Edina 12/13
Drew Brinkman #15
Lakers Battle, But Edina’s Size Prevails in Saturday Showdown
The Prior Lake Lakers hit the road Saturday, December 13, squaring off against the Edina Hornets at the Edina Community Center in a matchup that promised to test the Lakers’ mettle—and it delivered.
A Different Kind of Challenge
After facing teams without a true post presence, the Lakers were greeted by Edina’s imposing 6’7” junior Vincent Cronin, a top big man who anchored the Hornets’ paint. Edina’s roster, bigger, older, and stronger than Prior Lake’s recent opponents, set the stage for a gritty contest.
Neck-and-Neck Early
From the opening tip, both teams traded buckets, but Cronin’s presence made life tough for Prior Lake’s Kobby Sam-Brew, who found the rim less accessible than in previous games. The Lakers were forced to attack from the perimeter, and Kolby Thompson answered the call—finding his groove from deep and pouring in a team-high 19 points.
Bench Spark and Defensive Grit
Trey Theis provided a crucial spark off the bench, tallying 10 points (including two triples), grabbing three boards, and taking a gutsy charge that flipped a Hornet fast break into a Laker possession. The first half was a defensive grind, with both teams struggling to find offensive rhythm, heading into the break deadlocked at 24-24.
Hornets Pull Away
After halftime, Edina found their offensive flow, hitting threes and attacking the rim. Offensive rebounds haunted the Lakers, as the Hornets’ size generated second-chance points and momentum. Cronin was a difference-maker, notching easy layups, a highlight dunk, and facilitating drive-and-kick threes that helped Edina build a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
Lakers’ Bright Spots and Next Steps
Outside of Thompson and Theis, the Lakers struggled to generate consistent offense, finishing with more turnovers than assists. As the schedule shifts to conference play, finding offensive flow will be a key focus.
Defensively, Prior Lake battled hard in the first half, but Edina’s strength and experience took over late, especially on the glass and in clutch moments.
Final Score: Edina Hornets 67, Prior Lake Lakers 51
Laker Leaders:
Scoring: Thompson 19, Theis 10, Cole Brinkman 5, Kobby Sam-Brew 5, Colten Gunderson 5
Rebounding: Thompson 4, Drew Brinkman 4, four Lakers with 3 each
Assists: Erik Post 2, six Lakers with 1 each
Program Results
9A: Won 70-61
9B: Won 50-46 (OT)
10th Grade: Won 54-43
JV: Won 77-45 (and undefeated on the year!)
The Lakers now get a short break before opening conference play at Farmington on December 19 against the Tigers. With lessons learned and bright spots to build on, Prior Lake is ready to make noise as the season heats up!