The AAU Week That Was #12: Summer Jam

#4 posting 6.22.2007
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THE WEEK THAT WAS #12: SUMMER JAM
The Bloomington Kennedy Summer Jam wrapped up last weekend, and it seems as if every tournament at Kennedy is a swelterbox. That held true this time too. There has been talk of air conditioning being added to the building, but that might be two years off.
It was the tournament of playing up. It was the tournament of redemption. It was the tournament of frustration.

The tournament could have had the best 8 teams in one bracket, but that didn't happen. The 19s are absolutely thin so top level 16 teams were added to the meager field. But not all power 16 teams made the rise. IBCA Select I was left with their noses pressed against the window pane in the watered down 16 tournament. The top level 15 teams played up as did the 14s to the 15s. This seems to be a consistent theme. The strivers held their own and then some. The surprise team of the tournament was North Tartan 15s as they made the finals beating Wisconsin Select 16 in the quarters. They also had a big win against Quest in the pool play Saturday. IBCA won the 16s, but struggled in the quarters against North Tartan Crosby. It was IBCA's first tournament since the Iowa State tournament in April. Another in the playing up wins was a civil war win by Metro Stars 15s over their sister team Metro Stars Black 16s in the game to get into the 16 quarters.

Redemption was also a theme of the tournament. North Tartan Larson stormed back from a lackluster finish in the Minnesota State AAU finals with a strong finish against MN Stars Hested that left no doubt on where they stood. NTL looks much more confident than they did two weeks ago. Also in the redemption field was the Metro Stars 14 team as they defeated nemesis North Tartan 14s in a solid 52-42 win. NT 14 hadn't lost to a Minnesota team in eons if ever. Both were playing for the 15 championships. Along the way Metro Stars 14s beat the twin towers of Team Wisconsin Select 15s 51-46 in another big victory.

UNFORTUNATE TIMING & MISSING TEAMS
The problem with all these games is I can't be everywhere at once. The Inner City All Star Classic was also going on at Arlington in St. Paul. I had to miss that event. All the finals are at the same time in the Summer Jam (at least the 19, 16, and 15s) so I went with the big girls in that choice. At the MN State tournament I was able to watch all the 16 quarterfinals.
Most of the weekend I was trying to see teams I haven't seen before. That meant most of my time was spent with teams from outside of Minnesota, but I did manage to catch a couple of Minnesota teams that had eluded my sights. In fact I only saw one team twice all weekend, which was rare. The lucky team was IBCA Select II.

The tournament was a good chance to see multiple state teams in action as the summer regional tournaments really kick in. This weekend should have more in store in Ames, Iowa with the Adidas Midwest Classic. Which leads us to:

THIS WEEKEND
There are plenty of events this weekend. High School Action in MN include a Pacesetter tournament in Grand Rapids, another tournament in Walker, a Summer Showcase event at Rogers, along with the Star of the North State Games in Rochester.

Wisconsin has their All Star series at the Alliant Center in Madison on Saturday.

I still have tried to find a link for the Adidas Midwest Classic schedule. Couldn't do it.

TEAM OF THE WEEK
There were plenty of options this week. North Tartan 15s are on the rise. Metro Stars 14s had big wins. Eastview in the Lakeville North Summer League also had a strong showing with two critical wins. But the honor goes to North Tartan Larson with their statement win over MN Stars Hested. They are the fourth MN team in the 16u division to get the honor. Their floor % was .569, the fourth best of the spring season, but if you eliminate the games against teams that aren't high in quality NTL moves to number one on the list. MN Stars Hested is averaging 76.01 on defense this season and NTL shredded that mark with a 115.4 pp100.
For NTL their defense held MSH to under .400 floor %. When the floor % numbers are above .400 NTL is 1-2 and that one win was the overtime win over NC Heat in the Forest Lake Semis. Defense will get you through bad offensive performances.

They handled the full court pressure much better than they did earlier in the spring. The had eight players reach the gold standard of 100 pp100. When you shoot good, you look good and NTL looked very good against a quality team. This should boost NTL's confidence as they head into the upcoming national event season like the End of the Trail and Nike Nationals.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
This was an interesting race. However the nod goes to Jackie Voigt. Reliable and Versatile. She does many things well without the thunder and lightning. She led NTL with defensive wraps and also had a high number of assists showing her versatility. She is quietly, steadily improving her play and is a critical component for the success of NTL this year. She joins Kiara Buford as the second NTL player to get the honor. Buford nabbed it after the Forest Lake Tournament.

How do you make the team? #1 I have to see you. #2 the gold standard of 100 pp100 and .500 floor % is strictly enforced. #3 your team should also win. #4 If I see you multiple games I average out your scores. That means some players could have a series of good games, but then get skunked. I am looking for that consistent player that constantly delivers the bacon.


FIRST TEAM
Hannah Draxten (Fergus Falls) North Tartan Larson
Kelly Krei (Iowa City) IBCA Select I
Indy Uhlenhopp (North Butler) IBCA Select I
Jackie Voigt (Park-Cottage Grove) North Tartan Larson
Kamille Wahlin (Crookston) North Tartan Larson
SECOND TEAM
Amber Kirschbaum (Spirit Lake) IBCA Select I
Katie Loberg (Princeton) North Tartan 15s
Alexis Montgomery (Cannon Falls) MN Stars Hested
Cassie Rochel, Lakeville North
Devyn Smith (Roseville) North Tartan 15s
THIRD TEAM
Morgan Bindas (Kindred) Prairie Bison Hoopsters
Kiara Buford (St. Paul Central) North Tartan Larson
Haley Loesch (Northfield) Southern Minne Magic Black
Brianna Mastey (Becker) MN Stars Hested
Jess McDowell (AGWSR) IBCA Select II

DEFENSIVE TEAM
Taylor Luke (Amery, WI) MN Stars Antl
Alexis Montgomery (Cannon Falls) MN Stars Hested
Indy Uhlenhopp (North Butler) IBCA Select I
Cody Vandenheuvel (Cadott) Team WI Select 16s captain
Jackie Voigt (Park-Cottage Grove) North Tartan Larson

PAST WEEKLY WINNERS
Team...Player of the Week/D player
11: Totino-Grace....Amber Dvorak (Hinckley-Finlayson) MN Northern Lights/same
10: NC Heat.....Tayler Hill (Mpls South) NC Heat/same
9: Team WI Select 17.…Val Schuster (Wausau Newman) Team WI Select 17/Nicole Griffin (Milwaukee Vincent) Team WI Select 15
8: MN Stars Borowicz.....Kiara Buford (St. Paul Central) North Tartan/Katya Leick (Park-Cottage Grove) NC Heat
7: MN Metro Stars Black....Courtney Boylan (Chaska) MN Metro Stars Black/Kayla Hirt (Bemidji) Gym Rats 14
6: MN Stars Hested.....Teairra Taylor (St. Paul Central) MN Stars Hosted/Cassie Rochel (Lakeville North) Lakeville North 15
5: NC Heat....Tayler Hill (Mpls South) NC Heat/Katya Leick (Park-Cottage Grove) NC Heat
4: MN AAAA All Stars....Angel Robinson (St. Paul Central) AAAA/Janessa Wolf (Park Rapids) AAA
3: Team WI Select 17....Katie Bushman (Phillips) Team WI Select 17/same
2: Mpls Lady Cats..... Sarina Baker (DeLaSalle) Mpls Lady Cats/Aubrey Davis (Blm Kennedy) Mpls Lady Cats
1: IBCA Select I.....Indy Uhlenhopp (North Butler) IBCA Select I/same

POLLS
19
no change, and likely it won't the rest of the year
1. Metro Stars
2. Gym Rats
3. Southern Minne Magic

16/17-Junior Girls
IBCA Select struggled somewhat on Sunday and that is the reason they dropped from #1. With more teams to be seen in the upcoming weeks this list will definitely change. The race is fluid.
1. NC Heat
2. All Iowa Attack
3. North Tartan Larson
4. IBCA Select I
5. MN Stars Hested
6. Team WI Select 17
7. MN Stars Borowicz
8. Iowa Elite I
9. North Tartan Crosby
10. MN Metro Stars Black
11. IBCA Select II
12. MN Stars Antl
13. Quest
14. Randolph
15. Southern Minne Magic Black

15
North Tartan is finding its stride right during the key summer season
1. North Tartan 15
2. MN Metro Stars
3. Team WI Select 15
4. MN Stars
5. Lakeville North
6. WI Heat
7. Southern Stars
8. 43 Hoops
9. MSB
10. MN Fury

14
Metro Stars delivered two knock out punches this weekend.
1. MN Metro Stars
2. North Tartan 14
3. 43 Hoops Williams
4. MN Suns Gold
5. MN Suns White
5. MN Fury
7. MN Stars Blue
8. Gym Rats
9. MN Stars Red

13
The Lady Cats were victors in the Summer Jam at the 14 white level.
1. Mpls Lady Cats
2. Midtown Lady Monarchs
3. Team WI Select 13
4. North Tartan
5. St. Paul Central
6. MN Suns
7. Olympic Ice
8. Metro Stars

Next up: tomorrow morning