Section Scout: 5AAAA Semifinals
I took a quick jog down the road to Maple Grove High School for the section 5AAAA semifinals on Tuesday night. Tons of familiar faces scattered throughout the crowd, including multiple MIAC coaches and the TC Hoops Czar. Here are the summaries from Osseo’s tight win over Park Center and Champlin Park’s dominant victory over Mounds View.
Semifinal 1: #2 Park Center vs. #3 Osseo
Osseo jumped out to a ten-point lead pretty quickly thanks to junior forward Marice Nelson‘s active scores inside and out, and held on for a 37-24 margin at the break. Park Center didn’t go away though, as the young Pirates fought back to make it a one-possession game. They couldn’t capitalize on some Osseo mistakes and the Orioles squeaked out the third round of the District 279 rivalry 62-61.
Dain Dainja (C, 6-7, Fr., Park Center) – My first chance to see the young post phenom was a good one. Dainja has hints of next-level footwork down low paired with impressive finishing ability. Park Center struggled to get clean looks inside the arc in the first half, and when they tossed it into Dainja, good things happened. 12 points and five boards for the promising freshman.
Lavante Parker (F, 6-1, Jr., Park Center) – Parker came off the bench for the Pirates and provided an instant spark of energy and hustle when they needed it most. He skied high for four rebounds and pushed the pace, helping give Park Center shooters space to work. One of the better pure athletes I’ve seen this year.
Derrick Ogechi (SG, 6-2, Sr., Park Center) – Ogechi was the only thing going for Park Center early as he had seven quick points on rip drives and a trey. He’s a knockdown shooter with good feet and composure, not afraid to handle the ball a little if necessary. His future head coach at Dordt College, Ross Douma, was watching from the stands.
Marice Nelson (F, 6-4, Jr., Osseo) – Nelson has proved this year to be a sneakily good producer in the Orioles offense. Matt Bezdicek did not play because of a hand injury so Nelson started in his place and was big right away. He went on an 8-0 run himself to extend the Osseo lead to 13 at halftime. Finished with 18 points and a handful of rebounds.
Zach Theisen (SG, 6-2, Jr., Osseo) – Statewide outside threat he is, but Theisen counters that with quick first steps to get to the rim and finish over athletic defenders. He scored 18 points with two treys, getting to the foul line often and converting.
Alex Sinnen (C, 6-8, Sr., Osseo) – Sinnen played very well on Tuesday night. He doesn’t usually stay on the floor late in games because that’s when small ball becomes necessary, but Osseo needed his size to guard Dainja and he made plays that helped Osseo stay ahead, including a pump-fake and-one followed by a steal.
Semifinal 2: #1 Champlin Park vs. #4 Mounds View
A tough matchup to start for Mounds View, a team who wants to play slow, grind-it-out style. Champlin thrives on fast and athletic playmaking and the Mustangs did all they could to stop the Rebels. They deliberately ran through their offense and sat in some 2-3 zone, but Champlin Park still had a 30-17 lead at half. It got out of hand quickly after that and ballooned to a 25-point lead for the last seven minutes. Champlin Park moves on 69-40.
Marcus Hill (G, 6-3, Sr., Champlin Park) – Big fan of Hill’s game. Slashing, springy wing who finds openings behind the defense for easy scores. He’s also the stopper for the Rebels, getting the top defensive assignment. On Tuesday he was getting hacked all over, with no whistles helping him out, but continued to take the ball to the rim. He finished with 10 hard-earned points.
Sam DuBois (G, 5-10, Sr., Champlin Park) – DuBois’ role has expanded as the year progresses and he’s now a legitimate part of the Rebel rotation as a spot-up shooter and nagging defensive presence. He hit two bombs and hounded Mounds View’s scoring threats all game. I have a feeling the St. Thomas and Hamline coaches in the building had an eye on him.
Bennett Otto (SG, 6-3, So., Champlin Park) – Bennett Otto is a really good shooter. A sophomore with length at 6-3, he will be a top scoring option for the Rebels in the coming years. When you have McKinley Wright driving the lane, you’re bound to be open, and Otto is good at putting himself in spots to succeed.
Nick McMillan (SG, 6-2, Sr., Mounds View) – The senior was feeling it Tuesday night, hitting three bombs in the first half. McMillan is a guy who can get hot fast, and he finished with 16 points in his final high school game. Northwestern-St. Paul and Bethel staffs were on hand to watch him.
Oskar Peterson (PG, 6-0, Sr., Mounds View) – He’s not too big but there’s a lot of fight in Oskar Peterson. He battled the pressure of Rebel guards all night and showed resilience. A good way to go out for Peterson as the Mustang lead guard.
–Champlin Park and Osseo face off in the section 5AAAA championship game on Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m.