Out & About: North Tartan/Triple Threat 16 Championship

#3 posting 5.21.2006
Your Daily Dose of Girls Basketball

MN STATE AAU 16u CHAMPIONSHIP
NORTH TARTAN 59, TRIPLE THREAT 42

North Tartan had too much size and could match, or at least neutralize, the Triple Threat squad with quickness in a 59-42 championship clash.
It was actually TT that grabbed the lead first, it was to be their only lead, on Patrice Thomas' 3 from the left corner. Steinbauer immediately answered with her own 3 from the top of the key. Steinbauer added to her point total with a pass from Karel and NT never looked back. They went on a 14-1 run after the initial Thomas basket. Karel & Steinbauer combined for 9 of the points. TT had a 0/7 drought. They were taking, and missing 3s galore. The height advantage had TT playing on the 3 line. They were 2/18 during the middle of the first half. NT wasn't ripping the nets either at that point as they were 2/14 on possessions. NT did string together five straight scoring possessions to end the half. They broke open an 18-13 game with a 8-2 run. NT led at half 26-15.

TT inched back with three unanswered points before NT scored on their 6th possession of the half. After they broke the ice they put together another four string with Rowland scoring 5 points in a NT 10-3 burst and they led 36-21. TT had another 8-2 mini run to cut the lead to 38-29. After that the game devolved into a free throw-a-thon. I know I have been critical of the free throws in this tournament, but NT was what turned out to be one of the better % I saw at 73.3%. TT came in at a 66.7%. Big time can be and should be above 85%. There were other teams that were lower than this. NT's five of their last six scoring possessions came at the line.

AAU ROSTERS

NUMBERS EXPLAINED

player, high school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
PLAYER EVALUATIONS
NORTH TARTAN
STARTERS
Alyssa Karel, Cretin-Derham Hall 11, 13, 87.5, .385 point guard, cool and calm to Michaelson, firery personality. Both get the job done. deceptive. good body control, RF: a couple of circus shots (not on balance) a few forced passes, but the main thing is needs to gain strength and weight to play Big 10 ball.
Tara Steinbauer, Bloomington Kennedy 14, 16, 87.5, .438 big, can play and shoot in & out. 3 range. can feed the high low. RF: picks up lame fouls (offensive away from the ball), dribbles with head down.
Hannah Draxten, Fergus Falls 1, 4, 25.0, .250 neutralized TT players on Defense. Long wing span, good footwork. RF: didn't have many great opportunities to shine on offense.
Caitlin Rowland, Hopkins 9, 5, 180.0, .800 smart, savvy, looks as if she has been spending time in the weight room--at least I think her arms and shoulders look like she has been lifting. plays within herself. in right position, at the right time, doing the right thing.
Janessa Wolff, Park Rapids, 12, 10, 120.0, .700 best frame in the 16s, good hands, good quickness. RF: I thought she posted too low a couple of times, but she still was able to score which might be a plus and not a RF. was 6/8 at the line which is fine, but I want to see some old fashioned three point plays--get hit, make the basket, make the free throw.
BENCH
Bri Zabel, Northfield 3, 5, 60.0, .400 enforcer type body and personality. RF: made her points at the line. Need to see consistency from the floor.
Macie Michaelson, Marshall 9, 12, 75.0, .417 the fire to Karel's ice. a player that is always going all out---you notice her energy. RF: I have questions about her size in the big time.
Jackie Voigt, Park-Cottage Grove 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Jenny Gilbertson, Winona Cotter---played, but no numbers
Brianna Bauer, Sioux Falls Lincoln----played, but no numbers

TRIPLE THREAT
STARTERS
Porsha Zimmerman, Mpls Roosevelt 8, 10, 80.0, .400 As with most TT players very quick. fearless. RF: size at the next level
Patrice Thomas, Mpls Washburn 11, 14, 78.6, .429 plays with a sense of urgency. power/speed/quickness + aggressive. quick release. RF: takes some shots (usually 3s) without being in balance.
Amanda Viehauser, Mpls Washburn 5, 5, 100.0, .600 a big, potentially strong player. RF: needs more possessions. Can't show disgust or show when things are going bad. Can get stronger and more defined.
Latoya Williams, Benilde-St. Margaret's 3, 5, 60.0, .400 RF: outsized, and that will happen more often than not at the next level.
Kachine Alexander, Benilde-St. Margaret's 10, 11, 90.9, .455 I have been singing her praises lately. and she is tough, gets knocked about and scores. however RF: she makes most of her coin in transition or on post ups. That ain't going to happen post HS. She does have ups, but I want to see her perimeter game develop more.
BENCH
Laura Miller, Mpls Southwest 0, 3, 0.0, .000
Brittani Holeman, Columbia Heights 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central 5, 6, 83.3, .500 Starting to play like the Buford I know and saw this past winter. active and alert. took a charge. RF: Still not quite at full strength.
Brittany Mayclin, Bemidji 0, 11, 0.0, .000 RF: pressure led to turnovers either by passing or getting picked.
Megan Howard, St. Paul Central 0, 1, 0.0, .000

TRENCH PLAYER
Caitlin Rowland

BY THE NUMBERS
Team, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
North Tartan 59, 67, 88.1, .463
Triple Threat 42, 67, 62.7, .328

The fact is NT has bigger bodies that, if not as quick, quick enough to play with Threat. Seven of the NT players are 5-10 or bigger, much bigger. Five of the TT players pass the mark. However only two NT players are under 5-8 compared with four TTs.

Defense was a big key for NT. They held TT to a pp100 of 62.7 when in the two previous games I saw TT was closer to 90.5. Also the Floor % was dramatically lower. TT was averaging .437 in the two games--NT held TT to 109 points lower. They did it by limiting shots to one per trip, and forcing more turnovers. It also tougher to shoot over bigger players. I have charted NT one other game and they are remarkably on average with a 91.0 and .463 floor % against the Lady Lakers. Today they were slightly less, but still had the same floor %.

NT had one game that was a nailbiter in this tournament and that was the first game against the Storm 42-40. The buzz at the tournament from those in attendance was it was poor shooting by NT that made the score so close.

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