Eagan Boys Close In On Conference Crown

Seventh-ranked Eagan High's Wildcats shot, rebounded and fought their way to within a win of a South Suburban Conference championship Tuesday night.

The Wildcats rallied past a determined Lakeville South team with defense, rebounding and especially clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch to earn a hard-fought 73-70 triumph over the host Cougars.

Lakeville South star forward Alex Richter scored 33 points to top all scorers, but for every Richter basket, the Wildcats had an answer.

With the win, Eagan (14-3, 21-4) stayed very much alive in its quest for a conference crown. The loss, Lakeville South's third straight, knocked the Cougars out of contention.

"We told the kids at halftime we thought we had to turn the defensive pressure up a little bit more," said Eagan head coach Kurt Virgin. "I think they outworked us a little bit in the first half. They were pushing the ball up the floor and beating us down the floor."

"In the second half we came out and challenged them to give us more effort, espeically on the defensive end," Virgin added. "And Wittenbuurg was huge inside. Hentges, Patterson, all those kids crashed the boards hard. I thought we really executed down the stretch and of course you've got to make your free throws and the kids made their free throws."

Eagan ends the regular season with a game at Bloomington Kennedy (9-8, 14-11) Friday. A win Friday likely means the Wildcats will tie Eastview for the conference title.

Eastview (also 14-3 in the conference and 20-4 overall) defeated Bloomington Kennedy 72-68 Tuesday. Eastview hosts Bloomington Jefferson (2-15, 4-19) in its final regular season game.

Lakeville South lost its third straight and fell to 12-5 in the conference and a into tie for third place with Apple Valley.

Eagan did everything well Tuesday -- rebound, shoot, play defense and hustle -- but really made hay at the free-throw line. The Wildcats pounded the ball inside and as a result went to the line 32 times and made 26.

Six-of-six free throws in the final 38 seconds -- included 4 of 4 in the final 17 seconds  by junior guard Nick Sabatke -- keyed the Eagan win.

"It really was a good game out there," said Sabatke. "We pushed the ball up and down the court. Just get the free throws at the end of the game and that's what really counts in the end."

Richter, Lakeville South's all-time leading scorer, scored six straight points in the game's final 45 seconds to keep Lakeville South alive.

But Eagan kept pounding the ball inside, drawing fouls, and cashing in at the free-throw line.

"We definitely came to play on the boards,' said Eagan's Ryan Patterson. "Wittenburg had a stellar game underneath. I mean everybody came in, got strong with the ball. Those are the kind of things you've got to do to win a game like that." 

Lakeville South led 64-62 with 2:32 before Eagan went on a 5-2 surge to gain a 67-64 lead with 1:03 to play. Richter scored inside to cut the margin to one point and that set the pattern for the final minute. Richter would score, then Eagan three straight times made two free throws, two by Ben Sicoli and then four straight by Sabatke.

Richter scored a final time to cut Eagan's lead to 71-70 with 8.5 seconds left only to have Sabatke make two free throws with 6.9 seconds left. The Cougars couldn't find the range for a last-gasp three to tie and that was that.

"The difference in the game, was I think they made some plays when they needed to and we couldn't," said Lakeville South head coach John Sheehan. I mean it was a good game, basically up-and-down. It was a physical game."

"They're a good team, you have to give them credit," added Sheehan. "They're very athletic. It seems like they just made some plays and got some calls down the stretch. And unfortunately we don't."