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Rochester Lourdes tops Long Prairie

By Amelia Rayno, Star Tribune, 03/23/11, 8:30PM CDT

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Eagles control tempo for most of the game, advance to Class 2A semis


Lourdes players Alex Kapraun and Shane McGrath celebrated while Long Prairie-Grey Eagles' Duane Miller reacted at the end of the game. Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune

The Eagles won the defensive battle, besting Long Prairie-Grey Eagle and forcing the Thunder out of the state tournament in the 2A quarterfinals.

The Eagles (23-7) got up early on  LPGE in the first half, breaking the early defensive stalemate to dictate the tempo.

“We were getting pushed around out there … I didn’t realize how slippery it is out there,” said Shane McGrath, who led the Eagles with 15 points. “But then we were able to control the paint when it mattered.”

The Thunder briefly took the lead as their outside shooting got hot — Mitch Branby hit three three-pointers — but the Eagles overwhelmed them, with more than 56 percent of their shots finding net. Alex Kapraun capped a 12-5 end-of-the-half-run with a 20-foot shot to put Rochester up 24-18 at the break.

“I think the threes going into halftime were huge,” coach Jim Daly said. “And certainly that carried us and gave us a little momentum and confidence. These kids have been doing it all year.”

In the second half, Rochester stretched the lead to double digits on baskets by Chris Eickemeyer. Duane Miller kept battling for the Thunder — he finished with a team-high 15 points — and LPGE (25-5) went on an 11-5 run to bring it within six. But Eickemeyer’s two free throws in the final minute sealed the victory.

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