Out & About: St. Paul Central/Crookston

#3 posting 8.8.2006
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

this game took place on Sunday, August 6
St. Benedict's College, St. Joseph, MN
Sweet 16 Consolation Championship (9th place overall)
St. Paul Central 87, Crookston 59

SPC used their superior defense and quickness in taking apart Crookston early. Both teams made it to the state tournament last year with SPC finished 3rd in AAAA, and Crookston was runner up in AA.

To start the game it was like no one was ever going to miss. For a combined seven straight possessions each team scored. Crookston was the first to drop off the scoring parade. SPC had six straight scoring possessions to start the game 12-7. They never had too big a drought. Crookston had a five drought in the middle of the quarter which SPC expanded their lead to 18-9. Crookston had another five drought toward the end of the quarter. SPC led 26-16 at the break. Buford and Robinson each had 8 points in the initial quarter.

SPC did have a rough patch early in the second quarter, but Crookston matched them as both teams had five possessions go blank. The pressure did its work for SPC as turnovers mounted into points. SPC led 44-30 at the half.

SPC again had a big 3rd quarter, Kiara Buford had another 8 point quarter. The lead kept on expanding. Crookston had one dry spot toward the end of the quarter with a five possession drought.

It was more of the same in the fourth quarter. SPC put together five straight scoring possessions and led at that time 81-53. The bench played quite a bit for SPC in the fourth quarter and they made the most of their opportunity.

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

ST. PAUL CENTRAL
STARTERS
Angel Robinson 13, 14, 92.8, .357 forte is defense. She is one of the best point guards getting defensive boards. She led the team until Howard started asserting herself late in the game. Robinson forced Crookston to use someone other that Wahlin to bring the ball up. When they did bad decisions would follow. This is her team and she ran the team well today. RF: not a good shooting day
Abby Gust 6, 5, 120.0, .400 3 point shooter.
Theairra Taylor 8, 9, 88.9, .444 starting to fit in to the SPC system. she still has break out performances ready to happen. RF: need to clean up footwork (violations)
Kiara Buford 22, 14, 157.1, .786 this is the best I've seen her all summer. Running the floor. finishing shots. playing with feeling.
Megan Howard 16, 12, 133.3, .667 much much better performance than the Becker game. Owned the paint. asserted herself inside. RF: need to work on the hands. avoid offensive fouls.
BENCH
Cyonna West 8, 5, 160.0, .800 defensive quickness that scored today. RF: size
Shayla Johnson 10, 7, 142.9, .714 another quick guard that delivered.
Jessica Bartz 2, 4, 50.0, .250
Samantha Robinson-Ricks 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Kyanna Johnson 2, 2, 100.0, .500

CROOKSTON
STARTERS
Kamille Wahlin 13, 8, 162.5, .750 very smart point guard. Makes good decisons. delivers to the right person at the right time. sometimes those players have slow releases, but Wahlin had a double double with 11 assists. Came back and played even though she had stitches in her head in an injury suffered the day before. Not only can she pass, but she has a very nice shot. left handed, chins the ball and has good floor vision. can pen and pitch. avoids most problems. has 3 range. RF: size. needs to look to shoot more herself.
Molly Simmons 4, 13, 30.8, .154 RF: when Wahlin didn't have the ball Simmons did. needs to make better decisions under pressure.
Sydney Epema 8, 9, 88.9, .333 3 range. RF: another that should clean up passing
Macy Hanson 5, 12, 41.7, .167 RF: another that was a decision maker when Wahlin sat. needs to make good decisions under fire.
Taylor Davis 12, 13, 92.3, .462 ran the floor well, transition lay ups. RF: she too can clean up the passing game.
BENCH
Allison Schumacher 3, 5, 60.0, .200
Katie Baldock 4, 5, 80.0, .400
Brea Aamoth 8, 6, 133.3, .667 3 shooter.
Marley Hanson 2, 4, 50.0, .250

TRENCH PLAYER
Kiara Buford

BY THE NUMBERS
St. Paul Central 87, 74, 117.6, .554
Crookston 59, 75, 78.7, .360

SPC played like they were capable of for the first game in this tournament. They were too tenative and made poor decisions on defense in the first game against Becker. They didn't blow Barnesville or Ada-Borup away in the game leading up to the 9th place game. They did enough to win, but it in this game they were firing on all cylinders. The defense generated the offense. The offense was crisp. They played with authority.

Crookston is a team full of perimeter shooters. They don't really have a post. They love to go, go go. They run on missed shots. However when Wahlin wasn't controlling the ball, bad things invariably happened. 31 of them to be precise.

In a remarkably free throw less game (for a change) Crookston led that parade at the line with six made to three for SPC. SPC did not score from the line in the second half.

Here are the Sweet 16 brackets from the Hopkins gbb website.

Thanks to all the readers that make this site the first and last source of girls basketball news. Keep up the good work. Keep me fed.

Next up: tomorrow morning with the general news of the day. with the Semifinal game between Champlin Park and Becker