DeLaSalle vs Holy Angels: Who were the best of the best?
DeLaSalle vs Holy Angels has been a great rivalry over the years. Still is. Amid much pre-game hype, two of the top-rated programs in the state met head-to-head Tuesday in Richfield for the first time this season. The crowd was…
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Continue ReadingDeLaSalle vs Holy Angels has been a great rivalry over the years. Still is. Amid much pre-game hype, two of the top-rated programs in the state met head-to-head Tuesday in Richfield for the first time this season. The crowd was raucous, the on-court action was intense, and the entertainment value was high – everything a good rivalry should be. It was also a game of many-splendored runs that came down to the final moments when the Islanders prevailed by a score of 83-79. By the time we were all heading for the exits, most observers were already talking about the rematch coming up on Jan. 31.
These are the highlights, including top performers, key moments and a little history for good measure.
WHAT HAPPENED
DeLaSalle sophomore guard Sydney Runsewe Sydney Runsewe 5'8" | CG DeLaSalle | 2022 State MN opened the game with a long three-pointer. Holy Angels sophomore Kassie Caron Kassie Caron 6'0" | SF Holy Angels | 2022 State MN answered with the same, setting the tone for a contest in which there would be 16 triples scored. Then came the first run, an 11-0 sprint by the Stars that was punctuated by three bank-shot buckets in a row by Holy Angels junior forward Rachel Kawiecki Rachel Kawiecki 5'10" | PF Holy Angels | 2021 State MN .
DLS responded with a quick basket by freshman Kennedy Klick Kennedy Klick 6'0" | CG Maple Grove | 2023 State MN that sparked a 10-2 run for the Islanders. By the midway point of the period, Holy Angels was up 5 when DLS went on another 10-0 run that was quickly followed by an 8-0 sprint for the home team. Like we said, it was a game of runs. DeLaSalle led 44-42 at halftime.
Following the break, Holy Angels game out gunning, scoring the first 10 points of the second period as junior forward Frankie Vascellaro Frankie Vascellaro 6'0" | SF Holy Angels | 2021 State MN knocked down a couple of her trademark mid-range jump shots and then executed a beautiful feed to Caron for a 52-44 lead just two minutes in. Not long after that, DLS took off on a 14-0 dash. By the time we reached the 5-minute mark the game was tied at 70.
DeLaSalle pulled ahead for good on another Runsewe 3-pointer with just under two minutes remaining. Down the stretch it was point guard Kiani Lockett Kiani Lockett 5'9" | PG Minnetonka | 2022 State MN who took over the spotlight, as the #13-ranked sophomore in the state made 6 of 6 free throw attempts to seal the deal. It was intense, competitive and close – just what you would expect from a pair of rivals who put on a great show last March in the state tournament class AAA semifinal. That was a two-point win for DeLaSalle, who then won the whole enchilada.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Sydney Runsewe Sydney Runsewe 5'8" | CG DeLaSalle | 2022 State MN – sophomore guard, DeLaSalle. Upon her return late last season from ACL surgery, Sydney made a big difference for the Islanders. Tuesday night Runsewe made it clear that she is back to 100 percent health. She’s quick, she’s explosive and she can flat out shoot the rock. Sydney made 8 threes in the game for 24 points, with several occurring at the most pivotal moments. Last week Runsewe had 7 threes in a half at Eden Prairie. The 5’8 guard is ranked #19 in the class of 2022.
Frankie Vascellaro Frankie Vascellaro 6'0" | SF Holy Angels | 2021 State MN – junior forward, Holy Angels. The 6’0 Vascellaro is one of the best mid-range shooters in the state. She’s elusive, aggressive and utterly without fear. Is there anyone who plays harder night in and night out? The #19 player in the class of 2021 had 26 points.
TOP FORWARDS
The inside battle in this game was epic as DeLaSalle senior Nurjei Weems Nurjei Weems 6'0" | PF DeLaSalle | 2020 State MN went toe-to-toe with Holy Angels junior Rachel Kawiecki Rachel Kawiecki 5'10" | PF Holy Angels | 2021 State MN . Weems is long and athletic, plays aggressively at both ends of the floor, and knows how to finish in traffic. Kawiecki is strong and powerful, and way more mobile than you’d expect. She’s all about the sandpaper. Rachel scored a serious of gigantic buckets for her team on Tuesday as Kawiecki and Weems banged and crashed all night long. Weems, who is ranked #18 in the class of 2020, finished with 22 points, including 9 of 10 made free throw attempts. Kawiecki end up with 15 before fouling out late.
EMERGING STARS
Kassie Caron Kassie Caron 6'0" | SF Holy Angels | 2022 State MN – sophomore forward, Holy Angels. We have been waiting for Kassie to bust loose, especially following her stunning 20-point performance against Fergus Falls at the state tournament. Tuesday night Caron looked a lot like that version of herself. She’s long, strong and fast, and when she’s got the confidence flowing Kassie is a world beater. The #49-ranked sophomore scored 17 points.
Savannah White Savannah White 6'1" | SG DeLaSalle | 2022 State MN – sophomore wing, DeLaSalle. The story is kind of the same when it comes to the 6’0 White, a long and talented wing who teases us with moments of excellence that leave us wanting more. More. More. Against the Stars, White was on her game and collected 15 points. She is the #16-rated prospect among the 2022s.
BEST NEWCOMER
Kennedy Klick Kennedy Klick 6'0" | CG Maple Grove | 2023 State MN – freshman wing, DeLaSalle. We have Kennedy in our 2023 top 10. She’s long and smooth and plays with such natural flair. On a loaded roster, Klick has played her way into the starting lineup for DeLaSalle and had a terrific first half against Holy Angels. Klick was involved in a big collision at one point, though, and the after-effects kind of limited her minutes in the second half. Guard I’Tianna Salaam of DeLaSalle was also good. She isn’t exactly a newcomer but I’Tianna is one of the lesser-known athletes among the Islanders super group of sophomores. Salaam was the first player off the DLS bench and contributed key minutes.
TOP ROLE PLAYER(S)
Emma Henry Emma Henry 5'10" | CG Holy Angels | 2020 State MN & Isabelle Henry Isabelle Henry 5'10" | CG Holy Angels | 2020 State MN – senior forwards, Holy Angels. The Henry twins continue to go largely unrecognized for their efforts, which have long been a major factor in the success of Holy Angels. They are versatile, reliable and consistent. Isabelle had 8 points on the night and was an excellent facilitator. Emma, who shoots at a 48 percent clip from beyond the arc, had 7 points in addition to making some key defensive contributions. Nobody wins championships without players like the Henrys.
THE ‘X’ FACTOR
Kiani Lockett Kiani Lockett 5'9" | PG Minnetonka | 2022 State MN – sophomore guard, DeLaSalle. Some nights the talented point lights it up with long bombs and the kind of one-on-one drama that pulls the fans out of their seats. On other nights, Kiani’s role is more subtle. Tuesday was one of those nights, as Lockett’s superior distribution skills made everyone else around her better. When the game hung in the balance, Lockett went 6-for-6 at the free throw line. She is the #13 player in the class of 2022.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Holy Angels won the first official Minnesota girls basketball state championship in 1975 – actually there were two winners that first year but we’ll save that oddity for another day – and captured another title in 2016. DeLaSalle dominated class AAA in the 2010s, winning titles in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2019. Over the past three seasons, the two teams have been neck-and-neck.
In 2016-17, Holy Angels swept the season series. In 2017-18 they split the two games. Last year DLS pulled off the clean sweep, including a dramatic encounter in the state tournament semifinals when Weems scored with 8 seconds remaining to win a 61-59 thriller. The Islanders, of course, went on to win the title by defeating upstart Becker.
When the two institutions opened for business more than a century ago they could certainly not have imagined things would evolve the way they have. The Sisters of Carondelet arrived by steamer from Missouri in 1851 and two weeks later opened a school to serve Catholic families and the children of Native Americans who were here long before the nuns showed up. The school moved to Richfield in 1931 and went co-ed in the early 70s. By the time the Stars captured the 2016 title on the backs of point guard Megan Thompson (St. Ben’s) and forwards Destinee Oberg Destinee Oberg 6'2" | C Kennedy | 2019 State MN (Arkansas) and Laura Bagwell-Katalinich (Cornell), Holy Angels was well-established as an athletic power.
The DeLaSalle Institute was founded in 1900 by the Christian Brothers to educate the boys of poor immigrant families. By 1964, there were more than 1,600 of them in class. They went co-ed on Nicollet Island in 1971 and the school became known as the kind of place where athletes could thrive and championships could be won.
So here we are, all these decades later, when we are fortunate to live in an era when girls sports matter, and Minnesota girls basketball is among the very best in the country. We have seen that in spades this season. We saw it again on Tuesday night. I suspect we’ll see it again Jan. 31 in Minneapolis. Don’t miss it.
Top photo: DeLaSalle sophomore guard Sydney Runsewe Sydney Runsewe 5'8" | CG DeLaSalle | 2022 State MN made 8 threes in the game to earn MVP honors. (File photo courtesy of StarTribune)