Out & About: North Tartan/Minneapolis Lakers 16u

#3 posting 5.9.2006

This game took place on Sunday at Hastings

MN AAU 16u Qualifier
North Tartan 61, Minneapolis Lakers 42 (not complete--I left with time to go)

It was a tale of two halves with NT putting the game away in the second half with a suffocating defense and fresher legs. But the Lakers gave a spirited battle and actually led at half. NT took an early 5-2 lead, but their offense was sputtering. It may be that NT had thumped the Lakers by 30+ earlier this year. It may be that NT was relaxed knowing the best two players for the Lakers were out due to injuries. It may have been that they are still getting the chemistry down. The Lakers hung around and closed the gap. The biggest early lead for NT was 15-9, but the Lakers strung together six straight scoring possessions, the best I saw all day. No one player went crazy, but four players lifted their collective game. The Lakers went on an 11-0 run to grab a 20-15 lead. Wolff started the comeback for NT. Draxten added two free throws to cut the lead to 20-19. The Lakers maintained the lead to 27-25 at half. Jenny Ostrom had 8 for the Lakers in the first half.

In the second half NT got serious with their defense. They applied a pressure and sense of urgency that was lacking in the first half. After two free throws by Wigen, the change paid off with immediate dividends. Karel and then Wolff scored to tie the game at 29. Karel's free throw gave NT the lead they would never give back. NT went on a 20-7 run. The Lakers had a seven possession drought with tired legs, and tired decisions. NT started clicking with 8/11 scoring possessions including four straight. It was a wide ranging effort as no one NT player contributed more than four points on the tear. The frequency and length of the runs started to pick up for NT as they strung together runs of 4 and 3 later. The next game was about to tip off and this game was all but over so I left knowing the who would win. Michelson had 8 in the second half to lead NT when I was there.

What do the numbers mean?
http://gbbrecruit.blogspot.com/2006/05/numbers-explained.html

Rosters:
http://gbbrecruit.blogspot.com/2006/05/aau-rosters.html

player, high school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
PLAYER EVALUATIONS
NORTH TARTAN
STARTERS
Alyssa Karel, Cretin-Derham Hall, 6, 7, 85.7, .571 style, speed, flair, point guard, RF: size
Tara Steinbauer, Bloomington Kennedy, 4, 12, 33.3, .167 RF: forced the game
Caitlin Rowland, Hopkins, 7, 7, 100.0, .429 Steady, does all the right things
Janessa Wolff, Park Rapids, 9, 9, 100.0, .556 big player that plays big. not only dominates inside, but has very good ball handling skills, and quickness. Many big kids are mechanical, but she is fluid. RF: doesn't play in the bright lights of the city
Hannah Draxten, Fergus Falls, 7, 7, 100.0, .429 nice shooter
BENCH
Jackie Voigt, Park-Cottage Grove, 2, 4, 50.0, .250
Jenny Gilbertson, Winona Cotter, 2, 4, 50.0, .250 played more of an outside game here and does have range. RF: defensively on the perimeter
Macie Michelson, Marshall, 11, 9, 122.2, .556 energy and verve. explosive, intense. RF: if teammates aren't ready the ball may hit them in the head. She tips off something is going to happen by a change of expression on her face. Her eyes get bigger and her mouth opens. defenders beware.
Brianna Bauer, Sioux Falls Lincoln, SD, 4, 4, 100.0, .750
Bri Zabel, Northfield, 6, 4, 150.0, .750 solid brick wall inside. RF: foot speed

MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS
STARTERS
Chelsia Hooker, Park Center, 4, 6, 66.7, .333
Melanie Wigen, Bloomington Kennedy, 13, 20, 65.0, .300. RF: decisions when tired.
AunDrea Aune, Minneapolis Roosevelt, 6, 22, 27.3, .136 RF: tired, forced shots and passes, easily frustrated
Kim Grant, Minneapolis Roosevelt, 2, 4, 50.0, .250 RF: fouled out early in the second half
Jenny Ostrom, St. Anthony, 12, 10, 120.0, .600 good instincts on where to be, and where her teammates are. Decent passer. RF: speed.
BENCH
Chaundera Riley, Minneapolis North 5, 6, 83.3, .500

TRENCH PLAYER
Janessa Wolff, there were many worthies from NT, but she is not the standard 6-3 post and she does have a wow factor

BY THE NUMBERS
North Tartan 61, 67, 91.0, .463
Mpls Lakers 42, 68, 61.8, .309
NT had the best numbers for the day with 91 pp100 and .463 as the floor %, yet those numbers are not at the level of the better teams this winter in HS ball. However NT cranked it up with these numbers in the second half: 128.6 and .643. These numbers show why they are considered the team to beat in MN.

Next up: tomorrow afternoon with regular news. Again tomorrow with the last two games from the Hastings Sunday 16 u games.