#11 posting 3.17.2007
Your daily dose of girls basketball news & information
MN STATE TOURNAMENT
AA CHAMPIONSHIP
PIPESTONE arrows 50, ALBANY huskies 49 
Pipestone shot an arrow through the heart of Albany's hopes for a third state title with a disputed 3 from Steph Kocourek. The controversial shot took place with 16 seconds left. The shot sent Pipestone to its first team title in any sport. Pipestone finished the year unranked, but had been a staple of the top 10 early in the year. Albany finished second in the final poll.
Pipestone came out and delivered on their first five possessions as they raced to a 10-3 lead. Paige Pals got scoring going with a jumper. Jennie Noreen scored on Albany's second possession with a three from the left corner, but Albany wasn't connecting like Pipestone. Albany was able to get on track and cut the margin to 13-10. Faith Tinklenberg, who had a breakout tournament, scored the next 9 points on 3s, and curl cuts. Pipestone's widest margin was at 23-12. Albany outscored Pipestone 7-4 to finish the half, but Pipestone led 27-19 at the break, the largest half time deficit Albany faced all year.
Albany came out and scored on their first two possessions on back cuts by Taylor Voss. Pipestone eventually switched Ashley Weatherly off her and tried a variety of players before settling on Tinklenberg. But before that switch happened Voss had scored the first 9 points for Albany as they cut the lead to 33-28. Pipestone re-established themselves with a put back by Bailey Bauman (former Viking back up QB Todd Bauman's niece) and a drive by Kocourek 37-28. Then Pipestone went into offensive slumber as Albany switched to a box and one on Tinklenberg with Maddie Johnson running the corners with Tinklenberg. Albany took advantage of the 8 possession drought with 10 unanswered points and they had the first lead of the game on Noreen's drive and one with 7:55 left. Who else but Tinklenberg delivered on the next Pipestone possession with a 3 from the right corner. Sam Larsen tied it up with a shot in the paint. Kocourek scored on a jumper and one to go up 43-40. Both teams were caught in offensive limbo as they made poor choices with the ball. Noreen broke the ice with a drive to cut the margin to 43-42. She added another drive one possession later after a steal and tied the game at 44. Kocourek came up big again with a drive 46-44. Taylor Voss was fouled and canned both toss to tie it up again at 46. A Pipestone turnover, a missed Albany shot, another Pipestone turnover set up the last crazy two minutes. Noreen was fouled and made both to give Albany their second lead of the game 48-46. Chelsey Evans was fouled after getting a rebound on a miss by Weatherly. Evans made the second for a 48-47 Albany lead. Larsen was fouled and she made the second for a 49-47 lead. Kocourek missed on her shot with 37 seconds left. Larsen rebounded. Voss turned it over dribbling up the side lines with 30 seconds left. Pipestone used their time out and Kocourek delivered the game winner. Noreen drove down, but had no where to turn. Pals made the steal and Weatherly was fouled with 4.3 left. She missed the front end and Noreen's desperation 3 was off the rim.
NUMBERS EXPLAINED
player, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
PIPESTONE
STARTERS
Kelsey Lorenzen 6, 5, 120.0, .600
Steph Kocourek 14, 14, 100.0, .500
Faith Tinklenberg 21, 15, 140.0, .600
Ashley Weatherly 0, 9, 0.0, .000
Paige Pals 2, 7, 28.6, .143
BENCH
Chelsey Evans 5, 6, 83.3, .500
Kayla Rowden 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Megan Vanderpoel 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Bailey Bouman 2, 2, 100.0, 1.000
ALBANY
STARTERS
Maddie Johnson 0, 5, 0.0, .000
Sam Larsen 14, 13, 107.7, .698
Taylor Voss 20, 18, 111.1, .500
Jennie Noreen 15, 21, 71.4, .286
Rachel Bruns 0, 1, 0.0, .000
BENCH
Holly Terres 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Kayla Gretsch 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Hannah Hylla 0, 1, 0.0, .000
TRENCH PLAYER
Faith Tinklenberg. Trench Play: Steph Kocourek, but for start to stop it is Tinklenberg.
BY THE NUMBERS
Pipestone 50, 60 83.3, .400
Albany 49, 61, 80.3, .377
Made 3s: Pipestone 5, Albany 4
Made fts: Albany 15, Pipestone 13
Bench: Pipestone 7, Albany 0
The tough nosed physical nature of the contest kept Albany from moving where they wanted. Pipestone kept their composure in all three contests this week when they could have unravelled. They were down 16-0 to Caledonia. They were down 10 to Jordan in the second half. and they were down 2 after leading most of the game to Albany. They held off the resurgence and found a way to get the job done.
As in any one point game there are plays, or plays that one can endlessly examine. Albany had two fast break chances go for naught. Passes were thrown away by both teams. Off balance shots were attempted by both squads. And official calls, or lack of calls are all part of the nature of a tight game. This game will be remembered for many years to come. In Pipestone it will be the storybook finish to their season. In Albany it will be the disputed 3.
DEFENSIVE WRAPS
PIPESTONE
Faith Tinklenberg 10.5
Steph Kocourek 4
Ashley Weatherly 3.5
Paige Pals 3
Kelsey Lorenzen 2
Chelsey Evans 2
Bailey Bouman 1
Totals: 26
ALBANY
Sam Larsen 8
Jennie Noreen 7
Maddie Johnson 5
Taylor Voss 3
Rachel Bruns 3
Kayla Gretsch 1
Totals: 27
I want to thank Anna Radjl for the use of her photo on Kocourek's shot.
Next up: Championship AAA style
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