Out & About: Maple Grove/Park Center

#3 Posting 1.24.2006

Maple Grove 44, Park Center 37
This game featured two NW Suburban schools, and also 5AAAA foes. In a grind it out affair, MG beat PC 44-37. As has been the case lately neither team came out on fire. MG was 3/10 with their possessions to start, which was the same as PC. MG started out the game going inside and it payed off with two fouls. MG was able to post up all night as PC played behind. MG was more physical and controlled the offensive boards most of the night. The game was tied at 6, 9, 11 early on. Then MG hit a hot streak with three straight scoring possessions, the last two a cut by Sonja Ellingson through the lane, and an Ellingson three from the left side to give them a 16-11 lead. The biggest lead of the night came on two free throws by Emily Hoskins at 18-11. PC hit a 0/6 dry patch in the first half--four of which were missed 3s, and two turnovers. Late in the half PC did find the range from behind the arc with Briana Blackhawk and Jamie Zelinsky connecting. The score at half was 20-17 in favor of MG.
The pace of the night did not change in the second half. Everything was quite deliberate. Early in the half MG scored on six of their first ten possessions, just like PC, but MG was at the line for four of those possessions, PC toed the line three times. But that was the end of PC's scoring at the line for the rest of the night. PC took the lead at 23-21 with Jamie Zelinksy's two free throws. PC either had the lead or was tied from that point until Sonja Ellingson drove the baseline, was fouled and scored the basket and one for a 34-33 lead for MG. Megan Thompson answered for PC's last lead. For the last 2:56 MG outscored PC 10-2. Ellingson gave MG the lead for good with two more freethrows. A miscommunication between two PC players resulting in a pass to no one broke the see saw battle. MG converted on free throws their last 7 possessions. Another key play was when Christine Dwyer grabbed a free throw off a missed free throw by Sadler. That kept the ball out of PC's hands when the score was 39-35. MG added a free throw as PC came down and cast up 3s that failed to hit the mark.

Height Matters: Park Center 5-8.8; Maple Grove 5-7.6. Neither team started a player above 6-0.
Department of Defense: MG: man with 2/3 and 3/2 zone; PC: man with 2/3 zone.
name, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
Maple Grove Player Evaluations
Starters
Sonja Ellingson 18, 16, 112.5, .563 thin, aggressive, prefers the 3 line and that is probably her spot. Made 8 points during closing 13-4 run that turned a two point deficit into a 7 victory. Physcial, active defensively. Guarded PC's Jamie Zelinsky when playing man. RF: size post HS
Marit Sadler 4, 6, 66.7, .333 listed at 5-3, but may be an inch taller. adequate job as point. RF: not consistent from the 3 line. Needs strength
Cate Cavanagh 2, 5, 40.0, .400 will get floor burns as she made hustle plays. RF: shooting needs improving from floor.
Emily Hoskins 4, 7, 57.1, .429 strong upper body, RF: needs to score from the floor.
Christine Dwyer 5, 5, 100.0, .600 made a key rebound late in game. Seemed to be in the right spot at the right time. Had a drive and dish for an assist.
Bench
Taylor House 7, 7, 100.0, .571 physical, posted up, crashed boards. RF: size post HS
Rachel Smith 2, 3, 66.7, .333
Katie Johnson 2, 2, 100.0, .500

Park Center Player Evaluations
Starters
Jamie Zelinsky 15, 19, 78.9, .421 a big guard, long and lanky. Outside Twin. Leader of the team. Had a nice drive and body control for a basket in second half. RF: had an off night from the outside. Needs to get in synch with teammates on passing/cutting. When trailing late in the game, don't walk the ball up. Know time and score.
Jengeih Tamba 4, 7, 57.1, .286 good leaper for size. RF: needs to develop shooting skills
Holly Bistodeau 0, 6, 0.0, .000 RF: needs to be a threat
Briana Blackhawk 10, 6, 166.7, .400 Drained two 3s in the first half, one more in the second half. RF: maybe develop ball handling/driving capability. Needs to work on weights. Improve decisions on the floor.
Jill Zelinsky 4, 4, 100.0, .500 Inside twin. RF: needs to get stronger to bang people inside, and take a banging inside.
Bench
Tiffany Brandt 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Megan Thompson 4, 6, 66.7, .333 scored twice in second half with a drive and a cut through lane. RF: better decision making

In the Trench: Sonja Ellingson

BY THE NUMBERS
team, points, possessions, pp100, scoring %
Maple Grove 44, 51, 86.3, .451
Park Center 37, 50, 74.0, .360
Bench MG 11, PC 4.
Points at the line MG 18, PC 7

116-93
No that is not from the NBA, that was Centennial vs Chaplin Park tonight. Or the anti-MG/PC.
Katie DeWitt had 36 and was joined by four others in double figures.
CP had three players with 20+ (Theisen, Schmidt, Fuller). My guess is this sets a record for points scored in one game by two teams (209), and most points by a losing team. It might also set records for a half. Centennial had 49 at half. CP scored 62 in the second half, Centennial 67. I would have needed three pens for this game.

South slays Giant Killer Rosemount
South remained unbeaten and they did it with balance in a 82-59 win over Rosemount. Rosemount could not duplicate their feat of hanging a loss on the only unbeaten team left in AAAA. Rosemount dumped Kennedy from the unbeaten ranks last Friday with a 44-41 win.
Tayler Hill led South with 21 and was joined by five other Southerners in double figures.