Out & About: MN Elite Coaches Challenge Game

#1 posting 7.27.2006

Thanks for your patience readers. The blogspot hosting was down for over 12 hours. It was frustrating for me, and I imagine for you.

#5 posting 7.26.2006 (it would have been if the system was working right)
Your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

Today at the MN Elite camp they have what is the called the challenge game. It features the players that the colleges are interested in. There are two games played at the same time. I zeroed in on court 1.

Maroon 42, Gold 41

Maroon took the early lead in this contest at 10-5. Jenny Ostrom helped to get them off on the right start with five points. Gold had problems with a six possession drought and 1/11 sequence. Maroon didn’t really capitalize on the problems, as they had their own issues with a 10 possession drought. Maroon led at half 22-17.

Maroon kept the lead and built it up to 36-25 as they scored on 4/5 possessions. They were helped by the fact Gold had another 6 possession drought to start the half. Slowly Gold started their comeback. Leading the charge was Kaiya Sygulla who had 8 points in a six possession Gold outburst . Gold used that 11-2 run to tie it at 40. Abby Busch tied it for Gold. Both teams had two possessions that ended in turnovers. On Maroons last possession Jenny Ostrom scored on an off balance shot in the paint. Sygulla took the ball and drove the lane and was fouled. She made her first shot, but missed the second. Mara Hjelle of Gold got the rebound but her pass was deflected to midcourt and Gold had no shot off as the buzzer sounded.

NUMBERS EXPLAINED
player, points, possessions, pp100, floor %

MAROON
STARTERS
Angel Robinson, St. Paul Central 5, 9, 55.6, .333 point guard, just came in today from Memphis. Wonderful passer. Nice change of pace dribble. RF: the toll of July has affected her shooting.
Jamie Zelinsky, Park Center 7, 5, 140.0, .600 has distance, and can drive.
Nicole Christiansen, Chetek, WI 2, 4, 50.0, .250
Leah Dietel, Jordan 7, 6, 116.7, .500 another player that isn’t afraid to get hit.
Jenny Ostrom, St. Anthony 10, 10, 100.0, .600 cleans up the boards like Hoover. Surprising speed. RF: passing may be an issue.
BENCH
Hallie Hoganson, Detroit Lakes 0, 3, 0.0, .000 point guard. RF: circus shot, not in control on a drive.
Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central 3, 4, 75.0, .250 canned a three. RF: almost ghost like
Jess Peterson, Chisago Lakes 6, 7, 85.7, .429 tough kid, willing to get hit. RF: distance shots look questionable.
Bri Zabel, Northfield 2, 4, 50.0, .250 bruiser, enforcer, strong
Amber Dvorak, Hinckley-Finlayson 0, 4, 0.0, .000 post player, big, still learning. RF: footwork, and picking up speed.

GOLD
STARTERS
Devin Bowlin, Winona Cotter 0, 4, 0.0, .000 point guard. RF: size issues, forced some passes, and stared some down.
Katie Coughenour, Wayzata 3, 10, 30.0, .100 RF: had no angle on transition, shot was short, hesitated on the floor.
Megan Forster, Fairmont 4, 4, 100.0, .500 RF: hand definitely drops on follow through. Needs to keep the arm up, up, up.
Jenny Gilbertson, Winona Cotter 4, 3, 133.3, .667 had a nice hook shot in the paint. Good frame.
Cassie Rochel, Lakeville North 7, 5, 140, .600 unofficially had six blocks. Big and agile, runs very well. Only a baby. Sky is the limit.
BENCH
Kaiya Sygulla, Lakeville North 11, 10, 110.0, .500 her nickname should be nails as in tough as nails. Point guard, full bore player, takes it to the basket full speed ahead. Very eager. RF: a tad out of control at times. Size matters
Abby Busch, GFW 2, 6, 33.3, .167 energetic, dynamic all over the floor. Nice feed to the post. RF: wasn’t able to get shots in the paint off against the trees. I am not in favor of the spin dribble.
Katie Van Duynhoven, Mankato East 6, 6,100.0, .500 RF: appeared to be thinking about what to do, the moment passed.
Alexis Montgomery, Cannon Falls 0, 4, 0.0, .000
Mara Hjelle, Mahtomedi 4, 4, 100.0, .500 solid inside.

TRENCH PLAYER
Jenny Ostrom

BY THE NUMBERS
Maroon 42, 56, 75.0, .375
Gold 41, 56, 73.2, .339

As is the case with the multiple game days players get tired, and when they get tired they make poor decisions, the zip in their step is off, the whole flow of the game is off. Also these players are thrown together for the first time (except for teammates). It is hard to read new teammates minds. There were bad spacing issues for both teams. What these late games indicate who is in shape and can overcome these obstacles to performance. It also shows who plays hard. That should never change.

Next up: tomorrow morning (in reality about 15 minutes from now as I format what I wrote this morning)