|
Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
Just for the heck of it, imagine the boys basketball team maintains its very early season pace of being undefeated at home and picking up splits on the road. It’s only four games into the schedule, but that pattern would give Forest Lake an 18-5 record.
Order your tickets now for the Target Center in March...
But that’s months into the 2008 calendar, so let’s revert back to the 3-1 Rangers.
After starting with two games on the road, Forest Lake hosted Coon Rapids on Friday, Dec. 14, and took the home opener, 80-75. While head coach Dan Cremisino’s 12-headed attack led the entire way, they also saw a 20-point lead shrink down to single digits late in the game.
“We have 12 guys contributing right now, which is great because we are playing at a fast pace and guys need to stay fresh,” Cremisino said. “The flip-side is we have to get stops on the defensive end on a more consistent basis.
“While I never felt the game was in doubt in the second half, we did let it get too close.”
It never hurts to have an experienced senior knocking down crucial free throws, as Ryan Brown did for the Rangers, on his way to 12 points.
There’s no secret the boys roster is a little short on height, so now they simply make their points by running, gunning and passing.
“We ran the floor well, shared the basketball (24 assists), took good shots and made shots. It has probably been quite a few years since a Forest Lake team has scored 80 points in a game,” Cremisino shared. “I think that will happen again more than once this year.”
An active defense helped Forest Lake build the sizeable first-half lead, as the Rangers scored off of steals, off of Coon Rapids misses, and also found the open man.
“Griffin Lentsch showed off his jump shot and his range, scoring 18 points, and Brad Kopp continues his hot shooting as he scored 18 points,” Cremisino said.
Those two and the previously mentioned Brown had help from the likes of Zach Riedeman (nine points), Brandon Phelps (eight points) and John Young (seven points).
If Friday night was tailor made for the Rangers, the trip to Blaine on Dec. 11 was designed by someone else, who altered the final outcome.
“Two very different games for us,” Cremisino said. “The Blaine game we just did not play very well as a group.”
Cremisino admitted the 76-64 loss wasn’t strictly Forest Lake’s fault, as Blaine turned in a magnificent effort. The Bengals have good size and shot close to 60 percent on the night.
Brown did his best to shoot the Rangers back in it, but Forest Lake would never get to within eight points.
“We think we will play them much better if we get to see them again in sections,” Cremisino stated.
Win No. 3
The boys were back on the treadmill Tuesday night, hosting Centennial in what would turn out to be another entertaining affair.
The score was tied at halftime, but the Rangers pulled ahead in a high scoring second half to win, 85-78.
Forest Lake — Lentsch 10, R. Brown 15, Phelps 10, Ty Cremisino 4, Young 2, Kopp 11, Riedeman 6, Person 4, Malcolm Brown 2.
Blaine — Good 2, Vinh 4, Harstad 3, Leafblad 2, Kreklow 21, Giddings 25, Holmgren 1, Lust 4, Hoffman 2, Rodriguez 12.
|
