4 Tournaments-4 Days/Day 3: Apple Valley

Today I followed the action in Apple Valley with the consolation semis and championship semis.
(RF: = Red Flag)
Game 1: Tartan 62, Blaine 42
Tartan led this game start to finish. They outsized Blaine at every position. Tartan led 12-0, then Blaine went on a 11-6 run. Tartan closed the half with scoring on each of their four possessions. Tartan's biggest lead was 25.
Tartan player evaluations
This is the third time I have seen these players (once again Cretin-Derham Hall, once against St. Michael-Albertville). My opinions have not varied that much. The five starters average 5-11. If they used Jenny Hooper instead of Shawna Huset their average bumps up to an average across the board of 6-0.
Jackie Goetzke in a synopsis: lefty, prefers the outside, long lanky. RF: going to Austin Peay
Erica Jost: aggressive on boards, long lanky. RF: playing volleyball post HS
Nikki Klingsporn: was not running the show as much as in the past. I feel she plays hard enough to win. She is has other options around her and she is happy to share the light. I have seen her dominate a game (last year in the 3AAAA semis vs Woodbury) when it was essential that she step up. RF: playing volleyball post HS
Katie Haas: getting better in the post, will be better by March. Solid frame. Made 7/10 free throws. RF: needs to work on quickness, but has improved since early Dec.
Jenny Hooper: quick, aggressive, lefty, nice shot. RF: in the shadows. Others get more publicity.
Blaine Player evaluations
For the most part outsized by about two inches. Both teams came off losses, but Blaine's was an overtime heartbreaker against Cretin and they left everything on the court against them. Tartan was beat soundly and bounced back quicker. Keeping that in mind Blaine's evaluations need to be taken with a grain of salt and should be seen again in another contest.
Jackie Kelly: Hit a couple of threes, not afraid to go to the line. RF: scored her points late in the game when outcome was decided.
Alex Suda: played point, small and fast, aggressive to the basket. RF: small
Trench: Haas for her improvement.

Game #2 Irondale 54, North St. Paul 51
This game started off for NSP, but it was a tight game with no team getting a lead of six in the first half. NSP had the advantage early on with 11-7 lead, Irondale went on a 19-12 run to take 26-21 lead. NSP came back with another run 9-5, but Irondale held the lead at half 31-30. It was a hot/cold half for both. Neither team scored for 13 straight possessions. Again at the end of half seven possessions went for naught.
In the second half NSP took the lead at 38-36 on Carolyn Mobley's rebound basket. They maintained this lead up to 47-46. Irondale took the lead for good (49-47) on Emilee Lampman's basket. Irondale outscored NSP 7-4 down the stretch.
Irondale player evaluations:
Jamie Jones: did not have a game that would grab your attention. She is vital to their offensive control, but today was a red flag day: I am looking for consistent performance day in, and day out. I have seen her on good days, I don't want the off days.
Natalie Alamat did her damage inside using her frame and height in her post ups. RF foul issues plagued her again.
Courtney Rappa had 11 with 3s, free throws, and offensive rebounds, but not an attention grabber.
Ashley Carr did not play. Unknown reason. That may have had some effect on the Irondale offense.
North St. Paul Player evaluations:
Carolyn Mobley: (16) G, 5-9, 2008, Fresh face. (Was not listed in book because NSP was a 2005 dominated team. The book only can grade players that have played varsity games) explosive, good leaps, wants to win as evidenced in the last moments in the game when she did everything in her power to give NSP points or stops. A competitor. Can hit 3s, drives well. RF: did not convert shots late, but that I feel is a miniscule problem. She will deliver with time.
Danielle Daniels: (12) point guard. fast, quick, makes a good duo with Mobley. Popped a couple of 3s. RF: size may be an issue for some.
Lauren Jader: (10) RF: outsized as an inside player. Had foul issues.
Trench? I am going with Mobley, she will battle and I think will be consistent.

Game #3 Hopkins 64, Cretin-Derham Hall 47
This completed the revenge series for Hopkins with Tartan dispatched on Wednesday night. CDH beat Hopkins twice last year (including this Apple Valley tournament).
At the start of the game CDH was on fire getting scoring in 7/8 possessions. Lindsey Laur scored the first three possessions. CDH had their biggest lead at 15-9. Hopkins tied it at 21. CDH pushed that lead back to 26-21. Hopkins proceeded to outscore CDH 15-5 for the rest of the half. Jillian Schurle gave Hopkins the lead at 32-31 and they never relinquished it.
In the second half Hopkins was extremely efficient on offense with 15/22 scoring on their possessions. Hopkins took shots they wanted, whereas CDH would take the shots Hopkins allowed after the opening 8 possessions. Even in the first half when behind the trends favored Hopkins because they were taking shots in the paint, CDH was not getting as many chances at paint ball. At one possession Hopkins touched the ball 38 times before Schurle burst through and was fouled.
Hopkins player evaluations:
All players are well grounded in fundamentals. All players do what they are able to do. No one plays with wasted effort.
Abbey Greene: Steady, in control. RF: produced 20 yesterday, 2 today.
Caitlin Rowland: Strong with ball, nice shot. RF: quickness on the perimeter post HS
Jackie Hiebert: long lanky. Can face basket. RF: upper body strength
Jillian Schurle: long lanky and has a nose for the basket. RF: not too many to think about
Tiana Wilkinson: strong, good defender, physical. Made her shots and showed her range (13) RF: size post HS
Cretin-Derham Hall evaluations:
Lindsay Laur: started strong and would have continued until Hopkins forced her away from what she wanted. RF hampered with fouls
Lauren Gibbemeyer: long lanky, rangey. RF: volleyball post HS
Alyssa Karel: main guard. hits 3. RF: size. Hopkins took her off her game.
Trench player: I am going with the unsung Wilkinson tonight for her outside game a key basket to cut CDH's lead 27-25, another to tie it at 29. She also does her lunch bucket hard hat defense.

Game #4: Apple Valley 71, Omaha Skutt Catholic 51
Skutt led this game early as much as 12-6, but AV took the lead 17-15 on Kale Johnson's basket and never looked back. Valley out athleted Skutt with size and quickness.
Apple Valley evaluations:
Caitlin Ries: (20) speed with and without ball. Set tempo and pace. Scores in and out. RF: size issues
Christina Steele: (17) stronger upper body than last year. Good hands. Can move. RF: I wanted better shooting
Deidra Dirth: (14) scored on threes two straight possessions. Can also score the three the old fashioned way with an offensive rebound put back and foul.
Omaha Skutt evaluations:
Jamie Jensen: point guard, scored seven straight points in the second half when no one else from Skutt could get the job done. Fiery, Tough. RF: size and not as quick as others.
Trench goes to Caitlin Ries with her zippy play.

A look at the numbers: (team, points, possessions, pp100, scoring %)
Tartan 62, 58, 93.5, .500
Blaine 42, 59, 71.2, .322

Irondale 54, 69, 78.3, .362
North St. Paul 51, 68, 75.0, .368

Hopkins 64, 51, 125.5, .647
Cretin-Derham Hall 47, 88.7, .377

Apple Valley 71, 67, 106.0, .479
Omaha Skutt 51, 66, 77.3, .348

Yesterday's Numbers
White Bear Lake 44, 72, 61.1, .333
St. Paul Central 73, 71, 102.8, .479

DeLaSalle 63, 65, 96.9, .446
Andover 61, 63, 96.8, .444

Mpls South 50, 60, 83.3, .417
Rogers 46, 59, 78.0, .407

Elk River 60, 70, 85.7, .400
St. Cloud Tech 56, 71, 78.9, .352

It will be hard to top Hopkins' numbers for this night

TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Rochester Championship
Lakeville North 47, Eastview 46 OT

Elk River Semis
St. Paul Central 69, Elk River 61
Mpls South 51, DeLaSalle 48

Hill-Murray semis
Centennial 58, Mounds View 39
Hill-Murray 63, Stillwater 42

Tomorrow (if the snow stops) Hill-Murray, the last stop on the tournament extravaganza