#10 posting 3.6.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information
7AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP
OSSEO orioles 62, CENTENNIAL cougars 56
Osseo upset #1 Centennial 62-56. It is the second straight year Centennial was denied a state tournament berth. Centennial only scored three field goals in the first half as Osseo led 28-20. The Cougars did cut the margin to 57-56 late in the game.
After the South/Hopkins game in, of all places, Osseo, Coach Teas, Barb (a spotter), and I took off for Anoka to see the 7AAAA championship. The South game started at 7 pm, this game started at 8 pm. I figured I would be able to see at least the second half. The first game at Anoka was the 3AAA finals with Totino-Grace prevailing over Fridley. We made it up there and I started transcribing with about 2 minutes left in the first half. By that time it was 25-19. From my many sources at the contest they said Osseo took better care of the ball early, hand control of the boards, and matched up well. The Orioles led at half 28-20.
Osseo stretched that lead to 32-20 after a couple of early baskets by
Jennie Sunnarborg and Kendra Ware. That made the hill a little steeper for the Cougars. Osseo left the door ajar with a six possession drought. Centennial started their comeback attempt with two put backs with Kayla Blom and Emily Becken. A lay up by Megan Nipe cut the margin to 32-26. Osseo pushed back to 46-34 with under 7:30 left. A three point play by Nipe and then what turned out to be a four point possession with a Bridget Schuneman free throw and, after Centennial retained possession, a &1 by Kiara Allums. Now the score was 46-41 and 6:08 left in the game. The lead varied to six to four. Megan Nipe kept coming up with big baskets to keep Centennial within shouting distance. Yet Osseo had an answer for every challenge. At the 1:45 mark Allums was fouled on a three attempt. She made 
the last free throw to make it 56-51. An Osseo turnover resulted in a Nipe lay up attempt and foul. She made both tosses to make it 56-53 with 1:29 left. The building could feel the momentum shift. However two players were out due to the maximum foul totals. Dani Mangen was the first to exit with 2:14 left. Emily Becken joined her with 1:51 left. Centennial used another multiple point possession. This time it was Allums starting it off with one free throw. Nipe rebounded and added two more for a 57-56 Osseo advantage with 1:00 to go. Brianna Olson was fouled and did not convert either toss. Allums rebounded and with a chance to take the lead later tried to drive the lane. The shot was off, and Sunnarborg grabbed the ball. She was fouled and delivered at the line. Three attempts were off by Allums and Nipe. Free throws were the Orioles response.
Three on a match is hard to do. Centennial could not get their transition game on track at all. Glaeser's Theorem again proved itself out. You need to survive your bad half to win a championship. Osseo got off to a great start and they have good athletes in the starting spots. Not only are they good athletes, they are fighters. The coaching staff got them to believe after the first drubbing at Centennial. The second meeting was tighter, but Sunnarborg missed that contest due to a concussion. The third time was the charm. Now it is off to the show.
photos: #1 Kiara Allums goes up for a rebound. #2. Kendra Ware finger rolls a shot. Kayla Blom defends. #3. Megan Nipe launches a three with Chiamaka Okonkwo defending. #4. The party begins at midcourt for the Orioles after the upset. photos by Teas.
KEY; Player (grad year) points, possessions, pp100, floor %
keep in mind these are only for the last 20 minutes of the game---last two minutes of the first half and the entire second half.
OSSEO
STARTERS (2nd half) red indicates total points
Jennifer Sunnarborg (08) 14 22, 10, 140.0, .800
Chiamaka Okonkwo (09) 3 7, 4, 75.0, .500
Brianna Olson (08) 0 1, 4, 0.0, .000
Kendra Ware (08) 2 9, 5, 40.0, .200
Danielle Mangen (09) 6 6, 6, 100.0, .333
BENCH
Marney Ferrara (08) 3 5, 6, 50.0, .333
Kylie Gottsman (09) 4 4, 3, 133.3, .667
Amy Hildenbrand (08) 5 8, 3, 166.7, .667
Jessica Fife (10) 0 0, 0, 0.0, .000
CENTENNIAL
STARTERS (2nd half)
Kayla Blom (08) 3 3, 8, 37.5, .250
Kiara Allums (08) 8 12, 10, 80.0, .400
Megan Nipe (09) 19 29, 12, 158.3, .667
Bridget Schuneman (09) 5 6, 4, 125.0, .500
Emily Becken (08) 2 4, 5, 40.0, .200
BENCH
Megan Waytashek (10) 0 2, 1, 0.0, .000
TRENCH PLAYER
Jennifer Sunnarborg
BY THE NUMBERS--keeping in mind this is ONLY the last 20 minutes of the game
Osseo 37, 41, 90.2, .463
Centennial 37, 40, 92.5, .425
made 3s: Osseo 3, Centennial 2
ftm/fta-ft%: Osseo 18/26-.692; Centennial 13/23-.565
bench: Osseo 12, Centennial 0
DEFENSIVE WRAPS
OSSEO
Chiamaka Okonkwo 6
Kendra Ware 4
Jessica Fife 2
Jennifer Sunnarborg 1
Marny Ferrara 1
Briana Olson 1
Danielle Mangen 1
totals: 16
CENTENNIAL
Megan Nipe 6.5
Kiara Allums 6
Bridget Schuneman 3
Emily Becken 2.5
Megan Waytashek 2
totals: 20
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Both teams used man
Centennial ramped up their full court press later.
match ups: (cent off/Osseo def) Allums/Ware; Becken/Olson; Schuneman/Okonkwo; Nipe/Sunnarborg; Blom/Mangen
Osseo off/Centennial def: Sunnarborg/Nipe-Waytashek; Ware/Allums-Nipe; Mangen/Blom; Olson/Becken; Okonkwo/Schuneman
Next up: Spy Out & Abouts
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information
7AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP
OSSEO orioles 62, CENTENNIAL cougars 56
Osseo upset #1 Centennial 62-56. It is the second straight year Centennial was denied a state tournament berth. Centennial only scored three field goals in the first half as Osseo led 28-20. The Cougars did cut the margin to 57-56 late in the game.
After the South/Hopkins game in, of all places, Osseo, Coach Teas, Barb (a spotter), and I took off for Anoka to see the 7AAAA championship. The South game started at 7 pm, this game started at 8 pm. I figured I would be able to see at least the second half. The first game at Anoka was the 3AAA finals with Totino-Grace prevailing over Fridley. We made it up there and I started transcribing with about 2 minutes left in the first half. By that time it was 25-19. From my many sources at the contest they said Osseo took better care of the ball early, hand control of the boards, and matched up well. The Orioles led at half 28-20.Osseo stretched that lead to 32-20 after a couple of early baskets by
Jennie Sunnarborg and Kendra Ware. That made the hill a little steeper for the Cougars. Osseo left the door ajar with a six possession drought. Centennial started their comeback attempt with two put backs with Kayla Blom and Emily Becken. A lay up by Megan Nipe cut the margin to 32-26. Osseo pushed back to 46-34 with under 7:30 left. A three point play by Nipe and then what turned out to be a four point possession with a Bridget Schuneman free throw and, after Centennial retained possession, a &1 by Kiara Allums. Now the score was 46-41 and 6:08 left in the game. The lead varied to six to four. Megan Nipe kept coming up with big baskets to keep Centennial within shouting distance. Yet Osseo had an answer for every challenge. At the 1:45 mark Allums was fouled on a three attempt. She made 
the last free throw to make it 56-51. An Osseo turnover resulted in a Nipe lay up attempt and foul. She made both tosses to make it 56-53 with 1:29 left. The building could feel the momentum shift. However two players were out due to the maximum foul totals. Dani Mangen was the first to exit with 2:14 left. Emily Becken joined her with 1:51 left. Centennial used another multiple point possession. This time it was Allums starting it off with one free throw. Nipe rebounded and added two more for a 57-56 Osseo advantage with 1:00 to go. Brianna Olson was fouled and did not convert either toss. Allums rebounded and with a chance to take the lead later tried to drive the lane. The shot was off, and Sunnarborg grabbed the ball. She was fouled and delivered at the line. Three attempts were off by Allums and Nipe. Free throws were the Orioles response.
Three on a match is hard to do. Centennial could not get their transition game on track at all. Glaeser's Theorem again proved itself out. You need to survive your bad half to win a championship. Osseo got off to a great start and they have good athletes in the starting spots. Not only are they good athletes, they are fighters. The coaching staff got them to believe after the first drubbing at Centennial. The second meeting was tighter, but Sunnarborg missed that contest due to a concussion. The third time was the charm. Now it is off to the show.
photos: #1 Kiara Allums goes up for a rebound. #2. Kendra Ware finger rolls a shot. Kayla Blom defends. #3. Megan Nipe launches a three with Chiamaka Okonkwo defending. #4. The party begins at midcourt for the Orioles after the upset. photos by Teas.
KEY; Player (grad year) points, possessions, pp100, floor %
keep in mind these are only for the last 20 minutes of the game---last two minutes of the first half and the entire second half.
OSSEO
STARTERS (2nd half) red indicates total points
Jennifer Sunnarborg (08) 14 22, 10, 140.0, .800
Chiamaka Okonkwo (09) 3 7, 4, 75.0, .500
Brianna Olson (08) 0 1, 4, 0.0, .000
Kendra Ware (08) 2 9, 5, 40.0, .200
Danielle Mangen (09) 6 6, 6, 100.0, .333
BENCH
Marney Ferrara (08) 3 5, 6, 50.0, .333
Kylie Gottsman (09) 4 4, 3, 133.3, .667
Amy Hildenbrand (08) 5 8, 3, 166.7, .667
Jessica Fife (10) 0 0, 0, 0.0, .000
CENTENNIAL
STARTERS (2nd half)
Kayla Blom (08) 3 3, 8, 37.5, .250
Kiara Allums (08) 8 12, 10, 80.0, .400
Megan Nipe (09) 19 29, 12, 158.3, .667
Bridget Schuneman (09) 5 6, 4, 125.0, .500
Emily Becken (08) 2 4, 5, 40.0, .200
BENCH
Megan Waytashek (10) 0 2, 1, 0.0, .000
TRENCH PLAYERJennifer Sunnarborg
BY THE NUMBERS--keeping in mind this is ONLY the last 20 minutes of the game
Osseo 37, 41, 90.2, .463
Centennial 37, 40, 92.5, .425
made 3s: Osseo 3, Centennial 2
ftm/fta-ft%: Osseo 18/26-.692; Centennial 13/23-.565
bench: Osseo 12, Centennial 0
DEFENSIVE WRAPS
OSSEO
Chiamaka Okonkwo 6
Kendra Ware 4
Jessica Fife 2
Jennifer Sunnarborg 1
Marny Ferrara 1
Briana Olson 1
Danielle Mangen 1
totals: 16
CENTENNIAL
Megan Nipe 6.5
Kiara Allums 6
Bridget Schuneman 3
Emily Becken 2.5
Megan Waytashek 2
totals: 20
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Both teams used man
Centennial ramped up their full court press later.
match ups: (cent off/Osseo def) Allums/Ware; Becken/Olson; Schuneman/Okonkwo; Nipe/Sunnarborg; Blom/Mangen
Osseo off/Centennial def: Sunnarborg/Nipe-Waytashek; Ware/Allums-Nipe; Mangen/Blom; Olson/Becken; Okonkwo/Schuneman
Next up: Spy Out & Abouts
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