We Didn't Go to Jared's made a game out of it by mounting a feeble comeback in the second half, but We're on a Boat (ft. T-Lang) held on to secure the 21-13 sectional victory. Excellent weather conditions and unparalleled Rec Sports officiating ensured that both teams would have nothing to complain about at the end of the day.
"We really did a nice job out there moving the ball," Boaters captain Tim Lang said. "We all played team defense really well together, it was a team effort."
Jared's came out strong from the opening whistle as Chad Breeden, the undisputed heart of the team, outmanned his opponents in the post for an easy basket. But the Boaters' defense quickly buckled up, preventing Jared's from taking any uncontested shots or easy lay-ins the rest of the way.
"We had all five of our guys show up, which is a plus, but I don't think it was enough," Jared's guard Andrew Cavanagh said. "I'm a big fan of Stephon Marbury, so we tried to show them a little bit of Starbury, but unfortunately like the Knicks we didn't win."
Led by the outstanding perimeter shooting of Mike Manny and the aggressive driving of Mike Lee, the Boaters fast-paced tempo was too much for Jared's to handle.
"Our team works real well together, and we had really good spacing, so a lot of the time we just spread the floor and let our guys do work," Manny said. "Credit those guys, they're a tough team."
Anlan Properties 21, Innovation Nation 14
Both teams were cold from the floor to start the game, but it didn't take long for the Anlan shooters to find their strokes and cruise to a 21-14 victory in the sectional finals. Innovation may have brought more hustle to the contest, but Anlan's sharp shooting prevented the game from being close.
"We played tough, we played pretty well the whole tournament and they were definitely the toughest team we've faced," Anlan captain Joe Seib said. "I got to give the refs a lot of credit, they called a good game, but we got a lot of tall guys so it helps us on the boards."
But the biggest contributor on the Anlan side was the 5-foot-9 track and field standout Tyrell Atkins, who proved that his athletic talents extend beyond the 60-meter dash. Atkins finished with 12 points, highlighted by a one-handed dunk on a fast break early in the second half.
Despite their spirited effort, Nation couldn't buy a shot for most of the contest as sloppy passing and over-aggressive shooting caught up to them early on. Captain Ryan Winiarski and guard Pat Richel led the way for Nation, driving to the basket and hitting key jumpers to keep Anlan on their toes.
"We just couldn't score for 10 minutes," Winiarski said. "We started picking it up in the end, but we didn't get any rebounds and we just couldn't make a bucket."
No. 8 Kramer Properties 21, No. 21 Nunc Dimittis 11
In a highly anticipated matchup, Kramer Properties overpowered and defeated Nunc Dimittis Wednesday afternoon.
Both teams came out of the gate with high energy, but over-anxiousness and jitters led to a flurry of turnovers and no baskets in the opening minutes. However, Kramer junior Tommy Mumford blocked a shot, and the turnover led to the first point of the game, setting the tone of the contest.
"They were a great team, but we played well. The plan was to crash boards and keep the ball moving on offense, that worked out well for us," Kramer Properties captain Joe Marrell said. "As we get deeper in the tournament our teamwork and mental toughness are going to keep us going against these strong, fit teams."
Kramer Properties opened up the game with a 4-1 run, and continued to score two or three baskets for every one drained by Nunc Dimittis. Strong inside play and drawn fouls were the key to their 11-4 halftime lead, including a 4-for-5 performance from the free throw line.
Nunc Dimittis, under the leadership of Keogh Rector Father Pete McCormack, C.S.C., came out strong in the opening moments of the second half, but Kramer Properties' speed and size advantages took control. The score was pushed to 15-6, but momentum shifted to Nunc Dimittis when Mumford missed a breakaway dunk.
Guard Charlie Keller's outside shooting brought the game within reach, but once again Kramer Properties had an answer, as the outside shooting from sophomore Frank Carl and the inside domination from senior Lance Ladendorf and fifth-year senior Matt Hamel.
"Those guys are a terrific team, some very classy guys who were a pleasure to play," Fr. McCormack said. "This tournament is such an amazing experience, it is my eighth year of playing and I always have a great time. I'll definitely be back next year to enjoy the fun."
No. 10 Monstars 21, No. 23 Night on the Town 17
Led by solid play from their big men, the No. 10 Monstars defeated No. 23 Night on the Town in a game that was more one-sided than the score indicates.
The Monstars used an in-and-out offensive style, starting each possession by trying to get the ball inside to their big men, who would work the defense and find their teammates for open looks. Captain Ryan Hornacek and juniors Patrick Dollard and Andrew Derksen rotated through the post throughout the game, using their size and strength to overpower Night on the Town.
"We try to get the ball inside and take advantage of mismatches when we can," Hornacek said.
Both teams were in foul trouble early, and it looked as though Night on the Town was going to take advantage, hitting some early free throws to keep the game close in the first half. The Monstars struggled with their free throw shooting, which allowed Night on the Town to hang around.
"We have to hit free throws. We didn't shoot very well from the line [Wednesday], so we have to pick that up a little bit," Hornacek said.
After going into halftime with a 11-8 lead, the Monstars came out firing in the second half, and had the game at 18-12 before going on a cold streak that extended the game and forced them to slow down their pace.
"We were patient on offense and tried to get the ball inside. They were in foul trouble so we tried to take advantage of that," Hornacek said.
The Monstars were eventually able to put the game away, led by junior Hank Jenkins, whose two late buckets helped put the game out of reach. Dollard was able to score on a put-back to finish off Night on the Town.
No. 6 Delivery Boys 21, Old School 15
Using their youth and athleticism, the No. 6 Delivery Boys held off Old School on their way to a victory that moves them into the Sweet 16.
One of the Cinderella stories of the tournament, unranked Old School, whose average age is 35 years old, hung with the Delivery Boys, but just did not have enough to pull out a victory.
"They're tough on the boards, and as soon as they're on the boards, they're breaking, so you have to get back," Old School captain Todd Hill said. "It was tough on us. It just wore us down."
The Delivery Boys set the pace of the game right from the outset, but Old School stayed with them through most of the first half. It was not until the second half, when the Delivery Boys switched their defense, that they pulled out to a solid lead.
"We switched up to man to man and got on the boards and got out running. That's our strength, to get out on the open floor, and we did that well," Delivery Boys sophomore David Rudy said. "They were scrappy. They were fighting for loose balls. We started out in a zone and they tore it apart. We just fought back and played well."
Despite the loss, Hill felt good about the way his team performed.
"We knew they were going to try to run us, so we tried to slow them down with old-man ball," he said. "That's all we could do. We still have the competitive spirit of a 20-year-old. Unfortunately it's trapped in 30- and 40-year-old bodies, so it makes it tough."
The Delivery Boys look to use their speed and the fast break to their advantage as they continue in the tournament.
"[We have to] keep it running and play well," Rudy said.
