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Eden Prairie comes alive

By Star Tribune, 03/21/12, 4:00PM CDT

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Eagles' Grant Shaeffer scores 23 of team's final 27 points to upend No. 3 seed Eastview

Grant Shaeffer, take a bow.

The Eden Prairie junior guard scored 29 of the Eagles' final 37 points to almost single-handedly will his team past No. 3 seed Eastview 75-68 in overtime.

Shaeffer had just two points at halftime. In the second half? Thirty-nine more.

Schaeffer's 41 points were a career high. He made three-pointers on the Eagles' final three possessions of regulation, the last sneaking through the hoop with 0.4 seconds remaining to force overtime.

In overtime, Shaeffer scored the first nine points en route to 14 in the extra time.

“We needed someone to make shots and I ended up being that guy,” Shaeffer said in a nod to injured regular starters Andre Wallace (wrist, ankle) and Jack Cottrell (back), who spent most of the game on the bench and finished with no points. “The hoop looked huge. It was just a ton of fun out there. Everything I was shooting was going in.”

He’s no stranger to the big stage. Schaeffer started at quarterback for Eden Prairie this fall, guiding the team to the Class 5A football title in November.

Wednesday’s performance, more than 30 points above his average, kept the basketball Eagles (23-7) on pace for an appearance in a second consecutive Class 4A championship game.

Eden Prairie trailed 51-48 with 2 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in regulation before Shaeffer took over.

“Just an unbelievable show of heart,” Eagles coach David Flom said. “His threes were ridiculous; pretty deep. He’s obviously a gamer.”

Shaeffer’s three at the buzzer, with two Eastview fouls to give, was a backbreaker.

“If that shot is an inch or so off, we're the ones who are smiling,” Lightning coach Mark Gerber said.

Charged with two fouls in the first three minutes of the game, Eastview juggernaut Joey King sat the majority of the first half before eventually scoring a team-high 27 points.

-- Brian Stensaas, Star Tribune
 

 

Three Stars

Grant Shaeffer, Eden Prairie- Shaeffer carried the Eagles in the second half and overtime scoring 39 of his 41 points.  Grant's only points in the first half came from two free throws.  In the second half he obviously found his touch and put the Eagles on his back making two clutch three's in the final minute, including the game tying with 0.4 seconds left.  He went  fifteen for eighteen from the free throw line and played 36 minutes for the Eagles. His 41 points  were a game high. 

Sander Mohn, Eden Prairie-  Mohn was a visible leader for the Eagles Wednesday afternoon scoring nineteen points and playing a game high 39 minutes.  Mohn had ten of his points in the first half and continued to contribute in the second half.  He worked well with Shaeffer all afternoon Wednesday as they defeated Eastview at the Target Center. The Eagles will look for the same leadership against Lakeville North.  

Joey King, Eastview- King broke out in the second half scoring 25 of his 27 points, a team high.  He was Eastview's go-to player in the second half and fought hard for his points and production Wednesday afternoon.  King was nine for thirteen from behind the free-throw line.  His six defensive rebounds also led the Lightning.

-- Ryan Brodd, MN Basketball Hub Staff

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