#10 posting 12.9.2007
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information
THE WEEK THAT WAS #4
This week saw another white knuckle snow day. This time it was on Tuesday and it changed my game plans. I had planned on heading south, but the traffic delays on 169 meant I would miss the first half of the game I was going to check out, so I made a change of plans and the Wayzata vs. Maple Grove game turned out to be a down to the wire contest.
Then on Thursday I had a banquet and so my choice of games was limited to a certain area. The game was an interesting contest between Mahtomedi and St. Anthony.
NUMBER QUESTIONS
Does the number of possessions matter? In other words what is the optimal possessions a team should have---a fast pace or slower? Also is there a difference between the classes in number of possessions?
First off here is the 2006-07 possession averages for each class
Class, possessions, pp100, floor%
AAAA 69, 83.7, .408
AAA 67.2, 73.2, .354
And now 2007-08
AAAA 67.1, 87.2, .433
AAA 71.4, 76.21, .365
So AAAA has two fewer possessions and they have increased their pp100 and floor %. But AAA has upped their possession totals by about 4. They also have upped their pp100 by 3 and increased their floor % too.
The samples may be small, but the trend is their for a better year.
Here is the averages for the number of possessions
FAST: 88 to 77 possessions: 76.67, .387
A TAD FAST: 76-70 possessions 76.57, .381
MEDIUM: 69-67 possessions 88.47, .430
SLOW: 64-56 possessions 78.42, .392
So the best (by far) is between 69-67 possessions.
ODDS AND ENDS
Two new gyms this week--St. Peter and St. Anthony. Both have excellent lighting.
AWARD SECTION
Remember I have to SEE the team during the week. That means I have a pool of 10 teams this week.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
St. Paul Central is the first team to be seen twice this season. The defending state champs beat the defending AAA champs on Saturday at home. The Minutemen were without the services of Theairra Taylor and Cyonna West at the start of the contest since they were wrapping up an ACT test. The Minutemen have two D1 signees with Kiara Buford off to the Gophers and Georgie Jones going off to Marquette. Add in Megan Howard, who had a strong start to the second half, along with high flyer Taylor and Central has a variety of options. Central is more aggressive to the basket, and with those long, lean, athletic leapers, really crash the boards. That is the difference in yesterdays contest. They scored on almost half of their possessions on Saturday.
Last year at this time they had a quantum leap from the Hamline tournament until the Hopkins game on Dec 14. The improvement this year is not as dramatic, in fact it could be considered tortoise like. Against Centennial their pp100 was 83.58. Against Becker it went up to 85.71. The bigger improvement came in floor %. It was .433 against Centennial, .471 against Becker. Missed free throws held back their pp100.
Defensively the numbers were better too. They shaved off 13 pp100 against Becker (from 89.55 to 76.06) and sliced off more on the D floor % (.433 to .380).
Look for even more improvement in their numbers in the months to come.
This week saw another white knuckle snow day. This time it was on Tuesday and it changed my game plans. I had planned on heading south, but the traffic delays on 169 meant I would miss the first half of the game I was going to check out, so I made a change of plans and the Wayzata vs. Maple Grove game turned out to be a down to the wire contest.
Then on Thursday I had a banquet and so my choice of games was limited to a certain area. The game was an interesting contest between Mahtomedi and St. Anthony.
NUMBER QUESTIONS
Does the number of possessions matter? In other words what is the optimal possessions a team should have---a fast pace or slower? Also is there a difference between the classes in number of possessions?
First off here is the 2006-07 possession averages for each class
Class, possessions, pp100, floor%
AAAA 69, 83.7, .408
AAA 67.2, 73.2, .354
And now 2007-08
AAAA 67.1, 87.2, .433
AAA 71.4, 76.21, .365
So AAAA has two fewer possessions and they have increased their pp100 and floor %. But AAA has upped their possession totals by about 4. They also have upped their pp100 by 3 and increased their floor % too.
The samples may be small, but the trend is their for a better year.
Here is the averages for the number of possessions
FAST: 88 to 77 possessions: 76.67, .387
A TAD FAST: 76-70 possessions 76.57, .381
MEDIUM: 69-67 possessions 88.47, .430
SLOW: 64-56 possessions 78.42, .392
So the best (by far) is between 69-67 possessions.
ODDS AND ENDS
Two new gyms this week--St. Peter and St. Anthony. Both have excellent lighting.
AWARD SECTION
Remember I have to SEE the team during the week. That means I have a pool of 10 teams this week.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
St. Paul Central is the first team to be seen twice this season. The defending state champs beat the defending AAA champs on Saturday at home. The Minutemen were without the services of Theairra Taylor and Cyonna West at the start of the contest since they were wrapping up an ACT test. The Minutemen have two D1 signees with Kiara Buford off to the Gophers and Georgie Jones going off to Marquette. Add in Megan Howard, who had a strong start to the second half, along with high flyer Taylor and Central has a variety of options. Central is more aggressive to the basket, and with those long, lean, athletic leapers, really crash the boards. That is the difference in yesterdays contest. They scored on almost half of their possessions on Saturday.Last year at this time they had a quantum leap from the Hamline tournament until the Hopkins game on Dec 14. The improvement this year is not as dramatic, in fact it could be considered tortoise like. Against Centennial their pp100 was 83.58. Against Becker it went up to 85.71. The bigger improvement came in floor %. It was .433 against Centennial, .471 against Becker. Missed free throws held back their pp100.
Defensively the numbers were better too. They shaved off 13 pp100 against Becker (from 89.55 to 76.06) and sliced off more on the D floor % (.433 to .380).
Look for even more improvement in their numbers in the months to come.
Photo of the starting line up on Saturday against Becker--Kyana Johnson is the blur on the left with Brittany Dorsey, Meghan Howard, Kiara Buford and Georgie Jones (L to R). photo by Teas.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For one so young, Rachel Banham plays with remarkable composure and poise. She strikes for big time baskets, and young Miss Clutch has done it on more than one occasion. Last year against Owatonna she put a stake through their heart at the end of the game. This week it was at the end of the half with three seconds left when she buried a three. In the second half hit a three to put Lakeville North up 36-31 putting some distance between the Panthers and South. Before that she dished off to Jess Braaten (who was fouled) to break the tie at 30 all. Banham is aware of what is happening. She has court savvy and ice water in the veins.
WEEKLY TEAM
Rule #1--I need to see player during the week
Rule #2---Player needs to have a minimum of 10 possessions
Rule #3---Player needs to be north of 100 pp100 and .500 floor %, If no one can make that level, I start dipping down.
Warning #1--This is performance ratings and not necessarily that Player A is better than Player B. However during the course of the year the cream will rise to the top and the better players will deliver day in and night out.
FIRST TEAM
Rachel Banham, Lakeville North
Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central
Jennifer Field, Maple Grove
Abby Doran, Wayzata
Hannah Frost, Mahtomedi
SECOND TEAM
Georgie Jones, St. Paul Central
Christina Keup, Wayzata
Val Lux, New Ulm Cathedral
Brianna Mastey, Becker
Shelly Stemper, Becker
DEFENSIVE TEAM
Jade Geif, Lakeville South
Meghan Howard, St. Paul Central
Brianna Mastey, Becker captain
Jordyn Strege, Mahtomedi
Kaiya Sygulla, Lakeville North
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
This is a new feature. In order to win this award a player needs to be seen for the first time. If I have seen a player before they are not eligible. So if they got in the game for 20 seconds last year and I charted them then they are no longer a first time player. Now a first time player (for my eyes) might be a senior. If I haven’t seen them in High school ball, or Summer ball they are eligible. That eliminates a lot of players right there. Again the same requirements above apply here.
So the First Newcomer of the week is----Hannah Frost of Mahtomedi. She is a 5-8 junior guard. Her line against St. Anthony was 13 points, 11 possessions, 118.2 pp100, .545 floor %. She is fairly athletic and can hit the 3.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For one so young, Rachel Banham plays with remarkable composure and poise. She strikes for big time baskets, and young Miss Clutch has done it on more than one occasion. Last year against Owatonna she put a stake through their heart at the end of the game. This week it was at the end of the half with three seconds left when she buried a three. In the second half hit a three to put Lakeville North up 36-31 putting some distance between the Panthers and South. Before that she dished off to Jess Braaten (who was fouled) to break the tie at 30 all. Banham is aware of what is happening. She has court savvy and ice water in the veins.WEEKLY TEAM
Rule #1--I need to see player during the week
Rule #2---Player needs to have a minimum of 10 possessions
Rule #3---Player needs to be north of 100 pp100 and .500 floor %, If no one can make that level, I start dipping down.
Warning #1--This is performance ratings and not necessarily that Player A is better than Player B. However during the course of the year the cream will rise to the top and the better players will deliver day in and night out.
FIRST TEAM
Rachel Banham, Lakeville North
Kiara Buford, St. Paul Central
Jennifer Field, Maple Grove
Abby Doran, Wayzata
Hannah Frost, Mahtomedi
SECOND TEAM
Georgie Jones, St. Paul Central
Christina Keup, Wayzata
Val Lux, New Ulm Cathedral
Brianna Mastey, Becker
Shelly Stemper, Becker
DEFENSIVE TEAM
Jade Geif, Lakeville South
Meghan Howard, St. Paul Central
Brianna Mastey, Becker captain
Jordyn Strege, Mahtomedi
Kaiya Sygulla, Lakeville North
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
This is a new feature. In order to win this award a player needs to be seen for the first time. If I have seen a player before they are not eligible. So if they got in the game for 20 seconds last year and I charted them then they are no longer a first time player. Now a first time player (for my eyes) might be a senior. If I haven’t seen them in High school ball, or Summer ball they are eligible. That eliminates a lot of players right there. Again the same requirements above apply here.So the First Newcomer of the week is----Hannah Frost of Mahtomedi. She is a 5-8 junior guard. Her line against St. Anthony was 13 points, 11 possessions, 118.2 pp100, .545 floor %. She is fairly athletic and can hit the 3.
Here is Frost going up to block a shot in the St. Anthony game. photo by Teas.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Week, Team--Player of the week---Defender
3. Mpls South----Courtney Boylan, Chaska---Sarah Hintz, Woodbury
2. Hopkins---Megan Nipe, Centennial---Madelyn Houser, North Iowa Area CC
1: NDSCS----Tanika Massey, NDSCS---Whitney Glazier, Central Lakes
GAMES THIS WEEK
Friday looks like the best game day all week with Becker at Hopkins and Eastview at PCG headling the week's action.
TUESDAY, DEC 11
Park-Cottage Grove at Cretin-Derham Hall
Roch JM at Mankato West
MVL at New Ulm Cathedral
Woodbury at Roseville
THURSDAY, DEC 13
Fargo Shanley at Crookston
FRIDAY, DEC 14
Forest Lake at Cretin-Derham Hall
Becker at Hopkins
Mpls Roosevelt at Mpls Edison
Eastview at Park-Cottage Grove
St. Paul Johnson at Armstrong
Cannon Falls at Rochester Lourdes
SATURDAY, DEC 15
Winona Cotter at Cretin-Derham Hall
MVL at LeSueur-Henderson
SEEDING THE STATE
This is the first in a series that will run the rest of the season. No seeding for AA and A because they haven’t made the move to the seeded state tournament.
Seed, Team (section)
AAAA
1. Centennial (5)
2. Mpls South (6)
3. St. Paul Central (4)
4. Eastview (3)
5. Bloomington Kennedy (2)
6. St. Francis (7)
7. St. Cloud Tech (8)
8. Rochester JM (1)
AAA
1 Becker (5)
2 DeLaSalle (6)
3 Worthington (2)
4 Minnehaha (4)
5 Detroit Lakes (8)
6 Mahtomedi (3)
7 Austin (1)
8 Grand Rapids (7)
Next up: Tomorrow morning
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