Out & About: SD Elite/Iowa Elite

#3 posting 7.26.2006
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

this game took place on Sunday, July 23
Adidas Mid America Championsips, 17u Semifinals
South Dakota Elite 52, Iowa Elite 37

First off I wanted to watch Iowa Select I vs Indiana Elite Open since I had not seen IEO and I had heard they had one player verbal Tennessee and another to Notre Dame. However the 15u Semifinal ran long (yesterday's story) and it was a tight game, so I stayed. Iowa Select won on 50-49. Indiana was at the line and they made the first free throw with 5 seconds left. The second one was off, and Kelsey Bolte grabbed the ball, dribbled to just inside of the 3 point line and launched it through the net. Iowa won 51-50.

The last time I saw Iowa Elite they were down to four players as they lost to MN Metro Stars Black in the Dakota Showcase. They had more on the roster today, including a couple from the II team. They could have used more as SDE jumped out quickly to a 10-1 lead. SDE scored on 4/5 possessions to start the contest. IE opened with a four possession drought, a theme that was to haunt them in the first half. They endured another dry spell of five and closed with 7 non scoring possessions. SDE wasn't the normal rip it up selves either, but they never had extended problems. SDE led 28-17 at half. Kristin Rotert had 9 for SDE.

SDE built up their lead early in the second half to 33-19. IE then scored on 5/7 possessions with a 10-2 run to slice the margin down to six at 35-29. That was a close as it was going to be. Abby Plucker knocked down 7 points in the second half to lead scorers.

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

SOUTH DAKOTA ELITE
STARTERS
Megan Doyle, Hanson 7, 8, 87.5, .375 can go hard to the glass or step behind the 3 line. RF: needs to sharpen left hand.
Jill Young, Mitchell Christian 8, 9, 88.9, .333 magician with passing. a flick of the wrist and presto chango the ball is in another players hands and is probably on the way to the hoop. has the moxy. vision and awareness are assets. extremely creative. RF: size, speed at top level. turnovers result of players zagging when they should have been zigging.
Jenny Miller, Sioux Falls O'Gorman 3, 7, 42.9, .286 RF: size post hs. never really handles the ball.
Kristin Rotert, McCook Central 14, 10, 140.0, .600 caused matchup problems for IE's defense. can go to the hole, can drill it deep. a good feel for the game. good timing on her blocks. has spring in her step. serious competitor.
Abby Plucker, Parker 13, 7, 185.7, .714 her play has stepped up a notch. sharpshooter from 3s. more active on the boards.
BENCH
Liz Helsper, Brookings 5, 10, 50.0, .200 likes the drive, can hit 3s.
Sara Puthoff, West Central 2, 7, 28.6, .143

IOWA ELITE
STARTERS
Courtney Stoermer, Iowa City West 2, 9, 22.2, .111 good size on perimeter. RF: needs to finish drives. shot needs more consistency
Jaime Printy, Linn-Mar 6, 11, 54.5, .273 youngster point guard. good vision, good passing skills. RF: shot was a tad off today.
Ally Weaver, Iowa City West 4, 10, 40.0, .200 RF: needs to polish ball handling, passing decisions.
Stephanie Peters, Waterloo West 5, 6, 83.3, .500 big post player. rebounding is strength. RF: can not guard Rotert on the perimeter. Rotert has too much quickness.
Micha Mims, Cedar Rapids Washington 8, 10, 80.0, .400 has a knack for being in the right place. RF: size matters
BENCH
Ashley Arlen, Cascade 10, 10, 100.0, .500 scored off missed shots, transition and her own drives.
Brittany Pritchard, Norwalk 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000

TRENCH PLAYER
Kristin Rotert

BY THE NUMBERS
SD Elite 52, 58, 89.7, .379
Iowa Elite 37, 57, 64.9, .333

This game marked a first on a couple of fronts. In games I have charted it was SDE's first time sub 100 in pp100, and sub 400 in floor %. As they saying goes offense comes and goes, but defense is a consistent. That was true for SDE. They don't let much by, don't beat themselves, and get in the way of what the other team desires on offense.
Winning this game set up the rematch of the Dakota Showcase Semifinal when it was rainging 3s for SDE.

Next up: SD Elite vs Iowa Select I in the 17u championship. And when Conan O'Brien is on later tonight a look at the MN Elite camp Coaches Challenge game.