The Fall Week That Was #1

#4 posting 9.28.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

THE FALL WEEK THAT WAS #1
This will be on ongoing feature this fall with player of the week, team of the week, and polls.

Fall leagues are a little more structured than summer leagues. They do have similarities. The big one is everybody plays, and it is usually close to equal time. Once winter ball tips off that equality will go out the window.
How important is Fall Ball? For those that haven't played much it is a chance to polish some skills before the winter curtain goes up. For those that haven't played with the last year's starters, it is a chance to mesh, get the "chemistry" down. It is a chance to compete with real refs.

TWO LEAGUES, MANY DIVISIONS
MYAS has divisions and multiple sites. Apple Valley is independent with one site....well two if you count the Hill-Murray site this week. Both leagues have running time halves with free throw attempts.
The MYAS divisions seem arbitrary. Not all the best teams are in the Blue division. It seems MYAS went to a regional based system this year. So many of the divisions are close to conference lists. I don't know if you want to keep on playing the same teams over and over and over.
Also there is the split team phenomenon. Last year Centennial, and St. Paul Central pulled off the feat. Centennial again this year is able to do it. However more teams are trying it and they are watering down their talent pool. Central is back to one team and it is a powerhouse.
The games at Kennedy had three teams humming near the gold standard of 100 pp100. The AVFL had teams that struggled on offense.

TEAM OF THE WEEK
For two lights out performances it is St. Paul Central. They held Owatonna and Holy Angels to 34 and 35 points each. Their offense doubled up those totals. All this without the services of Georgie Jones who was on her official visit to Marquette. Against Owatonna, a team that will contend for the Big 9 and 1AAAA titles this winter, SPC clocked in at 123 pp100. They moved with a greater sense of urgency or something to prove after the performance at the Sweet 16 where they struggled out of the gate. SPC was ready right from the tip in these games.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Again we turn to SPC for this award and many could claim it, but it goes to Megan Howard for a combined performance at both ends. She ended up with a pp100 of 175 with 14 points, and had 9 defensive stops, tied for the most stops this weekend. Howard is a hard hat player that gets overshadowed by the flashier personal that surrounds her. She does the grunt work that is necessary for winning.

photos: Howard takes a shot behind an Owatonna defender. photo by kja

first team
Courtney Boylan, Chaska
Tasha Garrett, St. Paul Central
Megan Howard, St. Paul Central
Theairra Taylor, St. Paul Central
Brittany Travis, Chaska
Honorable Mentions
Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central
LaRocque, St. Paul Humboldt
McDonald, St. Paul Humboldt

DEFENSIVE TEAM
Courtney Boylan, Chaska
Erica Gress, Apple Valley
Megan Howard, St. Paul Central
McDonald, St. Paul Humboldt
Theairra Taylor, St. Paul Central

POLLS
1. St. Paul Central 2-0
2. Centennial White 2-0
3. Hopkins 2-0
4. Woodbury 2-0
5. Centennial Red 2-0
6. Osseo White 2-0
7. Bloomington Kennedy 2-0
8. 43 Hoops 2-0
9. Forest Lake Maroon 2-0
10. White Bear Lake 2-0

THIS WEEK'S GAMES KEY GAMES
10:05 at Kennedy White Division ----Bloomington Kennedy vs St. Paul Central, a rematch of the championship game in the Concordia St. Paul Summer League won by Kennedy.
10:05 at Forest Lake Green Division----White Bear Lake vs River Falls, WI. Both are undefeated.

5:30 at Hill-Murray AVFL----Woodbury vs Eagan
Also on Saturday their are two showcase events: North Tartan hosts their event at 43 Hoops; and the Minnesota Stars will be at Hopkins High School.

Next up: tomorrow morning.