The Week That Was #3: Across the River

#8 posting 11.30.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

The Week That Was #3: Across The River
The action moved west this week. Minnesota started their high school season. The big event was at Hamline with four top five teams playing in the various championships. Hopkins put cellophane wrap on the #1 South Tigers in the first half of the West championship. 18-0 to start, 38-11 at half was a big statement. South was without the services of two projected starters, each combined worth about 18.7 points last year. Without Smith and Kearney Tayler Hill didn't have a lot of help lifting the scoring load.
In the other Hamline championship it was Centennial beating two time defending champ St. Paul Central. Bridget Schuneman was a force on the inside which was no surprise. The Cougars did have to play with out the Megans for a while, mostly out for foul troubles. but also their perimeter game was solid. Holly Hoffland came off the bench to knock down three 3s.

TEAS IS BACK & CAR RACES
Coach Teas has made is long awaited return from his golfing junket in Missouri. On our return from Hudson on Friday night we were almost part of the news. We were on 694 headed west when I saw a police car off on the left so I started to pull over. As I did a White Suburban went by on the shoulder at 100+ miles an hour. The race was on with 12 police cars, sirens blaring hot in pursuit. Luckily we weren't smashed into by the any vehicle.

WISCONSIN CUT
There is one huge difference between Minnesota and Wisconsin---Uniform cut. On the eastside Wisconsin uses a uniform cut that exposes the shoulder blades. In Minnesota you will rarely if ever see that kind of cut.

DIAPER DANDIES
Minneapolis North had three 8th graders on the floor quite a bit in their win over Andover. Andover also was young with a sophomore contingent, but North is younger by two years. Tyseanna Johnson, Talayiah Rich and Allina Star all grew up in the win. All three are quick and alert, and don't play shy and quiet.

TIME
Due to the avalanche of games, and time constraints my reports are briefer than usual. Sleep is one item on my to do list.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
So after 11 games is their a pattern? Yes. Is basketball better this year. No if you look at pp100 and floor %.
Here is the the last three years
year, pp100, floor %
2006 70.16, .346
2007 81.72, .401
2008 71.7, .354
So either last year was an anomaly, and we are back to regular levels, or is their something else at play. Last year Wisconsin didn't start until Minnesota started. I have charted 11 Wisconsin teams and 11 Minnesota teams this year. So is there a difference between the two states? yes
State, pp100, floor %
Wisconsin 67.7, .332
Minnesota 75.1, .374
So looking back at 2007, which was mainly Minnesota, the numbers are still down for 2008 by about 6 pp100. This will bear watching the rest of the year.

THE WEEK AHEAD
If you think that Hamline was a big event, head to Becker. That event has 7 games including what will probably be #1 AAAA vs #1 AA--- Centennial vs Jordan. On top of that Tartan and Stillwater will host four team events starting Thursday (Tartan) and Friday (Stillwater).

TEAM OF THE WEEK
Hopkins is on a mission. They went after South likes starving dogs on a bone. The Royals made Tayler Hill work to bring the ball up court and clogged the lane to prevent her from driving and getting free throws. They made Hill wait until the second half to celebrate her 3000th point. Hopkins was extremely ready to play. They are grittier, quicker, and deeper than recent years. And as a sign of their "teamness" not one player made the team of the week (due to possession requirements). Everyone does their share.
Looking at the numbers Hopkins pp100 was 143.8 and floor % .667 to start the night, and defensively they were 25.0 and .125. In the second half the edge was a little off on the defensive end as they modified a few things. The Royals don't like being away from the state tournament and they want back in after a two year absence.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Laura Margarit of Holy Angels scored 10 points in the four quarter to help lead the Stars back from a seven point deficit against Menomonie. The wiry guard scored six straight points to put HA in the lead. HA rotated many kids in and out, but Margarit was on the floor the entire 4th quarter. She has the stability, and glue to keep things together. Margarit likes to drive and does have a pull up. She had one drive that ended in a serpentine lay up. With a pp100 of 164.3 she was the highest of the qualifiers this week.

rules, rules, rules,
I need to see the player during the week.
Player needs 10 (TEN) possessions---unfortunately that knocks off Kara Elofson of Hopkins who had an outstanding game against South with a pp100 of 166.7, and floor % of .889
Player needs to be north of 100 pp100
Player needs to be north of .500 floor %. This knocks off 3 point shooters more than any other.
reputations don't matter, performance does.

FIRST TEAM
Briana Edwards, Minneapolis North, 2009
Kaitlyn Haag, Hudson, 2010
Laura Margarit, Holy Angels, 2011
Bridget Schuneman, Centennial, 2009
Tessa Wells, River Falls, 2010
honorable mention
Stephanie Jergenson, Blaine, 2010
Katherine Kazemba, Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran, 2010
Bettye Jo Nelson, Superior, 2011
Sarah Peterson, Minneahaha, 2009

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Emma Purfeest of River Falls was a force on the defensive end in the win against Osceola. She had 12.5 stops, twice as many as the next player on her team. She had 39% of all stops for River Falls that night. Purfeest is a 5-9 forward that played bigger than her height.

team of the week
Kara Elofson, Hopkins, 2009
Emma Purfeest, River Falls, 2010
Talayiah Rich, Minneapolis North, 2013
Bridget Schuneman, Centennial, 2009
Brea Tinney, Osceola, 2009

PLAYMAKER OF THE WEEK
Kahlia Becken of Centennial has a variety of good targets for her passes. She delivered a game high 9 in the win over Central. She has good vision and gets the ball to the right people at the right time.

team of the week
Kahlia Becken, Centennial, 2011
Kyana Johnson, St. Paul Central, 2009
Micaela Petrich, Rosemount, 2010
Allina Star, Minneapolis North, 2013
Hannah Steele, Centennial, 2009

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Bettye Jo Nelson of Superior didn't start, but probably will soon. She came off the Superior bench to lead them with 14 points, and lead them with 5 defensive stops. Nelson is a 5-8 perimeter player. She attacked the basket, scored at the line and off her defense.

next up: tomorrow