Friday, May 9, 2008

The Summer Week That Was #6: Double Time

#2 posting 5.9.2008
your daily dose of girls basketball news & information

THE SUMMER WEEK THAT WAS #6: Double Time in Menomonie
Last weekend it was Wisconsin's turn to have their state AAU tournament. Only 8 teams were in the event. Most of the teams were from western and northern Wisconsin around the Menomonie area. More teams in Wisconsin are going to tournaments sponsored by shoe companies and avoiding AAU. Teams from northeast and Southeast Wisconsin were scarce last weekend.

Minnesota will be holding their AAU State tournament this weekend. Their will be 20 Minnesota teams and one from South Dakota in the junior eligible division. Most of the teams are from the Twin Cities metro area and that is where the event will be held this weekend (Cooper High School in New Hope). 15 of the team are mainly based in the Twin Cities; three are from Southern Minnesota; one from the St. Cloud area; and one from the Lakes Area. This is almost the flip side of Wisconsin.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
So how do the states match up so far? I only used the Junior Eligible divisions that I have charted. No one under 17/16 allowed.
State, pp100, floor %
Iowa 93.08, .426
Minnesota 83.05, .388
Wisconsin 78.09, .371
Overall all ages 78.84, .375
overall High school 2008 81.53, .394
So the numbers indicate Iowa is in front. It should be remembered that I only charted 8 Iowa teams, 11 Wisconsin teams and 20 Minnesota teams. I am sure the numbers will change as the summer moves on.

TEAM OF THE WEEK
For the first time this season there is a two time winner. Team Wisconsin Select Samuels mowed down their opponents. Defensively they are rock solid led by 6-6 Nicole Griffin in the middle. They are averaging 53.7 pp100 and .241 on floor % on defense. On offense TWSS id averaging 98.58 pp100 and .476 on floor %. TWSS didn't have a close game in the tournament. The expected battle with TWS Doucette never materialized. A 25 point win in the championship against TWSD was an exclamation point on another strong performance. Samuels team in the championship checked in with 114 pp100 and a .509 floor %. Team balance is another key factor in their success. Players are stepping up. Everyone knows Griffin, now other players are emerging. TWSS has not lost yet this year.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Laura Petersen of TWSS is a stealthy scorer flying under the radar. You look at the box score after the game and she has quietly put together another double digit effort. Petersen is a 5-10 guard that is adept at going to the line. Her aggressive attacking attitude put her at the line three times in each of the two games I saw. She can shoot the three and also score inside. She moves without the ball. Petersen's days of flying under the radar may be over now.

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.
So where is Nicole Griffin??? She only had five possessions in each game. During the winter season the requirements are 10 possessions. Six is pretty small even in summer.

FIRST TEAM
Brittany Czerneski, Team WI Select 15 (Hurley)
Erin Frase, Team WI Select 15 (Phillips)
Laura Petersen, Team WI Select Samuels (Osseo-Fairchild)
Cady Roedl, Wisconsin Hoops Select 14 (Beaver Dam)
Britta Syverson, MN Finishers (Mpls Southwest)
SECOND TEAM
Erika Chitko, Wisconsin Hoops Select 14 (Beaver Dam)
Callie Hallstrand, Team WI Select 14 (Prentice)
Laura Maltby, MN Finishers (Mpls Southwest)
Shelby Sterba, Team WI Select 14 (Flambeau)

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Nicole Griffin of TWSS picked up her second defensive award. Griffin is just plain flat out intimidating inside. At 6-6 you expect Griffin to block shots. But Griffin delivers more. She gets up in the air for rebounds, and doesn't wait for them to come to her. She rolls on the floor for loose balls and comes up with them. But it is what doesn't happen with Griffin that makes her the defensive player of the week. Not counting transition action, TWSS allowed only three regular two point baskets in their half court defense against TWSD and a mind blowing one two point field goal against Viking Club Boese. Griffin's shadow looms large.

FIRST TEAM
Theresa Cassidy, Totino-Grace
Nicole Griffin, Team WI Select Samuels (Milwaukee Vincent)
Heather Kessler, Team WI Select Samuels (Antigo)
Cady Roedl, Wisconsin Hoops Select 14 (Beaver Dam)
Britta Syverson, MN Finishers (Mpls Southwest)

NEWCOMER
Wispy Cady Roedl of Wisconsin Hoops Select played David to Team WI Select 14's Goliath. The diminutive guard scored 18 huge points in a 41-40 victory over the bigger team. The lefty scored off quick shots from the outside. She has a nice hesitation, and also a step back move. Her key defensive steal with the game tied at 40 gave her team a chance to win. I am sure that as the years go on she will get bigger and stronger. When that happens watch out.

DISTRIBUTOR
This week I am adding the distributor award. This goes to the player with the most assists. Katie Wolff of Team WI Select Doucette had 7 assists and .412 % of all her team's assists in the championship against TWSS. Wolff had 7 of the 17 possible assists in that game for TWSD.

PAST WINNERS
Here are the past weekly winners
TEAM
5. NC Heat
4. MN All Star 2A
3. Team WI Select Samuels
2. Minnesota Dynamite
1. IBCA Select Red

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
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
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)

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
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
1. MN Stars
2. Metro Stars Black
3. Team WI Sr White
4. Team WI Sr Black

17u/16u/JR ELIGIBLE
1. North Tartan Larson
2. NC Heat
3. MN Stars Hested/Borowicz
4. Nebraska Bison
5. IBCA Select Red
6. Team WI Select Samuels
7. North Tartan Crosby
8. Metro Stars White
9. Metro Stars Black
10. Fury
11. MN Suns
12. MN Stars Smith
13. MN Stars Eckmann
14. MN Stars DeWitt
15. Team WI Select Doucette
16. All Iowa Attack 17
17. 43 Hoops Olson
18. 43 Hoops Zuck
19. Southern Minny Elite
20. Southern Stars
21. Comets
22. X Factor

16u/MYAS DIVISION
1. Triple Threat
2. MN Thunder
3. MN Dynamite

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

14u
1. North Tartan
2. IBCA Select Blue
3. Fury Haugen
4. Midtown Lady Monarchs
5. MN Stars Hested
6. Metro Stars
7. Fury Livers
8. MN Suns
9. Southern MN Heat

12u
1. MN Suns
2. MN Stars Farview

Next up: later tonight with results from Day 1 of the Minnesota Girls State AAU Tournament.