Romeo pours in 25 as Blossoms beat Superlarks
Published 10:33 pm Friday, February 13, 2015
Grand Meadow’s Wes Ojulu goes up for a lay-up against Blooming Prairie in the first half Friday night in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
BLOOMING PRAIRIE — Blooming Prairie senior Scott Romeo put on the best shooting performance of his career and the Awesome Blossoms were able to cruise past Grand Meadow 73-42 in the regular season finale for both teams in BP Friday.
Romeo hit two 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the game and he finished the game 7-for-10 on 3-pointers with a career-high 25 points.
Blooming Prairie’s Jake Decker (44) knocks the ball away from Grand Meadow’s Trevor Sloan during the first half Friday night in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“I didn’t really make any during warm-ups, but after I made that first one I kind of thought I could keep going with it,” Romeo said.
BP’s 2,000-point scorer John Rumpza provided 14 points and 12 rebounds, but he had plenty of help as Anthony Nelson had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Mitchell Jones had 11 points and three steals. That scoring balance is something BP (14-10 overall) will need as it opens the Section 1A West tournament Thursday.
“[Scott] gets dialed in and he doesn’t miss,” said BP head coach John Bruns, who now has 200 career wins. “That was a big plus to have somebody else step up because teams are usually looking to stop Rumpza. The last few games we’ve had four guys in double figures and that balance is hard to stop.”
The Superlarks (17-9 overall) pulled within 26-23 when Terrell Rieken scored on a lay-up in the first half, but the Awesome Blossoms closed the half on a 10-2 run and they pulled away in the second half.
BP was playing its fourth game of the week, but it was able to hold off an energetic GM team.
“I was tired all night and my legs were super tired after this week. We found a way to get it done,” said Rumpza.
The Blossoms will now focus on the postseason and they’ve had plenty of tests this season as they’ve played 11 ranked teams throughout the season.
“Our conference was ridiculously tough this year,” Bruns said. “We’re definitely battle tested and that’s what you want going into the playoffs.”
Grand Meadow’s Terrell Rieken goes up for two in the first half in front of Blooming Prairie’s John Rumpza Friday night in Blooming Prairie. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
GM 25 17 — 42
BP 36 37 — 73
BP scoring: Scott Romeo, 25; Anthony Nelson, 16; John Rumpza, 14; Mitchell Jones, 11; Bryan Fristedt, 4; Jake Decker, 3; field goals: 52 percent (29-for-55); 3-pointers: 50 percent (10-for-20); free throws: 33 percent (5-for-15); rebounds: 45 (Rumpza, 12); turnovers: 14
GM scoring: Landon Jacobson, 11; Micahel Stejskal, 11; Terrell Rieken, 11; Wes Ojulu, 7; Carter King, 2; free throws: 33 percent (2-for-6); rebounds: 31 (Ojulu, 5); turnovers: 14
