The Weekend Update
The Tip Off Classic brought you some of everything this weekend. Some of the good, some of the bad, and pretty much all of it was entertaining. It was also memorable. For the fans that squeezed into the Apple Valley/Hopkins…
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Continue ReadingThe Tip Off Classic brought you some of everything this weekend. Some of the good, some of the bad, and pretty much all of it was entertaining.
It was also memorable.
For the fans that squeezed into the Apple Valley/Hopkins game, you will forever remember where you sat when Tre Jones threw down one of the most thunderous dunks in recent memory.
You will also remember the Fire Marshall coming into the gym and stopping the game until people cleared aisles. And later cleared doorways.
Some of you may remember that number you got from a new friend at the urging of the PA announcer when he said, “get comfy, and get a number”.
So tonight give that person a call and share the memories. Today I will share with you my best memories from this year’s Tip Off Classic.
My All Breakdown team. Who is on it? I would say McKinley Wright, Amir Coffey, Steffon Mitchell, Nick Dufault, and Jordan Horn. Those are from the winning teams. Add in Tywhon Pickford too maybe.
All Breakdown team from the losing squads: Matt Hurt, Gabe Kalscheur, Brock Bertram, Bryce Irsfeld, Shae Mitchell, and Braxton Raymond.
How about the all “what about me” team who was really good along with their teammate? That would be Theo John, Vin Shahid, and Booker Coplin. Ishmael El-Amin as well. And Brad Davison.
Teams that were too good as a unit to have a single player on one of these? Minneapolis North, Maple Grove, St. Paul Academy, Minnetonka, and BSM.
The atmosphere of the Tip Off Classic, love it. It’s fantastic. The Apple Valley/Hopkins gym was so packed that when 40 percent of the people left after the game, it was still a full gym for the Maple Grove beat down of Wayzata.
Speaking of Wayzata, what a perfect example of what it’s like to be a high school coach. Coach Schnettler’s squad has had the number of Maple Grove in a couple meetings including last year’s section semi-final. The night before they took Hopkins to the final second falling by a point. Many consider Schnettler one of the best young coaches in Minnesota.
Who on this planet could predict they would get hammered so badly by the Crimson? Or that Braham would play so good in half one, and then get bombarded by St. Croix Lutheran in half two? You can’t predict that. It’s life with young people. You just never know how they will react.
Moving Up! (after the Tip Off). Waseca, Hopkins, Champlin Park, Minnetonka, Osseo, Northfield, and Shakopee.
Wildest moments. For some you have the fire marshall incident of course. What about fans from Edina getting a scolding from the refs or the fan that got a grade A scolding from Chris Carr who was accused of paying the officials?!?!
There was a Tubby! Tubby! Chant for Tubby Smith although the kids were being somewhat sarcastic. The fans of Hopkins, Maple Grove, and Minnetonka brought solid crowds to the game and had some interesting outfits.
Yes I wish we would have added Armstrong, Lakeville North, and Watertown-Mayer when we put the list of teams together last January but what can you do. Those teams will be in it next year (if they accept, which most do).
There were people that said these games should be in the Target Center which to me is a ridiculous idea. No way do you have that type of atmosphere in a big arena. The atmosphere is a big part of the lure of the game. Think back to Park Center vs Apple Valley, Apple Valley vs DeLaSalle, and some of the other recent classics.
All in all, it was another fantastic Tip Off Classic.Another fantastic day of basketball. Another quality showing on behalf of the state of Minnesota.
And by the way, enough of the “is Kobe the best all time over MJ” questions. It’s not really a comparison. First Kobe has to be the best Laker, and I’m not sure you can say he’s better than Magic, much less MJ.