Scoring isn’t a problem for Blaze in latest win by Jason Olson
Thisweek Newspapers
When Burnsville scheduled Shakopee for a non-conference game before the holiday break, it was seen as a move to add a quality opponent not from the Lake Conference.
Shakopee has developed into a favorite in the Missota Conference, the section and sometimes state with its strong combination of perimeter shooting and inside game.
Both were showcased Saturday night, but the Blaze emerged with a 64-59 win. P HOTO: Burnsville guard Devon Knopke dishes the ball off while Shakopee players try to contain him during Tuesday's win in Burnsville. The five-point margin wasn’t the closest of the season for the Blaze who beat Lakeville North by one point on Dec. 9.
“Our defense was horrible (Saturday),” said Blaze coach Bob Schweim. “It’s not like us to allow them to shoot from the outside like we did.”
From the view of a casual observer it looked like Burnsville was more concerned with denying post Jason Perkins than contesting three-pointers.
“There wasn’t a run at the shooters to get a hand in their face or anything like that,” Schweim said, adding the Sabers played without their all-state caliber player in Matt Zager. “We escaped with that one (win).”
Shakopee guard Matt Korthour scored a game-high 25 points and Perkins was kept in check with nine points.
Scoring wasn’t as large of a problem for Burnsville as junior guard Devon Knopke led with 17 points and Patrick Rogers added 11 points in the win.
Still, Schweim said there is room for improvement on the other end of the floor.
“We should love to play against a zone defense like that,” he said. “But we didn’t adjust to their half-court defense in the second half.”  PHOTO: Bursnville's Alex Wheeler looks for a chance to put up a shot during Tuesday's non-conference game against Shakopee.
Biggest win yet
Burnsville pushed its winning streak to five games Tuesday night with its biggest win of the young season, an 81-52 win at Bloomington Kennedy (0-3).
Burnsville led the Lake Conference matchup by 11 points at halftime before outscoring the Eagles 45-27 in the second half.
Jake Ghizoni led the Blaze with 21 points, tying Kennedy’s Ryan Vikesland who also scored 21 points.
The diverse Burnsville attack had five players score nine points or more with Landon Berge adding 13 points, Wheeler had 11 and Jeff Fallat and Plummer each had nine.
Eagan After pouring in 93 points in the season-opening win, Eagan (1-3) boys basketball was held to 59 and 65 points twice in the next three losses.
Tuesday night the Wildcats fell to Lakeville North (3-2) by the same 70-65 score as the previous game against Chaska on Dec. 12.
The loss to Chaska wasn’t for a lack of diversity on offense with four starters scoring at least 13 points, led by Donovan’s 15 points, VonEschen 14, Parsons 13 and Charley Baker 13.
Scoring wasn’t as widespread Tuesday night with Baker collecting 25 points, four assists and three steals while VonEschen added 12 points and Matt Hentges scored eight points.
Eagan shot 42 percent from the field and made 12-of-17 free throw attempts, but Lakeville North built an eight-point lead that was too tall for Eagan, despite outscoring the Panthers 44-42 in the second half.
Jason Olson is at
sports.thisweek@ecm-inc.com. | 
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment