Mpls. North Polars Cruise to Second Straight Class A State Title

First he helped win a state title in football then Saturday afternoon Isaac Johnson scored  game high 28 points to lead the Minneapolis North Polars to a 96-49 rout of the North Woods Grizzlies in the Class A boys basketball championship game at Target Center in Minneapolis.

It was the second consecutive state title and seventh overall for Mpls. North in its 21st trip to state.  It was also the 10th straight game the Polars have scored more than 80 points.

The Polars began the game on an 8-0 run which included four straight points from Tayler Johnson. The Grizzlies would finally get on the scoreboard when Tate Olson scored with 14:05 let in the first half.  Tayler Johnson would also score five straight points to help spark an 11-0 run.  There would b some bright spots for North Woods, which opened in 2011 after Cook and Orr high schools merged.  George Bibeau would score four straight points and Olson would hit two from Butler Square.  The Polars would dominate with their quickness and precision passing to outscore the Grizzlies 15-1 and lead at halftime 48-21.

JaQuan Sanders-Smith would hit a free throw :31 into the second half to open the scoring.  There would be an outstanding display of three point shooting from both teams, starting with Bibeau from the Grizzlies, then Johnson from the Polars and Olson would connect from North Woods.  Isaac Johnson would hit two more three pointers for Mpls. North as the Polars would go 5-5 from the three point line but 1-5 the remainder of the game.  With the game heading into running time halfway through the second half, both teams would clear their benches.  Even the Polar reserves would factor into the scoring equation, including seventh grader Trejuan Holloman.  A great play late in the game for Mpls. North came when Glenn Carter missed his shot and Dak'Kei Hines got the rebound and scored on a dunk.

Other Polars in double figures were Sanders-Smith with 24 points. ODell Wilson IV added 12 and Marquis Holloman came off the bench to contribute 10 points.  Olson led the Grizzlies with 14 points and five assists.  Bibeau had 13 and  Cade Goggleye added 12.

In the third place game at Ganglehoff Center on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul, the Goodhue Wildcats beat the Springfield Tigers 51-47.  In the earlier consolation game, James cook's three pointer with :09 to play led the Red Lake Warriors to a 56-55 win over the Central MN Christian Bluejays.

Mpls. North ended their season with a record of 32-2.  They will move up to Class AA next season due to increased enrollment.  North Woods finished with a record of 31-2.