Boys basketball: Cherry a little too quick for BOLD at state

Mar. 20—MINNEAPOLIS — Cherry's mix of athleticism and speed, most often, is overwhelming.

BOLD experienced it first hand in the Class A state boys basketball quarterfinals.

Defending state champion and top-seeded Cherry earned an 89-57 victory against the eighth-seeded Warriors in a matinee match-up on Thursday at the Target Center.

"We knew they were fast, but it's a different speed on the court," BOLD senior guard Jack Gross said. "They're able to use their bodies when you cut them off and they were able to finish off that. In transition, they're so quick with their moves. You might cut them off, but with one side step they're by you again."

Cherry (30-1) advances to play fourth-seeded Nevis in the Class A state semifinals at noon Friday at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. Nevis beat fifth-seeded Henning 58-52 on Thursday.

The Warriors (20-11) play Henning in the Class A state consolation semifinals at noon Friday at Concordia University's Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul.

"They move really well and with speed and they're strong," BOLD head coach Dan Gross said of the Tigers. "They did a really nice job on their game plan."

The state tournament is an accomplishment in itself for the Warriors.

Before this year, the farthest the Warriors ever advanced in the playoffs was a sub-section final.

"Coming into the season, I don't think most of us thought we'd be here," Jack Gross said. "I mean, (we thought it was) just gonna be another basketball season. But it's been really fun. We've really come together as a team, competed and just had fun."

Before the emergence of the Bird Island-Olivia-Lake-Lillian school district, Olivia made a state appearance in 1919. Bird Island-Lake Lillian won back-to-back state titles in 1980 and '81.

Dan Gross and his spirited group of Warriors still have an opportunity to add to that hardware through the consolation portion of the state tournament.

"These guys are all like my kids; we spend every summer together," Dan Gross said. "It's special, that small-town thing. They're all like family. It's cool being a part of it."

The Warriors stuck with the Tigers early, even holding a 13-11 lead before Cherry went on a 12-point run to take a 23-13 lead with 9 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the first half.

That run helped the Tigers settle in before they took a 44-33 lead into halftime.

"We know we're going to get everyone's best punch being the one seed down here and just all year," Cherry sophomore guard Isaiah Asuma said. "We always got that target on our back."

Cherry, looking to win its second straight Class A championship in four consecutive state appearances, was led by Noah Sundquist and the Asuma cousins.

Sundquist, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, had game highs of 32 points and seven rebounds. Noah Asuma, a 6-2 junior guard/forward, contributed 23 points and four boards. Isaiah Asuma, a 6-2 sophomore guard, finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

"I think we can play multiple styles, which is awesome for these guys. Their basketball IQs are super high," Tigers head coach Jordan Christianson said. "But the style that we want to play is fast. I think everyone knows that. ... If we can get to that point where we wear out our opponent enough, that speed can really show. These guys are well-conditioned."

Will Penkert paced the Warriors with 23 points, 17 came in the first half. The 6-3 senior forward matched Cherry's physicality and left the game with a thick cut under his left eye that required stitches. The cut came after he dueled for a defensive rebound.

Jack Gross, who finished with 10 points, reached 2,000 career points in the second half. He is the first BOLD boys basketball player ever to achieve this feat.

His 2,000th point came on a free throw with 7:46 to play in the contest.

The 6-5 senior guard has been a West Central Tribune All-Area Second Team pick the past two seasons.

"The milestone's awesome," Dan Gross said. "He's committed himself for years and years on this. His teammates have always been awesome about getting him the ball and working with him. It takes a team, it takes a village to do what he did."

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Boys basketball: Cherry a little too quick for BOLD at state

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