Out & About: Grand Rapids/Brainerd

#6 posting 1.29.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

GRAND RAPIDS thunderhawks 70,
BRAINERD warriors 53

Grand Rapids beat Brainerd in a cross class clash game at Brainerd on Monday night. GR's defense kept Brainerd off balance in the first half, and their possessions were squeezed in the half court game to better effect. Grand Rapids is 13-6 and in 3rd place in 7AAA. Brainerd is now 10-6 and in third place in 8AAAA. At this point I have seen all the +.500 AAAA squads. There is one team right at .500 that is on my to watch list.

Brainerd started out the game flat. They only scored twice in their first 19 possessions, 11 of which were turnovers. By the time they scored their third basket it was 17-4 GR. GR avoided droughts, and had one sequence of four consecutive scoring offensive possessions in a row and 5/6. In that sequence Ashley Runge had four points. In fact Brainerd trailed GR 21-6 with 3:42 to go in the half, or 3/27 scoring possessions. This translates into 11.1 pp100. But in the last 3:42 minutes Brainerd went on an 18-6 run and cut the deficit to 27-24. Kayla Huether delivered 7 of the points. The press was starting to kick in for Brainerd as they had six points on turnovers. GR had a pass deflected out of bounds with under 2 seconds left in the half. From mid court the ball went into Jessica Butler hands in the right corner behind the arc. She nailed the 3 at the buzzer to push the GR margin back to 30-24.

The start of the second half started just like the first one ended, with another three from Butler, then a turnover and a rebound basket by Erin Joki. Two possessions later Erin Joki scored on a pass from Katie McBride and was fouled. With the competion of the three point play it was GR up 38-24 a 11-0 run over two halves. For all intents & purposes the game was over at 16:11 to go. GR did push the lead up to 17 a couple of times, the last coming at 47-30. Brainerd had one last gasp and they closed to 54-45 on a 15-7 run. Huether again had six points to lead the run. From the five minute mark to the end of the game GR finished up with 8/10 scoring possessions and a 16-7 run. Butler started the late run with five points. The final was 70-53.

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

GRAND RAPIDS
STARTERS
Alicia Heinrich 7, 14, 50.0, .214 point guard. did hit 3. RF: needs to see floor. had some issues with the Brainerd press. needs to be aware of lines.
Ashley Runge 4, 5, 80.0, .400 Judy Garland, who is from GR, had ruby red slippers. Runge has her orange tennis shoes. made good decisions. hit pull up jumper, lefty. RF: needs to keep follow through up. needs to get jump stop down.
Erin Joki 9, 9, 100.0, .444 good leaper. active inside. works boards at both ends. RF: needs to be consistent at the line.
Jessica Butler 14, 11, 127.3, .455 nailed three 3s and one old fashioned 3 pt play. took the ball to the glass with authority. RF: needs to be more deceptive on passes.
Katie McBride 10, 6, 166.7, .833 post player. seals at the block. converted when given the ball. RF: needs to work on speed and leaping. size for position post hs.
BENCH
Brynn Joki 5, 6, 83.3, .333 ran the floor, can jump, blocked a shot in a transition situation. RF: needs to keep feet set on screens. could have picked up a charge, but didn't hold her ground.
Mackenzie Johnson 4, 5, 80.0, .400 has range, scored on a skip pass.
Meredith Rothstein 6, 6, 100.0, .500 gurad, has 3 range.
Steph Cramer 0, 3, 0.0, .000
Erin Erickson 9, 7, 128.6, .571 crashes offensive boards, hit runner. delivers ball to open people.
Sarah Sorenson 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000 scored late on a penetrate and dish at the low block.

BRAINERD
STARTERS
Stephanie Neugebauer 12, 12, 100.0, .500 likes to drive the lane, spin right to left and score. RF: needs to have better vision. needs to develop counter move.
Kayla Huether 21, 19, 110.5, .526 shooting guard. deep 3 range, maybe even two steps beyond the arc. also looks to penetrate. RF; left feet on defense. ball handling needs improvement. picked up charge late.
Megan Bates 2, 10, 20.0, .100 point guard. decent size. long arms on the press made it difficult to complete passes. RF: May have been ill. energy level low. on the technical side needs to keep better vision bringing the ball up. favored one hand passes. passes sailed too far. needs to be aware of the clock.
Stacey Butler 1, 9, 11.1, .111 RF: needs to work on passing, passes too high.
Karlye Barron 2, 4, 50.0, .250 inside player. physical. RF: picked up too many fouls. closed out too high, and players would drive by. needs to set feet on screens.
BENCH
Emily Thesing 2, 5, 40.0, .200
Jessie Marolt 8, 7, 114.3, .571 hit runner. RF: needs to gain strength.
Abigail Ahlberg 3, 1, 300.0, 1.000
Bethany Luckemeyer 2, 3, 66.7, .333 RF: needs to work on follow through
Kelsey McDowell 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Natalie Reponen 0, 1, 0.0, .000

TRENCH PLAYER
Jessica Butler hit the 3 to send GR to the locker room at half up after Brainerd closed the gap to 3. Butler then opened the half with a 3 and GR was back in a comfort zone.

BY THE NUMBERS
Grand Rapids 70, 73, 95.9, .425
Brainerd 53, 72, 73.6, .361
made 3s: Grand Rapids 5, Brainerd 3
made fts: Grand Rapids 13, Brainerd 8
bench: Grand Rapids 26, Brainerd 15

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
d rebounds, steals, forced turnovers & blocks leading to offensive possessions.
GRAND RAPIDS
Erin Joki 7.5
Alicia Heinrich 5.5
Katie McBride 5
Jessica Butler 4
Brynn Joki 2
Mackenzie Johnson 2
Erin Erickson 2
Steph Cramer 1
Ashley Runge 1
totals: 30

BRAINERD
Kayla Huether 7.5
Stephanie Neugebauer 5
Karlye Barron 4
Jessie Marolt 4
Stacey Butler 3.5
Abigail Ahlberg 3
Bethany Luckemeyer 3
Emily Thesing 2
Megan Bates 1
Bridget Badger 1
totals: 34

Thanks for your patience on this game. Brainerd is two hours away. Luckily the roads were clear and dry. The temp right now is 5.4.