Out & About: North Tartan 15/Metro Stars 19

#5 posting 6.18.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

This game took place on Sunday, June 15, 2008
SUMMER JAM 16u Quarterfinals
Bloomington Jefferson
NORTH TARTAN 15S 51, METRO STARS 19s 49

Youth was served as the North Tartan 15s rallied from a 14 point deficit to beat the Metro Stars 19s. In the Battle of the Hardwood NT finished first in the 16 division two weeks ago and MS finished 2nd in the 18 division. NT had balance and persistence as they mounted their comeback. Sari Noga both teams with 16 points including three 3s. Metro Stars' depth took a hit when Stephanie Sension was at the game in street clothes .

I wasn't there at the start of this game since I was finishing up with the MN Stars Borowicz/Metro Stars Black game on another court. I didn't miss that much however. It was 3-0 NT when I arrived on the scene. Both teams combined for 16 straight non scoring possessions--8 each. NT led 7-2 early on. MS came back with a 6-2 run that forced a NT time out. NT led 18-13 after a Katy Winge three. MS scored on four straight possessions which tied the game at 21 all on an & 1 by Adrea Holler on a put back. NT ended the last four minutes of the half on a sour note with a 1/11 offensive sequence. MS had a 13-1 run to finish the half including two straight baskets off NT turnovers. Kayla Blom hit a three at the buzzer for a 34-22 MS lead at the break.

MS enjoyed their largest lead at 36-22 early in the second half. NT continued to come up empty on the offensive end stretching back to the first half they had a 10 possession drought. With 11:06 to go MS led 39-26 after two free throw by Boylan. Then the wind shifted. Boylan sat down and MS struggled offensively. They had a seven possession drought while NT had 8 unanswered points and trailed 39-34. With 3:19 left MS led by five after another pair of Boylan free throws. Both teams traded non scoring possessions. On the next three NT possessions Ameshia Kearney drove the lane for two, Rachel Banham hit a jumper and Sari Noga drained a three and NT was up 47-45. MS had opportunities on their three possessions to score but missed shots and free throws. Adrea Holler halted the drought for MS with two free throws to tie the game at 47 with 1:16 left. Gabby Boever hit a jumper for a 49-47 lead for NT. Laura Weber missed two free throws at the other end. NT turned it over as Holler went in for a lay up. She was blocked on her lay up attempt and Noga snagged the board. Winge eventually was fouled and she converted both to go up 51-47. Boylan hit a quick pull up to cut the martin to two with 6.4 seconds left. Angela Christenson was fouled but missed the front end. Boylan had the ball but could not get a shot off due to the swarm of youngsters around her and NT had pulled the comeback upset.

photos: #1. Angela Christenson feels the defense of Frances Wehrwein. #2. Courtney Boylan floats in for a shot. photos by kja.

key: player, school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
NORTH TARTAN 15
STARTERS
Morgan Van Riper-Rose, Eden Prairie 2, 2, 100.0, .500 guard
Kayla Hirt, Bemidji 1, 6, 16.7, .167 post. has a tendency to put the ball on the floor right away. Needs to be aware of the outlets available. defensively needs to take away cuts.
Gabby Boever, Worthington 4, 10, 40.0, .200 point guard. can make clutch shots. made key jumper as time was ticking away
Hannah Strop, New Prague 0, 1, 0.0, .000. bigger perimeter
Sari Noga, Parkers Prairie 16, 16, 100.0, .438 strong perimeter presence. can shoot, defend and pass. key shots late. key rebounds late.
BENCH
Rachel Banham, Lakeville North 4, 3, 133.3, .667 perimeter. quickness on the outside.
Laura Melquist, Rochester Lourdes 4, 4, 100.0, .500 didn't have the same offensive performance as the day before, but had a monster game on the d boards.
Angela Christenson, Alexandria 6, 7, 85.7, .429 bigger perimeter. likes to drive.
Ameshia Kearney, Minneapolis South 6, 7, 85.7, .429 point guard. drives first. finishes with scoops
Katy Winge, Minnetonka 5, 8, 62.5, .250 another taller perimeter. made a 3.

METRO STARS 19
STARTERS
Kayla Blom, Centennial 5, 5, 100.0, .400 guard. 3 shooter. needs to use fakes on passes
Carolyn Dienhart, Cretin-Derham Hall 9, 10, 90.0, .400 guard. scores on the drive. hit a three.
DaNae Moore, Eastview 8, 9, 88.9, .444 good wing span on defense. is in front on the press. hands deflected many passes. scored in transition.
Courtney Boylan, Chaska 9, 14, 64.3, .357 point guard. went to the line four times. gritty, feisty. scored a lot off the drive.
Sarah Wiens, Burnsville 5, 4, 125.0, .500 three point shooter.
BENCH
Adrea Holler, Eagan 7, 10, 70.0, .300 bigger perimeter player.
Laura Weber, Eden Prairie 5, 9, 55.6, .333 post player. went to the line three times. needs to convert at the line (1/5). was the inside presence.
Frances Wehrwein, DeLaSalle 2, 3, 66.7, .333 guard. hard hat worker.

TRENCH PLAYER
Sari Noga

BY THE NUMBERS
North Tartan 15 48, 64, 75.0, .359
Metro Stars 19 50, 64, 78.1, .375
made 3s/&1s: NT 4/0; MS 3/1
ftm/fta-ft%: MS 13/19-.684; NT 4/8-.500
bench: NT 25, MS 14

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
NORTH TARTAN 15
Laura Melquist 9.5
Sari Noga 5
Rachel Banham 4
Kayla Hirt 3
Angela Christenson 3
Gabby Boever 2
Katy Winge 1.5
Hannah Strop 1
Ameshia Kearney 1
totals: 30

METRO STARS 19
Laura Weber 5
DaNae Moore 5
Adrea Holler 4
Courtney Boylan 4
Carolyn Dienhart 3
Frances Wehrwein 3
Kayla Blom 2
Sarah Wiens 2
totals: 28

ASSISTS
NORTH TARTAN 15
Sari Noga 4
Rachel Banham 3
Katy Winge 3
Gabby Boever 2
Laura Melquist 2
Morgan Van Riper-Rose 1
Kayla Hirt 1
Ameshia Kearney 1
totals: 17

METRO STARS 19
DaNae Moore 4
Courtney Boylan 4
Adrea Holler 2
Kayla Blom 2
Sarah Wiens 1
Frances Wehrwein 1
totals: 14

Next up: later today with a summer league out & about

Out & About: NC Heat/Metro Stars 19

#5 posting 6.5.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

This game took place on Sunday, June 1, 2008
Battle of the Hardwood
Woodbury High School
17u Championship
NC HEAT 51, METRO STARS 19s 49

NC Heat rallied from a 10 point deficit, not once but twice to beat the Metro Stars 19s. Tayler Hill went on a scoring rampage blazing away for 13 straight points late in the game to put the Heat on the verge. It was Katya Leick that scored the game winner as time expired leaving the Metro Stars broken hearted. Speaking of broken hearted, my camera battery died right at the end, so I missed the winning basket. That spoiled an exciting, great performance day.

NC found themselves in a hole rather quickly. The Stars jumped out to a 9-0 lead after their first five possessions. Four different players contributed to the scoring. NC Heat didn't score their first field goal until their 7th possession, and that was a put back. Off their initial offense it took until their 9th possession. The Stars were shining early as they built out a 21-10 lead Adrea Holler knocked down three 3s to lead the Stars. NCH didn't really start cooking until Hill stroked her own three, her first points of the game. That started an eight straight scoring spree by the Heat, a harbinger of things to come. Leading the charge in the first half was Megan Nipe. She scored eight straight points and had 15 for the first half including the final points of the half. NCH inched ahead 27-26 at the break.

It was deja vu all over again in the second half. MS scored on four straight possessions, again with four different players doing the honors. That pushed the lead to 34-27. NCH opened with six empty trips and didn't score a field goal in their initial offense until their 9th possession. Is their a pattern developing? MS built out their lead to 44-34 with 3:30 to go. But then their offense stalled. They didn't score for four possessions as NCH ramped up the pressure. With 2:09 left Hill started her onslaught as went coast to coast with a rebound and basket after a missed free throw by Laura Weber. It was all down Hill for the Stars after that. It was still 46-38 with 1:47 left after Carolyn Dienhart sank both free throws. Hill drove the lane, scored and converted the & 1 with 1:40 left. Dienhart was fouled, but missed the front end of the one & one. Hill grabbed the rebound and again drove the lane and again scored and again converted the & one to make the score 46-44 with 1:25 left. So in less than one minute (35 seconds to be precise) Hill had 8 points and she wasn't done yet. The Metro Stars took a time out and Courtney Boylan tried to do a "Hail Mary" pass. Hill was expecting the same thing as a rover and made the steal she drove the lane and this time had to be content with only two free throws. Boylan was fouled and she converted the second to make it 47-46 Stars. On the next possession Hill had the ball up top and, in a reversal of the latest efforts, drained a three, her 13th straight point, to take a 49-47 lead. Boylan was fouled with 32 seconds left and she made both to tie it. On the next NCH possession the defense jumped Hill. She had to give it up. In the ensuing scramble Katya Leick was left alone on the left block as Anne Berner had the ball on the left wing. She found Leick who ended the drama at the buzzer.

photos: #1. Courtney Boylan looking over her options. #2. Tayler Hill hitting from down town on her 13th straight point to take the 49-47 lead. Also the last photo before the battery died. photos by kja

key: player, school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
NC HEAT
STARTERS
Tayler Hill, Minneapolis South 21, 15, 140.0, .600 Hill refuses to lose. She found the way to win and took it upon herself to pull victory from the jaws of defeat. Clutch shooting, clutch defense. expert creator, artist. the basketball court is her canvas. They will be talking about this finish for awhile.
Katya Leick, Park-Cottage Grove 4, 8, 50.0, .250 a solid performer, made a baseline move for a basket besides the game winner.
Megan Nipe, Centennial 15, 12, 125.0, .583 provided the lift the Heat needed in the first half. crashed the boards on offense. can hurt a team in a variety of ways.
Mandy Poke, Richfield 3, 3, 100.0, .667 guard. made a key steal and lay up before the Hill fireworks started.
Annie Berner, Forest Lake 1, 2, 50.0, .500 post player with more assists than the guards including the game winner.
BENCH
Maggie Weiers, New Prague 0, 2, 0.0, .000 post
Tempestt Wilson, Elk River 2, 3, 66.7, .333 guard
Brittany Dyshaw, Eagan 0, 4, 0.0, .000 perimeter
Sarah Bingea, Delano 3, 2, 150.0, 1.000 perimeter
Jamelia Hudnell, DeLaSalle 2, 2, 100.0, .500 guard played key minutes late.
Kayla Larson, Hutchinson 0, 0, 0.0, .000 guard

METRO STARS 19
STARTERS
Carolyn Dienhart, Cretin-Derham Hall 9, 10, 90.0, .400 guard did make a three. needs to avoid the spins.
Adrea Holler, Eagan 11, 7, 157.1, .571 early 3 point bombs provide the Metro Stars with their first lead. only two possessions in the second half.
Stefanie Sension, Hopkins 7, 5, 140.0, .600 rangy post.
DaNae Moore, Eastview 4, 6, 66.7, .333 assigned to guard Hill late.
Courtney Boylan, Chaska 16, 14, 114.3, .571 point guard. has a nice jump fade shot.
BENCH
Kayla Blom, Centennial 0, 3, 0.0, .000 guard
Laura Weber, Eden Prairie 2, 7, 28.6, .143 post

TRENCH PLAYER
Tayler Hill, Simply Wow

BY THE NUMBERS
NC Heat 51, 53, 96.2, .472
Metro Stars 19s 49, 52, 94.2, .423
made 3s/&1s: NCH 3/2; MS 5/0
ftm/fta-ft%: MS 12/17-.706; MS 10/16-.625
bench: NCH 7, MS 2
For a summer game the benches acted more like a high school game in more of support role.
This game featured high school teammates facing, and in some cases, guarding each other.
Megan Nipe vs Kayla Blom (Centennial)
Brittany Dyshaw vs Adrea Holler (Eagan)
One factor in the NCH win--9 points (all in the first half) on second chancers. The Stars may have tired toward the end of each half. If you look at the pp100 for both teams on the last 9 possessions.
LAST NINE POSSESSIONS EACH HALF
NCH 33, 18, 183.3, .833
MS 10, 18, 55.6, .333
FIRST PART OF EACH HALF
NCH 19, 25, 54.3, .257
MS 39, 34, 114.7, .471

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
NC HEAT
Tayler Hill 7
Katya Leick 4
Megan Nipe 3
Sarah Bingea 3
Mandy Poke 2
Annie Berner 2
Tempestt Wilson 2
Brittany Dyshaw 2
Kayla Larson 1
totals: 26

METRO STARS 19
Laura Weber 7
Courtney Boylan 6
Adrea Holler 5
Stephanie Sension 4
DaNae Moore 3
Carolyn Dienhart 2
totals: 27

ASSISTS
NC HEAT
Anne Berner 3
Katya Leick 3
Brittany Dyshaw 2
Tayler Hill 1
Megan Nipe 1
Tempestt Wilson 1
Kayla Larson 1
totals: 12

METRO STARS 19
DaNae Moore 6
Adrea Holler 4
Carolyn Dienhart 3
Stephanie Sension 3
Laura Weber 2
Courtney Boylan 1
Kayla Blom 1
totals: 20

Next up: tomorrow

Out & About: Metro Stars 19s/Metro Stars Black

#3 posting 6.4.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

This game took place on Sunday, June 1, 2008
Battle of the Hardwood
Woodbury High School
16u semifinals
METRO STARS 19s 59, METRO STARS BLACK 51

In a civil war game it was the older Metro Stars sisters beating the younger sisters 59-51. These two have had some serious battles over the years and, usually a 19 team doesn't have much to play for. They don't practice as often as the younger teams. They are already headed to school. The youngsters are still pursuing their collegiate dreams. Metro Stars 19s did have something to play for. They were out for a little revenge. Last year MSB (then the 15s) beat MS 19s (then MSB) in the Summer Jam.

If you look at the pp100 numbers you might be surprised to see neither team was that effective at the start of the game. MS19 wanted to play a more deliberate style since their bench was thin. In the first 12 possessions combined both teams scored just once for an extremely chilly .167 floor % and a pp100 of 33.3. The Veterans warmed up quicker with a three by Kayla Blom starting them off on a 13-5 run. At the half it was the vets up 22-14. To give you an idea of the pace of the game both teams only had 22 possessions to open the game compared with 37 in earlier contests (top side) or 30 (average).

Someone must have increased the diameter of the hoops at halftime because everyone was scoring fast and frequently. As icy as the first half start was the second was scintillating. Combined there were nine scores in the first 10 possessions. MSB scored the first five times. At one point they cut the margin to 26-25. Three of their scores were 3 point plays of one sort or another. After the initial flurry it was 30-26 vets. They stayed hot, the pups cooled off. The 19s went on a 15-4 run to lead 45-30. They provided their own three 3 point possessions run. The youngsters did outscore the vets the rest of the way 21-14, but the time ran out on their rally.

A couple of notes: MS19 coach Brian Frye was the best dressed coach in the tournament with his tie. Tina Fisher last year played with the MS19 (then Metro Stars Black). She is playing with the current edition MSB because the MS19 will be finished with their season soon.
Sam Mehr faced high school teammate DaNae Moore (Eastview) as did Stefanie Sension vs Kara Elofson (Hopkins).

photos: #1 Laura Weber drives around Lizzi Naumann. #2 Brianna Tisch rises above the rest in the lane. photos by Teas.

key: player, school, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
METRO STARS 19s
STARTERS
Laura Weber, Eden Prairie 12, 9, 133.3, .667 post. looking strong. good feet.
Courtney Boylan, Chaska 12, 10, 120.0, .600 point guard. very good awareness. plays both ends. led both teams with assists and d wraps.
Frances Wehrwein, DeLaSalle 3, 4, 75.0, .500 guard. hit a jumper
Adrea Holler, Eagan 7, 7, 100.0, .429 perimeter. good size. has 3 range. can mix it up inside.
Carolyn Dienhart, Cretin-Derham Hall 3, 5, 60.0, .200 guard. made a 3.
BENCH
Stefanie Sension, Hopkins 7, 8, 87.5, .375 post with guard tendencies.
Kayla Blom, Centennial 8, 4, 200.0, .750 guard. knocked down two 3s.
DaNae Moore, Eastview 7, 4, 175.0, .750 perimeter. runs the floor. drives the baseline well.

METRO STARS BLACK
STARTERS
Brittany Zins, Bloomington Kennedy 5, 11, 45.5, .182 perimeter. one three dropped, six didn't.
Tina Fisher, Park-Cottage Grove 4, 5, 80.0, .400 inside muscle.
Rachael Moen, Burnsville 2, 4, 50.0, .250 point guard.
Lizzi Naumann, Totino-Grace 2, 3, 66.7, .333 post. needs to be more aggressive on offense
Sam Mehr, Eastview 8, 4, 200.0, .750 perimeter. 3 range. developing pull up. runs the floor.
BENCH
Alyssa Marschner, Armstrong 9, 7, 128.6, .429 cashed in three 3s. delivered late in the game.
Brianna Tisch, Chaska 6, 6, 100.0, .500 post. all her points came in the second half.
Kara Elofson, Hopkins 6, 4, 150.0, .750 perimeter. all her points came in the second half. Drove the lane hard and scored when hit.
Molly Duehn, Burnsville 7, 7, 100.0, .429 taller perimeter. made a three.
Kirstee Rotty, Farmington 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000 point guard.

TRENCH PLAYER
Courtney Boylan

BY THE NUMBERS
Metro Stars 19 59, 51, 115.7, .529
Metro Stars Black 51, 52, 98.1, .423
made 3s/&1s: MS19 4/1; MSB 6/2
ftm/fta-ft%: MS19 9/13-.692; MSB 5/10-.500
bench: MSB 30, MS19 22
This was the first time that the assist totals were higher than the D Wraps numbers for both teams.

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
METRO STARS 19s
Courtney Boylan 6.5
Laura Weber 4
Adrea Holler 3
DaNae Moore 2.5
Stefanie Sension 2
Kayla Blom 2
Frances Wehrwein 1
totals: 21

METRO STARS BLACK
Lizzi Naumann 4
Brittany Zins 3
Sam Mehr 3
Molly Duehn 2
Rachael Moen 2
Tina Fisher 1
Alyssa Marschner 1
Brianna Tisch 1
Kirstee Rotty 1
totals: 18

ASSISTS
METRO STARS 19s
Courtney Boylan 6
Adrea Holler 5
Kayla Blom 4
Carolyn Dienhart 3
Laura Weber 2
DaNae Moore 2
Frances Wehrwein 1
totals: 23

METRO STARS BLACK
Kara Elofson 4
Alyssa Marschner 3
Rachael Moen 3
Sam Mehr 3
Molly Duehn 2
Kirstee Rotty 2
Brittany Zins 1
Tina Fisher 1
Lizzi Naumann 1
totals: 20

Next up: later tonight with an out & about from the Concordia St. Paul Summer League

Quick Report: Metro Stars 19/Metro Stars Black

#5 posting 6.1.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

METRO STARS 19S 63, METRO STARS BLACK 51

In a civil war game in the 17u semifinals the older Metro Stars 19s beat their younger sisters 63-51. MSB closed early in the second half to 26-25, but the older veterans had a 19-5 run to break the game open.

more later