By Steve Raymond

ET Sports Report

In Thursday night’s semifinal game, the St. Anthony Bulldogs scored 21 points in the first quarter.

They didn’t reach the 20-point plateau until midway through the third period Saturday night.

The Dieterich Movin’ Maroons totally dominated  .  .  .  for a half.

The top-seeded Bulldogs, however, totally turned things around after intermission.

As St. Anthony senior – and tournament Most Valuable Player – Ryan Schmidt said, “We flipped the switch.”

St. Anthony staged a comeback for the ages, rallying from a double-digit halftime deficit to tie the game, and then coming back again down the stretch.

When the final horn sounded, the Bulldogs were standing in the winner’s circle again, defeating Dieterich, 43-39, to capture the 89^th National Trail Conference Basketball Tournament championship.

For St. Anthony, it was the eighth strip trip to the tournament’s final game. The Bulldogs have won the last two and six of the last eight.

Read more ...

It may not have been as easy as some thought it would be, but then again, it’s the National Trail Conference Tournament.

The Neoga Indians, the ninth seed, battled St. Anthony the entire way Tuesday night. But the top-seeded Bulldogs prevailed, 54-39, and advanced to the semifinals.

St. Anthony will face North Clay at approximately 8 p.m. Thursday. The Cardinals, the No. 4 seed, advanced with a 67-54 victory over Windsor/Stew Stras.

The Bulldogs led throughout.

Brock Fearday knocked down a pair of threes and scored 10 first-quarter points, but SAHS only held a slim four-point advantage, 14-10.

A 15-7 scoring edge in the second period widened the gap to double digits. The Bulldogs owned a 29-17 lead at halftime. It remained a double-digit margin throughout the second half.

Ryan Schmidt led all scorers with 21 points, while Brock Fearday added 16.

For the Bulldogs, it was their 17^th straight win, improving to 19-2 overall.

By Steve Raymond

ET Sports Report

It was raining threes in Altamont Thursday night.

The St. Anthony Bulldogs and North Clay Cardinals combined to launch 42 shots from behind the arc, with the Bulldogs connecting on a majority of the ones that actually went through the basket. A baker’s dozen, in fact.

That’s right! The Bulldogs made a season-high 13 shots from long range, en route to an 80-64 victory in a semifinal game of the 89^th annual National Trail Conference Basketball Tournament.

St. Anthony, winners of 18 straight games, will face either Dieterich or Altamont for the tournament championship. That is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

“These guys have earned a lot of trust with me,” St. Anthony coach Cody Rincker said, referring to his team’s 28 attempts from three-point range. “They understand the game. When they’re hot, they shoot threes. If they’re not, they hold off. We’ve got great chemistry on this team. They keep feeding the hot hand.”

St. Anthony’s first two shots of the game were three-pointers by Brock Fearday. They both went in, giving the Bulldogs a lead they never relinquished. It was a sign of things to come, especially their three-point fireworks in the third period.

Midway through the opening period, a three by Ryan Schmidt gave the Bulldogs their first double-digit lead, 15-5. But the Cardinals refused to go away. A basket and then a free throw by Cody Zimdars trimmed the gap to 17-12 and it was a seven-point spread at the end of the first eight minutes, 21-14.

St. Anthony’s full court press in the early moments of the game also had an impact. The Cardinals turned the ball over four times and the Bulldogs converted all four into baskets, helping them build the early lead.

Read more ...

It was just 48 hours after winning the National Trail Conference Basketball Tournament.

But there was no letdown.

The St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a quick lead and coasted to a 72-29 victory Monday night at South Central.

Kallie Kabbes and Ady Rios both scored five points in the first eight minutes, as SAHS built a 20-6 lead. It was 40-14 at halftime and 64-21 after three quarters, resulting in a continuously running clock for the final period.

Nancy Ruholl, Addi Lauritzen and Rios combined to score 46 points. Ruholl led the way with 19, while Rios netted 15 and Lauritzen added 12. Kabbes pulled down a team-high six rebounds, while Rios had five steals.

For the Lady Bulldogs, it was a sixth straight win. They improved to 19-4 overall and 6-0 in the NTC. They will now have a few days to rest, returning to action Saturday at home against Pana.