Saturday's final game in the 2016 Breakdown Sports Tip Off Classic featured a match up between two of last year's state boys basketball champions, the Minneapolis North Polars from Class A and the Class AAAA champion Apple Valley Eagles, who were led by Tre Jones' 29 points that led them to an 84-70 victory over the Polars at Hopkins High School.
Jones got the packed West gym crown going with a jam to open the scoring 1:04 into the game. The Polars would get a three pointer from Jaquan Sanders-Smith to take the lead. Mason Morse would counter with a shot from Highway 169 and Tre Jones would score on a right handed lay up to put Apple Valley on a 5-0 run. North would come back on a block from Odell Wilson IV and a basket from Isaac Johnson to even the game at seven. The lead would go back and forth a few times until Sanders-Smith and Marquis Holloman sparked a 5-0 Polar run. Luke Martens would cut the lead to one and that was followed by dueling three pointers from Morse and Isaac Johnson. A basket from Sanders-Smith would put North ahead by eight. The Eagles would come close on Mohmaed Kone's three pointer that cut the lead to two. Apple Valley would forge ahead with a late 6-0 run that would give them a 42-35 halftime lead.
The start of the second half looked like a three point shooting clinic as the Eagles hit three from the arc. Two were from Ely Hendrickson and the third was from Jones. Nathan Macho would also contribute for Apple Valley with four straight points. Then there was more action from the three point line Michael Thomas would score for the Eagles and Isaac Johnson countered for the Polars. North would stay alive as they went on a 5-0 run that included a Sanders-Smith three pointer. Apple Valley would go up by nine as Martens and Kone scored. Wilson would hit a three point play that drew the Polars close but it was Jones, the brother of Minnesota Timberwolf Tyus Jones that would hit a couple of three point plays down the stretch to wrap up the win.
In addition to his 29 points, Jones had 11 assists and five blocked shots. Other Apple Valley players in double figures were Martens with 15 points followed by Kone and Macho with 10 apiece. Isaac Johnson led North with 21 points. Sanders-Smith finished with 20 and Wilson contributed 19.
The Eagles opened the season without their top player from last year's title team Gary Trent Jr. He signed with Duke and transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, CA. Apple Valley head coach Zach Goring commented before the game on the loss of his top player from last season.
"He wanted to go somewhere where he could play against Division I talent every day. He was ready to move on."
Apple Valley opened the season with a 1-0 record and returns to action on Thursday, December 8 when they head down Highway 7 to take on the Minnetonka Skippers in a 7 PM game. North fell to 0-1 and will travel to Edina on Tuesday, December 6 for a 7 PM battle with the Hornets.
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