2013 Dick's Sporting Goods Holiday Classic - 3rd Place Game - Anoka vs Bloomington Kennedy

After completion of the Forest Lake – Park CG game, I then made my way over to Court 4 at the Lindbergh Center to ready myself for the third place game featuring Anoka and Bloomington Kennedy.  Osseo was just finishing up its game to claim seventh place; holding on to beat Prior Lake so I had some to get myself relaxed and prepared.  I had watched this Kennedy team perform a demolition job on Monticello during the Pat Patterson Thanksgiving Tournament over at Hamline but they had also recently lost to surging Park Center earlier this month and then dropped a decision to always-tough Minnetonka just yesterday as the Skippers found themselves playing over on Court 2 opposite Hopkins in the Championship Game.  Anoka has arguably had a roller-coaster year so far; claiming important conference victories over Elk River and then a blowout win over Blaine but the Tornadoes have also been on the wrong side of a couple of behind-the-woodshed beatings as well – the Park Center debacle a little more than a week ago at home and then yesterday’s blowout loss to host Hopkins; not to mention the upset loss at Andover as well.  So, the lingering question was – for both sides – which team would show up?

 

But it was clear that, from the outset, that both teams wanted to put their recent bad outings behind them and focus on the present and come out firing on all cylinders.  With Anoka holding a slim 4-2 lead, Bloomington Kennedy senior guard Za’Keea SaEed-El drained a “3” from the left corner at the 15:57 mark for a 5-4 Eagle lead.  Bloomington Kennedy would build the lead to 9-6 over a minute later but Anoka’s lanky 6’2” senior post Jordan Meyer drilled a “3” from the right corner at the 13:29 mark that knotted the issue at 9-all.  Fellow senior guard, Claire Lundberg, then snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 12:02 mark to put the Tornadoes back out in front 11-9.  Flamboyant and flashy Bloomington Kennedy senior guard Kenisha Bell knocked down a “3” of her own from the left top area at the 11:43 mark to reclaim the lead for the Eagles but a score in the paint by Anoka senior forward Ashley Bray and then a steal in the backcourt and a dash the other way for fellow senior guard Kyrah Fredenburg had the Tornadoes with their noses out in front again by a 15-14 count with 9:42 left.  Fredenburg, enroute to a huge game on this day, then promptly banged home a “3” from the top of the key on the next Tornado possession with 9:14 left for an 18-14 Anoka lead and Bloomington Kennedy Head Coach Quintin Johnson called a timeout to reorganize his forces.

 

Fredenburg extended Anoka’s lead to 20-14 with an offensive rebound for a putback with 7:58 left and it arguably could have been more at this point if not for some sloppy concentration mistakes that resulted in unforced turnovers.  Bloomington Kennedy would draw to within two with 6:27 mark thanks to free throws by Bell which would pretty much be the storyline for the rest of the first half.  Ashley Bray’s “3” from the left top area with 5:54 left extended Anoka’s lead to 23-18 but then Bell answered that with a “3” of her own from the right wing with 5:03 left that closed the gap to two points.  After Fredenburg and Bloomington Kennedy’s Lashayla Wright-Ponder traded baskets, Ashley Bray drilled another “3”; this one from the right corner with 3:33 left that got her fouled in the process and, although she was unable to put the obligatory freebie in the cylinder, it gave Anoka a 28-23 lead.  Their Tornadoes extended their lead to 32-26 with :48.1 after two charity stripe shots by Lundberg but two more free throws by Bloomington Kennedy’s free-wheeling Bell; making foray after foray into the paint with flair, cut into that Anoka advantage a bit as the Tornadoes held a 32-28 lead at the halftime break.

 

The Tornadoes, determined to put its recent checkered past behind them and to show that they are one of the elite teams in the state, came out in full EF-5 mode at the start of the second half.  An offensive rebound and putback by Fredenburg at the 17:14 mark extended the Anoka lead to 34-28.  Sophomore reserve guard Naomi Torgerson; with older sister and former Anoka standout Abby who currently balls at St. Kate’s cheering her and her teammates on, then calmly knocked down a “3” from the top of the key at the 15:03 mark that upped the Tornado lead to 37-29.  A scary moment for Anoka came at the 13:58 mark when Ashley Bray went down with an injury after a scramble for a loose ball that had her landing in a very awkward position.  With twin sister Amber Bray having to sit out this game anyway with a minor injury, this could have been curtains for Anoka.  But the Tornadoes steadfast refusal to wither up and die in the face of adversity may have been the hallmark moment for this squad in the early part of the season so far.  Lundberg was able to maneuver inside for a score that got her fouled and the ensuing free throw she sank had Anoka up 40-31 at the 13:31 mark.  After withstanding consecutive scores by Bloomington Kennedy’s Bell, Lundberg used her 6’1” frame to score inside at the 12:25 mark and then Fredenburg scored down low off the glass at the 12:00 mark for a 44-35 Tornado lead.  A “3” from the sweet-shooting Lundberg in the left corner at the 11:23 mark had Anoka up 47-36 and things were looking bright for the team in maroon and white.

 

But this Bloomington Kennedy team has spent its share of time in the pressure cooker as well and they had no intentions of fading with what was left of the afternoon sunlight.  Strong senior post, Isie Odor, who had been mostly quiet in this contest so far, suddenly showed the crowd that she’s a force to contend with down low.  With 9:52 left, she was able to muscle inside for a score that got her fouled and on the next Eagle possession, she snared an offensive rebound for a putback that cut the Anoka lead down to 48-42.  Anoka would make a 6-2 push over the next couple of minutes that had the Tornadoes back up by double digits at 55-44 with 7:14 left but again Bloomington Kennedy was able to respond.  Senior Tonoia Wade connected with a short jumper that got her fouled with 6:26 left.  The Eagles were able to pry the rock from the Tornadoes on the ensuing Anoka possession and Wade then connected with an easy lay-up with 6:19 left.  A pull-up jumper in transition by Bell with 5:46 left sliced the Anoka lead down to 55-51.  Two free throws by Wright-Ponder with 5:32 left and then a lay-up by Wright-Ponder in transition with 4:50 left completed an 11-0 Bloomington Kennedy spurt that knotted the issue at 55-all.  A “3” from Fredenburg from the left wing with 4:38 left put Anoka back up 58-55 but now things were very much in doubt. 

 

But just when the Eagles could have been on the brink of taking over this game, things unraveled in a most unexpected fashion.  Johnson, who had become increasingly unhappy with the officiating in the second half, finally went too far and was promptly nabbed for a technical foul with 4:20 left .  Lundberg sank the obligatory technical freebies for a five-point 60-55 Anoka lead.  Still, the Eagles were far from finished.  A sweet reverse lay-up in transition by Bell that drew “oohs and ahhs” from the crowd followed by an encore from freshman reserve guard Honour Finley with 3:34 left and an offensive rebound for a putback by Wright-Ponder with 3:10 left suddenly had Bloomington Kennedy with its first lead at 61-60 since early in the first half.  A free throw by Bell with 1:51 left upped the lead to 62-60 but once again this Anoka squad showed its true heart and grit.  An offensive rebound and putback by Lundberg with Lundberg tied things up at 62-all with 1:38 left and, after a failed possession by Bloomington Kennedy, the Tornadoes got the ball down low to Meyer who was fouled and two freebies by the senior post put Anoka back up for good at 64-62.  A Fredenburg freebie with :47 left made it a 65-62 count but still a one-possession game.  The Eagles, though, simply could not get a three-point attempt to fall when they needed it most.  Odor missed two free throw attempts with 25.7 left that could have greatly changed the complexion of the game in the waning moments.  Meyer was able to make one more trip to the charity stripe where she knocked down an insurance freebie.  Bloomington Kennedy came up empty in its last possession and Anoka claimed a thrilling 66-62 win over a Bloomington Kennedy team that some think have the potential to win it all come March.

 

Anoka Head Coach Scott Antl couldn’t help but heap praise on seniors Fredenburg and Lundberg for leadership in this win.  The Tornadoes, who were in a 2-3 zone all game long, was critical in Antl’s mind in terms of closing the gaps in the middle when Bell would attempt to make many of her forays into the paint.  How big was this win for Anoka?  Antl did not hide the fact that it’s a huge win going into the heart of the Northwest Suburban Conference season after the first of the year.  Echoing the sentiments of Maple Grove Head Coach Mark Cook, Antl believes it’s simply the best conference in the state (and I agree 110% with that assessment) and he thinks that there’s several teams in the conference that have the potential to make a deep run and contend for a state title.  I have to think that Anoka’s one of those teams as well.  The seniors on this squad (Fredenburg, Lundberg, Meyer, Ashley and Amber Bray, Samantha Brannen  and Samantha Adamich) have all had a couple tastes of the state tournament and you have to think that, this time around, they want to do more than just get there.

2013 Dick's Sporting Goods Holiday Classic - 5th Place Game - Forest Lake vs Park CG

Was over at Hopkins’ Lindbergh Center on this Saturday after Christmas to take in the final day of the 2013 Dick’s Sporting Goods Holiday Classic.  With Prior Lake taking on Osseo for the 7^th place game, I set my sights on the main court for the 5^th place game between Forest Lake and Park of Cottage Grove.  This would be my first look at the Rangers out of Forest Lake but the Wolfpack I’ve been able to catch at the last two section championship games they’ve played in – both losses to Eastview.  Both teams call the Suburban East Conference home so this would be a little preview of their conference battles to come.

 

Forest Lake; behind 6’2” senior post Bailey Norby who is Creighton-bound; sparked the Rangers to a 4-0 lead by the 16:31 mark and two free throws by junior guard Hanna Vidlund at the 15:40 mark made it a 6-0 game before Park’s star senior guard Sydney Lamberty (also Creighton-bound) knocked down two freebies after getting fouled at the 14:47 mark to get the Wolfpack on the board.  A hard drive and finish in the lane by Wolfpack junior Annie Williams closed the gap to a mere two points by the 13:27 mark.  Forest Lake, however, would embark on a 13-4 run over the next six minutes; punctuated by Vidlund’s “3” from the left wing with 7:50 left for a 19-8 Ranger lead.

 

Park, however, would manage to battle back to make things a bit closer.  Lanky 6’3” sophomore post Ally Gorres scored in the paint with 5:47 left then Sydney Lamberty; trying hard to get her team right back into the thick of things, connected with a drive and finish with 4:17 left and then Williams was able to follow that with a lay-up with 3:08 left that sliced the Forest Lake advantage to a much more-manageable 19-14 count.  Park Head Coach Stephanie Tolkinen had her squad go into a 2-3 zone late in the first half in the hopes of bottling up the Rangers Norby.  A drive and finish by senior Temi Ogunrinde kept the deficit at five at 21-16 with 1:02 left that should have had the Park contingent feeling halfway good but Ogunrinde went down with an injury that seemed to burst the balloon of whatever confidence Park may have had going into the locker room.  As it was, Forest Lake’s 5’11” senior forward Miranda Rice was able to get into the paint for a score and was fouled in the process.  The obligatory freebie that Rice sank enabled the Rangers to take an eight-point 24-16 by the halftime break. 

 

Ogunrinde would return for the Wolfpack as the second half got underway but Forest Lake Head Coach Jen Wagner had to know that a steady diet of Norby inside would be the key to victory today.  Despite a steal by Ogunrinde who dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 16:30 mark and a “3” by Sydney Lamberty from the top of the key at the 15:16 mark that at least kept the deficit in single digits, the Rangers fed Norby often that resulted in easy scores inside or trips to the charity stripe for an opportunity to knock down free throws.  A drive and jumper in the lane by Vidlund got Forest Lake’s lead up to 34-23 by the 12:08 mark.  Senior guard Emily Peters would be fouled in a transition opportunity for the Rangers by Williams of Park.  Williams got the worst of the impromptu meeting and was shaken up and had to be helped off the court at the 10:20 mark.  Another score by Norby down low with 9:52 left and a foray into the paint for a finish by senior lanky 6’0” senior guard Anna Eckert upped the Rangers advantage at 39-24 and had Park’s Tolkinen calling a timeout to search for answers.

 

But the Wolfpack simply had a very difficult time dealing with the experienced front line (read Norby & Rice) and had few answers for it.  Wolfpack reserve sophomore post Amber Fabeck connected with a lay-up with 6:09 left and two free throws by Sydney Lamberty with 4:33 left.  But the Wolfpack was still staring at a double-digit deficit and simply didn’t have the firepower on this day to try and launch a gallant comeback.  Senior reserve guard Lindsay Tilton’s lay-up with 2:21 left made it a twenty-point cushion for the Rangers at 48-28.  Both coaches emptied their bench in the waning moments that allowed Sydney Lamberty’s younger sister Jordan to connect with a jumper for the Wolfpack with just :29.6 left but Forest Lake would emerge victorious in this one by a final count of 50-32.

 

Wagner was very pleased with her team’s effort; particularly on defense.  “The ‘high-low’ option was very good for us as well and they had a very hard time handling that.”  It’s tough for me to make any bold predictions on Forest Lake’s prospects from having only watched them once but, assuming they can avoid the injury bugaboo, this could be a very dangerous team to have to play once section time rolls around.

Christmas Eve Musings

With the holiday break upon us, I thought it might be a good time to take a somewhat whimsical look at things on the womens college and girls high school basketball front.

 

1.        Okay, so pretty much everyone (me included) has, for all intents and purposes, crowned UST as MIAC champs.  The big question I have on my mind now is who is going to be that team that comes in second and has a realistic shot at getting a ticket to the Dance as well?  I initially thought CSB was going to be that team but given the kind of year they’ve had so far, their stock has gone way down.  Concordia is a solid bet but would anyone be willing to place money on Bethel?  I would.

2.        I’ve got to get over to the other side of the River and catch a WIAC game this year.  I just HAVE to.  I really like that UW-Superior team and one of these years they’re going to find a way to win it.

3.       Yes, Hopkins is still the favorite to win the Class AAAA title – AGAIN – this year.  But they’ll get tested mightily this time around.  And the likely candidates to do that are Eastview and Lakeville North.

4.       Props to the GAC team for wearing black socks with their road black unis.  It just looks – good.  Very good.

5.       In case I haven’t mentioned it already, Hamline – by far and away – is my favorite MIAC venue to watch a game.  It’s not only the birthplace of intercollegiate basketball, but I really like the music they play over there as well.  AND, most importantly, they serve Pepsi (aka God’s nectar).  

6.       I know this has been bandied about for the last several years but wouldn’t it be cool if there could be a MIAC/WIAC or a MIAC/IIAC challenge?  It’s something that’s been LONG overdue, IMHO.

7.       If there’s any player out there that has a better shooting form than Jolene Blood of Augsburg, I’d sure like to see it.  Maybe the best I’ve seen since Angie Peterson-Potts’ playing days at GAC.

8.       Look out for Carleton.  There’s something special brewing on the east side of Northfield – again.

9.       Anoka-Ramsey may not have as dominant a team as they’ve had in the last few years but if there’s one guy who can have them in position to win another natty it’s David DeWitt.  He ALWAYS finds a way.

10.   I’m lucky I get to go to my share of Northwest Suburban Conference game as it’s the best HS conference out there.  There could be a team or two from this conference that winds up at state with a bloodied and battered overall record just getting through the NWSC in one piece.

GAC vs Augsburg 12-21-13

Made the run over to Augsburg’s Si Melby Hall and Ernie Anderson Court for this 3:00 P.M. Saturday afternoon MIAC clash between host Augsburg and visiting Gustavus Adolphus.  With the holiday break right around the corner, both squads would be looking for a win to go into the Christmas hiatus on a positive note and to improve their positioning in the MIAC standings as well.  This would be my first look at the 2013-14 edition of the Gusties and naturally I was anxious to get a peek of them in action.

 

The opening minutes saw both team neck and neck as Auggie senior forward Jill Tichy and Gustavus senior guard Julia Dysthe engage in a three-point shooting contest that had the Auggies up 6-3 by the 18:20 mark.  The Gusties would respond with a 9-0 push that had sophomore post Karina Schroeder; enroute to a big afternoon, snaring an offensive rebound for a putback at the 18:06 mark.  Dysthe, who excels with her defensive skills, snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 17:21 mark  and then senior forward Britta Rinke (seems like it was just yesterday when she was a freshman) drilled a “3” from the right wing at the 15:57 mark for a 10-6 Gustavus lead.  Two free throws then by Schroeder after she was fouled on an offensive rebound and putback attempt upped the advantage to 12-6 before Augsburg could respond.  Sophomore reserve guard Marie Fitzgerald knocked down two charity stripe shots after she was fouled at the 12:19 mark and then the Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin native nailed a “3” from the right top area at the 11:40 mark that brought the Auggies to within one at 12-11.  Then junior guard Abbey Luger who, much like Dysthe from GAC, has a knack for being all over the place on defense, snared a steal and went the other way for a lay-up that had Augsburg back out in front for the first time since the opening minutes by a 13-12 score at the 11:24 mark.  But little did Augsburg Head Coach Bill McKee know that this would not only be the Auggies last lead of the day, it would also be the last FG the Auggies would have the rest of the first half.

 

The Auggies simply went stone cold from both the perimeter and charity stripe while Gustavus would embark on a 13-1 run to close out the first half.  The ever-creative Dysthe connected on a lay-up at the 11:05 mark and then freshman reserve forward Morgan Iverson snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 9:17 left that made it an 18-13 game.  A score in the paint by Schroeder with 6:06 left and a free throw by diminutive senior point guard Shelly Blaschko with 5:56 left made it a 21-13 game and soon had McKee hollering for a timeout to halt this Gustie tidal wave.  But it was more than just the Auggies inability to put the ball in the hole.  The Gusties were also beginning to dominate the boards in this one on both ends of the floor and were limiting Augsburg, for the most part, to a one-and-done deal.  Perhaps things could have been a little different if the Auggies could have connected with opportunites from the free throw line but both Fitzgerald and senior sharpshooter Jolene Blood missed the front-end of three separate 1-and-1 opportunities that could have at least changed the complexion of the game.  In any event, Schroeder would knock down two freebies after getting hacked with 2:24 left and then consolidated the Gustie advantage with a score in the paint with 1:42 left.  The Auggies were finally able to get most of the cobwebs wicked away from their basket when sophomore reserve post Bridget Kopp was able to get one free throw to fall with 1:16 left but when halftime arrived, Augsburg was staring at an eleven-point 25-14 deficit.

 

The Auggies looked to come out in the second half and get right back in the thick of things and a “3” by Blood who got open on the left top area at the 19:48 mark was at least a spark that could have got the Auggies going again as it got the deficit under ten points.  But the Gusties would have no part of letting their hosts draw any closer as Gustavus as Dysthe proved to be a lethal weapon for the black and gold-clad squad.  Dysthe, the former White Bear Lake standout, was on the receiving end of a sweet give and go pass at the 19:28 mark that she converted for an easy lay-up.  A score in the paint by Rinke at the 18:57 mark made it a 29-17 game and then Dysthe would twice stick a dagger into the hopes of the Auggies:  A short jumper off the glass at the 18:23 mark that got her fouled along with the ensuing freebie plus a lay-up at the 17:45 mark now had Gustavus up by sixteen at 34-18.  Schroeder, cleaning the glass at both ends of the floor, muscled inside for a score at the 16:33 mark and then Dysthe drilled a “3” from the right corner at the 15:03 mark that had the Gusties up 41-23. 

 

Luger would temporarily halt the Gustie assault when she knocked down a jumper from the left wing at the 14:47 mark but that would be a minor blip from a Gustie standpoint as Head Coach Laurie Kelly now had her team employing a 2-3 zone that really stymied an already lethargic Augsburg attack as their shooting was unpredictable at best.  Another score in the paint by Schroeder at the 13:16 mark that was followed by a pull-up jumper from Dysthie in transition with 9:48 left had the Gusties up by a 45-30 count.  Tichy would try and counter for Augsburg with scores but, again, they could never sustain anything that allowed them to get back into things and seriously threaten.  Still another score in the paint by Schroeder with 7:34 left, free throws by Rinke with 5:37 left and yet another steal by the magician Dysthe and a lay-up the other way with 4:46 left now had Gustavus up by eighteen at 57-39.  With the outcome all but in the Gusties back pocket, Augsburg tried to make a last-gasp effort to make things halfway close again.  Luger banged home a “3” from the top of the key with 2:46 left and then made a tough drive along the left baseline for a finish with 1:58 left that cut the Gustavus lead to 59-46.  Kopp connected with a jumper from the left elbow with 1:30 left that drew Augsburg to within eleven at 59-48 but then Rinke finally extinguished any wisp of hope the Auggies had left when she drilled a “3’ from the right wing with 1:08 left and a 62-48 lead.  Luger would hit one more “3” from the top of the key with :46 left but then subsequently fouled out of the game by being too aggressive on the Gusties in-bounds play.  She must have uttered something unpleasant towards the officials shortly thereafter as she was awarded a technical foul for a not-so-great Christmas gift.  Dysthie would knock down the pair of freebies for the foul and then the other pair for the technical and Gustavus would claim a solid 66-51 road win to bring their record to 5-2 overrall (2-2 in the MIAC). 

 

Augsburg Assistant Coach Joshua Hersch noted that the Auggies, while now 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the MIAC, really had hoped to steal a “W” today, their situation is not even close to desperate.  “We talked about what a great opportunity we have in front of us at the beginning of the New Year to get right back into the thick of things.”  And, by that logic, he definitely has a point as the Auggies have already had dates with national powerhouse UST in addition to both St. Olaf and Concordia.  So don’t count them out just yet.  Another item overlooked on this day was that both squads were coming off of finals week (I STILL get shivers up my spine when I think about my days of preparing for finals when I was a student at the University of Iowa).  Luger, whose technical late more or less underlined a day of frustration for Augsburg noted that the upcoming holiday break was a welcome chance to refresh and recharge mentally after such a trying week although she sounded very determined to do her part to help get the ship back upright for the Auggies.  A very happy GAC contingent was reveling in this important road win and rightfully so.  A check of the box score reveals what an incredibly huge day Schroeder had as she recorded a double-double with 15 rebounds (3 offensive and 12 defensive) along with 23 points to boot.  “She bucked up” GAC Assistant Coach Dan Wolfe said.  Even more amazing when you consider that Schroeder had been battling with a bout of the flu but she looked as strong as ever today.  Dysthe finished with 25 points but Kelly gushed with pride about Dysthe’s presence on defense.  “She plays off-ball defense so well; getting into the passing lanes.”  Considering the Gusties really had only two days to prepare for this contest due to finals week gave Kelly another reason to be so proud of her group.  “They work so hard in the classroom” she said.  Indeed, the Gusties were recognized by the WBCA this last summer for having the top cumulative GPA in the country at a 3.600.  Just as important, the Gusties showed why they should be one of the teams in the mix for a MIAC playoff spot come February.  This squad, though dominated by underclassmen, is a more experienced version this time around and if Schroeder can continue her domination on the boards like she did today along with Dysthe’s uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time, this will be a squad that has the capability to not only get into the MIAC playoffs but do some damage once there as well.

Bismarck State vs Anoka-Ramsey 12-20-13

This Friday night found me in a familiar spot – in Coon Rapids at Anoka-Ramsey as they prepared to take on visiting Bismarck State.  The Mystics were coming in with a so-so 5-4 record but likely were better than what their record was and you knew Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt was not going to allow his team to take Bismarck State lightly.

 

Unlike some of the previous Anoka-Ramsey games that I’ve covered recently, it was the Golden Rams who got off to a great start this time around.  Strong sophomore post Olivia Antilla and freshman forward Ashley Carter propelled Anoka-Ramsey to an early 9-3 lead by the 17:35 mark that had Mystics Head Coach Jason Harris calling a timeout to try and figure things out.  Bismarck State would edge closer thanks to a score in the paint by freshman Courtney Goetz at the 16:45 mark and a “3” from sophomore ReeAnn Mehus from the left wing area at the 15:47 mark that closed the gap to a 12-8 count. 

 

But then Anoka-Ramsey proceeded to go on a 30-6 tear over the next eleven minutes that SHOULD have put the Mystics away for good.  Trailing by four touchdowns at 42-14  with 4:26, Bismarck State broke out its secret weapon in freshman Kaitlyn Olson who gave the crowd on hand quite a display of three-point shooting.  Her first trey came from the left wing with 2:57 left.  The second came from the right wing a mere sixteen seconds later and then with 1:29 left Olson struck again; this one from the right corner that, coupled with a score in the paint by freshman guard Zaida Henry with :34.9 left before halftime, at least whittled the deficit to less than twenty as the Golden Rams took a 46-28 lead into the locker room.

 

The Golden Rams looked to run away with things again early on in the second half as willowy sophomore forward Nicole Schaub nailed a “3” from the left top at the 18:53 mark which was followed by a tough turnaround jumper by Carter a minute later.  Antilla would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 17:31 mark for a seemingly “safe” 53-28 lead.  Anoka-Ramsey would maintain this margin over the next couple of minutes before the Mystics would make their next surge.  A “3” from Olson from the left corner at the 15:27 mark and then a drive and finish by Goetz once again got Bismarck State to within twenty trailing 56-37.  But the green-clad Mystics were just getting started.  Goetz would drill a “3” from the right wing area at the 11:59 mark then sophomore forward Allison Slaubaugh would make a foray into the paint for a score with 10:50 left.  A Slaubaugh free throw with 10:10 left along with a score in the paint by Goetz with 8:53 left now had Anoka-Ramsey’s lead down to 64-49. 

 

Bismarck State would keep pecking away; trying to draw even closer down the stretch.  Freshman guard Emily Kautzman connected with a lay-up in transition with 7:25 left.  Scores by Goetz with 6:22 and 5:58 left along with a score in the paint by Slaubaugh with 5:18 left had Anoka-Ramsey’s lead cut to 70-57.  A three by Olson from the left top with 4:35 left found nothing but net and two freebies by Slaubaugh with 4:07 left finally had the deficit at ten with a 72-62 score.  But the Mystics could draw no closer.  In these situations when Anoka-Ramsey gets challenged in the stretch.  DeWitt is fortunate to have the services of sophomore guard Maria Loughlin to run the show (and offense) and make good decisions with the rock to protect the lead and get her teammates involved as well.  A score in the paint by Antilla with 3:49 left along with two charity stripe shots by the crafty Loughlin with 2:20 left enabled the Golden Rams to maintain that 10-12-point cushion to keep things safe.  Another freebie by Schaub with 1:27 left after she was fouled in a transition attempt along with a lay-up from ever-improving freshman guard Mattie Racek with :35 left sealed the deal as Anoka-Ramsey booked an 80-68 home win.

 

DeWitt, while happy with the victory, emphasized his team’s need to play a full forty minutes.  “We played great for the first seventeen minutes but we’ve GOT to maintain that” he remarked candidly afterward.  I also think that DeWitt is still looking for the squad to take that next step on the defensive side as well; something that he’s been looking for since, well….September anyway.  But I think one thing you can count on as things move into the first of the year and the Golden Rams are fully entrenched in MCC play, they will find a way to notch up the intensity on both sides of the ball and also find a way to peak at the right time when February rolls around.

Park Center vs Anoka 12-19-13

Made the trek on U.S. Highway 169 northward on this Thursday evening up to Anoka to take in this big Northwest Suburban Conference clash between visiting Park Center; fresh off their home win over Elk River and host Anoka.  The Tornadoes, likely still smarting from their loss at Andover just two nights ago, were anxious to put that debacle behind them and Anoka Head Coach Scott Antl had to hope that his Tornado squad would be in full EF-5 mode for this night’s game against the Pirates.  Park Center, despite an earlier loss to Centennial, was rolling right along and the storyline revolving around this game had to be the size of Anoka going up against the speed and athleticism of Park Center.  In my own mind, I had to give Anoka the edge in this one simply because they were on their home floor and the Pirates have also had some bad memories of section finals gone awry on this same court. 

 

Predictably, Anoka was in its formidable 2-3 zone at the start; daring the Pirates to try to come into the paint to meet certain doom.  But both teams were exceptionally cold early on and it wasn’t until the 14:21 mark when senior guard Kyrah Fredenburg helped the Tornadoes draw first blood with an offensive rebound and putback (a second attempt at that).  Little did anyone realize at the time that that would be Anoka’s first and only lead of this contest.  Sloppy play and mistakes dominated the opening minutes of this contest and it wasn’t until the 11:03 mark that Park Center had built a 6-2 edge thanks to free throws by both freshmen Mikayla Hayes and Danielle Schaub and a lay-up by senior forward Cayla McMorris.  Still, a score down low by Tornado senior forward Ashley Bray cut the Park Center lead down to only 6-4 with 9:28 left so all indications seemed to be that this was going to be a close one. 

 

From that point on, though, things quickly unraveled for Anoka as the Pirates suddenly seized control and embarked on a 15-3 run that changed the entire complexion of the ballgame markedly.  And it was Park Center’s senior flashy 5’10” forward who took center stage to lead the way for the Green and Gold while Anoka looked shell-shocked and completely lost on offense.  After a “3” from junior guard McKenna DuBois from the left wing with 9:16 left, Hayes connected with a jumper from the right corner with 7:09 left.  Then it was McMorris with a turnaround jumper in the lane with 6:40 left for a double digit Pirate lead that they would not relinquish at 15-4.  Freebies by freshman guard Ann Simonet and McMorris, a lay-up in transition by Hayes with 3:57 left and then a steal by McMorris followed by a sweet pull-up jumper in transition suddenly had things at 21-7 in favor of Park Center and new Anoka Head Coach Scott Antl had seen enough to know it was time to call a halt to the action with a thirty-second timeout.  But Park Center was not finished yet.  A one-handed jumper by McMorris with 2:23 left and then a steal by the Wisconsin-bound star and a lay-up in transition (that resulted in a nasty collision with Fredenburg under the basket) and an encore performance by Simonet with 1:07 left made it a 27-9 bulge before Anoka senior guard Claire Lundberg finally was able to maneuver inside for a score that got her fouled as well.  Lundberg would give the Anoka fans some hope when she hit a “3” from the top of the key with :35 left but the Tornadoes were staring at a 29-15 deficit going into the locker room at the half.

 

Anoka needed to get off to a great start in the second half and Ashley Bray’s twin sister, Amber; who has been battling with her share of injuries thus far, muscled inside for a score at the 17:48 mark and then was fouled on a putback attempt after an offensive rebound that allowed her to knock down two charity stripe shots at the 16:58 mark that sliced the deficit down to eleven at 31-19.  But any hope of the Tornadoes getting back into this thing and making things close again were quickly snuffed out.  Junior guard Hannah Schaub knocked down a “3” from the right wing at the 16:30 mark and then Hayes was able to score inside at the 15:12 mark.  A jumper from the right wing my McMorris at the 14:16 mark and a lay-up in transition by Hannah Schaub at the 13:34 mark completed this 9-0 burst by the Pirates  for a 40-19 advantage and once again had Antl burning a timeout. 

 

But this Park Center team was seeking to make a statement on this night on the road in a big conference showdown and they were far from finished.  On the flip side of the coin, this had to be about as frustrating a night as there ever could be for the Tornadoes for it seemed like they simply could not buy a basket; be it from the perimeter or down low in the paint where they seemingly had a decisive advantage with their height – NOTHING seemed to fall for them.  Even worse was that they had no way of stopping the McMorris Express as she was putting on a show.  A drive and finish at the 12:42 mark plus some supporting cast help from both Hannah Schaub in the form of a lay-up in transition at the 12:07 mark and by Hayes in the form of a short jumper at the 10:48 mark made it a prohibitive 46-21 lead for Park Center.  An offensive rebound for a putback by McMorris with 8:41 left and a score in the paint by DuBois with 8:17 left allowed the Pirates to double up the Tornadoes by a 50-25 count.  Antl, meanwhile, was trying to find some combination that might give his Anoka squad some sort of spark.  Ashley Bray had countered with with an offensive rebound and putback before DuBois’ foray into the paint but the youngest member of the Bray triumvirate, freshman Taylor, got inside for a score with 8:02 left and then senior Cassidy Sarazine banged home a “3” from the left wing with 7:03 left that helped to whittle the deficit down to 22 at 52-30 but they would never seriously threaten.  Sophomore reserve Ashley Lewis knocked down a “3” for the Pirates from the left wing with 6:35 left and lay-ups by Park Center’s set of sisters – Hannah and freshman Danielle (with older sis Nicole who plays at Anoka-Ramsey cheering them on in the stands) – and a “3” for good measure by McMorris typified the kind of night this was.  DuBois would drill “3’s” – one from the right corner with 4:03 left and another one from the opposite corner with 2:35 left and one more short jumper by McMorris with 1:40 left allowed Park Center to waltz to a shocking 71-36 rout of Anoka. 

 

A very happy and pleased Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde was quick to admit that a big win like this right before the holiday break gives his squad a huge shot in the arm of confidence before they play in the holiday tournament at St. Olaf where they’ll wind up facing powerhouse programs Lakeville North AND Eastview.  But, after tonight’s performance anyway, they look eager for such a challenge.  Meanwhile, it’s arguably back to the drawing board for Antl & Co. and this Anoka squad which had such high hopes (and rightfully so) at the start of the season.  This one-sided loss, coupled with the debacle over in Andover the night before, was weighing heavily on the minds of the players and you could sense the disappointment and frustration.  This squad has way too much talent, ability and potential to get down on themselves for too long yet I sense at the same time that Antl is still seeking to try and find that right “mix” that will prevent his squad from becoming too one-dimensional and predictable.  In the end, you have to remember that this is still only December and that there’s a lot of basketball to be played yet and I still believe that the Tornadoes will be the ones left standing when all is said and done in Section 7AAAA. 

Elk River vs Park Center 12-17-13

Made the quick run over to Park Center High School on this Tuesday night; a week before Christmas Eve to catch this important Northwest Suburban Conference clash between visiting Elk River and host Park Center.  I’m pretty familiar with the Park Center squad but the Elk River Elks were an unknown commodity to me; despite last year’s 16-13 record and its run to the Section 8AAAA Championship Game.  But one thing I couldn’t help but notice early on was the size the Elks have so, if nothing else, I reasoned that this type of game could be a great tune-up for the Pirates when they make the jaunt on U.S. Highway 169 up to Anoka on Thursday night to take on the Tornadoes.

 

But looking at this game from strictly that perspective would probably be selling the Elks short and it became evident as the game progressed that this Elk River squad is going to be a team to be reckoned with; not only in NWSC play but in the Section 8AAAA as well.  Still, Park Center got out to a decent 7-2 start thanks to two scores by senior forward Cayla McMorris and a score in the paint by lanky 6’1” freshman post Mikayla Hayes.  Moreover, the Pirates were wreaking havoc with their full- and half-court traps that they were unleashing on the Elks that resulted in a plethora of turnovers early on for Head Coach Reed Caouette’s team that he forced him to burn a timeout by the 15:16 mark.  Park Center wanted to speed up the tempo of the game which is to their liking but the Elks had different plans on their minds.

 

Despite struggling with their perimeter shooting, the Pirates were still in control of this game by the 10:58 mark; McMorris’ “3” from the right corner was the lone bright spot for Park Center which upped their lead to 10-6.  Elk River, however, gradually became able to slow the tempo down to their pace.  Moreover, they were using what appeared to be a 1-2-2 zone on defense that the Pirates discombobulated in the half-court and the Elks were starting to control the boards as well.  Trailing 12-9 after McMorris maneuvered inside for a score at the 8:40 mark, diminutive Elk River reserve freshman guard Ava Kramer was able to spurt into the heart of the Pirate defense for a lay-up that got her fouled as well.  Although she missed the obligatory freebie, it seemed to give the Elks the spark they needed as they kept the deficit to a one possession game over the next five minutes.  With the Pirates struggling mightily with that Elk 1-2-2 zone, Elk River finally found its groove offensively.  With 3:48 left, senior reserve guard Shelby Gracik knocked down a “3” from the left wing area that put Elk River back out in front since the opening moments of the game by a count of 18-17.  Free throws by senior guard Erin Ness and freshman forward Sidney Wentland made it a 21-19 Elk River lead with 1:50 left.  A score in the paint by Wentland with 1:12 left and a freebie by Wentland after getting fouled with :33.8 left enabled the Elks to take a somewhat surprising 24-19 lead into the locker room at halftime.

 

A “3” by Ness from the right top area at the 16:48 mark put Park Center into an even deeper hole as they now trailed 27-19 but new Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde was keenly aware of the adjustments that had to be made to turn the tide in favor of the green and gold-clad Pirates.  They were taking better care of the ball than what they were in the first half and McMorris was getting more involved in the offense as well.  Even more important was that Park Center appeared to be getting back to what makes them successful – speeding up the tempo that allows them to utilize the great speed and quickness that they have.  Freshman guard Ann Simonet, who had been quiet up to this point, snared a steal from the Elks and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 13:44 mark that cut the Elk River lead to 29-26.  Two scores in the paint by the flashy McMorris – one at the 12:24 mark and then again at the 11:53 mark – put the Pirates back in front 30-29.  A lay-up by Gracik gave the Elks one last lead at the 11:31 mark but the tide had turned in favor of the Pirates by now. 

 

Junior guard McKenna DuBois, who had been unable to find that shooting touch throughout the first half, shook off the cobwebs in the second half and began to unleash three-point bombs and other weapons of destruction on the Elks.  A foray into the paint for a score with 9:28 left and then a trey from the right wing with 8:58 left lifted DuBois’ (and the Pirates) spirits and now had Park Center up by a count of 37-31.  To their credit, the Elks never let the Pirates out of their sights and stayed within striking distance; mainly by getting the ball to lanky 6’2” sophomore post Abi Scheid.  Despite another three-pointer by DuBois from the right corner with 5:50 left that had the Pirates up by a 42-35 score, Scheid connected with a jumper in the lane with 5:10 left and then Gracik banged home a “3” from the left top with 4:40 left that cut the Pirate lead down to four at 44-40.  Scheid would also make several trips to the charity stripe after getting a pass down low and attempting a shot but each time the Pirates would have an answer.  A “3” from the left wing by freshman reserve guard Danielle Schaub and another three-point bomb from DuBois with 2:00 left on the clock from the left corner made a 53-44 game in favor of the Pirates and only left Elk River with a wisp of hope.  Scheid would score inside with 1:20 left and snare an offensive rebound for a putback with just :28.2 left but it would not be enough as the Pirates claimed an important conference victory on their home floor by a 58-51 margin.

 

Afterward, VanderHyde confirmed some of my suspicions as to their success in the second half; speeding up the tempo of the game obviously but there was one item that really caught me by surprise that I did not pick up on while watching (Hey, I’m not a coach!).  “We moved (Mikayla) Hayes to the outside of the lane as a runner and it forced them out of their 1-2-2 zone that we had a very hard time figuring out and they then switched to a somewhat more conventional 2-3 zone that we had a better chance of attacking.”  McMorris definitely did attack better inside in the second half and I also think this played a large part of getting chances for DuBois on the perimeter as well.  A big win for sure at home for Park Center but they cannot rest on their laurels for long as a big road trip Thursday night up at Anoka is in the offing and the Pirates will have their hands full against a very big and strong Tornado team.  

Coe vs Carleton 12-14-13

Made my way down I-35 on this late snowy Saturday afternoon after the St. Scholastica – Augsburg clash down to nearby Northfield to take in this exciting IIAC-MIAC battle between visiting Coe out of  good ol’ Cedar Rapids, Iowa (I know that town like the back of my hand) and host Carleton.  I actually am somewhat familiar with Coe and some of their players but Carleton has remained the great unknown in my mind and I really didn’t know what to think about them – much less what to expect to them from on this night.  Afterward, however, I would come away in a much-more different state of mind.

 

The visiting Kohawks arguably had a decisive edge in size with their bigs and they sought to exploit that advantage early on as senior forward Mackenzie Reed knocked down a jumper from near the right elbow at the 19:46 mark which was followed by an offensive rebound for a putback by fellow senior forward Mary Halvorson at the 18:32 for a quick 4-0 lead.  Carleton would tie things up at 4-all on scores by freshman guard Claire Thallon as she snared a rebound for a putback at the 18:35 mark and then snared a steal and took it the other way for a lay-up at the 17:19 mark.  Coe, however, threatened to put the Knights in a hole afterward as the big, strong Kohawk front line took center stage.  Leading 8-6 at the 16:12 mark, Halvorson connected with a short jumper at the 14:43 mark and then reserve senior forward Lindsey Buckles muscled her way into the paint for a score at the 13:19 mark.  Carleton Head Coach (and former Knight player) Cassie Kosiba saw things seemingly unravel for the Knights right then and there and called a thirty-second time out to talk it over with her team but Reed scored inside again for good measure at the 11:52 mark that had Coe up 14-6 and the Kohawks were on the verge of opening up this one on the road in the big bad MIAC.

 

It would take some time but the Knights would begin to frustrate the Kohawks with their perimeter quickness off the dribble.  After two free throws by senior reserve guard Jessica Huang at the 11:30 mark, senior guard Jenny Ramey then drained a “3” from the right corner with 10:47 left and then a drive and finish by Ramey with 9:36 left had the Knights within three at 16-13.  The Knights would manage to take their first lead as Thallon banged home a “3” from the left corner with 8:28 left and then flashy junior guard Skylar Tsutsui made her first splash of the night draining a “3” from the right top area with 8:01 left that now had Carleton out in front by a score of 19-18.  Coe would answer the call, however, as sophomore reserve guard Jenna Power knocked down a “3” from the left wing with 7:53 left then freshman guard Mickey Hansche maneuvered inside for a score at the 7:25 mark.  Halvorson then once again bullied her way into the paint for a score with 6:42 left and then Hansche delivered a “3” from the right wing that expanded the Kohawk lead to 28-22.  Now it was the Knights turn to go on a run in the crazy, topsy-turvy affair.  Trailing 30-24, sophomore guard Michele Arima drilled a “3” from the right corner with 4:38 left and then the Valencia, California native made like a thief in the night as she snared a steal from Buckles and dashed the other way for a lay-up.  Then, sophomore Gabbi Stienstra, relatively quiet up to this point, knocked down a “3” from the right corner with 3:17 left that put the Knights back on top by a count of 32-30.  Both sides would trade blows from behind the arc in the last couple of minutes as the Knights were clinging to a 40-39 lead at the intermission.

 

Wild momentum swings would be the name of the game in the second half as well but it would be the Knights who started out quickly coming back out of the locker room.  Senior forward Emma Purfeerst made good on a lay-up in transition at the 18:51 mark and then it was Stienstra cooly draining a “3” from the right wing at the 17:10 mark.  Thallon then got a lay-up in transition at the 16:10 mark for a 48-41 Carleton lead.  But the Kohawks would not only answer the Knights push but they would up the ante as well and they did it with their “bigs” where they had a decided advantage.  Two short jumpers by Reed and Halvorson’s three successive scores in the paint now had the Kohawks back up by a count of 53-48 and, by the midway point of the second half anyway, it looked like it was going to be a happy bus ride back to Cedar Rapids. 

But it was also at this point that the Knights made a statement about not only the outcome of this game but perhaps going into the second part of the season as well.  Just as important, they were able to make a decisive comeback in a variety of ways with several contributors as well.  Tsutsui drilled a “3” after she got free on the right top area and then the junior from Northridge, California stunned the Kohawks (and West Gymnasium) again with a “3” from the left wing on the ensuing Knight possession that had Carleton back out in front  by a 54-53 margin.  Steinstra then showed her behind the arc prowess as she knocked one down from the left corner with 9:05 left for a 57-53 Knight lead.  Coe would manage to keep things close over the course of the the next five minutes as Halvorson and Reed did damage down low but they could never again find that decisive spark at the most critical stage of the game that might have tipped the scales in their favor.  Other than reserve senior guard Brooke Wheelwright, the Kohawks would struggle with their perimeter production.  Halvorson’s jumper with 4:57 left managed to tie the issue at 64-all but the flame would begin to flicker after that.  Purfeerst would score in transition and get fouled in the process and the obligatory free throw would put the Knights back out in front – this time for good – at 67-64 with 4:50 left.  A lay-up by Arima with 4:24 left made it a 69-64 game and then Steinstra’s “3” from the right corner with 3:50 left appeared to be the decisive dagger to the Kohawks that Head Coach Randi Peterson’s team simply had no answer for.  Tsutsui assured the Kohawks of a long, miserable ride back to Cedar Rapids when she banged home a “3” from the left corner with 2:47 left that made it a 77-68 game.  Stienstra’s sweet running jumper across the lane with :28 left provided the finishing touches as the Knights made the MIAC proud on this Saturday evening by claiming a tough 82-72 win. 

 

Kosiba was quite pleased with this win afterward (and deservedly so).  This is a program that has been down for a while and no one really knew what to expect when she took over after Tammy Metcalf-Filzen resigned some four years ago.  Ever so slowly, the Knights have made incremental improvement every year and, while not possessing a lot of size (freshman reserve forward Molly Ross is the tallest at 5’10”), this is a team that simply loves to get after it with a lot of hustle and desire.  I really like the play of both Tsutsui and her backcourt teammate Arima who can both beat you off the dribble and reign terror from three-point land.  Stienstra and Ramey are fearless when they have to make forays into the paint in the land of “bigs”.  This is just a team that plays incredibly smart and will not beat itself and, with them sitting at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in MIAC play, they have time to focus on finals and then relax and recharge over the holidays before preparing to take on mighty UST after the first of the year.  In short, keep your eye on this team as I have a strong suspicion that they have a very good chance to crash the MIAC playoff party come February.  For Coe, despite Halvorson finishing with a career high 28 points on this night, they now find themselves on the wrong end of a 2-5 record with another game on the road this coming Tuesday night at Carthage in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  They are two years removed from their last NCAA Tournament appearance when they lost a tough one to UST and they haven’t been able to find their way back since.  This year’s start has them facing an uphill battle by the time the delve into IIAC play and I’d love to see them be able to turn things around.  They have the seniors and the experience to do it.  The big question for the Kohawks, though, is do they have the senior leadership to lead the way?

St. Scholastica vs Augsburg Synopsis 12-14-13

After getting out of UST, I battled my way on those God-forsaken St. Paul streets and safely back onto I-94 to get my way back over to Augsburg’s Si-Melby Hall for the 3:00 P.M. game between the host Auggies and visiting St. Scholastica.  I got myself settled in the stands alongside St. Kate’s Head Coach Sean Pinkerton and his assistant Tim Kjar with 5:15 left in the first half with Augsburg holding a 15-13 lead in what looked to be a very tight, close game. 

 

The Auggies and Saints would stay close for the rest of the first half as well.  St. Scholastica would threaten to take the initiative when freshman guard Kayla Swanson connected with a lay-up in transition with 3:24 left that had the Saints up 19-16 but Auggie sharp-shooting senior guard Jolene Blood’s free throws with 2:23 left along with junior guard Abbey Luger’s freebie after being fouled in a transition lay-up attempt knotted things up at 19 a piece.  With the score tied at 21, up-and-coming sophomore guard Marie Fitzgerald knocked down a “3” from the right top area with :45 left for a 24-21 lead and the Auggies were able to take a slim 25-23 lead going into the locker room at the half.  On a down note, however, Blood had taken an inadvertent shot to the side of her head in the latter moments of the first half and Augsburg Head Coach Bill McKee could ill-afford to have his senior three-point specialist on the bench in such a close affair.

 

Fortunately for the Auggies, Blood was back and ready to go when the second half got underway and others were ready and willing to step up as well.  Senior guard/forward Jill Tichy got the Auggie Express rolling with her drive into the paint and a one-handed shot off the glass at the 19:36 mark.  Reserve sophomore post Bridget Kopp connected with a jumper at the charity stripe at the 16:22 mark and then Luger used her quickness to get inside for a score at the 15:15 mark that had Augsburg up 33-25 and had St. Scholastica Head Coach Stacy Deadrick scratching her head as she called a timeout to discuss things with her squad.  But Luger almost single-handedly threatened to put the Saints away for good herself.  She connected with a “3” from the left wing area at the 14:18 mark that, coupled with a score inside by Kopp at the 13:04 mark, now had the Auggies up 38-29.  A lay-up by the junior from Oakdale at the 11:48 mark and then a drive and finish at the 10:22 mark seemed to have Augsburg in the safe zone with a 43-33 lead.  The Saints, however, managed to claw their way back into the thick of things over the next two minutes.  Junior guard Mariah Hovick snared an offensive rebound for a putback and made a free throw after being fouled with 9:24 left.  Senior post Caitlin McKernon’s drive and finish got her fouled in the process and the ensuing charity stripe shot allowed St. Scholastica to get to within three at 43-40.  Another sore spot for the Auggies was that Luger had missed the front end of three consecutive one-and-one opportunities that may have kept the Saints at bay.  Instead, that safe zone for the Auggies was now gone for the moment.

 

The Saints’ sophomore guard Kelsey Sorensen Giffrow’s “3” with 7:10 mark tied things up at 43-all with 7:10 left but that’s exactly where St. Scholastica’s hopes ended as well.  Fitzgerald drained a “3” from the left wing with 6:47 left that put the Auggies back out in front for good at 46-43 and then Blood swooped in for a lay-up with 5:39 left.  Free throws by both Blood and Tichy along with another Blood lay-up with 3:58 left had Augsburg back up by ten at 54-44.  The convincing blow by Augsburg was delivered by none other than Fitzgerald with 3:12 left as she knocked down a “3’ from the right wing as the shot clock expired for a 57-44 Auggie advantage that the Saints would not have any answers for.  Freebies by sophomore forward Jessica Lillquist and Tichy sealed St. Scholastica’s fate on this snowy Saturday afternoon as Augsburg was able to book a 62-48 win that now has the Auggies sitting at .500 with a 3-3 record with a big conference clash next week Saturday against GAC.

CSB vs UST 12-14-13

Took to those wonderful St. Paul streets on this mid-day Saturday to work my way over to Anderson Athletic Complex to catch two old rivals – host UST and visiting CSB.  We all know where the Tommies are on the food chain but this Blazer team is looking to make a move upward back to the elite ranks where they have been for so many seasons.  This CSB team does have talent; albeit young talent so the big question on this day is would they be ready to stand up to the mighty UST juggernaut?

 

I was fortunate on this day to be joined by St. Kate’s Head Coach Sean Pinkerton who did a wonderful job of breaking some things down for me and giving me an idea of what to look for during the game.  But neither of us could have forseen the demolition that was about to take place – certainly in the first half anyway.    Things started off innocently enough as UST all-world senior Taylor Young knocked down two free throws after being fouled at the 18:24 mark but things quickly started going downhill for the Blazers after that.  A running jumper by surprising sophomore Katie Stone at the 17:59 mark followed by a score in the paint by senior post Maggie Weiers had the Tommies up 6-0 by the 15:49 mark.  But this UST squad would not be satisfied with simply that.  They employed a suffocating full-court press that completely befuddled the red-clad Blazers and forced them to commit several turnovers in the process which played right into the Tommies hands for the ensuing first-half massacre.  Junior forward Anna Smith then knocked down a “3” from the top of the key at the 15:18 mark and CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin had seen enough to know it was time to burn a time out.

 

Unfortunately for the Blazers, whatever Durbin could tell them didn’t help much.  Not only was CSB having difficulty just getting the ball up the floor but, once across the timeline, they simply could not get anything established inside and any ill-advised foray into the brutal world of the purple Tommies was fraught with disaster.  Even worse was that their perimeter shooting was utterly frightful in the first half to boot.  Young connected with a jumper from the left top at the 13:25 mark and then senior guard Kelly Brandenburg, who was on the receiving end of a simply beautiful pass in transition from Stone, finished with a lay-up that not only wowed the crowd at the new Schoenecker Arena but had both Pinkerton and myself simply shaking our heads in amazement.  Three consecutive scores by Weiers within the span of a minute had the Tommies up by three touchdowns at 21-0 before Blazer senior guard Brianna Barrett finally got CSB on the board with a “3” from the right wing with 8:28 left.  A drive along the right baseline for a finish by fellow senior forward Morgan Dale cut the deficit to sixteen at 21-5 but the Tommies were not done yet.  Another “3” from Smith from the right wing area as the shot clock was expiring with 4:43 left along with a lay-up from Weiers in transition with 3:30 left after a block on the other end made it a 28-5 ballgame.  Blazer senior guard Tish Alexander tried to counter with a “3” with 3:06 left but the Tommies would go on another short run; highlighted by reserve junior forward Elaine Warner’s offensive rebound and putback with just :02 left to make it a 36-10 game for UST at halftime.  A quick check of the first half box score gives you an idea of how bad it really was.  The Tommies simply pounded CSB on the boards by a 27-11 count (OUCH!) and the Blazers shot a Roseanne Barr-like 3-25 from FG range for 12% and an equally hideous 2-11 from behind the arc for 18.2%.  Yikes.  In all seriousness, I think the big thing that must have weighed heavily on Durbin’s mind at the half was that the Blazers were simply intimidated by the Tommies and they needed to find a way to get over that.

 

To their credit, I think whatever Durbin told them at the half had some effect as the Blazers put up a much better fight in the second half.  With UST safely out in front by a 41-10 count, Alexander nailed a “3” from the left top area at the 16:18 mark.  Then sophomore forward Mattie Lueck, who had a very solid second half, connected with a short jumper at the 14:36 mark and then connected with a “3” from the right wing area at the 14:04 mark that cut the Tommie lead to 43-20.  Lueck then made good on a lay-up attempt at the 13:14 mark and got fouled in the process and made good on the obligatory freebie.  Another “3” from Alexander from the right corner at the 12:28 mark plus a score inside by Lueck had the deficit cut down to a much more respectable twenty points at 48-28.  Lueck then banged home a “3” from the left top area with 5:28 left and then junior reserve forward Elena Koch knocked down a mid-range jumper with 5:01 left that kept the deficit at twenty at 53-33 and had an unhappy UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn calling a timeout for a talk with her squad.

 

The Tommies, however, would not be denied on this day after the great first half they had when they looked like a team that could win a natty.  A score in the paint with 4:12 left by Smith who has made tremendous strides since first coming to UST after a stellar HS career at Bloomington Jefferson and an offensive rebound by junior reserve forward Hannah Hughes of her own miss for a lay-up with 2:54 left upped the Tommie lead to 58-33.  Sinn gave her bench an opportunity to get in on the action late and this gave freshman reserve forward Kelsey Frey a chance to get into the books with her jumper in the lane with :40 left that allowed UST to claim a resounding 60-36 victory.

 

Afterward, I asked Sinn if she was happy with where her team is right now going into the holiday break.  “Defenisvely, yes!” she replied but she was quick to point out that there’s still a lot to clean up on the offensive end.  She alluded to the recent schedule that has had the Tommies playing games with maybe only a day or two of practice in between that has not given them an opportunity to work on that consistency issue we’ve discussed before.  “We’re still throwing the ball around way too much” she admitted but that’s something that she hopes to work on before their next game after the first of the year. 

Luther vs Northwestern 12-13-13

Made the trek over to the Ericksen Center on this cold Friday evening to take in this intriguing IIAC – UMAC clash between visiting Luther College out of my home state of Iowa in Decorah and host Northwestern.  The Norse were coming into this contest with a rather impressive 7-1 record with victories over some very solid programs including UW-Eau Claire and St. Olaf while the Eagles had a solid 5-3 record with losses to some very good teams (GAC and UW-Superior) – but some good wins as well to boot (UW-Stout, Buena Vista).  Not knowing much about Luther, I really wasn’t sure how this game would unfold but, in the end, I was sure glad I came.

 

The sweet-singing backcourt duo of the Eagles in senior Mollie Sir and junior Chanel Madson got this night going with another great rendition of the National Anthem.  And, early on anyway, the Eagles were grooving as they built an 8-2 lead by the 16:22 mark fueled by baskets from Madson, senior forward/post Jessica Fife and willowy junior forward Hannah Holm.  But this game would be marked by runs and changes of momentum throughout.  And it wouldn’t take Luther long to go on their own little 6-0 run.  Senior forward Taylor Johnson’s offensive rebound and putback at the 15:21 mark; a jumper from the left corner by freshman reserve Haley Kirkpatrick and two charity stripe shots by sophomore point guard Tayler Jenks knotted the issue at 8-all at the 14:10 mark.  After the Eagles had regained an edge by a score of 11-8 by the 13:15 mark, the Norse answered with another 6-0 push that gave Luther its first lead at 14-11 with 11:31 left.

 

The lead would change hands four more times before the halftime break as neither side could gain a discernable advantage.  Madson uncorked a “3” at the 10:27 mark from the right top area and Sir would get her first trey of the night some five minutes later.  A drive into the paint and finish by Missouri Valley, Iowa native sophomore Courtney Cunard with 3:54 left had the Eagles up 25-21 but this is where Luther embarked on a 12-4 run to close out the first half.  Kirkpatrick scored on a lay-up with 3:42 left and a drive into the paint and finish by senior reserve guard Logan Hjerleid tied the game at 25-all.  Then it was Jenks’ “3” from the left wing area with 1:30 left and a “3” from senior backcourt mate Lyndsi Woolems from the left corner with :38 left.  Senior forward Nellie Nelson’s lay-up in transition after an Eagle turnover allowed the Norse to take a 33-29 lead into the locker room.

 

Northwestern had been employing a 2-3 zone on defense in hopes of neutralizing the Luther “bigs” and it appeared to be paying dividends in the opening minutes of the second half as the Eagles sought to regain the lead and momentum.  Two scores in the paint by Fife along with a drive and finish along the left baseline by Holm and an offensive rebound and putback by Cunard had Northwestern back up by a score of 37-33 by the 17:10 mark.  But again Luther responded to eventually tie the issue at 39-all by the 13:36 mark.  With the score tied at 43-all with 10:25 left the Norse again sought to spoil things for the home crowd as the went on another 6-0 spree behind the heroics of Hjerleid as her scores at the 9:31 and 9:02 marks prompted Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl to call a timeout as his Eagles were now looking at a 49-43 deficit. 

 

To make matters worse, Northwestern had been struggling mightily from the perimeter as neither Sir nor Madson could find the range from behind the arc.  With things beginning to look bleak for Northwestern, trailing by a score of 53-46 with 6:40 left, the sweet-singing duet magically found their touch when the Eagles needed it most.  Sir nailed a “3” from the left wing area with 5:56 left and then Madson did likewise from the right wing with 5:25 left that sliced the Norse lead down to 55-52.  Two free throws by Luther’s senior forward Taylor Johnson out of La Crosse, Wisconsin momentarily had the Norse back up by five with 4:58 left but then Sir, showing why she has to be one of the top guards in the UMAC, calmly drained back-to-back momentum-breaking “3’s” – one from the top of the key with 4:21 left and another from the right top area with 3:46 left – that had the home crowd going wild as Northwestern had once again claimed the lead in stunning fashion by a 58-57 count.   After a thirty-second timeout by Kahl to discuss strategy, the Eagles looked to consolidate with this late run and Madson drained a “3” from the left wing area with 2:18 left that now had the Eagles up 61-57 and Luther looked doomed.

 

Ah, but the late-game fireworks were just getting started at Ericksen Center as the Norse calmly but assuredly battled their way right back.  Sophomore reserve guard Amanda Busta maneuvered her 5’6” frame into the paint for a score with 1:56 left and then Johnson knocked down a jumper near the charity stripe with 1:22 left after the Norse were able to get a much-needed stop that tied the game at 61-all.  On the next Luther possession with just under a minute remaining, Hjerleid made a strong move to the rim for a lay-up attempt but Cunard of Northwestern got a piece of the shot and, in the ensuing scramble for the loose ball, Busta was able to somehow grab control for a putback attempt that got her fouled by Sir.  Busta then made good on her two freebie attempts that pushed the Norse back out in front 63-61.  On their next possession, the Eagles turned the ball over with :35 left trailing by two and looked finished.  Johnson was fouled by Fife but could not convert on the obligatory free throw and now the Eagles had one more shot at forcing OT.  Northwestern patiently worked the ball around with time ticking down; looking for the best opportunity.  Fife finally got free just enough where she took the pass to her and made her move to the rim where she was fouled by Nelson – apparently before the shot went in; with :05.1 left on the clock;  much to the chagrin of Kahl.  Fife, however, missed her first free throw attempt and now things changed drastically from a Northwestern standpoint.  In fact, confusion reigned after Fife’s miss as Cunard snared the errant freebie for a putback that had the Northwestern crowd going nuts.  Alas, it was a two-shot situation.  Kahl called another timeout to discuss what the Eagles obviously had to do – have Fife intentionally miss the second free throw attempt.  Fife did just that but somehow in the army of bodies underneath the basket, Holm somehow grabbed the loose ball and impossibly put up a putback attempt that got her fouled by Jenks with :00.1 left on the clock!  It was now or never for the Eagles but the junior from Charlotte, North Carolina; with the weight of the world on her young shoulders, calmly knocked down both attempts that tied things at 63-all.  Luther was unable to do anything with the millisecond left and we were headed to overtime!

 

Luther Head Coach Amanda Bailey; determined not to let another opportunity for victory slip through the Norse’s fingers again,  had her squad come out firing on all cylinders in the extra session.  Sophomore reserve guard Kylie Romeo out of Moline, Illinois nailed a “3” from the left wing with 3:51 left that had Luther back out in front 66-63.  On the next Norse possession, Jenks let loose with a three-point bomb from the right corner with 3:08 left and, just like that, Luther appeared in command with a 69-63 advantage.  But this resourceful Northwestern squad refused to lay down, just as they had in regulation when things looked utterly bleak.  Madson knocked down a “3” from the left top area with 2:53 left that chopped the Norse lead in half.  After getting another big stop the Eagles continued with their assault.  And it would be a score by Fife in the paint with 1:30 left that brought Northwestern to within one trailing 69-68.  Luther, when they needed shots to drop at the most critical stage, simply could not buy a basket but a lot of the credit has to go to Fife who battled incredibly hard against a bigger Luther front line all night long.  On the next Eagle possession, Cunard was fouled and her two freebies put the Eagles up for good by a 70-69 count.  Another failed Luther possession and another Fife rebound finally gave Northwestern a chance to close this thing out and they did it in the most unlikely fashion as freshman reserve guard Tiffany Stubbs got loose in the paint for a clinching score with :11 left that now had the Eagles up 72-69.  Luther had one more shot to try and force a second overtime but a three-point attempt by Woolems with just :06 left missed its mark and Northwestern claimed an exhilarating 72-69 home win over a very solid IIAC opponent.

 

An emotionally-drained but happy Kahl gave his never-say-die squad a ton of credit for hanging in there when things did not look good in the second half.  He heaped a ton of praise on Fife; pointing out her double-double on this night which consisted of 19 points and 20 rebounds as the senior from Osseo battled incredibly hard on this night.  A physically tired but very happy Fife was her usual happy, humble self afterward.  “After I missed that first free throw, I didn’t want to think that I had lost the game…..We just found a way and Hannah (Holm) was awesome with that rebound after I had to miss the second.”  Both Kahl and Fife agreed how a win like this was important going forward; not only in the New Year’s tournament they will be participating in but also going into UMAC play as well.  And I think, if you look at how the UMAC is shaping up already, you would have to think that this is Northwestern’s year to take the conference and have a shot at getting to the NCAA Tournament.