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Balanced attack leads Lyle/Pacelli into first 1A championship game

By RON HAGGSTROM, Star Tribune, 03/16/18, 2:00PM CDT

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With 6-5 center Kristi Fett swarmed by Minneota defenders, the top-ranked Athletics got key contributions from others en route to a 53-41 victory.


Lyle-Pacelli’s Kristi Fett (top left), Kayla Christopherson (top center) and Brooke Walter celebrate their team's victory over Minneota in the Class 1A semifinals Friday at Target Center. Photo: BRIAN PETERSON • brian.peterson@startribune.com

Lyle/Pacelli center Kristi Fett had her hands full in the post with Minneota’s swarming, periodically double-teaming defense. Her teammates needed to come to her aid.

The No. 1–ranked Athletics used a balanced attack instead of relying solely on their 6-5 senior to knock off Minneota 53-41 in the Class 1A semifinals Friday at Target Center. Lyle/Pacelli will play for a state championship for the first time on Saturday.

“We just grinded it out, possession by possession,” Lyle/Pacelli coach Justin Morris said. “That’s championship basketball.”

First report

Lyle/Pacelli center Kristi Fett had her hands full in the post with Minneota’s swarming, double-teaming defense. Her teammates needed to come to her aid.

The No. 1–ranked Athletics used a balanced attack instead of relying solely on their 6-5 senior to knock off Minneota 53-41 in the Class 1A semifinals Friday at Target Center.

With the victory, Lyle/Pacelli will play for a state championship for the first time.

Forwards Olivia Christianson and Kendal Truckenmiller hit three-pointers around a rare offensive putback by Fett during a 12-3 run midway through the second half, giving the Athletics a 40-30 lead. Fett closed the run with a layup as Minneota’s defense moved farther out on the perimeter. Minneota couldn’t get closer than six points the rest of the way.

Christianson finished with 13 points while Abigail Bollingberg added 10. The duo went 9-for-15 from the floor.

Minneota (26-5) center Lydia Sussner, giving away 7 inches to Fett, posed all sorts of problems with her athleticism. It didn’t matter if she was fronting or on the backside of Fett, who wound up with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Fett gave Sussner just as much trouble at the other end. Sussner finished with 11 points on 4-for-17 shooting.

Four players scored five or six points for the Athletics (31-1) in the first half as they held a 22-21 lead at the intermission. Fett was 2-for-7 from the floor with two turnovers at the break. She wound up 5-for-14 from the field.

Freshman guard Abby Hennen kept the No. 7-rated Vikings (26-5) in upset range, scoring 13 first-half points. She only scored two points in the second half.

Check back later for more on the game.

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