Out & About: NC Heat/North Tartan Larson

#7 posting 6.7.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

this game took place on Sunday, June 3
Minnesota State AAU Tournament
Cooper HS
16u Championship
NC HEAT 77, NORTH TARTAN LARSON 61


In the Minnesota State AAU 16u Championship game, the vaunted rematch between the top two powers turned out to be all NCH as they got their revenge for an semifinal 65-64 overtime loss in Forest Lake and blitzed their way to a 77-61 win. For the second straight game NCH's Tayler Hill cracked the 30 point mark with 34 points. It was NCH's fifth straight state championship through this age bracket.

For all the scoring, the game didn't start off that route. Each team scored on their initial offerings with Ephesia Holmes striking first for NCH with two free throws and Amanda Viehauser answering for NTL. After that both offenses were shut down, NCH for six straight possessions, NTL for five. NTL led 9-6 after a Jenny Gilbertson steal and lay up. NCH came roaring back with four straight scores on a 8-0 run. Three of those baskets were second chancers. Rey Robinson tied it at 14 with a trey for NTL. The last tie came at 16 after a Hannah Draxten put back for NTL. NTL then had a 1/9 offensive sequence, five due to turnovers as the pressure by NCH proved effective. NCH took advantage of the dry spell to up their lead to 25-18 on a 9-2 run. NCH kept the momentum rolling with a 6/8 sequence as they outscored NTL 11-6. By half it was NCH up 40-28 with Hill chipping in for 15.


The opening of the second half was the pivot point of the game. NCH turned up the heat a notch or two and raced to a 22-4 run to make it a 62-32 game with 13:30 to go in the game. That was 22 points in 12 possessions a pp100 of 183.3 and .750 floor %. Any way you slice it NCH was cooking. The body language of both teams was indicative of the way each team was feeling. NCH rested the big guns and NTL took that as an opening. They exploited that chance with four straight scores and the lofty 30 point lead now was 62-41. Hill returned to put a stop to the 9-0 run. NCH had one 7 possession drought late, but NTL only managed five points off the situation. The closest NTL got was 74-61 with under 1 minute left after a trey by Kamille Wahlin. The game ended on a heave from across the timeline by Hill that swished through, an exclamation point on a championship tour de force.

photo #1: Jenny Gilbertson, NTL goes up for a shot between Ephesia Holmes and Mandy Poke
#2: Tayler Hill goes up with her left hand and splits Amanda Viehauser, and Michelle Hugelen

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

NC HEAT
STARTERS
Ephesia Holmes, Mpls South 12, 12, 100.0, .500 guard. no fear. strong. can get up.
Courtney Kranz, Visitation 2, 2, 100.0, .500 post.
Tayler Hill, Mpls South 34, 27, 125.9, .556 just delivers, top of the game. led team with four assists. Does everything except sell popcorn at halftime.
Katya Leick, Park-Cottage Grove 2, 5, 40.0, .200 tough nosed
Megan Nipe, Centennial 16, 14, 114.3, .571 strong, reliable, gritty and results RF: fouls make her sit.
BENCH
Brittany Dyshaw, Eagan 1, 5, 20.0, .200
Annie Berner, Forest Lake 2, 4, 50.0, .250 playing with one wrist taped.
Mandy Poke, Richfield 4, 2, 200.0, 1.000 stepped up and stepped up big. had a strong offensive effort and was all over the d boards. made an impact. played with a sense of urgency.
Carly Rothfusz, Eden Prairie 4, 6, 66.7, .333 lefty perimeter. RF: ball handling against pressure
Taquoia Hammick, Mpls South 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Brianna Edwards, Mpls North 0, 2, 0.0, .000

NORTH TARTAN LARSON
STARTERS
Amanda Viehauser, Armstrong 4, 5, 80.0, .400 post. RF: nothing to show in the second half.
Hannah Draxten, Fergus Falls 10, 8, 125.0, .625 scored off the dribble
Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central 3, 16, 18.8, .125 RF: struggled from the floor, from the line. was frustrated and showed it.
Caitlin Rowland, Hopkins 2, 6, 33.3, .167 guard RF: nothing in the first half.
Jackie Voigt, Park-Cottage Grove 7, 8, 87.5, .375 in&out, RF: needs to deliver at the line.
BENCH
Jenny Gilbertson, Winona Cotter 14, 14, 100.0, .500 stepped up. came up with points of steals, drives and put backs. Has range. was aggressive on defense.
Hannah Linz, Eden Valley-Watkins 12, 9, 133.3, .667 another lefty, 3 range, went to the line three times.
Rey Robinson, Becker 3, 8, 37.5, .125 perimeter. 3 shooter. lefty. RF: at times passes thrown behind. needs to be ready.
Michelle Hugelen, Rosemount 0, 1, 0.0, .000 post
Kamille Wahlin, Crookston 6, 4, 150.0, .500 point guard, lefty. RF: has not yet played full throttle. It seems she is trying to fit in. Is not looking to take over. is holding back.

TRENCH PLAYER
Tayler Hill
Consistency, smooth, & results,

BY THE NUMBERS
NC Heat 77, 80, 96.3, .463
North Tartan Larson 61, 79, 77.2, .367
Made 3s: NCH 5, NTL 5
Made fts: NTL 16, NCH 14
Assists: NCH 14, NTL 9
Bench: NTL 35, NCH 11
NC Heat had revenge on their mind. The game factors were pretty even. NTL does have a deeper bench, but that didn't really matter. In big games players need to step up and take the opportunities that are there. Hill, Nipe, and NCH stepped up and answered the knock at the door.

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
NC HEAT
Megan Nipe 12
Tayler Hill 8.5
Mandy Poke 8
Ephesia Holmes 6
Carly Rothfusz 2
Courtney Kranz 1
Katya Leick 1
Brittany Dyshaw 1
Taquoia Hammick 1
Brianna Edwards 1
Annie Berner 0.5
Totals: 42

NORTH TARTAN LARSON
Jenny Gilbertson 8
Amanda Viehauser 5
Kiara Buford 5
Hannah Draxten 4
Caitlin Rowland 4
Jackie Voigt 2
Kamille Wahlin 2
Hannah Linz 1
Rey Robinson 1
Totals: 32

Next up: tomorrow morning. Later tomorrow the week that was #10 --state tournament edition with some photos of the 14u and 15u championships.