The Summer Week That was #12: A to Z (Zimmerman)

#3 posting 6.20.2008
Your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

THE WEEK THAT WAS #12: A to Z
The Summer Jam was the big event this past weekend with teams from Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota battling it out. One of the themes of the tournament was comebacks. Metro Stars Black rallied from 10 down with under five minutes left to upend Wisconsin’s AAU State champion Team WI Select Samuels. Tina Fisher hit the game winner in that contest. On Sunday in the 16u semis North Tartan 15s rallied from a 14 point 2nd half deficit to beat the veteran Metro Stars 19s. Katy Winge provided NT15 with two free throws that proved to be the winning margin. The best game (that I charted) was the North Tartan Larson vs IBCA Select Red semifinal that went back and forth with seven lead changes the last five minutes. That game went right to the wire. Amanda Zimmerman delivered the shot that won the game.

The other theme of the week was bodies—the more bodies, the better. Not every team was at full strength. Those that were missing key components fell. Those that had thin benches fell.

And the other theme of the week was size—the bigger, the better. If you look at the team of the week only one player under 6-0 made the first team.

WHAT PROGRAMS FARED BEST?
How did the programs fare in last weeks Summer Jam? I am only using the top three classifications on this.
North Tartan took two titles with the 16s and 14s. However their 15 team proved that they could play with the big girls and the 13s stepped up and finished second in the 14 dviision.
The Fury won the 15 tournament.
Program, w-l pct. (1st to 4th finishes)
1. North Tartan 17-6 .739 (2 Championships, 1 4th place)
2. Metro Stars 17-6 .739 (2 3rd place)
3. IBCA 10-4 .714 (1 3rd place)
4. MN Stars 21-16 .568 (1 2nd place, 2 4th place)
5. MN Fury 9-7 .563 (1 championship)
6. All Iowa Attack 9-9 .500 (1 2nd place)
7. Viking Club/Team WI 15-16 .484
8. Southern Minne Magic 5-6 .455
9. MN Suns 5-6 .455
10. 43 Hoops (MN) 4-6 .400

TEAM OF THE WEEK
North Tartan Larson is playing at full strength for the first time in a while and they have adjusted to the changes in the line up. With the addition of two D1 verbals from Iowa, and a few players moving up from the 15 team, NTL had a period of adjustment. They had to develop an identity. They had to develop the chemistry. That appears to have been done as they withstood the IBCA challenge in the semis in an emotion packed game for the Iowa players (on both sides). Prior to this week NTL’s pp100 was at 80.7 and a floor % of .392. This past weekend it was 103.2, and .508. With the adjustment period over NTL is set for a strong summer.

photo: Top row l to r: Shakila Boler, Taylor Young, Kelsey Florian, Megan Lauck, Suriya McGuire, Coach Bill Larson
Bottom row l to r: Jennifer Dowd, Chelsea Poppens, Katie Loberg, Amanda Zimmerman. photo by kja

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Amanda Zimmerman of North Tartan Larson made a huge impact early in the semis vs IBCA and the finals against MN Stars Borowicz. The early bird did catch the worm in this situation. She erupted for 20 first half points in the finals and had 15 in the first half against IBCA. Everything she shot was smooth and not forced. As they say in the trade she was in the zone. She can drain 3s and go inside showing off her versatility. At 6-2 she definitely has size to play. I have charted Zimmerman for the past two summers and this she ranged from a low of 76 to 123 pp100 last year. This year in the few games I saw prior to this weekend she was 70-120. Her low score this weekend was 142.9.
She made a verbal to Iowa State before she played one second of varsity ball. She will be ready to play at this pace.

To make the teams remember the rules:
#1. I need to see the player
#2. Player needs to have 6+ possessions
#3. Player needs to be over 100 pp100
#4. Player needs to be over .500 floor %
#5. If I see a player in two games the numbers are added up and the average used.

What about the IBCA players? Or Metro Stars 19s? Or other players from the teams. Well if I just used the semifinal game players would be listed, however IBCA got off to a slow start in the first game I charted and the numbers dragged the semi numbers down so they didn’t make the bar. In the Metro Stars 19 situation, again the minimum standards were not met. There are very good players that didn’t make the list due to one of the criteria being off.

The size of the players on the first team is slanted to the posts this week.

FIRST TEAM
Amber Dvorak, MN Stars Borowicz (Hinckley-Finlayson) 6-7
Tina Fisher, Metro Stars Black (Park-Cottage Grove) 6-1
Laura Melquist, North Tartan 15 (Rochester Lourdes) 6-2
Amanda Zimmerman, North Tartan Larson (Ballard, IA) 6-2
Taylor Young, North Tartan Larson (Edina) 5-10
SECOND TEAM
Angela Christenson, North Tartan 15 (Alexandria) 6-0
Emily Kaus, MN Fury 16 (Eastview) 6-2
Katie Loberg, North Tartan Larson (Princeton) 6-4
Haley Thomforde, Metro Stars 15 (Eastview) 5-7
Katy Winge, North Tartan 15 & Minnetonka 5-10
THIRD TEAM
Steffi Comer, Minnetonka
Chanda Goedken, Iowa Elite (Cascade, IA)
Erin Haglund, Hastings 6-1
Ali Schmidt, Champlin Park 5-9
Michelle Tobin, MN Fury 16 (Eden Prairie) 6-0

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Chelsea Poppens of North Tartan Larson survived the Parkersburg Iowa tornado and she plays like a tornado. A whirlwind of energy, force, athleticism and determination she cleaned up on the defensive boards. She is constantly on the move and not ready to back down from battle. Her eyes have the intense fire of a competitor. She too will be an appropriately named Cyclone at Iowa State in the fall of 2009.

DEFENSIVE TEAM
Amber Dvorak, MN Stars Borowicz (Hinckley-Finlayson)
Laura Melquist, North Tartan 15 (Rochester Lourdes)
Sarah Peterson, MN Fury 16 (Minnehaha)
Chelsea Poppens, North Tartan Larson (Aplington-Parkersburg, IA)
Hana Potter, Metro Stars 15 (Edina)

DISTRIBUTOR OF THE WEEK
Kate Thompson of MN Stars Borowicz is a 6-2 point guard. That is not a typo. With her height advantage she can see the floor and usually avoid trap situations. In the two games I charted she had 8 assists in each game including the championship when MSB only had 48 points. With her size and perimeter ability, and long wing span, she will be a highly sought after player.

DISTRIBUTOR TEAM
Shakila Boler, North Tartan Larson (Bloomington Kennedy)
Steffi Comer, Minnetonka
Kellie Ring, MN Stars Eckmann (Somerset, WI)
Kate Thompson, MN Stars Borowicz (Wayzata)
Ali Schmidt, Champlin Park

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Erin Haglund of Hastings keeps in the over 6-0 theme. Haglund is 6-1 and plays inside for the Raiders. She has the lean look and moves well. Haglund averaged 6.3 ppg last year for Hastings and should be able to get double digits this season.

PAST WINNERS
Here are the past weekly winners
TEAM
11. MN Suns Fassett
10. North Tartan 15s
9. Team WI Select Samuels (3)
8. Southern Minne Magic 17
7. NC Heat (2)
6. Team WI Select Samuels (2)
5. NC Heat
4. MN All Star 2A
3. Team WI Select Samuels
2. Minnesota Dynamite
1. IBCA Select Red

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
11. Pam January, MN Suns Fassett (Richfield)
10. Tayler Hill, NC Heat (Minneapolis South) (2)
9. Laura Petersen, Team WI Select Samuels (Osseo-Fairchild) (2)
8. Kiara Buford, Gym Rats 19 (St. Paul Central)
7. Tayler Hill, NC Heat (Minneapolis South)
6. Laura Petersen, Team WI Select Samuels (Osseo-Fairchild)
5. Megan Nipe, NC Heat (Centennial)
4. Brianna Mastey, MN All Star 3A, (Becker)
3. Sam Price, Team WI Select Samuels (Eau Claire North)
2. Haylie Darrington, Maroon South Central All Star (Blue Earth)
1. Trisha Nesbitt, IBCA Select Red (Ames)

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
11. Taylor Bare, Triple Threat (Anoka)
10. Katya Leick, NC Heat (Park-Cottage Grove)
9. Nicole Griffin, Team WI Select Samuels (Milwaukee Vincent) (3)
8. Yvonne Freese, Southern Minne Magic 17 (Lanesboro)
7. Shakila Boler, North Tartan Larson (Bloomington Kennedy)
6. Nicole Griffin, Team WI Select Samuels (Milwaukee Vincent) (2)
5. Tori Rule, Midtown Lady Monarchs (DeLaSalle)
4. Jackie Voigt, MN All Star 4A, (Park-Cottage Grove)
3. Nicole Griffin, Team WI Select Samuels (Milwaukee Vincent)
2. Kiara Strickland, Gold South Central All Star (Mpls Roosevelt)
1. Amber Kirschbaum, IBCA Select Red (Spirit Lake)

DISTRIBUTOR
11. Taylor Bare, Triple Threat (Anoka)
10. Shakila Boler, North Tartan Larson & Bloomington Kennedy
9. Katie Wolff, Team WI Select Doucette (Marshfield) (2)
8. Seraene Levine, Minnesota Thunder 19 (Eden Prairie)
7. Tayler Hill, NC Heat (Minneapolis South)
6. Katie Wolff, Team WI Select Doucette (Marshfield)

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
11. Gracia Hutson, Hopkins
10. Kim Campbell, Bloomington Kennedy
9. Corrin Miles, Fridley
8. Karli Meyer, Minnesota Lakers (Adrian)
7. Jackie Johnson, North Tartan 14 (Eden Prairie)
6. Cady Roedl, WI Hoops Select (Beaver Dam)
5. Alyssa Hagen, MN Stars Carlisle (NRHEG)
4. Hilary Friendshuh, Team WI Red 15s (Clear Lake, WI)
3. Jessica Waldvogel, Team Wisconsin Select 15s
2. Kara Hofschild, Minnesota Dynamite (Andover)
1. Kionna Kellogg, IBCA Select Red (Ames)

POLLS
True to form there was a shake out in the polls after the Summer Jam.
19s
AAU
1. MN Stars
2. Metro Stars Black
3. Team WI Sr White
4. Team WI Sr Black
MYAS
1. Gym Rats
2. Minnesota Thunder
3. Wayzata AC
4. Southern Minne Magic

17u/16u/JR ELIGIBLE
AAU
1. NC Heat
2. Nebraska Bison
3. North Tartan Larson
4. IBCA Select Red
5. MN Stars Borowicz
6. Metro Stars Black
7. Fury
8. North Tartan Crosby
9. Metro Stars White
10. All Iowa Attack Red
11. Team WI Select Samuels
12. Iowa Elite
13. Team WI Select Doucette
14. Southern Minne Magic
15. MN Stars Smith
16. IBCA Select White
17. MN Stars DeWitt
18. MN Suns
19. Stangs
20. Minnesota Lakers
21. Finishers
22. 43 Hoops Olson
23. 43 Hoops Zuck
24. Southern Stars
25. Comets
26. MN Stars Eckmann
27. Southern Minny Elite
28. X Factor
16u/MYAS DIVISION
1. MN Dynamite
2. Chaska Gold
3. MN Thunder
4. Triple Threat

15u
AAU
1. North Tartan
2. MN Suns Arbogast
3. Nebraska Judds
4. Fury
5. All Iowa Attack Red
6. Metro Stars
7. MN Stars Carlisle
8. Team WI Select
9. MN Stars Jihad Lady Cats
10. Team Iowa
11. PT Players
12. MN Suns Ellen
13. 43 Hoops
14. Team WI Red
15. MN Dynamite
16. Southern Mini Magic
17. MN Gym Rats
18. MN Finishers

14u AAU
1. North Tartan
2. Metro Stars
3. MN Stars Seter
4. Team WI Select
5. MN Stars Collins
6. IBCA Select Blue
7. Fury Livers
8. Fury Haugen
9. MN Stars Hested
10. Midtown Lady Monarchs
11. MN Suns
12. Southern MN Heat

13u AAU
1. North Tartan
2. MN Jazz
3. All Iowa Attack
4. MN Fury
5. MN Stars Martin
MYAS
1. Hopkins

12u
AAU
1. MN Suns
2. MN Stars Farview

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