Out & About: NC Heat/MN Stars Hested

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

this game took place on Sunday, June 3
Minnesota AAU State Tournament
Cooper HS
16u Semifinals
NC HEAT 80, MN STARS HESTED 71, OT


This was an epic struggle with twists, turns, rallies, and drama. It was a fitting game between the #2 and #3 seeds. In the end it was #2 NCH for the second time this season with a victory over MSH.

NC Heat jumped out quickly going up 9-0 and scoring on the first four possessions. NCH did it with balance with four different players contributing. Then MSH started their comeback and had a 17-4 run to take a 17-13 lead. Leading the charge for MSH with three 3s was Kelsey Jacobson. She had two consecutive 3s to put MSH up for the first time. Meanwhile NCH was stuck in an 11 possession drought. Only two possessions ended in turnovers. The key factor in the drought was MSH limiting NCH to one shot per possession, and not comfortable shots at that. NCH bounced back and took the lead at 19-18 on a three by Tayler Hill. NCH turned up the heat with five straight scoring possessions on a 12-2 run to claim a 32-22 lead. NCH led at half 41-28 with Hill scoring 24 points.


NCH continued to hold and maintain their 13 point lead. MSH had a fiery time out when NCH led 53-40. After the break Emily Becken came out and hit a three. That shot ingnited the start of a comeback for MSH. They had five straight scoring possessions and cut the lead to 58-48. At least MSH believed at this point. With 8:40 minutes left MSH really started to put the hammer down. They started an 18-2 run to put them back in front with 2 minutes left. Brianna Mastey had seven and Georgie Jones had five points in the run, all on put backs (or at the line as a result of a put back attempt). The only NCH player to find the bottom of the net was Megan Nipe with a pair of free throws. MSH led 68-64 after two Jones free throws. Brianna Edwards was fouled on rebounding missed shots for NCH and delivered two points at the line. Kiara Allums was fouled, but missed both for MSH. Nipe had the board and Hill was fouled with 23.3 left. She made both to tie it at 68. On the last MSH possession Carly Rothfusz stole an errant pass. Hill had a shot at the buzzer but the game was fated for an extra five minute session. Heading into the extra session MSH was without the services of Theairra Taylor who fouled out.

MSH scored on their first two possessions, Brianna Mastey made one free throw and Kiara Allums scored inside to make it 71-68. Katya Leick drove the lane to get NCH within one. However MSH was not to score on their next seven possessions. All ended as missed shots, but one. After a McSperron miss, Rothfusz got the rebound and was fouled in the back court. She missed both free throws, but got the vital rebound. She was fouled once again and this time delivered to put NCH up again. MSH forced the ball inside and Katya Leick picked up the loose ball and was fouled by Allums who picked up her fifth. Leick delivered two more points. NCH scored the last five times in overtime and won going away 80-71. They had dodged a bullet to set up a rematch of the Forest Lake semifinal game against North Tartan Larson that ended up as a 65-64 overtime loss.

Both semis were going on at the same time so you won't be seeing the North Tartan Larson/Metro Stars Black game analysis. I am not going into the comment section on the players on this game since I have done so already today.

Photos: #1--Theairra Taylor, MSH elevating for a shot over Megan Nipe, NCH
#2--Tayler Hill going up against Allums, Jones and McSperron.

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

NC HEAT
STARTERS
Tayler Hill, Mpls South 38, 31, 122.6, .548 no stopping Hill in this game. On a mission.
Megan Nipe, Centennial 17, 15, 113.3, .600 usual steady performance.
Ephesia Holmes, Mpls South 10, 16, 62.5, .313
Brianna Edwards, Mpls North 3, 6, 50.0, .333 big free throws down the stretch
Katya Leick, Park-Cottage Grove 6, 5, 120.0, .600
BENCH
Courtney Kranz, Visitation 2, 3, 66.7, .333
Taquoia Hammick, Mpls South 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Brittany Dyshaw, Eagan 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Carly Rothfusz, Eastview 2, 4, 50.0, .250 key defensive and offensive rebounds saved the day
Mandy Poke, Richfield 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Annie Berner, Forest Lake 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000

MN STARS HESTED
STARTERS
Brittnye McSperron, Eastview 5, 8, 62.5, .250
Brianna Mastey, Becker 13, 10, 130.0, .800 another day in day out solid performance
Theairra Taylor, St. Paul Central 8, 10, 80.0, .300 needs to stay away from useless fouls
Kiara Allums, Centennial 8, 11, 72.7, .364
Georgie Jones, St. Paul Central 9, 21, 42.8, .238 needs to deliver on the offensive end like she does on the defensive end
BENCH
Alexis Montgomery, Cannon Falls 5, 6, 83.3, .500
Shelly Stemper, Becker 2, 5, 40.0, .200
Kelsey Jacobson, Moorhead 14, 9, 155.6, .556 made some big 3s.
Nicole Mastey, Becker 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000
Emily Becken, Centennial 5, 6, 83.3, .333

TRENCH PLAYER
Tayler Hill
In a rare non scoring moment

BY THE NUMBERS
NC Heat 80, 86, 93.0, .453
MN Stars Hested 71, 87, 81.6, .391
Made 3s: MSH 7, NCH 4
Made fts: NCH 26, NCH 10
Assists: MSH 19, NCH 11
Bench: MSH 28, NCH 6
The only clear real advantage NCH had was their aggressive attitude going to the basket. That translated into fouls for MSH and a 16 point differential between the two. MSH had a strong bench, had more assists, and more 3s. But didn't convert at the line or get to the line as much as NCH.

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
NC HEAT
Tayler Hill 8
Ephesia Holmes 8
Megan Nipe 6Katya Leick 5
Taquoia Hammick 4
Brianna Edwards 1
Courtney Kranz 1
Carly Rothfusz 1
Annie Berner 1
Totals: 34

MN STARS HESTED
Georgie Jones 9
Theairra Taylor 6
Brianna Mastey 4
Brittnye McSperron 3
Kiara Allums 3
Alex Montgomery 3
Kelsey Jacobson 2
Nicole Mastey 1
Totals: 35

Next up: tomorrow morning. Also the last two games of the AAU State Tournament with the 3rd place and championship games.