, but one mattered most. Turner scored on a reverse layup with 5.5 seconds left and gave St. Paul Johnson a 61-60 boys basketball victory over Class 2A, No. 8 Minnehaha Academy. Turner led all players with 21 points.
"He had pretty good post position all game," Governors coach Colin Moore said. "We've been working all year with Kenny on confidence. They were overplaying on our guards. We trusted Kenny, and he came through."
The Redhawks (12-6) had one more chance after taking a timeout, but a final shot missed everything, giving the Governors (10-6) an upset in front of their home crowd.
The Redhawks had rallied with a 19-7 run that gave them a 54-48 lead with 3:55 left. Moore didn't lose confidence in his team.
"We just had to stay the course," Moore said. "Some of those were long, very difficult threes. They were tough shots that the average player can't make. We just had to stay the course."
Dhamani Tucker scored 15 points and Jay Tinsley 13 for the Governors.
Totino-Grace holds off Hopkins in boys basketball
Totino-Grace's boys basketball team, No. 1 in Class 3A, led by eight early and by 14 at halftime Saturday at home against Class 4A, No. 10 Hopkins. The Eagles won, but not easily, escaping with an 86-84 victory.
Hopkins' Anthony Smith made it close, scoring 31 points, all in the second half. His first 15 points cut the Royals' deficit to three with 13:21 in the game.
Totino-Grace held on, getting six consecutive points from Isaiah Johnson, the last of those giving the Eagles an 85-82 lead with 11.6 seconds left. Johnson led Totino-Grace with 18 points, and Patrick Bath had 16.
Jayden Moore led the Royals with 34 points, 21 in the first half.
Record-setters
- Northfield boys hockey goaltender Keaton Walock posted his 19th regular-season high school shutout, breaking the state record for career shutouts in the regular season. The latest shutout came when he stopped 12 shots in a 5-0 victory Saturday over Owatonna. Mahtomedi's Ben Dardis reached 18 shutouts last season.
- Lakeville North girls basketball player Trinity Wilson grabbed 24 rebounds, breaking the school record in a 59-57 overtime victory over Prior Lake.
Inside the numbers
4: Points by Northfield boys hockey player Kamden Kaiser — including a hat trick just over four minutes into the second period — in a 5-0 victory over Owatonna. A junior, he had three goals and one assist and reached the 100-point mark this season.
45: Saves by Blake girls hockey goaltender Janie McGawn in a 3-1 victory over Centennial/Spring Lake Park.
60: Points by the DeLaSalle boys basketball team in the first half of an 89-53 victory over St. Anthony.
76: Combined points by boys basketball players Xavier Daniels of Hill-Murray and Nasir Jones of South St. Paul in the Packers' 102-74 victory over the Pioneers. Each player scored 38 points.
