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The Concordia Cadets notched their first boys basketball trip to the state championship game with Saturday's 68-63 overtime victory over third-ranked Andrean. Here is how they did it:
1. Resiliency
Concordia fell down by nine early and clawed back for a halftime lead. It also erased an eight-point deficit midway through the fourth. The Cadets never gave up and that points directly to senior leadership.
2. Defense
The Cadets kept Andrean guessing with a multitude of defensive sets, from the 1-3-1 zone to a trap to man-to-man. The Fighting 59ers hit 51 percent from the field for the game, but only 7-of-22 from 3-point range.
3. Defense, Part II
Andrean turned the ball over 19 times, six above its season average. Many of those turnovers seemed to come in bunches during scoring runs by the Cadets, leading to fastbreak points and fouls.
4. Marq Rogers
After Nick Davidson torched Plymouth last week from beyond the arc, Rogers stuck to the sharpshooter like glue, not allowing him to get many looks from the outside. He finished with 10 points, but scoreless from 3-point range.
5. Brian Gremaux
It was tough going for the senior against Andrean's Skylar Moss for three quarters, but he broke out when he had to, going for seven points and three rebounds in overtime after missing a potential game-winner with seconds left in regulation.
