Osseo to Play in State Championship Game

The Orioles will meet Hopkins for the AAAA state championship game Saturday night at the Target Center. The game will begin at 8 pm.

Orioles Will Open State Tournament Against Apple Valley

The Osseo boys' basketball team will play Wednesday at 4pm in the Target Center for the first round of the AAAA state tournament. The Orioles received the number three seed and will face Apple Valley.

If the Orioles win they will play at 8pm in the Target Center on Thursday.

OSSEO BOYS GOING TO STATE

The Osseo Boys Basketball team defeated Robbinsdale-Cooper 58-51 to claim the section 5AAAA section title. The Orioles will play Wednesday in the first round of the AAAA state championship tournament. This is Osseo's first state tournament appearance since 2003.

Osseo Defeats Irondale in First Game of Section Playoffs

Osseo defeated Irondale 79-53 to advance to the semifinals in the section playoffs. The Orioles appied fullcourt pressure and forced Irondale into turnover and quick shots. Osseo had a balanced offensive attack. Sam dower scored 17, John Rowloand scored 15 and Jayvin Reynolds scored 12. Nick Djerf and Bobby Fischer chipped in with 8 and 9 points, respectively.

The Orioles will faceoff against the Raiders from Roseville Tuesday night at 8 pm.

Osseo Receives #2 Seed in Section 5AAAA

Osseo has a first round game Wednesday night (Mar 11th) at Osseo HS against 7th seeded Irondale.

Click Here to View the Section 5AAAA Tournament Brackets

Osseo Boys Stomp Crimson

In their second meeting of the year, the Osseo boys basketball team defeated the Maple Grove Crimson in a game at Osseo Senior High. The Crimson had won the first match-up by two points at Maple Grove Senior High earlier in the season. Tuesday night, the Orioles started quickly. Osseo pressured the Crimson full court most of the game and forced turnovers. Also, Osseo was able to get three point shots from four different players. Osseo eventually was able to stretch their lead to more than 30 points and win the game.

The 2008-2009 Osseo Boys basketball team has now clinched their third consecutive Northwest Suburban Conference title. The Orioles will finish their regular season Friday with a game at Centennial.

Osseo Boys Sqeak by Elks

In Elk River, on Friday night, the boys basketball team defeated the Elks in a competitive game. Osseo led much of the first half by 10 or more points and had a comfortable half time lead. However, in the second half Elk River came storming back to tie the game with less than six minutes remaining. In the remaining minutes Osseo's defensive elevated and wore down Elk River. The Orioles outscored the Elks by 11 points in the closing minutes to win 56-45. Sam Dower led all scorers with 29 points and Aaron Anderson chipped in with 12.

Osseo Boys Win Big at Anoka

The Osseo boys continued to win games at Anoka Tuesday night. Osseo applied immediate full court pressure and was able to force Anoka into early turnovers. Osseo continued to pressure using man-to-man defense for most of the game.

Offensively, several Osseo players scored in double figures including Jayvin Reynolds with 18 points, John Rowland with 16, and Sam Dower with 13. Osseo scored many of their points in offensive transition and on second chance oppurtunities.

Side Note: Sam Dower became the 10th player in Osseo Boys Basketball history to reach the career 1000 point mark Tuesday night against Anoka.

Osseo Boys Take Two Games

The Osseo boys basketball team won two games last week. Tuesday, the Orioles faced Coon Rapids in a high scoring game. Osseo led most of the game, but was challenged often in the second half by the sharp shooting Cardinals. Nick Djerf scored a career high 22 pointsfor the Orioles. Osseo won the game 92-87.

Friday, Osseo faced their district rival Park Center in the Osseo gymnasium. Th Osseo Boys returned to the court with defensive intensity Friday night to gain a victory. Offensively, the Orioles were able to work the ball to the low block and hit some timely outside jump shots to increase their lead over the Pirates. The Orioles were victorious 64-48.

Head Coach Tim Theisen commented on the week's performance, "This time of the year for us is about getting better each game. We are looking to improve our defensive pressure and fine tune our offensive attacks. Our guys are gaining confidence with each game, but it is important not to become complacent at this time of the year."

The Orioles now hold a record of 20-2 and lead the NWSC with a 13-1 record. This week Osseo plays at Anoka and at Elk River, Tuesday and Friday, respectively.

The Orioles Claim a Victory at Champlin Park

The Osseo Boys basketball team won their 5th straight conference game against the Champlin Park Rebels. Both teams struggled to score. Osseo led most of the game. Sam Dower scored 14, John Rowland 11 and Nick Djerf 11. Osseo won the contest 57-53.

Osseo Boys Handle Blaine

The Osseo Boys Basketball team pulled off another league victory against Blaine on Tuesday at the Osseo gymnasium. Osseo led most of the game, but Blaine was able to mount a late game surge to bring the game close at the end. Osseo won 61-57. Leading the way was Sam Dower with 25 points. DJ Phillips contributed 13 points and Jayvin Reynolds 10 for the Orioles.

Osseo Boys Beat Andover

Friday, Osseo began their second round of Northwest Suburban Conference games with a win over Andover. Osseo triumphed 87-63 and won their 3rd consecutive game to move their record to 16-2.

Side note: Sam Dower was selected as a finalist for the Minnesota State's Mr. Basketball Award.

Osseo Claims 1st place in Win Over Centennial

The Osseo Boys defeated the Centennial boys' basketball team last Tuesday to gain full possession of 1st place in the Northwest Suburban Conference. Sam Dower led the way by scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The Orioles won 87-69.

Osseo Boys Beat Elk River

Friday, the Osseo Boys' basketball team was able to defeat Elk River in Osseo. The Orioles were able to regain their poise after being defeated by arch rival Maple Grove on Tuesday. Osseo's defense smothered the Elk River offensive attack. The Elks were held to fewer than 20 points in both halves. The final score was 67-33.

Orioles Go Down Versus Crimson

The Osseo Boys' basketball team fell to their rival Maple Grove Tuesday night. Maple Grove got off to a quick start by hitting 6 of their first 7 three pointers. Osseo's fullcourt pressure did not seem to effect the Crimson offense in the first half. The halftime score ended at 33-30.

In the second half, the Crimson continued to hold off any run the Orioles attempted. Maple Grove stretched their lead to 13 points. Osseo made a late run, but came up short in the end and lost 63-61. Sam Dower was scored 19 points and Aaron Anderson contributed 15.

The Orioles are now 13-2 overall and tied for first in the Northwest Suburban Conference.

Player Quote of the Game: "It's easy to act like a champion when everything is good..., but will you hold your head high when things are not going your way?" -Anonymous

Orioles Boys Whip Pirates at Park Center

The Osseo Orioles' basketball team defeated Park Center 72-36 Friday night. Park Center was able to keep the game close for the first ten minutes, but after that it was all Osseo. The deep bench of the Orioles wore down the Pirates. Osseo applied continuous pressure and tired the Pirate guards.

The Osseo defense was able to hold all Pirate players under double figures in scoring. Meanwhile, Samuel Dower scored 22, John Rowland scored 9, Jayvin Reynolds scored 9, and Aaron Anderson scored 8 points for the Orioles.

Next Tuesday, Osseo will have a showdown with their rivals at Maple Grove.

Osseo Closes Home Stint With a Win

The Osseo boys' basketball team defeated Anoka on Tuesday and finished a 5-game home stint with 5 victories. Anoka mixed in several defenses including a 2-3 zone. Osseo was slowed in the 1st half and led by only eight points at the break.

In the second half, Anoka saw the game slip away. Osseo's pressure seemed to tire Anoka's frontcourt and were forced to shoot tough shots. Sam Dower continued to harass the middle of the opposing defenses. DJ Phillips had a strong performance at the point guard position by dropping in 10 assists and only committing one turnover.

Coach Theisen commented, "Our guys understand that they need to take pride on their homecourt. Our seniors are doing a nice job communicating to our younger players about what it means to take pride here in the Osseo gym. In the second half, our pride came to fruition."

Orioles Defend Home Court Again

The 4A #4 Osseo boys' basketball team hosted 4A #6 Wayzata Saturday afternoon. The Orioles continued their winning ways at home by beating Wayzata and extended their 28-game home winning streak. Osseo won 81-59.

Osseo played tough man-to-man defense in the first half. Leading the way was Kyle Mason, who held Wayzata's top scorers in check. Osseo pulled away in the second half by dominating the interior. Jayvin Reynolds scored all of his 17 points in the second half and Samuel Dower ended the night by scoring 37 points total. When they were not feeding the big men, Aaron Anderson and DJ Phillips rounded off the scoring by each contributing 10 points.

Head Coach Tim Theisen said, "We played a quick and skilled Wayzata team today and they gave us a handful. Our guys stepped up and followed the game plan. We are getting contributions from a lot of different players right now and that is our style. We want to wear down our opponent."

Side Note: Osseo's 6'9" forward Sam Dower was nominated as KARE 11 "High School Athlete of the Week."

Osseo Boys Win Against Champlin Park

Osseo met a tough Champlin Park team in a Northwest Suburban Conference battle for first place. The game was tight throughout the first half and into the second half. Osseo continued to deliver the ball into the interior of Champlin Park's defense. Osseo center Sam Dower played strong, but was continually double teamed. Dower was able to find his perimeter teammates, including Bobby Fischer, who knocked down three 3's in the firsr half. At half, Osseo, held onto a slim lead.

In the second half, Osseo's defensive effort was taken to a higher level. Nick Djerf stuffed the stat sheet by contributing both defensively and offensively. Adam Dawson contributed quality minutes off the bench. Osseo won the game by stretching their lead to over 20 points.

Osseo Struggles in First Half, Rebounds to Defeat Coon Rapids

On Tuesday night, the Orioles mathed up against a high-scoring Coon Rapids team. After poor shot selection and lethargic defense the Orioles found themselves clinging to a 36-34 halftime lead. Coach Theisen had some adjustments for the team at the halftime break and the Orioles responded.

In the second half, a new team emerged from the locker room. The intensity and level of play seemed to heighten with every defensive stop and offensive basket. Big Sam Dower paced Osseo with a stunning offensive performance (38 points, 18 rebounds) and Joey Sonnenfeld sparked a defense that held the Cardinals to 17 second-half points as the Orioles cruised to their 9th straight victory 78-51.

Player Quote of the Day: "A team will always appreciate a great individual if he's willing to sacrifice for the group." - Randall Popp

Osseo Boys Defeat Andover

The Osseo Boys varsity basketball team beat Andover 70-47 on Friday. Osseo continued to roll wth their up tempo play and inside presence. D.J. Phillips had his best half of basketball this year by finding holes in the Andover defense and contributing 12 points. Despite being plagued by fouls, Osseo led most of the game.

The Orioles are now 2-0 in the Northwest Suburban Conference and are rated among the top ten teams in the state. Next week the Orioles will face Coon Rapids, Champlin, and Wayzata.

Player Quote of the Game: "Everything maybe did not go our way (against Andover), but it still resulted in a good outcome." -Sam Dower

Osseo Boys

At Blaine, the Boys basketball team played a stuggling Bengals team. The Bengals mixed up there defenses against the Orioles. Initially, Osseo seemed to struggle against the 2-3 zone and committed several unforced turnovers. Also, Blaine did a nice job breaking the normally potent pressure from the Osseo gaurds. The rythm of the game was slowed by both teams entering the double bonus by fouling during the first half. Blaine led much of the first half and played with a sense of elevated intensity.

However, Osseo seemed to make some halftime adjustments and Osseo's perimeter players found ways to exploit Blaine's zone. Bobby Fischer and Aaron Anderson both hit multiple threes and Sam Dower became active on the inside going aggressively at the rim. John Rowland contributed off the bench both defensively and scoring the ball. Osseo closed out the game at the free throw stripe winning 66-55.

Coach Theisen had this to say about the performance, "Blaine came out tough and showed a lot of poise. It took our guys a while to respond to some of the things they were showing us. I liked our energy, but now we need to get back into practice and work on some situations we found ourselves in tonight."

Player Quote of the Game: "Champions aren't afraid to lose...they refuse to lose." -Nick Djerf

Osseo Boys Play at the Target Center

Osseo went to downtown Minneapolis to play Souix Falls Roosevelt at the Target Center. The game was part of the Gatorade Shootout which is an annual event that matches the best minnesota high school teams against some of the the best teams from the midwest.

Osseo and Roosevelt got off to a slow start offensively and struggled to put point on the board for the first six minutes of the 1st half. Roosevelt was led by Cody Lursen who is committed to the University of Iowa. An array of osseo defenders, including Jayvin Reynolds, were able to hold Lursen to 13 points.

Osseo had to look to other scoring options as Osseo's leading scorer, Sam Dower, was benched due to foul trouble much of the first half. Osseo found its solution when they turned on the full court pressure and forced Roosevelt to cough the ball up. Adam Dawson was able to contribute valuable minutes when Dower found the pine. The pressure was too much for Roosevelt. Osseo won 82-43.

Dower had a strong second half to finish with 21 points and Aaron Anderson led the guards with 18 points. Coach Theisen stated, "This was a great experience for the boys to play on this court. They do a nice job here at the Target Center organizing and running this event. I was happy to see our kids and Roosevelts kids come out here and play hard."

Osseo Boys’ Basketball Wins Granite City Holiday Tournament

The Osseo boys’ varsity basketball team had strong performances during the holiday break. The Orioles won three consecutive games to claim the Granite City Holiday tournament hosted by St. Cloud Apollo. The tournament had a host of talented teams including St. Cloud Apollo, Forest Lake, Ricori, Monticello, Duluth East, Minneapolis Washburn, Sartell, and Osseo.

Monday, Osseo opened the tournament against a 7-1 physical Forest Lake team. Osseo matched the strength of the Forest Lake post players and the Osseo guards pressured the backcourt. Aaron Anderson, DJ Phillips, and Bobby Fischer all had solid defensive efforts that forced Forest Lake into turning the ball over too many times. Sam Dower (23 points) and Aaron Anderson (20 points) led the way in scoring. Coach Theisen complimented their effort, “Really, for the first time, I thought our guards began to figure out our defensive rotations and began to work as a single unit.”

Tuesday evening, Osseo was matched up against an athletic Washburn team. Washburn jumped out to a quick lead by getting in the passing lanes and taking Osseo out of their offense. Osseo seemed to play back on their heels most of the game and Washburn held the lead throughout the first half and most of the second. Osseo’s inside presence led by 6’9’’ Sam Dower kept the game within reach by dominating the smaller Washburn players. Bench play, led by Joey Sonnenfeld, helped elevate Osseo’s energy on the court. With less than four minutes to play Osseo found themselves trailing by nine points. However, Osseo turned up the defensive pressure and forced Washburn into turning the ball over and taking quick shots and captured a 64-60 victory. Coach Theisen had this to say about the victory, “Washburn is a tough team. I do not think we came out with an aggressive attitude and they made us pay. I have to give it to our guys too, they found a way to win, but it was not our best game.”

On New Year’s Eve, Osseo met an undefeated St. Cloud Apollo team in the Championship game. Osseo jumped out of the blocks with full court pressure defense. Apollo struggled against the pressure. Nick Djerf and Kyle Mason and had several steals to lead the defense. Sam Dower continued to dominate on the low block and when he was double teamed he found John Rowland who knocked down 16 points. Jayvin Reynolds also had a strong game on the offensive boards and finding openings against Apollo’s zone defense. Osseo wrapped up the victory 80-48. Theisen commented, “It was a very nice win for us, we caught Apollo on the right night and we played aggressive and intelligent defense. This tournament was a good learning experience for us. It helped us better understand our strengths and things we need to work on in practice.”

Osseo will travel to the Target Center in down town Minneapolis this Saturday to play Sioux City Roosevelt (South Dakota). Game time is noon.

Osseo Boys Basketball Team Goes 1-1 in First Week

The #8 ranked Orioles opened their 2008-09 season traveling to the #2 ranked Henry Sibley Warriors last Tuesday in a highly anticipated match-up of top ranked teams. The Orioles started the game with nerves and got behind 13-4 early on. But, the Orioles slowly started to come back into the game behind their defense. Sam Dower scored early and often during this stretch. Osseo finished the half down 36-31. The Orioles were battling from behind the whole game, but was always within striking distance until the very end. Sam Dower led Osseo with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Junior Aaron Anderson scored 13 points, including 3 three’s. Notable performances include the inspired play of Senior Bobby Fischer and sophomore Joey Sonnenfeld. These two provided key defensive stops time and time again, even though they were outsized at their position by the stronger taller Henry Sibley warriors.

On Thursday, Osseo looked to reverse their fortunes and looked to improve their overall chemistry, ball handling and decision-making. Right out of the start, Osseo’s defense was the key in starting the game off to a 47-18 lead after the first half. First half highlights include a steal by Jayvin Reynolds who then converted it into a thunderous Slam Dunk to get the crowd excited. Sam Dower had 16 points in the first half to lead the way as 8 other Orioles also scored in the half. The second half was more of the same. Osseo continued to hold a huge lead and managed a 71-44 victory against Minneapolis South. Junior John Rowland made tremendous strides in this game and provided an inside outside presence and finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds. Senior Captain DJ Phillips also came back strong and played better defense, while also scoring 7 points.

Sam Dower Signs with Gonzaga

Sam Dower officially signed with Gonzaga University this past Wednesday. It was the first day of the early signing period. Sam, along with 3 other outstanding Osseo High school athletes who also signed with Division 1 school, held a small celebration in front of the gym. Sam will become only the 4th player in Osseo Basketball History to ever sign with a Division 1 program out of High School. Others include Xavier Reed (2006- Cal-State- Northridge), Zack Kiekow (2001- University of Ohio), and Willie Jet (1985-Naval Academy).

Sam is a two year member of the Osseo Varsity team. Last year Sam was named unanimous choice for all-conference in the NWSC. He averaged over 13 points and 8 rebounds a game. He has also helped Osseo to a record of 53-7 over the last two years.

Attention All Basketball Players

If you are thinking of purchasing the team basketball shoes with the discount, The shoe order form along with the payment, will need to be turned in to coach Theisen by Thursday, October 30. If you need another shoe order form, please print off the form that is attached. If any questions, please see Coach Theisen soon.

Click Here to View the Shoe Order Form (PDF)

NEW INFORMATION FOR 2008-2009 SEASON

1. New Schedule released for the upcoming 2008-09 season
    Click Here to View the 2008-2009 Varsity Game Schedule

2. Tryout Information (click the links below to view tryout information for each level)

Varsity/JV Tryouts

10th Grade Tryouts

9th Grade Tryouts