Breakdown Tip Off Classic 5 Takeaways: Lakeville South vs Buffalo
The afternoon at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic featured Class AAAA teams with state tournament potential as the Lakeville South Cougars got 28 points from Reid Patterson in a 70-58 win over Buffalo. Here are five takeaways from the contest:…
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Continue ReadingThe afternoon at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic featured Class AAAA teams with state tournament potential as the Lakeville South Cougars got 28 points from Reid Patterson in a 70-58 win over Buffalo.
Here are five takeaways from the contest:
Patterson Was the Best Player on the Floor
In a game where Lakeville South felt mostly in control, Reid Patterson was the main reason why. The 6-foot-2 junior guard scored 30 points and contributed on the glass while playing a key role in controlling the tempo of the game. And every time the Bison would cut the lead and threaten, it was Patterson who would come up with a big bucket. He knocked down five 3-pointers which was partly a product of Buffalo defenders losing him on drives, but he also showed impressive range and a fearless stroke. He’s one of the best players in the 2021 class and plays with a maturity that you don’t usually see in juniors. He was impressive.
Matt Willert Put Up Points in the Second Half
One of the best shooters and scorers in the state, Willert wasn’t going to be held down forever. The 6-foot-6 senior struggled mightily in the first half, forcing tough shots, turning the ball over and just generally looking out of it. That switch flipped from the get-go in the second half as Willert scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half and was a nightmare for the Cougars to try to defend. He scored on pull ups, he got the free throw line, he ran around a bevy of screens and he got the lane and used his length. He showed the complete scoring package in the second half and he’s going to pile up points this winter for the Bison.
Riley Mahlman Made the Most of his Minutes
Riley Mahlman was going to have a huge advantage inside in this game given Buffalo’s lack of size up front. But the Bison did a good job getting him out of the game fairly early with foul trouble. Mahlman still made quite an impact, scoring 13 points and owning the paint when he was in the game. His ability to bully people inside sets the tone for a physical Cougars team. That can get the best of him (and the team) sometimes, but its a net positive as he’s one of the toughest big men in the state.
Antonio Blueitt Looks Like a Player to Watch
Buffalo is going to need guys to step up and sophomore guard Antonio Blueitt looks like the guy most capable of delivering consistent production. He’s got good size for a point guard and his ability to get into the lane, pull up and finish over length is impressive. The game is slowing down for him and he looked like, at times, Buffalo’s best player on Saturday, scoring 15 points. The Bison are going to need him to do that consistently this year.
Winnable Sections?
Both teams aren’t going to take a whole lot from this game beyond that it is a competitive matchup between teams with similar goals. Neither team probably feels a whole lot different about itself and both teams should feel pretty good about where they are at this early point in the season. Lakeville South is likely the favorite or among the two or three best teams in Section 1AAAA while Buffalo is in the mix with teams like Maple Grove, Moorhead and perhaps Rogers out of Section 8AAAA. Both those sections appear fairly wide open right now and with the talent these two teams have, they’ve got as good as shot as any to reach the state tournament.