The Week That Was #1

#4 posting 11.26.2006
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

THE WEEK THAT WAS

8 games in 6 days. Three times into Wisconsin, since they had the OGIT (only games in town or area in this case).

TRENDS
With the pp100 and floor % we can peer into the what really is happening and even though both states do not play the same time frame we can gage how they are playing. We also can compare that to last year's totals.
Right now the pp100 is down as you would expect early season ball to be. The average last year was 82.91 and .404 and that had Iowa and Minnesota state tournament teams involved. In fact I wasn't using this system until after the first of the year (go back and check the old postings). So last year I have no idea what the pp100s and such were in November.
This year I have not been watching two heavy weights each time out. I have seen teams that will struggle to get four wins this year, teams that are middle of the pack, plus the heavy hitters.
After a week the pp100 is 74.17 and .367 for Minnesota teams. Wisconsin teams are slightly under that at 68.54 and .339.
Hopkins, the AAAA state champ last year averaged 97.69 and .493 in the multitude of their games I saw. Defensively they came in at 78.41 and .364.
The top pp100 and floor % is the same team Bloomington Kennedy (111.4, and .544) but their opposition was not of the powerful variety.

Let us discuss the team of the week: It has to be strictly based on numbers, and opposition. With that second criteria layed down The first team of the week is, trumpets please---
CENTENNIAL
They moved very well and executed against a Minneapolis North team that will be north of 15 wins this year. They also pushed #1 St. Paul Central to the max on Saturday. They also were above 100 pp100 until the deep bench entered the contest. Even so they were 100 pp100 and the second best floor % at .478.

Here goes my first players of the week based on what I saw during that week and any other games that the player had. For example Nipe had a solid performance on Friday but blew up Saturday. I don't think she had 35 possessions, it was probably closer to 20 so that would make her pp100 175.0. Plus she is doing this against teams, that in my opinion, will win more than they lose this year. That is why she is the inaugural player of the week.

All these teams are measured by is PERFORMANCE. Make the numbers dance and you are there. So what does it take? I saw 8 games to start the season. That makes 16 teams. I think at a minimum a player needs to have a +100 pp100, they also have to be +.500 in floor %. In order to clip out some players a minimum of 10 possessions in the game I saw qualify. That is why Kesha Brown did not make it. She had 7 possessions, but I felt deserved special mention.

Some names didn't make the list, because sub 100 pp100 and sub 500 floor% are not golden.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Megan Nipe, Centennial
PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK:
First Team
Maggie Demulling, New Richmond, WI
Bailey Franklin, River Falls, WI
Ani Johnson, Minnehaha
Megan Nipe, Centennial
Tara Steinbauer, Bloomington Kennedy
Second Team
Anna Cole, Mondovi, WI
Amy Frye, Hudson, WI
Kassie Kunz, New Richmond, WI
Lindsey Lindstrom, Superior, WI
Kellie Schuneman, Centennial
Special Mention
Kesha Brown, Bloomington Kennedy

SUPERLATIVES
Top pp100: Ani Johnson, Minnehaha 154.5 with 5 3s in the Hudson game
Best floor %: Bailey Franklin, River Falls .750

definitions: I name a trench player after each game. So what does that exactly mean?. It means I think I would want that player in the trenchs if I was in battle. I would figure that player is a warrior, would be smart, tough, calm, resourceful, and not try anything that would get me killed. They should have the ability to take over a game, to inject their will and change the outcome, again without trying to get me killed.

It does not mean trench players would be my first draft choice if I was forming an expansion WNBA team. However I would consider the trench players. Forming an WNBA team I would also look at athletic potential as well--body size, strength, quickness.

THE WEEK TO COME

There will be some big games this week. The biggest will take place in Rogers on Saturday with six games starting at 10 am with all A list programs. Here is their press release on the event.

What: The Breakdown Tipoff Classic -- 12 of the state's top teams playing five games in one day in one gym.
When: 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 2
Where: Rogers High School
Tickets: Available at the Door
Cost: 10$ Adults, 8$ Students

Ten of the state's top girls basketball teams will playfive games in one day for what expects to be an impressive start to the2006-07 season.

The Breakdown Tipoff Classic features 6 games this year and moves toRogers High School. The first game starts at 10AM with the final gamestarting at 8 p.m. Several Division I future college players along withdefending state champions will be on hand for what should prove to be anexciting way to start the basketball season. Here is the schedule for theGirls Tipoff Classic: Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted vs Parkers Prairie 10 AM; #1 A Fulda vs. #5 AAAA Minneapolis South, noon; #3 AA Barnesville vs. Cretin-Derham Hall, 2 p.m.; No. #2 AA Winona Cotter vs. No. #2 AAAA Champlin Park, 4 p.m.; #3 AAA Rogers vs. #10 AAA Fergus Falls, 6 p.m.; #2 AAA Becker vs. #3 AAAA Hopkins, 8 p.m.

* Parkers Prairie's Sari Noga is one of the state's top freshmen who average 22.2 points per game last season. Head coach John Noga has won more than 300 games in his career. Parkers Prairie faces a Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted team that was dangerous in last year's section tournament and expected to be strong again. This game has the potential to be a high scoring game.

* Fulda is the defending Class A state champion with everyone back in an attempt to make a repeat. Can they do it again? The Kramers--Kaitlyn (off to Dakota State) and Laura (off to SW MN State) -- lead Fulda. Tayler Hill of Minneapolis South is a top 10 national recruit and is electrifying to watch.

* Erica Nord is a four-year starter for Barnesville. Cretin's Alyssa Karel is a Wisconsin signee and one of the best point guards in the state. Barnesville runs the floor and is coming off a one-loss sason. Cretin is a ball-control team that plays in one of the state's top sections.

* Winona Cotter has a couple standout players in Jenny Gilbertson and Devin Bowlin. The Ramblers run an up-tempo style and they can score in bunches. Champlin Park is led by Jenny Theisen, a Minnesota State-Moorhead recruit, along with Winona State recruit Natalie Gigler. Champlin Park is coached by Carl Pierson, who is in his first year at the school.

* Hannah Draxten, Fergus Falls, has verbally committed to Iowa and is one of the state's top players. Will she get enough support to get the Otters to the state tournament? This is the only matchup of the day between teams in the same class.

* Hopkins is the defending Class AAAA champion and Becker has won more than 60 games the past three seasons. This game features four Division I recruits in Caitlynn Rowland (undecided) and Jackie Hiebert (OhioUniversity) of Hopkins and the Mastey sisters -- Brianna and Nicole. The Bulldgos are young and talented.

OTHER GAMES OF NOTE
TUESDAY
Minnehaha, fresh off their two wins in Winsconsin, will face a stiff test in defending AAA state champ Benilde-St. Margaret on BSM's floor.
The Lake Conference, the best in the state, opens conference play.
THURSDAY
The Tartan tournament opens with Mpls Roosevelt, Tartan, Woodbury, and Park-Cottage Grove. their finals are on Friday
FRIDAY
The Stillwater tournament opens with Edina, Maple Grove, Park Center, and Stillwater, their finals are on Saturday.
SATURDAY
I already explained that to you.

Next up: tomorrow morning