White Bear gets its revenge on Roseville

Alison Hinck scored 19 points, and the White Bear Lake defense held Roseville star Monica Burich without a basket in the second half, as the Bears grinded out a 53-41 victory in the Class 4A, Section 4 championship game Thursday at East Ridge High School.

White Bear Lake (22-7), despite losing twice to No. 7 Roseville (26-3) during the regular season, is moving on.

"We talked about having to play all 36 minutes to be a great team," Bears coach Jeremy Post said.

"We did that. Even when things weren't going their way, they kept going and going. They believed."

Alexa Molin scored eight for the Bears, Kate Brabenec chipped in seven, and White Bear Lake never trailed in the second half, breaking open a 22-22 tie after the break.

It was a far cry from the teams' two previous matchups this season, both 11-point Raiders victories. Roseville finished unbeaten and in first place in the Suburban East Conference, one spot above White Bear Lake.

None of that mattered Thursday.

Roseville couldn't keep up.

Burich, a 6-2 Colorado recruit, scored 13 consecutive points for the Raiders at one point in the first half. But she managed just a pair of free throws after the break, and finished with 16 points.

"It was great team defense," Post said. "You don't stop somebody like that with one person."

Hinck set the tone with a fast-break layup off the opening tip, as the Bears raced out to a 14-4 lead. They played in control throughout.