Out & About: East Grand Forks/Park Rapids

#8 posting 12.9.2006
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

EAST GRAND FORKS green wave 43,
PARK RAPIDS panthers 35

EGF focused exclusively on PR's D1 post Janessa Wolff limiting her offensive options in a 43-35 win at Park Rapids on Saturday afternoon. EGF had more speed and quickness and they pressed the PR guards to good effect in the second half.

Wolff was undercut on the second possession in the game and went down hard on her back and left elbow. That elbow bothered her the rest of the night. EGF scored their first four point on a steal and transition. Wolff came back with a post up to make it 4-3. Then scoring went on four minute break for both teams. The fact is EGF's 2/3 zone was packed in the paint limiting Wolff's movement. When the ball went to the corner, the top guard dropped down to the corner. For EGF they really didn't score in the half court. Of their 8 baskets in the first half three were transition, 3 were out of bounds plays. Wolff was too intimidating inside. With PR playing man they brought her out, but they still didn't get any advantage on that. EGF had a four possession scoring sequence on a 9-0 run to make it 17-7. This was with 6:31 to go. EGF failed to connect in their last 8 possessions of the half and still led 17-13 at the break.

Park Rapids had an 8-3 run to take a 21-20 lead to begin the second half and it was all done with out Wolff scoring. EGF had another major drought, this time 9. PR's last lead came at 23-22. EGF started their resurgence at this point with a put back by Briana Scanlan. It was one of the few offensive rebounds EGF picked up on the night, but they made good use of it. They also scored on the next two possessions with Kelsey Aune draining a trey from the right wing. That made the score 29-23. PR had a 1/8 offensive sequence with Wolff still not able to shake free. Wolff finally did....at the 3 pt line in the right corner showing her range. Her basket cut it to 33-28. Heather Tretbar also connected on a 3 from the top of the right of the key to shave the EGF lead to 35-31. That was as close as it was going to get. Both teams traded two possessions each of not scoring. EGF was content to run off clock and get to the line which they did in six of the last seven possessions. They led 40-31 when Wolff managed to get off another 3, this time getting fouled with 58.5 seconds left. She made her first two and then purposedly missed #3, got her own rebound and scored the put back to make it 40-35 for a four point play. However that was the end of PR's scoring. Wolff was undercut again late in a scramble on the offensive end. Meanwhile EGF was cashing in at the line with at least one free throw made on each pair attempted.

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

EAST GRAND FORKS
STARTERS
Kelsey Aune, 11, 10, 110.0, .600 best outside shooter. RF; needs more strength
Brittany Greenwood 4, 7, 57.1, .286 speed in transition.
Briana Scanlan 10, 9, 111.1, .667 active, alert defensively. speed to glass. main point. RF: needs to can both tosses at the line. small
Rachel Wickersham 4, 7, 57.1, .286 active on the defensive boards.
Kacie Reardon, 4, 10, 40.0, .200 physical, initiated contact with Wolff. RF: needs work at the FT line 0/4 on the day. also needs to work on hands
BENCH
Katrina Brekke 2, 8, 25.0, .125
Ashley Mertens 4, 4, 100.0, .500 quick on d press.
Betsy Smith 0, 3, 0.0, .000
Breanna Solheim 4, 3, 133.3, .667

PARK RAPIDS
STARTERS
Kayla Stursa 4, 10, 40.0, .200 RF: thin. favors spin dribble and is easily trapped.
Heather Tretbar 5, 10, 50.0, .200 point guard. RF: needs to come to the ball with more urgency.
Ashley Grewe 2, 4, 50.0, .250 main job is to set screens to get Wolff open on offense.
Jena Pike 2, 14, 14.3, .071 RF: defensively too high and beat on the ball fake/drive
Janessa Wolff 18, 13, 138.5, .615 big time player, hampered by limited options. kept working kept moving. a leader, communicator. a warrior, that elbow was bothering her the whole game. at half time she had ice coming out of the locker room. As the game wore on she was trying to rebound and play with only her right arm. smart player. strong rebounder. runs floor well. RF: defensively tried to block every shot. left her feet because she was focused on the ball or eyes and bought fakes, not the midsection which is not fakeable. on her distance shot, ball off the back rim indicating a dropping hand.
BENCH
Danielle Dent 4, 9, 44.0, .222 RF: needs to be aware of 3 line. took a long two. Was taken inside defensively and posted up.
Mindy Lawrence 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Leah Goetz 0, 1, 0.0, .000

TRENCH PLAYER
Janessa Wolff

BY THE NUMBERS
East Grand Forks 43, 61, 70.5, .377
Park Rapids 35, 63, 55.6, .254
made 3s: EGF 2, PR 2
made ft: EGF 9, PR 5

In order for any advancement beyond the first round for PR in sections others will have to step it up a notch on their shooting and their ball handling. Their defense, with the anchor of Wolff will keep them in many games, but in order to win some offensive skill needs to be forthcoming.
EGF will have to improve on their team FT shooting as 50% doesn't get you very far in the world.

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
Scored when a player gains possession for their team with a defensive rebound, steal, block, or forced turnover (ball out of bounds)
EGF
Kacie Reardon 7
Broama Scanlan 6
Rachel Wickersham 6
Kelsey Aune 4
Katrina Brekke 4
Ashley Mertens 3
Brittany Greenwood 1
Betsy Smith 1
PARK RAPIDS
Janessa Wolff 13
Heather Tretbar 4
Kayla Stursa 4
Jena Pike 1
Danielle Dent 1
Mindy Lawrence 1

Next up: tomorrow morning. Also on Sunday night "The Week That Was" with player and team of the week.