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The Wildcat boys basketball team had the unenviable task of playing the Patrick Henry Patriots in the first round of section playoffs Tuesday, March 11. Led by junior Josh Figini, the Wildcats gave it all they had, but couldn't keep pace with the high-powered Henry offense in a 92-72 loss to the Patriots.

The six championship banners hanging on the north wall of the Patriot gym bear witness to the success of the tradition-rich Henry program. The 2008 Patriots may not have the depth, size and skill of their teams that won four consecutive Class AAA state championships between 2000 and 2003, but they have quickness, speed and scoring ability that gave the Wildcats problems all night.

Despite the daunting task, the Wildcats never gave up, fighting back from big deficits on numerous occasions. Their efforts were deservedly appreciated by a loyal cadre of CL fans who made the trip.

The Wildcats stayed close for the first six minutes. After falling behind to an early Patriot three-pointer, Eric Reed assisted Figini for the first CL points. They trailed 7-2 when Taylor Jones closed the gap to three with a driving two at 14:47. Figini scored on a feed from Manny Cruceru and on a putback at 12:15, making the Patriot lead 11-8 with 12-15 left in the half.

The 'Cats didn't fare as well the next three minutes. Full court pressure by Henry forced several turnovers as the Patriots went on a 10-1 run. When Wildcat head coach Herb Jangor called his second timeout, with 9:52 on the clock, Henry led 21-9.

In the next 60 seconds, Jones scored on a putback and a long three from the corner, cutting the Patriot lead to 23-14. In the next minute, a 5-0 mini-run gave Henry a 28-14 advantage. With 5:50 remaining, the home team had pushed its lead to 34-18, despite a two by Cruceru and a pair of Figini freethrows.

Jangor called his third timeout before his team responded with its first significant comeback. Starting with a three-pointer from the top of the key, and ending with another long one, Figini outscored Henry 9-0 in the next three minutes. When the clock wound below 3:00, the Henry lead was 34-28.

The Patriots charged back with a 7-0, two-minute surge that put them ahead 41-28 in the half's last minute. Senior Kyle Hogie brought the Wildcats back with a long three and a pair of freethrows. When the teams went to their locker rooms, Patrick Henry led 41-33.

Figini's hoop 30 seconds into the new half prompted a Patriot timeout with the Wildcats trailing 41-35. When play resumed, Henry went on a 17-4 run giving them a 58-39 lead with 14 minutes left in the game.

It would have been easy for the Wildcats to pack it in and get ready for Spring. But, they climbed back into the game with a run that put them back in the contest.

Jones, back in the game after taking a whack to the nose several minutes earlier, got things going with a three from the corner at 12:49. Figini reasserted himself with a pair of consecutive blocks sandwiched around a pair of baskets to bring the 'Cats closer. Hogie finished the two-minute run with a another long three. With 11:33 to go, Henry's lead had shrunk to 58-49.

The Patriots put things out of reach in the next five minutes. Only a Figini putback and freethrow interrupted 21 Patriot points. Their latest surge, fueled by a full-court, pressure defense, gave them a commanding 79-52 lead with six minutes left.

In one final charge, the Wildcats cut the margin to 18 in the next three minutes. Cole Johnson, Figini, Hogie, Mike Corradi and Jones scored during that span. Yet, even with the 10-3 run, the 'Cats trailed 82-64.

From that point, the Patriots were satisfied to trade points and run the clock. The 20-point win propelled Henry to the section semifinals, Friday, March 15 at Osseo High School against Fridley. The loss ended the season for Chisago Lakes.

"We turned it over too many times and we just couldn't keep them off the offensive boards," Jangor said. "They must have had 40 second-chance points. They were just better than us."

But, far from being down after the loss, coach Jangor had positive thoughts about the game, his team and the season.

"Overall, there were a lot of times when we were on the verge of being blown out," Jangor said. "But, the kids never gave up. We battled back. We kept comin' back. It means a lot to me and to the people who understand our kids. They kept comin' back."



"You just can't say enough about what Taylor Jones did this year as a captain. And Kyle Hogie did a great job for us. He had another solid game for us last night. Mike Corradi played well. He had a very nice second half for us."

He also talked about what his junior center accomplished. "What can I say about Josh (Figini)? He had 35 points, was 12 of 15 from the field, including two-for-three from three-point range and five-of-six from the freethrow line, had 16 rebounds and four blocks. He showed why he's one of the best players in the state," Jangor explained.

Speaking of some of the other Wildcat underclassmen, Jangor said, "Cole Johnson did an outstanding job. For all the pressure he faced last night, he showed what a good point guard he can be for us next year. Manny (Cruceru) is key to our success in the future. If he can learn to play within the system, he could be very important to us."

GAME SUMMARY

Patrick Henry 41 51 92

Chisago Lakes 33 39 72

Wildcat Scoring

Cole Johnson 2

Kyle Hogie 11

Mike Corradi 7

Taylor Jones 12

Josh Figini 35

Manny Cruceru 3

Henry Fitzpatrick 2

Total 72

Talking about his seniors, Jangor concluded by saying, "You sit here the day after the season ends and you feel blessed that you got to work with these high-quality kids."

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