Out & About: NC Heat/Metro Stars 19u

#6 posting 5.2.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

This game took place on Sunday, April 29
COOPER AAU VARSITY TOURNAMENT
Championship
NC HEAT 68, METRO STARS 19U 55

The NC Heat remained undefeated with a 68-55 win over the older Metro Stars 19u. Metro Stars 19u had four players that were in the All Star game last week. NC Heat had four players in double figures, all starters, while the top three scorers for MS19 were on the bench to start the game. It was NC Heat's heat that caused MS19 problems. The full court pressure caused turnovers which led to lay ups.

NC Heat opened with two consecutive scores with Katya Leick and Megan Nipe scoring off assists from Tayler Hill and Ephesia Holmes. MS19 tied it up at four, the first of five ties early in the game. NC Heat did have a seven possession drought when MS19 led 12-9. It was 17 all when NC Heat really caught fire. They had nine straight scoring possessions on a 16-6 run. Hill had six points in the run, Nipe five. NCH cooled again with a five possession drought to finish off the half. MS19 closed with a 6-0 run to make it 33-29 at half.

MS19 continued with their run with the first seven points in the second half to lead 36-33. Maggie Slawson had four of those points sandwiching a Sarah Schoeneck post & one. NCH started with four non scoring possessions to make the non scoring stretch 9 possessions. NCH got their mojo back with scores on their next 9/11 possessions. MS19 wasn't silent during the run as they added 10 to their total, but they lost their three point lead and trailed by six. Leick got the NCH run going with five points and two steals. NCH led 54-50 when the final push put distance between themselves and MS19. Eight different NCHers scored on their last eight scores, the last four from the line. MS19 had a six possession drought and that didn't help their cause. Four of those possessions ended up as turnovers as the swarming defense caused headaches for MS19.

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

NC HEAT
STARTERS
Katya Leick, Park-Cottage Grove 11, 12, 91.7, .500 ignites offense with her active, intense defense. got after the boards, and reads eyes of passers. scored in transition. RF: fouls
Megan Nipe, Centennial 12, 9, 133.3, .667 has good range. strong and aggressive. alert. aware.
Tayler Hill, Mpls South 15, 12, 125.0, .583 smooth, alert, canned her free throws. has range. working on step back. RF: fouls
Annie Berner, Forest Lake 7, 5, 140.0,. .600 spent most of the HS year recovering from injury. tall post, has good touch. RF: should have more defensive rebounds than zero.
Ephesia Holmes, Mpls South 10, 10, 100.0, .500. nice cross over. handles ball. RF: tried to penetrate the trees early in the game and was snuffed. Needs to pen & pitch.
BENCH
Carly Rothfusz, Eden Prairie 1, 3, 33.3, .000* (*made her first free throw and missed the second. Edwards got the rebound and missed a shot that means it was Edwards' possession). tall guard and has a nice stroke. Lefty. RF: needs to get stronger. can play, but is hiding. needs to relax.
Mandy Poke, Richfield 0, 5, 0.0, .000 guard. RF: footwork.
Brianna Edwards, Mpls. North 4, 5, 80.0, .400 has spring. lean
Courtney Kranz, Visitation 6, 4, 150.0, .750 strong post. physical. enforcer.
Brittany Dyshaw, Eagan 2, 2, 100.0, .500 another big perimeter. long arms and legs. RF: looking for comfort level.
Taquoia Hammick, Mpls South 0, 0, 0.0, .000 tall post. has already improved from the HS season. was quicker to loose balls, got on the floor. when jumping got off the floor. playing with more confidence. RF: still needs offensive work, but defense is starting to click.

METRO STARS 19U
STARTERS
Alyssa Benson, Minnetonka 4, 6, 66.7, .333 pull up jumper a winner. good speed.
Kellie Schuneman, Centennial 7, 4, 175.0, .750 went to the line three times. Not afraid.
Lauren Young, Edina 3, 13, 23.1, .154 jumps RF: telegraphed, advertised her passes in the press. needs to use fakes/deception.
Ana Garcia, Hopkins 5, 5, 100.0, .600 another three foul trip performer.
Jenny Oligmueller, Osseo 6, 10, 60.0, .300 post player. picked up charge. RF: needs more rebounds on defense.
BENCH
Kaitlin Robinson, Holy Angels 2, 4, 50.0, .250 guard.
Elle Queen, Minnetonka 8, 7, 114.3, .714 Went to the line four times. can move well enough for the 3.
Tess Lardie, Eagan 0, 3, 0.0, .000 point guard. gets after d boards. RF: needs to be ready for the ball on offense.
Sarah Schoeneck, Bloomington Jefferson 11, 7, 157.1, .714 there are some players, mainly posts, that labor on teams that don't get the spotlight. Schoeneck played on a team that was off the HS radar, but she is a player that could damage post HS. she is 6-2 and strong. She has decent speed and is probably the diamond in the rough. RF: doesn't have enough publicity.
Maggie Slawson, Holy Angels 9, 10, 90.0, .400 ice water in veins shooter. gets her stamp on. RF: another player that needs to improve the passing in pressure situations. Could use the glass at angles more.

TRENCH PLAYER
Katya Leick. She had 11 D Wraps, 11 points, a double double. plus had five assists.

BY THE NUMBERS
NC Heat 68, 67, 101.5, .493
Metro Stars 19u 55, 69, 79.7, .406
made 3s: NCH 2, MS19 1
made fts: MS19 22, NCH 18
Bench: Metro Stars 19u 30, NC Heat 13
For NC Heat to continue to progress they need their bench to step up and deliver more. In AAU/summer ball the bench is more important. They were outscored over 2 to 1 by the Metro Stars 19s there. Also NCH put Metro Stars at the line way too much. That translates into fouling out, sitting on the bench and using the reserves more down the road.
Another interesting fact: MS19 had 13 points on second chancers in the second half while NCH had 8 points. Both teams will need to block out better.

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
NC HEAT
Katya Leick 11
Ephesia Holmes 7.5
Tayler Hill 7
Taquoia Hammick 3
Megan Nipe 2
Brianna Edwards 2
Courtney Kranz 1.5
Mandy Poke 1
Brittany Dyshaw 1
totals 36

METRO STARS 19U
Lauren Young 6
Tess Lardie 5
Kellie Schuneman 4
Alyssa Benson 3
Elle Queen 3
Sarah Schoeneck 3
Jenny Oligmueller 2
totals: 27

Next up: tomorrow morning