State Boys Basketball: Rangers runners up again

 MINNEAPOLIS-For two minutes and 41 seconds the Crosby-Ironton Rangers were as close to a state title as any team could be.

Noah Gindorff, a 6-foot-6 senior center, hit a jumper from the baseline with 10:44 remaining in the second half of the Class 2A state championship Saturday at Target Center.

Gindorff's basket cut the No. 3 seeded Rangers' deficit to 30-29 against the top-ranked, top-seeded Minnehaha Academy Redhawks.

But it got even closer.

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Minnehaha 47, Crosby-Ironton 36

• Key: C-I shot just 30 percent from field, 17.6 from 3-point
• Overall: CI 30-3, MA 26-5
• All-tournament team: Noah Gindorff, Trey Jacobs, Jack Silgen

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During the next two minutes and 41 seconds the Rangers held Minnehaha scoreless and created four quality scoring looks that just wouldn't fall.

It was indicative of the entire game as the Rangers, who shot 68 percent against Breckenridge in the quarterfinals, and 40 percent against St. Cloud Cathedral in the semifinals, connected on just 32 percent Saturday.

After the barrage of chances, Redhawks guard Jalen Suggs scored the game's next four points and his team's next 10 points to build a 42-36 advantage with a 1:26 remaining. The opportunity to secure C-I's first state boys basketball title slipped away like it had done five previous times in the program's history.

"Coming in here we knew there was no pressure on us," said Gindoff. "All the pressure was on them. They were the No. 1 team. I don't know if anyone really gave us a chance, but we definitely showed that we belonged." Senior guard Jack Silgen agreed: "I definitely think there was some doubt. I think we've been doubted all season a little bit coming from the section with Esko and Virginia. We weren't even the No. 1 seed in our section. I think we definitely proved that we can play with the best of them."

Even C-I's opponent agreed: "I have a lot of respect for them," Suggs said. "They came in and executed their gameplan real well. They slowed us down. They had some offensive struggles or we played great defense so I give a lot of respect for them. They played hard all game."

Gindorff led the Rangers with 19 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. He finished the state tournament with 53 points on 61 percent shooting from the field, including 2-2 from 3-point. He added 34 rebounds, 15 blocked shots, four steals and three assists and played in all but one minute of the tournament as did Silgen and fellow senior Trey Jacobs.

Before Gindorff cut Minnehaha's lead to one, the Rangers trailed 30-21 as Kaden Johnson dropped two free throws at 16:32 of the second half. Four minutes later Silgen hit his only 3 of the game followed 32 seconds later by Jacobs' only 3 of the game to make it 30-27 Redhawks.

"I knew we were in the game," said Silgen. "We didn't shoot well in the first half, but we put in the work and I knew we were better than that. When we hit those 3s, I knew we could play with them."

Silgen finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a block. Jacobs scored seven points and grabbed three rebounds. Those were the only Rangers to score Saturday.

Only five Redhawks scored, however. Minnehaha's lead only reached double figures three times, with the last on a garbage-time dunk from Suggs, who led all scorers with 22 points. The first big lead came in the first half. Silgen dropped two free throws to make it 17-12 Redhawks. Minnehaha then went on a 6-0 run to make it 23-12.

The Rangers rebounded with a Gindorff 3-point play and two Jacobs free throws for a 23-17 halftime score.

The half ended with Suggs, an athletic, nationally ranked freshman, at the top of the key waiting for the clock to wind down. Between him and the basket, 6-5 sophomore Jonathan Jacobson. The upperclassman won the battle as he denied Suggs any points.

"We knew we could play with them the entire game," said Gindoff. "JJ (Jacobson) has done a great job the entire year for us. He's stepped in where we needed him to and he's made some big plays for us. He stepped up in that moment and I thought it was a good confidence boost for us."

C-I trailed by six at the half despite shooting 27.8 percent from the field and 0-of-8 from 3-point in the first half.

"We looked at the percentages, and I think it was like 28 percent at the half, and I said we're right where we want to be," Galovich said. "You knock down a couple shots and I thought we were in good position. We wanted to keep it close and we did a good job of that.

"When you look at shooting percentages, it's easy to say, 'well, yeah we had an off night,' but often times you have to look at the opponent and credit their defense. I thought Minnehaha's defensive effort was very good. The best we've seen all year."

But the Redhawks won the war as Terry Lockett came off the bench to score 12 and Suggs scored 15 points after that Jacobson showdown. It wasn't easy however, as Minnehaha couldn't figure out how to break down C-I's matchup zone. The Redhawks shot 31.8 percent in the second half, which included numerous stalls, including one that featured Suggs crouching to the ground.

"They totally, totally had us slowed down," said Minnehaha coach Lance Johnson. "Again, I give them a ton of credit, because we hadn't faced a zone, it was almost like they were in a matchup zone because they would follow us through on overloads so it had us confused. That, on top of us not hitting our 3s made it problematic for us."

Minnehaha did score 11 points off turnovers and had eight fast-break points compared to 4-0 for C-I.

"We had to say goodbye to four seniors," said Galovich. "The commitment, the dedication and the time they put into our program, we couldn't ask for more.

"We just left the underclassmen and I told them make sure you hug these four seniors. No. 1, they treated the freshmen, sophomores and junior very well. Sometimes that's not always the case, but they were great to them. They were great role models, on and off the floor, in the classroom and in the community. You just couldn't ask for anything more than what these four guys have given us."

Minnehaha Academy 23 24-47

Crosby-Ironton 17 19-36

MINNEHAHA ACADEMY

Jalen Suggs 22, Kaden Johnson 4, Terry Lockett , Lorenzo Smith 2, JaVonni Bickham 7, Terry Lockett 12. FG 17-45 (37.8 percent), FT 11-16 (68.8 percent). 3-point 2-12 (16.7 percent).

CROSBY-IRONTON

Jack Silgen 10, Trey Jacobs 7, Noah Gindorff 19. FG 12-40 (30.0 percent), FT 9-12 (75 percent). 3-point 3-17 (17.6 percent).