Grab Bag: More All This & That; More Mercy

#4 posting 3.20.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

GRAB BAG
ALL STAR GAME
The Fifth Annual Polar League Bernick’s Pepsi All-Star Basketball Series will be at Barnum High School on Monday, March 31. The girls game is at 6 pm. From the Pine Journal.

TOURNAMENT RECAP
Eastview's tournament experience is recapped in the Thisweek Paper.

Barunum's tournament experience is recounted in the Pine Journal.

COACH OF THE YEAR
I am still waiting on the Coaches Association's all state team and coach of the year list for each class.
In 8AA Kris Evje of Crookston won that section's coach of the year award. From the Crookston Times.

AWARDS
Vermillion, SD passed out their end of year awards. From the Vermillion Plain Talk.

Ohio's Lauren Kohn (Adrian, MI) is one of 52 regional finalists for the 2008 State Farm Coaches' All-America Basketball Team sponsored by the WBCA.

ACADEMICS
Minneapolis Southwest prevented Chaska from repeating as academic champs by .02.

ALL AREA
The Adrian Daily Telegram has named their all area team with Rick McNeil of Madison named coach of the year and Aubrey Laughlin of Hudson named player of the year.

Grand Haven girls basketball coach Katie Kowalczyk-Fulmer was named AB coach of the year and Muskegon Catholic Central coach Derek Westerlund was named CD coach of the year from the Muskegon Chronicle.

The Algona, IA paper has listed their Kossuth Keepers. (their all area team).

MORE MERCY
This is from assistant coach Tom Gunderson of St. Paul Central

I do not believe the mercy rule will benefit anyone (except those who are just in it for the check and want to go home early). The time of games was increased to allow for bench players to get more action. How will this occur if the starters build up the lead to the mercy point and then the game goes to running time?

A better solution, in my opinion, would be to not allow starters, or bench players who have scored 10 points or more, to play after the mercy point has been reached. There could be a point where they would be allowed to return. For example, if the mercy point was 35, they could return if the lead went below 25. This will allow teams to use their reserves in a meaningful setting.

Running time is for summer and rec ball. Let's treat the game with the respect that it deserves and our reserves with the respect they deserve.

Coach Gunderson

Thanks for the help. If you have all conference/all area teams, or any news, go to my profile and email me.

Next up: tomorrow morning. On Sunday the year in review.