Out & About: ND Prairie Shooters/MN Metro Stars Black

#3 posting 7.7.2006
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

This game took place on Saturday, July 1
Dakota Showcase, Quarterfinals
ND Prairie Shooters 55, MN Metro Stars Black 50

Prairie Shooters is a HS team from Mandan ND. They have won four A (highest class) tournaments in a row in ND. They also are coached by their HS coach. This has obvious advantages. One of their strengths is their full court defensive intesity. PS put that factor to good use early as the rattled the sloppy ball handling by MMSB. MMSB started the game with a 0/7 drought. Six of those possessions ended on turnovers. PS was up 8-0 before MMSB scored their first points at the 11:50 mark on a put back by Natalie Gigler. PS was making this move despite the fact that their top point guard had picked up too many fouls early. PS was in the middle of a 6/7 scoring run when that happened. PS led 20-5 at the 16 possession mark. MMSB executed at a 2/16 ratio. The PS were not immune to droughts and infact suffered an 8 possession dry patch but MMSB only mustered up six points during the stretch. PS snapped out of their slumber and closed out the half with a 16-5 run. PS led 36-16 at half.

It was a long climb back, but MMSB started climbing. This time it was PS that had the early half difficulties going 3/15 to start the half. The problem was MMSB had one stretch in the sequence where they were 1/9 missing an opportunity to make up lost ground. As a result PS led 44-31 with half the half left to go. MMSB started to string together some offense later in the half with a 6/7 string and a 13-2 run. The score now stood at 50-44. Five different MMSBers contributed during the stretch but Jenny Theisen provided five with a trey and two free throws. PS had a 4 possession drought, and then had another spell with five more non scoring chances. All in all they were 2/13 during that sequence. After scoring early MMSB missed another chance to advance by matching PS with their own five drought. Pint sized point guard Mic Kraft made one free throw to push the score up to 53-46 for PS. Ana Garcia matched that with a free throw and again it was a six point game. Kielpinski's pass was snatched by Chelsea Lyons, but Young missed the ensuing lay up. Kraft threw the ball away on the next possession, but a 3 by Boylan was off the mark. Ali Collins went to the line and missed the front end of a one and one situation. Gigler rebounded but turned it over. Collins converted that into a lay up and Theisen finished off all scoring with a 3 from the left corner.

AAU ROSTERS

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

PRAIRIE SHOOTERS
STARTERS
Mic Kraft, Mandan 1, 6, 16.7, .167 RF: small, aggressiveness led to foul trouble which led to the best seat in the house.
Elizabeth Schleicher, Mandan 10, 11, 90.9, .364
Paige Jensen, Mandan 2, 11, 18.2, .091
Cassandra Kelsch, Mandan 14, 11, 127.3, .636 scored on transition, and post ups. Had some assists with her post buddy Kielpinski. moves without the ball.
Jessica Kielpinski, Mandan 12, 12, 100.0, .500 big strong post. Ball kept high. RF: I am uncomfortable with her handling the ball.
BENCH
Alicia Hermanson, Mandan 5, 4, 125.0, .500
Melissa Strandemo, Mandan 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Ali Collins, Mandan 11, 13, 84.6, .385 forced to play a lot due to Kraft's fouls. had a nice back cut.
Shaunna Knife, Belcourt 0, 2, 0.0, .000

MN METRO STARS BLACK
STARTERS
Courtney Boylan, Chaska 2, 4, 50.0, .250 RF waiting for her to take command of the game like I have seen before.
Elle Queen, Minnetonka 4, 6, 66.7, .500 good anticipation on defense.
Jenny Theisen, Champlin Park 8, 7, 114.3, .429 corner 3pt specialist.
Laura Kalbfell, Lakeville South 3, 5, 60.0, .400 RF: has physical tools, it is time to step out of the shadows.
Rachel Booth, DeLaSalle 5, 11, .455, .273 RF: I am looking for her to initiate contact. and relish it.
BENCH
Alyssa Benson, Minnetonka 0, 4, 0.0, .000 RF: pressure bothered her
Ana Garcia, Hopkins 4, 6, 66.7, .333 took charge, 3 range.
Lauren Young, Edina 13, 11, 118.2, .545 went to town with 11 second half points.
Chelsea Lyons, Coon Rapids 2, 6, 33.3, .167 huster RF: needs to translate into effective offense
Natalie Gigler, Champlin Park 9, 11, 81.8, .364 RF: not heard of in the second half

TRENCH PLAYER
Cassandra Kelsch

BY THE NUMBERS
Prairie Shooters 55, 71, 77.5, .366
MN Metro Stars Black 50, 71, 70.4, .352

MMSB had their lowest offensive output in this game (that I have attended). It can all be layed at the feet of the opening half. If we look at half performance the first half was 8, 16, 50.0, .333 to the second half 34, 39, 87.2, .436. If we just divided the first half into another half (first 16 possessions the numbers look uglier with 5, 16, 31.3, .125. Nine out of the first 16 possessions ended up as turnovers as the PS pressure made life uncomfortable.

Only one possession separated these two teams when it came to scoring, however on five of the MMSB possessions they were only able to squeeze one free throw out. Add those missed free throws in the mix and it is a tie game. MMSB did win the FT line battle with 13, PS converted only 3. The 3 war was an edge to PS with 4 to 3 the margin.

The MMSB problem was the failure to handle the pressure early against PS.

We have photos. The Snail Mail, and I do mean Snail, has not delivered the DVDs from the Dakota Showcase yet. I am assuming the reliable source will come through. I do have other sources. and here are some shots of the action from Saturday.

P#1 The opening tip. If you notice Kraft has already slipped into position with Kalbfell on the left side of the tip. P#2. Jenny Theisen launches a pattened trey from the corner.


P#3 Theisen and Boylan wait for the FT to be shot. I think Gigler might be the shooter. P#4 action under the basket. Nobody in control. P#5 PS Alicia Hermanson being defended by Chelea Lyons. Kraft is open to right.


Again thanks to all the team members that make this site possible.

Next up: Later tonight with a Look at the Lynx defensive style against Detroit and Ex Lynxer Katie Smith.