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Forest Lake coasts by Cristo Rey Jesuit

By Ricky Campbell, SportsEngine, 12/27/16, 7:30AM CST

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The Rangers rode a 42-19 first half to defeat the Pumas.




Forest Lake senior guard Jake Larson finished with a team-high 22 points in the Rangers' 76-51 win over Cristo Rey Jesuit Tuesday. Photo by Drew Herron, SportsEngine


It was the tale of two halves in the opening game of the Tartan Holiday Tournament Tuesday, with Forest Lake building a big lead early and never looking back, topping Cristo Rey Jesuit 76-51.

Forest Lake coach Dan Cremisino said the goal for his squad from the beginning was to stifle Cristo Rey senior Jericho Sims and to set the pace early. The Rangers did just that, trapping key players and exploiting open gaps in Cristo Rey’s defense.

With senior Jake Larson leading with 22 points -- 14 in the first half -- Forest Lake (4-2) closed the first half up 42-19.

“He’s a real nice guard,” Cremisino said of Larson. “He’s shifty and crafty enough to create his own shots.”

Forest Lake’s season-leading scorer, senior Mitch Jerde, finished with 10 points. 

Sims, who’s committed to the University of Texas, was quiet in the first half, but made the second half his own, finishing the game with 35 points. Although his teammates struggled to get him the ball in the first half, they had no problem finding the 6-9 big man in the paint later in the game.

“He could score 40 points every night, but he would always trade that in for a win. That’s the kind of kid he is,” Cristo Rey coach Stanley Clay said. “Everyone benefits from playing with him.”

Clay pointed to some first half turnovers that hurt the Pumas and forced them into an early hole. It’s something his young team can learn from, improve on, and use in upcoming games.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” he said, adding that the second half was a completely different game when Cristo Rey players started finding Sims. “We just got to fight better.”

Cremisino had nothing but compliments for Sims, who at times made the game interesting in the second half. The coach said Sims was much more aggressive in the last half and got to the line early and often.

“When he gets that ball inside, he has to see more than one defender,” Cremisino said. 

Before fouling out with 37.5 seconds to go, Cristo Rey senior Karlton Gregory made some big plays for the Pumas defense, including two blocks that sent Cristo Rey pushing the ball down the floor. 

Forest Lake (4-2) will advance to the tournament’s next round, playing the winner of Carmel Catholic and Rogers – a scheduled tip-off at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. Cristo Rey (2-4, 1-0) will play the loser of that game.


Cristo Rey senior Jericho Sims finished the game with 35 points to lead all scorers Tuesday. Photo by Drew Herron, SportsEngine

First Report

It was the tale of two halves in the opening game of the Tartan Holiday Tournament Tuesday, with Forest Lake building a big lead early and never looking back, topping Cristo Rey Jesuit 75-51.

With Forest Lake senior Jake Larson leading the charge with 22 points -- 14 in the first half -- the Rangers pushed hard, and didn’t let up. They closed the first half up 42-19 against a Cristo Rey team that features a NCAA Division I commit.

University of Texas commit and Puma senior Jericho Sims was quiet in the first half, but made the second half his own, finishing the game with 35 points. Although his teammates struggled to get him the ball in the first half, they had no problem finding the 6-9 big man in the paint later in the game.

Forest Lake (4-2) will advance to the next round, playing the winner of St. Paul Como Park and Rogers – a scheduled tip-off at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. Cristo Rey (2-4, 1-0) will play the loser of that game.

The early hole was difficult to dig out of, Cristo Rey coach Stanley Clay said, but when the team played its game, they competed hard, as evidenced by the slight 33-32 second-half advantage for the Rangers. 

Rangers coach Dan Cremisino said it was important to set the tempo early, and to keep the Sims effect to a minimum. The first half, he said, was largely successful by creating turnovers and capitalizing on them.



Cristo Rey Jesuit sophomore center John Williams' pass attempt to teammate James Sommer (14) is disrupted by a pair of Forest Lake defenders in the second half. Photo by Drew Herron, SportsEngine

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