Out & About: NC Heat/Minnesota Suns

#7 posting 6.6.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

this game took place on Saturday, June 2
Minnesota AAU State Tournament
Cooper HS
16u Quarterfinal
NC HEAT 80, MN SUNS 61


First off, this is will be the first of three reports today. I will push the 3rd place game back to tomorrow.

#2 NC Heat put the heat on the #10 Suns late in the first half and kept up the pressure in the second half to advance to the semifinals.

Both teams got off to a strong start. Pamela January started it for the Suns with a drive &1 while Carly Rothfusz knocked down a 3 for NCH. It was 10-8 after 10 total possessions for both teams. That pace would have made it a 166.7 pp100 for NCH and 160.0 for the Suns. That pace could not and would not last. The Suns took their first lead at 18-16 on a three by Bridget Boll. That was one of the seven (s-e-v-e-n) 3s the Suns erupted for in the first half. That helped the Suns to a 31-25 lead. NCH was 1/10 during that sequence. That would soon change. NCH finished the half with a 20-3 run. At the start of that stretch the Suns bench got a technical on a complaints about the lack of a call. Tayler Hill had 8 and Megan Nipe had 6 during the run.

The Suns didn't shine either in the early portion of the second half. The Suns were 1/14 to start, combined with the tail end of the first half it was a 2/28 sequence, a bone chilling .071 floor % and a 17.9 pp100. It was a cold Sun indeed. NCH had a 32-5 run. The biggest lead came at 69-45. There wasn't much drama.

Photo: Tayler Hill, NC Heat, blocking Bridget Boll, Suns.

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

NC HEAT
STARTERS
Carly Rothfusz, Eden Prairie 9, 6, 150.0, .667 lefty, perimeter, 3 range
Megan Nipe, Centennial 16, 10, 160.0, .800 sweet shooter. quick release.
Ephesia Holmes, Mpls South 11, 11, 100.0, .455 point guard. RF: needs to keep vision up.
Tayler Hill, Mpls South 20, 17, 117.6, .471 perimeter, good leaper, all eyes look to her.
Courtney Kranz, Visitation 4, 6, 66.7, .333 post
BENCH
Brianna Edwards, Mpls North 2, 3, 66.7, .333 a post with fast feet,
Katya Leick, Park-Cottage Grove 2, 9, 22.2, .111 perimeter, tough nosed. aggressive defensively. RF: staring down passes.
Brittany Dyshaw, Eagan 4, 8, 50.0, .250 rangy perimeter. defensive wing span. Aggressive defense
Mandy Poke, Richfield 8, 6, 133.3, .667 guard. making her presence felt. feeling more comfortable
Annie Berner, Forest Lake 2, 3, 66.7, .333 post. soldiering on with one wrist wrapped. RF: limited minutes due to wrist. When she heals should be a force.
Taquoia Hammick, Mpls South 2, 2, 100.0, .500 post. RF: needs to keep working on the foot work.

MINNESOTA SUNS
STARTERS
Pamela January, Richfield 5, 10, 50.0, .200 perimeter. good athlete. led Suns with 5 assists. RF: some passes thrown behind where players were, not where they were moving to.
Jaime Noonan, Richfield 8, 6, 133.3, .500 perimeter, two 3s on the night.
Jenna Higgins, Maranatha 2, 4, 50.0, .250 post player. RF: limited effectiveness against NCH quickness. built for half court game
Kendra Ware, Osseo 10, 9, 111.1, .444 has a nice shot. two 3s on the night. RF: Not heard from in the second quarter.
Bridget Boll, Watertown-Mayer 16, 19, 84.2, .316 point guard. four 3s on the night. RF:
BENCH
Jennie Sunnarborg, Osseo 4, 8, 50.0, .250 post
Rachael Long, Maranatha 5, 10, 50.0, .200 RF: spin dribble
Nicole Dehn, Princeton 0, 7, 0.0, .000 active defensively.
Karen Gogins, Roseville 11, 9, 122.2, .444 hit three 3s on the night.


TRENCH PLAYER
Megan Nipe
I know this photo is not from this game, but I couldn't find a clear photo from the Suns game.

BY THE NUMBERS
NC Heat 80, 81, 98.8, .457
MN Suns 61, 82, 74.4, .293
Made 3s: Suns 12, NCH 5
Made fts: Suns 7, NCH 6
Assists: NCH 17, Suns 13
Bench: NCH 20, Suns 20

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
NC HEAT
Tayler Hill 6.5
Megan Nipe 6
Brittany Dyshaw 6
Katya Leick 5.5
Ephesia Holmes 5
Carly Rothfusz 3
Brianna Edwards 3
Mandy Poke 3
Annie Berner 3
Courtney Kranz 2
Totals: 43

SUNS
Pamela January 5
Nicole Dehn 5
Jaime Noonan 3
Jenna Higgins 3
Bridget Boll 3
Kendra Ware 2
Rachael Long 2
Karen Gogins 1
Totals: 24

Next up: the final quarterfinal game and then the semis between NC Heat and MN Stars Hested