Out & About: MN Stars DeWitt/Stangs

#4 posting 5.13.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

This game took place on Saturday, May 10, 2008
Cooper High School
Minnesota State AAU Tournament
Junior Eligible Pool Play
MN STARS DEWITT 73, STANGS 62

The Stangs were the last team I hadn't seen at the Junior Eligible division. That was corrected after this game. The Stangs are primarily or almost exclusively from Sioux Falls Roosevelt. Yes this was a South Dakota team in the Minnesota State AAU tournament. They are also coached by Lillie Arndt (formerly Brown) who once upon a time played AAU for a team I put together in AAU's infancy around here.

MSD jumped out early and often in building up a 15-2 lead. MSD was helped with three 3s in the opening salvos. Also Amanda Wagner was making her imprint on the game early with four defensive stops and five points. The Stangs also had foul problems with Emily Palmer picking up a couple of early fouls that sent her to the bench. They had to endure a six possession drought, but MSD didn't pad their lead during that time as they had their own four possession dry spell. MSD led 25-12 when the Stangs had an 11-4 run to cut the margin to 29-23. The Stangs were victim of an intentional foul in that run, but only scored the two free throws. At the half it was 35-25 MSD. The Stangs finished with an 0/7 sequence, MSD was 0/5.

Early in the half it was MSD that was hot with six straight scores to open the half. That put them in the driver's seat at 47-30. The Stangs found some punch for their anemic offense in the second half. They scored 8 straight times and cut the MSD lead to 50-46 with 11 minutes to go. In that 16-3 run Palmer had 12 points. She hit from behind the arc, she drove past defenders and also took some freebies. That was as close as the Stangs would get. They hung around in the 8 to 5 range the rest of the way. The last time it was fairly close was at 57-52 after a three by Lauren Thomas. MSD finished strong with 9/11 scoring. Wagner had 6 of the last 17 points including a tip in off her own miss.

For the second straight game free throws made a critical difference in the outcome. MSD made 21, the Stangs only 10. Both had similar attempts 26/23. If the Stangs would have shot like MSD the game would have been 73-70 for MSD. If MSD shot like the Stangs the game would have ended up still in MSD's favor 63-62. Either way the outcome hinged on those freebies.

photos: #1 Katie Meister of the Stangs with a shot in the lane. #2 Mackenzie Wolter slips in the lane for a shot. Photos by Teas.

key: player, school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
MN STARS DEWITT
STARTERS
Europe Guy, Mpls South 12, 11, 109.1, .545 lefty perimeter. steady offensively. went to the line three times. looks to score off the bounce. picked up the intentional foul.
Abby Weiss, Martin County West 8, 11, 72.7, .364 three point shooter.
Gina Lange, Forest Lake 21, 16, 131.5, .688 post play. When she got hot, she was sizzling. She finished with 10 straight scoring possessions, 7/7 in the second half. runs the floor. ruled inside against smaller defenders. a workhorse player.
Amanda Wagner, New Prague 17, 9, 188.9, .889 point guard. scrappy, feisty, combative. has 3 range. worked both ends with d boards. a double double with 10 d wraps and 17 points. and a tip in. also developing pull up jumper.
Whitney Canton, Pine Island 7, 6, 116.7, .500 three point shooter. had 2 on the day. also led team with 5 assists.
BENCH
Catavia Jones, St. Paul Central 0, 3, 0.0, .000 tall post. learning the movements inside
Jenny Houle, Mpls South 1, 1, 100.0, 1.000 perimeter
Jessica Leer, Coon Rapids 0, 5, 0.0, .000 perimeter. looked to shoot the 3.
Samantha Robinson-Ricks, St. Paul Central 1, 4, 25.0, .250 perimeter
Mackenzie Wolter, Norwood Young America 6, 5, 120.0, .600 athletic guard. runs the floor. active defensively.

STANGS
all the players below are from Sioux Falls Roosevelt with one exception. only two players are 09s--Meister and Nicholson (who wasn't here)
STARTERS
Katie Meister 6, 9, 66.7, .333 inside player.
Emily Palmer, Beresford 24, 19, 126.3, .579 kept the Stangs boat afloat. left perimeter player. knocked down four 3s. had 19 of her points in the second half. needs to stay on the floor and avoid useless fouls. reminds me on some level of Jenny Hoffner.
Kiana Hastings 9, 10, 90.0, .400 perimeter. will shoot the 3.
Celeste Beck 4, 6, 66.7, .333 point guard. thin.
Callie Hanssen 6, 7, 85.7, .429 post
BENCH
Lauren Thomas 9, 9, 100.0, .333 made two 3s. went to the line three times. has an interesting foot slide on her free throw. Extends her left foot out and then draws it back to her center.
Abbey Fujan 1, 6, 16.7, .167 passing needs to improve
Kim Johnson 3, 4, 75.0, .250 perimeter

TRENCH PLAYER
Amanda Wagner

BY THE NUMBERS
MN Stars DeWitt 73, 71, 102.8, .521
Stangs 62, 70, 88.6, .400
made 3s/&1s: Stangs 8/0, MSD 4/0
ftm/fta-ft%: MSD 21/26-.807; Stangs 10/23-.435
bench: Stangs 13, MSD 8

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
MN STARS DEWITT
Amanda Wagner 10
Gina Lange 5
Mackenzie Wolter 5
Abby Weiss 4
Whitney Canton 4
Samantha Robinson-Ricks 4
Europe Guy 2
Catavia Jones 2
Jenny Houle 2
Jessica Leer 2
totals: 40

STANGS
Emily Palmer 6
Katie Meister 5
Kiana Hasting 3
Kim Johnson 3
Callie Hanssen 3
Abbey Fujan 2
Lauren Thomas 2
Celeste Beck 2
Totals: 26

ASSISTS
MN STARS DEWITT
Whitney Canton 5
Abby Weiss 4
Europe Guy 3
Amanda Wagner 3
Samantha Robinson-Ricks 3
Mackenzie Wolter 3
Jenny Houle 2
Jessica Leer 1
totals: 24

STANGS
Lauren Thomas 6
Celeste Beck 5
Emily Palmer 3
Katie Meister 2
Abbey Fujan 2
Kiana Hastings 1
totals: 19

Next up: later today with the MN Stars Jihad Lady Cats vs the Gym Rats