Spy Out & About: Minnehaha/Fergus Falls

#1 posting 3.13.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

AAA TARGET QUARTERS
Here is another Spy Out & About with the Minnehaha/Fergus Falls AAA quarterfinal games at Target Center.

Minnehaha Academy Redhawks 49, Fergus Falls Otters 44, OT

The Redhawks overcame an efficient opening attack by the Otters, a dreadful shooting slump, and an injury to key starter Rachel Hansen to finish strong, composed, and victorious in overtime. 5-5 senior guard Megan Erlandson capped a relentless Minnehaha second-half charge with a three-point basket with :02 left to tie the game at 41. Fergus Falls' gifted forward Hannah Draxten hit a deep three at the top of OT, but the rest of the way it was obstructed-view-only, thanks to 5-5 senior guard (do we detect a pattern here?) Brittany Norby's face-guarding in a diamond-and-one. Norby, Erlandson, and yet one more 5-5 senior guard, Ani Johnson, took care of the ball and nailed free throws, with a little rebounding and shot-blocking help with their decidedly non-5-5, non-senior center, 6-4 freshman Katelyn Adams, to close out the win.

Fergus Falls started strong with efficient ball movement and outside shooting from Draxten and Sarah Erickson. They were quicker to the ball and got after it. Minnehaha's point total stalled at 5 through a half of flat shots and missed layup. Midway through the half, both teams lost starters to injuries, Hansen with a knee, and the Otters' Amanda Lewis, her shoulder. Action seemed to stall for both teams until Erlandson connected on a 3 at 4:19 to finally nudge the Redhawks' score past 5.

Coming out of halftime, Minnehaha's press, with 5-11 junior Sarah Peterson up top, and their awareness of each other on the court, spelled "Glaeser's Theorem" for Fergus Falls (that's "bad tourney-run half" for those of you who don't speak Kevin). Draxten asserted herself on four straight plays, at the end of which she and Peterson sustained injuries but pressed on. That was about it for second-half efficiency; up by just two, the Otters went to a delay game; not the greatest choice, given the measure of success the Redhawks had had pressing and trapping in the second half. An Erlandson steal set Minnehaha up for the winning shot...maybe, but Peterson pulled the trigger with :20 to go. Aware of time and score, Erlandson fouled Fergus Falls guard Erin Morstad. Her missed free throw and rebound by Minnehaha's Johnson set up Erlandson for the shot that sent the game to overtime.

This ended up being the most interesting, and unexpectedly enjoyable games among the offerings at Target Center Thursday. Plenty of great teams and great individuals hit the floor earlier in the day, but the nightcap had several compelling plot lines, among them, a chance to see Draxten before she heads to Iowa, and Minnehaha's two close games with Tri-Metro Conference rivals DeLaSalle. How will Act III play out?

Thanks spy

Here is the Fergus Falls Daily Journal with their article. The Fargo Forum looks at the shot that sent the game to OT.

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