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This is an article following a high school playoff game last year:
Boys' basketball: Rundles' return sparks DeLaSalle past Henry in Section 5
The star of the game walked away bandaged but beaming after the Islanders upended perennial 3A power Henry for the section title.
From Staff Reports
Cameron Rundles walked off the court following DeLaSalle's 61-56 victory over Minneapolis Henry wearing a smile that somehow looked out of place with the large bandage wrapped around his head.
The senior guard had just led the Islanders to a victory in a Class 3A, Section 5 championship game at Osseo so brutally physical that shoulder pads would not have seemed odd.
Rundles took the biggest hit of the game, colliding with Henry's Al Nolen Jr. while going for a rebound with 5 minutes, 32 seconds left in the first half. The two banged heads and Rundles landed hard on the floor.
The result was a dislocated left shoulder and a nasty gash over his right eye. The shoulder was popped back into place, but he left the court for the remainder of the half and, presumably, the rest of the game.
However, Rundles came back into the game with four minutes gone in the second half, and he didn't miss a beat.
He scored all nine of his points in the second half and dished out five of his game-high seven assists as the Islanders rallied from a 12-point deficit with a 19-6 run.
"I've been in Minnesota since 1986 and I've seen a lot of basketball," DeLaSalle coach Dave Thorson said. "And I've never seen a player as tough as Rundles. He may not be the best player I've seen, but he is the toughest."
Rundles made two three-pointers during that stretch, as did teammate Adam Bledsoe.
The victory may not have been possible had DeLaSalle's imposing defense not forced Nolen, a junior guard who has made a verbal commitment to play for the Gophers in 2007, to foul out with more than 10 minutes remaining.
That was one of many things that did not sit well with Henry coach Larry McKenzie.
"There was no way we were going to win this game tonight," a seething McKenzie said. "Somebody did not want us to win."
Center Robert Eppinger nearly carried the Patriots (21-7) back, scoring 13 of his game-high 23 points after Nolen left and twice cutting the DeLaSalle lead to one point, but the Islanders (23-6) converted nine of 12 free throws down the stretch to close out the victory.
Jamar Diggs led DeLsalle with 14 points and Teddy Archer and Anthony Humphrey each had 10.
"There was no way I wasn't going to come back into this game," Rundles said. "We've got some great trainers and they fixed me up. This might be the best game we've ever played and I needed to be part of it."
JIM PAULSEN
My take found here.
Boys' basketball: Rundles' return sparks DeLaSalle past Henry in Section 5
The star of the game walked away bandaged but beaming after the Islanders upended perennial 3A power Henry for the section title.
From Staff Reports
Cameron Rundles walked off the court following DeLaSalle's 61-56 victory over Minneapolis Henry wearing a smile that somehow looked out of place with the large bandage wrapped around his head.
The senior guard had just led the Islanders to a victory in a Class 3A, Section 5 championship game at Osseo so brutally physical that shoulder pads would not have seemed odd.
Rundles took the biggest hit of the game, colliding with Henry's Al Nolen Jr. while going for a rebound with 5 minutes, 32 seconds left in the first half. The two banged heads and Rundles landed hard on the floor.
The result was a dislocated left shoulder and a nasty gash over his right eye. The shoulder was popped back into place, but he left the court for the remainder of the half and, presumably, the rest of the game.
However, Rundles came back into the game with four minutes gone in the second half, and he didn't miss a beat.
He scored all nine of his points in the second half and dished out five of his game-high seven assists as the Islanders rallied from a 12-point deficit with a 19-6 run.
"I've been in Minnesota since 1986 and I've seen a lot of basketball," DeLaSalle coach Dave Thorson said. "And I've never seen a player as tough as Rundles. He may not be the best player I've seen, but he is the toughest."
Rundles made two three-pointers during that stretch, as did teammate Adam Bledsoe.
The victory may not have been possible had DeLaSalle's imposing defense not forced Nolen, a junior guard who has made a verbal commitment to play for the Gophers in 2007, to foul out with more than 10 minutes remaining.
That was one of many things that did not sit well with Henry coach Larry McKenzie.
"There was no way we were going to win this game tonight," a seething McKenzie said. "Somebody did not want us to win."
Center Robert Eppinger nearly carried the Patriots (21-7) back, scoring 13 of his game-high 23 points after Nolen left and twice cutting the DeLaSalle lead to one point, but the Islanders (23-6) converted nine of 12 free throws down the stretch to close out the victory.
Jamar Diggs led DeLsalle with 14 points and Teddy Archer and Anthony Humphrey each had 10.
"There was no way I wasn't going to come back into this game," Rundles said. "We've got some great trainers and they fixed me up. This might be the best game we've ever played and I needed to be part of it."
JIM PAULSEN
My take found here.
