The Week That Was #13: Aiming High

#5 posting 6.26.2008
Your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

THE WEEK THAT WAS #13: AIMING HIGH
Last weekend the main event was in Ames, Iowa. Team WI Select Samuels upset the then #2 CSS Bison with gritty defense and clutch shooting. That sets up an interesting July.

For the next six weeks the basketball action really heats up. This is the home stretch. If anyone has saved any energy, now is the time to leave it on the floor. The scouts will be out in full force. Every move will be noticed. Scouts can get a feel for the athletic portion of the equation just by looking at a player. However, does this player make players around her better than they are? What is her basketball IQ? How does she lead/inspire? How does she interact with teammates/coaches? All good questions that will be answered in the home stretch.

The Dakota Showcase has already started playing some of their games today. With 32 teams it is one of the larger June tournaments. Last year at this time is when Metro Stars Black took off with Courtney Boylan behind the wheel. Until this weekend last year MSB was in the next tier of MN power teams. After a remarkable three week run MSB had won the Dakota Showcase, the MN Stars tournament in Hopkins, and placed well in the Chicago tournament. Which team will catch fire with a critical six weeks left in the summer season? Time will tell.

VERBAL SEASON
With the approach of July you can rest assured the verbals will start falling. Today Katya Leick of Park-Cottage Grove (and NC Heat) decided on Nebraska.
Right now here is the 2009 D1 verbal race:
Minnesota 7
Indiana 6
Iowa 5
Wisconsin 5
South Dakota 4
Michigan 3
Illinois 2
North Dakota 1

How does this compare with 2008?
Ohio led the parade with 55
Indiana 36
Illinois 35
Minnesota 27
Michigan 24
Iowa 13
Wisconsin 10
South Dakota 3
Already SD has one more D1 player than they did a year ago. Wisconsin is half way there. Minnesota is at about 26% of the total from last year.
With the addition of USD and UND to D1 status look for the South Dakota’s, North Dakota’s, and by extension, Minnesota’s D1 numbers to go up this year.

At the Dakota Showcase there are 9 players that have already verballed D1 schools. The team with the most D1 verbals: SD Lightning with three and IBCA Select Red with three.

OTHER EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
The Chicago Great American Showcase is also going on this weekend.

The Summer kick off is taking place in Menomonie, Wisconsin this weekend.

GOOD IDEAS
For teams and programs next year---It would be wise to put the names of your players on the back of the jersey. It helps players get noticed and remembered.

TEAM OF THE WEEK
For a record fourth time this year Team WI Select Samuels takes the top spot. A week a go TWSS left the Summer Jam at Bloomington Kennedy unhappy. Part of the unhappiness was the result of two losses. Part of the unhappiness was due to the fact that two main cogs of their team, point guard Sam Hoyt (at a camp at Central Michigan) and forward Heather Kessler (at a camp at UW Green Bay) were missing. Both were in Ames this past weekend. Both were named trench players of the game in the quarterfinals and finals respectively. TWSS is not a flashy team, but a reliable, steady group of players that put sweat equity into their defense. It doesn’t hurt to have a swatter in the middle like 6-6 Nicole Griffin. TWSS pp100 on defense is 62.95, against the top tier teams their defensive pp100 is 77. That compares with NC Heat’s base defense of 74.67. Their team defense against the CSS Bison perimeter game was the difference in the championship. They cut the Bison production in half.

photo: Top row l to r: Assistant Coach Hoyt, Heather Kessler, Nicole Griffin, Heather Byl, Whitney Rawdon, Sam Price, Coach Samuels
bottom row l to 4: Sam Hoyt, Kayla Windt, Hannah Betz, Laura Petersen, Brea Tinney. photo by kja

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Angela Christianson of Alexandria led the Cardinals to a 42-40 victory over Rogers in the Blue Division of the Rogers Breakdown tournament. She scored 24 of the 42 points (57% of the teams total) and had 12 of 29 (41% of the teams total) of the Alex defensive stops. Christianson knows how to score and came up with big baskets (and free throws) down the stretch to preserve the win.

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.
These rules don’t bend. If a player has a .499 floor % they aren’t considered. If their pp100 is 99.9, they are cut.

FIRST TEAM
Emily Cady, CSS Bison, (Seward, Nebraska)
Angela Christianson, Alexandria
Jennifer Dowd, Rogers
Alyssa Kamphaus, CSS Bison (Seward, Nebraska)
Dani Mangen, Osseo
SECOND TEAM
Jessie Althoff, Becker
Tina Ewing, Osseo
Bailey Lund, MN Fury (Bloomington Kennedy)
Laura Petersen, Team WI Select Samuels (Osseo-Fairchild, WI)
Sam Price, Team WI Select Samuels (Eau Claire North)

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Kiah Stokes of Team Iowa patrolled the middle and came up with 11 defensive stops against the Fury 15 squad. Stokes is lean, and lanky. She has a wide wing span so she is able to deflect a lot of passes, or intimidate the other side from even trying such an idea. In the paint she blocked shots and snagged plenty of rebounds.

FIRST TEAM
Emily Cady, CSS Bison (Seward, Nebraska)
Angela Christianson, Alexandria
Virginia Johnson, Team Iowa (Iowa City)
Chiamaka Okonkwo, Osseo
Kiah Stokes, Team Iowa (Linn-Mar, Iowa)

DISTRIBUTOR OF THE WEEK
Marissa Kastanek of CSS Bison is headed to North Carolina State, mainly to play the “2/shooting guard” spot. Kastanek can also pass the ball. In the two games I charted she had six against the Nebraska Twisterz and 7 in the loss to Team WI Select Samuels.
Honorable Mentions:
KK Hauser, CSS Bison
Sam Hoyt, Team WI Select Samuels
Dani Mangen, Osseo

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
In order to make this list I need to see the player for the first time.
Alyssa Kamphaus of CSS Bison is a physical, aggressive banger inside. She had no fear in going after Nicole Griffin of TWSS. Kamphaus established her space in the paint and made sure she presented a good target. She sets wicked screens and runs the floor.

PAST WINNERS
Here are the past weekly winners
TEAM
12. North Tartan Larson
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
12. Amanda Zimmerman, North Tartan Larson (Ballard, IA)
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
12. Chelsea Poppens, North Tartan Larson (Aplington-Parkersburg, IA)
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
12. Kate Thompson, MN Stars Borowicz (Wayzata)
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
12. Erin Haglund, Hastings
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
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
AAU1. NC Heat
2. North Tartan Larson
3. IBCA Select Red
4. MN Stars Borowicz
5. Team WI Select Samuels
6. Nebraska Bison
7. Metro Stars Black
8. Fury
9. Metro Stars White
10. North Tartan Crosby
11. All Iowa Attack Red
12. Iowa Elite
13. Nebraska Twisterz
14. Team WI Select Doucette
15. Southern Minne Magic
16. MN Stars Smith
17. IBCA Select White
18. MN Stars DeWitt
19. MN Suns
20. Stangs

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. All Iowa Attack Red
4. Nebraska Judds
5. Team Iowa
6. Fury
7. Metro Stars
8. MN Stars Jihad Lady Cats
9. MN Stars Carlisle
10. Team WI Select
11. PT Players
12. MN Suns Ellen
13. 43 Hoops
14. Team WI Red
15. MN Dynamite

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

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

12u
AAU
1. Cornhusker Shooting Stars
2. All Iowa Attack
3. MN Suns
4. MN Stars Farview

next up: tomorrow morning--unless news breaks