Class 4A: Apple Valley beats Eden Prairie to earn spot in first title game

Apple Valley endured a stern test to earn its first boys' basketball state championship berth. Coach Zach Goring's team had to overcome Eden Prairie's strength and ability to slow down the game, and then make free throws to secure a 62-55 victory in Thursday night's Class 4A semifinals at Target Center.

Tyus Jones made four of Apple Valley's final seven free throws and finished with a game-high 23 points, six steals and five assists. Dennis Austin had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Dustin Fronk had 11 points.

"It's a great feeling, almost overwhelming," Jones said after leading his team to the program's first title game. "Right now, what wins these games is defense and rebounding and that's what we try to do."

Apple Valley did both well against one of the state's most physical teams. Eden Prairie's deep bench of big bodies wore down Apple Valley's 6-10 freshman center Brock Bertram. He struggled to finish layups while Apple Valley kept Jack Cottrell (15 points, eight rebounds) and Anthony Anderson (double-double of 11 points, 11 rebounds) away from the basket.

Bertram, who only had nine points, managed to maintain his presence on the boards with 13 rebounds and helped create breathing room for Apple Valley (30-1) in the final minutes. Eden Prairie trailed by a basket, 53-51, with 2:14 to play. Then Jones scored six of Apple Valley's points in a 9-4 closing run.

Eden Prairie (22-9) started fouling in hope of working its way back. The strategy didn't pan out as Apple Valley made 7 of 10 free throws after shooting 6-of-12 before that.

"Not only was it my best defensive effort, but the whole team's effort," said Apple Valley's Harry Sonie, who held Eden Prairie's leading scorer Andre Wallace to six points. "Defense kept getting us stops."

"Our whole game plan was to try and slow down their transition, but they kept transitioning," Wallace said. "They were tougher than we were."

Park Center 66, Edina 44: The Pirates didn't need to put any more exclamation points on their semifinal victory over Edina, but their athleticism wouldn't end.

Senior point guard Quinton Hooker's natural reaction to longtime teammate Treyton Daniels cutting to the basket is to throw it up. And Daniels throws it down. Target Center thanked the pair for the display of athleticism with a standing ovation. Before the fans could sit down, Joshua Matthews threw down a one-handed dunk to give Park Center (28-3) a 64-39 lead with 2:56 left.

Hooker's smile and Edina's Graham Woodward's look of disbelief following the string of dunks summarized the semifinal from its tipoff.

"It was a big statement, just to show we're not backing down from anybody," Daniels said after his 12-point effort. Hooker said it can't get much better than that and was the "exclamation point" needed after just squeaking by Lakeville North in overtime of the quarterfinals.

Hooker had 14 points, eight rebounds. Daniels had 12 points. Devin Buckley had a double-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds. Fifth man Joshua Matthews had nine points, seven rebounds.

"I think they underestimated us a little bit," McKay said. "This puts a stamp on everything."

Edina's all-time leading scorer, Woodward, managed just 17 points after scoring 40 in the quarterfinals. Big man Reggie Lynch (nine points, four rebounds) played only 17 minutes, plagued by foul trouble.

Edina (23-8) coach Pat Dorsey described the Hornets' fallout as a rolling snowball that never stopped growing.

The victory sets up a rematch of arguably one of the best early season matchups featuring Park Center and Apple Valley. Park Center won the game 72-70, Apple Valley's only loss.