The Beginning of the End, 12u AAU, Recruiting Tips, Fall League

#1 posting 7.7.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

END OF THE TRAIL
The IBCA Select Red Team went 2-0 on the first day (July 6th) of the Nike End of the Trail in Portland Oregon. They opened Silver bracket play with a 67-42 victory over YEA All-Stars to advance to the second round of the tournament. They played the coveted exhibition game (given to top teams in the tournament) at 8 pm and won 67-64 against Columbia Cascades, a talented team from the state of Washington. The IBCA Select Red team plays tomorrow morning vs. Arizona Silver Streaks at 11:40 a.m.

Also yesterday
Michigan's Finest beat Evergreen Express (Platinum)
Misson Rec Blue beat IBCA Select White (Diamond)
North Tartan Larson beat Pacific Fury Black (Diamond)
North Tartan 15 beat Redondo Hawks (Gold)
Metro Stars Black beat Mercadel Hoops (Gold)

12u AAU
In the final round of pool play on Sunday:
The GA Pistols Gold beat the Rochester Shock 62-45. The Shock finished pool play 0-3.
The Minnesota Stars beat Indy Wildcats Attack 53-52 and the NE/MA Lady Predators 48-44. The Stars finished pool play 3-0.
The Minnesota Suns beat New Orleans Domino's 45-32 and lost to Arkansas Mavericks Love 58-34. The Suns finished pool play 2-1.
Brackets start today.

ATLANTA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
NC Heat, CSS Bison, and All Iowa Attack are all involved in the Atlanta Tournament of Champions which begins today. Here is the signature B schedule (with NC Heat and CSS Bison), and the signature A schedule (All Iowa Attack).

RECRUITING TIPS
Here are 17 different articles on how to choose a college, how to noticed, tips, and questions to ask from Patosha Jeffrey.

Carissa Wolyniec of DeLaSalle has her own website. It features video, pictures and a blog. This is another way to grab some attention.

AWARDS
Lindsey Pettit of Portland, Michigan is the female athlete of the year in the Lansing State Journal.

Rachel Fritz of Potosi, Wisconsin is a member of the Dubuque Telegraph Herald All-Area Academic Athletic Team.

Rachel Folcik of Ferris State was one of three athletes named the Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" award.

FALL LEAGUE
BREAKDOWN FALL LEAGUE INFO
BECKER AND LAKEVILLE SOUTH

The Breakdown appreciated all the feedback from last year and are making some minor improvements to an already great league. We will be adding about 5 more minutes between games so teams can get to their respective courts. We also have improved our scheduling and will assure all teams a very organized format of games.

The Breakdown Fall League is the State's most popular league because:

* Each team plays two games back to back
* Low admission fees
* All games at ONE site for the duration of the WHOLE league.
* Team Rate, no individual rate (495$ per team)
* Multiple Team Rate discounts (425$ per team)
* Varsity, JV and 9th grade divisions
* Sanctioned Officials
* Team divisions set to provide the best matchups and competition level
* EACH player receives a Breakdown T-Shirt
* A later start so players can participate in Fall Sports with less disruptions
* All players will receive a discount on the Breakdown Basketball Preview Book for the 2008-2009 season
* Full service website for all communication and league schedule
* Pictures and results posted on Breakdown's website

Dates:
Oct 19,26, and Nov 2,9,16

Here is list of some of the teams who competed in the Breakdown Girls Fall Leagues last Year:

Becker (60 Teams) :Rogers, Champlin Park, Elk River, Becker, Albany, STMA, Moorhead, Blaine, Princeton, Rockford, N. St. Paul, Howard Lake-Waverly, Staples-Motley, Watertown-Mayer, Buffalo, Apollo, Spring Lake Park, Cambridge-Isanti, PACT, Zimmerman, Sauk Rapids, Big Lake, Monticello, Mora, Anoka, Waconia, Norwood-Young America.

Lakeville South Girls (58 Teams): Park of Cottage Grove, Eastview, Eden Prairie, Rosemount, Lakeville North, Burnsville, Roseville, Totino Grace, Chaska, Tartan, Mpls South, Lakeville South, Kennedy, Red Wing, Shakopee, Blake, Richfield, Holy Family, Prior Lake, New Prague, Farmington, Plainview Elgin Millville, Rochester Lourdes, Rochester Century, Eden Prairie, Woodbury.

We have received over 65 confirmed responses from teams who played last year and NEW teams wanting to register this year at Lakeville South. The Becker location has filled the last 4 years and will certainly do so again. To secure your spot, registration can start any time.

Next up: tomorrow unless news breaks.

Out & About: Alexandria/Rogers

#3 posting 6.23.2008
Your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

ROGERS BREAKDOWN TOURNAMENT
BLUE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
ALEXANDRIA cardinals 42, ROGERS royals 40

Summer is a good time to see how the next season will play out. Which players will step up? How will teams function without the graduating class of 2008? In Rogers’ case they are also playing for new coach Jeremy Digiovanni. One of the main differences was in the size of the players, Rogers players, especially on the perimeter were wispy, while the Alex players were solid.

A word about the timing: This tournament was 18 minute running time; stop time the last minute of each half.

Alexandria beat the hosts to take the Breakdown Rogers Tournament 42-40. Angela Christianson scored 24 points to lead the Cardinals. Christianson also had 12 defensive stops for a double/double on the day.

Alex got off to an 8-0 start as they scored on three of their first four possessions. Rogers didn’t score until their 9th possession and that was on a Jennifer Dowd steal and lay up. Rogers ran off three scores in a row to close to 11-8 with 9 minutes left in the half. Alex again got hot with four scores in five possessions as they scored 10 unanswered points. Rogers went through another dry patch, this time 10 possessions before stopping the Alex momentum. At half it was 21-10. Chistianson had 8 at this stage.

Alex’s Gracie Bruzek scored from the top of the key with a three to make it 24-10, the largest Cardinal lead after one possession in the second half. The lead hung around 11 to 9. After an Angela Christianson 3, Alex led 37-25 with 6:20 left. Rogers turned on the after burners at about this time. They scored seven times the last nine possessions on a 15-5 run. Jennifer Dowd led the hard charging Royals with 8 points down the stretch. Rogers closed to 37-36 when Christianson responded with an acrobatic lay up &1. Christianson later added two more free throws on Alex’s next possession to finish the Cardinal scoring. Dowd scored on a put back to end the game, a little short for Rogers.

Both Christianson and Dowd play on North Tartan teams in the summer—Christianson with the 15s, Dowd with North Tartan Larson.

photos: #1 Kate Gearman goes up for a lay up with Jennifer Dowd and Heather Johnson defending. #2. Rogers' Kingren goes up for a lay up with Gearman defending. photos by kja

Here is the whole photo gallery from kevinanderson.photostockplus.com

Key: player, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
ALEXANDRIA
STARTERS
Kate Gearman 2, 6, 33.3, .167 passing needs to improve
Angela Christianson 24, 19, 126.3, .579 taller perimeter. Plays with confidence and authority. All eyes turned to her for the needed play and she delivered. Also was a main factor on defense playing the middle of the 2/3 zone.
Ally Teclaw 1, 3, 33.3, .333
Gracie Bruzek 9, 16, 56.3, .188 point guard. Made three 3s mostly up top. Had five turnovers on passing.
Alicia Montbriand 2, 1, 200.0, 1.000
BENCH
Katie Brown 0, 4, 0.0, .000
Courtney Richardson 4, 4, 100.0, .500 was a banger in side. Scored on a put back.

ROGERS
STARTERS
Heather Johnson 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Jennifer Dowd 14, 11, 127.3, .545 guard, runs the floor, scored off her defense, hit a pair of threes. this is her team and when the chips were down made the effort to lift Rogers. Will need to play with that energy/urgency right from the start this season.
Britni Tokheim 2, 6, 33.3, .167 needs to be stronger with the ball.
Maria Laughlin 6, 8, 75.0, .375 runs the floor. Scored on pull up.
Emily Dosmann 2, 3, 66.7, .333 post player. Will need to step up and deliver more on both ends.
BENCH
Caitlyn Coleman 10, 11, 90.9, .455 perimeter. was the only player to get to the line for Rogers. Exposes the ball.
Kingren 0, 3, 0.0, .000 exposes the ball
Sarah McDonough 2, 1, 200.0, .500
Amy Stone 0, 3, 0.0, .000
Erin Rossen 2, 3, 66.7, .333
Megan Coleman 2, 2, 100.0, .500 hit a shot from the left corner

TRENCH PLAYER
Angela Christianson

BY THE NUMBERS
Alexandria 42, 54, 77.8, .352
Rogers 40, 53, 75.7, .358
Made 3s/&1s: Alex 4/1; Rogers 2/0
Ftm/fta-ft%: Alex 6/9-.667; Rogers 4/4-1.000
Bench: Rogers 16, Alex 4

DEFENSIVE WRAPS
ALEXANDRIA
Angela Christianson 12
Courtney Richardson 4
Alicia Montbriand 4
Kate Gearman 3
Ally Teclaw 2
Gracie Bruzek 2
Katie Brown 2
Totals: 29

ROGERS
Jennifer Dowd 6
Caitlyn Coleman 3
Maria Laughlin 3
Emily Dosmann 3
Heather Johnson 2
Megan Coleman 2
Britni Tokheim 1
Sarah McDonough 1
Totals: 21

ASSISTS
ALEXANDRIA
Kate Gearman 4
Gracie Bruzek 4
Alicia Montbriand 3
Angela Christianson 1
Totals: 12

ROGERS
Jennifer Dowd 3
Heather Johnson 2
Maria Laughlin 2
Megan Coleman 2
Britni Tokheim 1
Caitlyn Coleman 1
Kingren 1
Totals: 12

Next up: Rogers Gold Championship Becker vs Maple Grove