Out & About: North Tartan/IBCA Iowa Select II

#2 posting 6.22.2006
Your Daily Dose of Girls Basketball

This game took place Sunday, June 18th
Bloomington Jefferson HS Blue Division Quarterfinals
North Tartan 71, IBCA Iowa Select II 55

NT was missing Alyssa Karel, one of their point guards, and their coach Larson, but they didn't miss a beat as they beat ISII. Their convincing win didn't start off on a convincing note. NT started off with five straight possessions with nothing to show for it. Iowa scored on their first two possessions and led 3-0. Once NT started cooking they were smoking. They went on a 9/11 possession sequence and 20-10 run. Tara Steinbauer showed off her versatility with 8 points, 3 on transition, lay up & foul, a trey from the top, and a post up. NT led at this point 23-15. NT had another string of six straight to close the half with Steinbauer once again notching five more in her scoring belt. NT led 38-30 at half. Steinbauer had 13 at half, Amber Kirschbaum topped Iowa with 8.

Just as the first half started, NT had a rough time getting their motor running as they sputtered with a 2/9 scoring ratio, but Iowa was only able to cut that deficit by only one 42-35. That was as close as Iowa was to come. NT rolled later in the half with an 8 straight scoring string with Hannah Draxten leading the way with 7. The run was 16-5 and led 66-47. Iowa never quit and they put together their best string late with four possessions in a row but only squeezed six points out of the run.

AAU ROSTERS

NUMBERS EXPLAINED
player, high school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
NORTH TARTAN
STARTERS
Macie Michaelson, Marshall 11, 13, 84.6, .385 only knows how to play at an intense level. fiery, passionate, a pain for the other team, you are glad she is on your squad. elevates, explodes by defenses. throws frozen ropes. RF: Maybe her energy was on the wane in the second half as she only scored 3. She missed shots, her legs may have been heavy. recommendation--take another step in.
Caitlin Rowland, Hopkins 10, 10, 100.0, .500 steady, reliable, wins, doesn't beat herself. stole a ball on a throw in as she was looking right at the passer. good fundamentals.
Tara Steinbauer, Bloomington Kennedy 17, 10, 170.0, .800 offensive minded. has good range as she hit a 3. can post up or play on 3 line. has a baby hook. strong--won't get knocked around. RF: defense is sometimes up hill for her (offense is downhill all the time). I would like to see more intensity on that side of the floor.
Hannah Draxton, Fergus Falls 15, 9, 166.7, .667 nice 3 pt shooter. moves better without the ball than earlier this spring. RF: can stay lower on defense.
Janessa Wolff, Park Rapids 9, 8, 112.5, .625 has good vertical compared to other posts. good hands, touch.
BENCH
Bri Zabel, Northfield 4, 7, 57.1, .143 RF: turnover prone today.
Jackie Voight, Park-Cottage Grove 2, 3, 66.7, .333 stepped up activity away from the ball, more intense. Got to many more loose balls.
Brianna Bauer, Sioux Falls Lincoln, SD 1, 6, 16.7, .167
Jenny Gilbertson, Winona Cotter 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000 RF: I am waiting for her to click like she did her HS team where she is much more active.

IBCA IOWA SELECT II
STARTERS
Steph Bjurstrom, Algona 10, 8, 125.0, .625 has decent drive game, pull up jumper. has some flair. RF: needs strength
MacKenzie Westcott, Williamsburg 2, 5, 40.0, .200 RF: defensively lost sight of the ball as player moved to the weakside. (see photo below)
Trisha Nesbitt, Ames 0, 5, 0.0, .000
Chelsie Trask, RRMR 6, 8, 75.0, .375
Jess McDowell, AGWSR 6, 10, 60.0, .400 big body inside. not afraid to get hit. RF: no field goals on the day. needs to work on vertical. hesitated once she had the ball in the blocks--thinking too much.
BENCH
Samantha Harrington, Nashua-Plainfield 5, 4, 125.0, .750 RF: smallish. Weight is forward on defense when guarding the ball allowing the offense to get by better. (see photo below)
Kaisha Brown, Spirit Lake 4, 5, 80.0, .400
Amber Kirschbaum, Spirit Lake 12, 11, 109.1, .636 I liked her at the Iowa State tournament, and that hasn't changed. can get off on the 19th floor. solid base, strong, good touch. mature. RF: may have to work on the ball handling for post HS ball.
Hannah Noel, Norwalk 10, 11, 90.9, .364 scrappy, competitive kid. Has a good 3 stroke. RF: size issues. forced some passes

TRENCH PLAYER
Others have better #s but Macy Michaelson, her energy, passion, and drive put her in the Trench.

BY THE NUMBERS
North Tartan 71, 67, 106.8, .493
IBCA Iowa Select II 55, 67, 82.1, .433

Both teams were in an attack mode on offense with NT making 18 free throws, and Iowa canning 17. NT made 5 3s to Iowa's 2. NT has been steadily rising in their pp100 and topped 100 (when I have been watching) in this game. Their size and speed were a distinct advantage, but it was their execution on offense, and a more intense attitude on defense that delivered the win.


Photo #1 Michaelson elevates for two. #2 Iowa's McDowell blocks Steinbauer.


#3 Michaelson scores in transition. #4 Draxten makes one of her 3 3s. #5 Steinbauer scores and gets fouled in transition.



Sequence action. #6 Michaelson starts her drive past Harrington. #7 Michaelson sets her self, notice that Wescott has her back to the ball. #8 Michaelson meets a soaring Kirschbaum.



#9 Wolff grabs the miss. #10 Michaelson strides to the glass. #11 Steinbauer uses her left hand baby hook.


#12 Michaelson stops and pops in transition. #13 Wolff show her shooting form after catching the ball from Gilbertson after flashing to the sweet spot. #14 Steinbauer again delivers from the right block.


#15 Rowland scores in transition. #16 Michaelson cleanly blocks Nesbitt in transition. #17 Bjustrom goes up for two over Michaelson.


Another sequence --#18 Bjustrom starts her move. #19 Bjustrom splits Michaelson and Draxten. #20 she finishes against Wolff who was a bit late on the block.


#21 Wolff blocks McDowell; #22 Kirschbaum posts up against Steinbauer. #23 Kirschbaum skys for two (by the refs arm)


#24 Trask drives by but, doesn't score. #25 Voigt rebounds. #26 Noel launches one of her two 3s.

Next Up: tomorrow morning with a Look at the Lynx with their game against Connecticut and Lyndsey Whalen. Plus items sent in by the readers of this blog.