Up Next Osseo

The Northwest Suburban Conference basketball championship seems to be coming down to the teams we thought it would be, the Champlin Park Rebels and the Osseo Orioles, as the teams prepare for their second show down of the season at 7pm on Tuesday, February 23rd at Champlin Park.

This became clear last week after the Rebels knocked off Coon Rapids and Centennial to run their current winning streak to 11 games (17 of their last 19) and improve to 18-4 overall and 13-1 in conference play. The Rebels are currently ranked #2 in the Minnesota Basketball News poll and #4 in the Minnesota Preps poll. Osseo, who is 18-4 overall also and 12-2 in conference play, lost to Andover 57-54 last Friday, to fall a game behind Champlin Park in the conference. The Orioles (before their lost) were ranked #3 in the Minnesota Basketball News poll and #6 in the Minnesota Preps poll, they are most likely to drop in both.

Last week, Kyle Zimmerman and Jasper Duberry finished with 12 points each in a 50-47 home win over Coon Rapids on February 16. Then, on Friday February 19th, Duberry, Josh Pella and Dillon Hager scored 11 points apiece in a 60-51 victory over Centennial as Zimmermann watched in street clothes.

The Rebels won the first meeting 61-53 at Osseo, snapping the Orioles 40 game four year home winning streak. It was also the first time that the Rebels had defeated the Orioles in the last five years.

It was the first game that guard Dillon Hager had permenantly replaced post D’Andre Williamson in the starting lineup. Ironically, do to Kyle Zimmermann’s being out with a bad ankle sprang, Williamson re-enters the lineup.

After a number of questionable fouls on both teams, the Rebels took a 34-24 lead at the half. Late in the 2nd half while up 8 points, the Rebels went into a 2-3 zone. The Orioles struggled to make shots from the perimeter and twice had possessions in which they passed the ball around for close to 2 minutes trying to find a shot and did not convert on either possession.

Pella (10 rebounds) and Zimmermann (14 rebounds) who both had double doubles were huge inside the lane as Hager and Reibling (who replaced Duberry do to foul trouble) continued to stretch the floor with their 3 point shooting. The Rebels 2nd half defense was phenomenal as they seemed very focused and hustled for every loose ball. This was a game that seemed like the Rebels wanted more and was their best performance of the year.

With a conference tie in the balance for Osseo, the Rebels will have to play twice as hard to win their largest game of the season to date. Expect the Orioles to play aggressive in the paint, trying to take advantage of the missing Zimmermann and to over work Pella. Williamson and TJ Okafor will need to play smart and within themselves as their play will go a long way in determining the game.

The Rebels, who have the bigger guards and are deeper at this position, will have to play big to offset this and keep the Orioles stand out point guard Aaron Anderson (12 ppg) out of the lane.

First Game Stats:
Champlin Park: Duberry 3, Davis 9, Hager 8, Pella 15, Reibling 8, Walker 5, Zimmerman 13.
Osseo: Rowland 11, Anderson 10, McMorris 8, Bailey 3, Bervin 8, Sonnenfeld 7, Theisen 6.