Made the jaunt over to Roseville on late Wednesday afternoon to take in the evening practice being held by Northwestern at the Ericksen Center. I got there early enough to get myself situated and settled in and, much to my surprise, one of the important cogs of last year's run to the UMAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance, Mollie Sir; now helping out with Kahl and the coaching staff with practices, came down the stairs after the team meeting to greet me. She, along with fellow grad Jessica Fife (not at practice on this night), are both helping out with the team at practices and that's a really great thing that they can share their experience and knowledge with the newbies on the squad. And there are a LOT of new faces on the team this year. Shortly thereafter, Head Coach Aaron Kahl came down the stairs to greet me as we made our way to the gymnasium where the men's team was just finishing up practice. Kahl is one of the truly good guys in the coaching ranks and Northwestern's run the UMAC title and subsequent NCAA Tournament appearance were no fluke. He has taken the program to new heights and last year's feats are just one step forward.
After some dynamic stretching and warm-up exercises to get loosened up, Kahl has the team engage in their first drill in practice called "2 In A Row Shooting". Here, players are either two or three at a basket and a player has to hit two shots in a row from one spot before they can move the next spot. As the drill progresses, Kahl has the shooting range lengthen and it increases the difficulty of making two in a row.
The next drill is "Perfects Into 5-0". This is an interesting drill as Kahl has five players working on their zone defensive positioning by how he directs them with the ball. Kahl then puts up a shot (I was amazed at what a good shooter Kahl actually is!) for the group to rebound and then they go the other way on a 5-0 "shell" drill. This same group will come back down with the ball to the other end but this time they're greeted by a new group of five players and they will battle it out 5-on-5. The new group goes through the same process as the first group and when they get back to the other end, there's another group of five players waiting for them for another 5-on-5 half court clash.
Next is a team breakdown as the squad splits into three groups to work on various facets of the game. Kahl and assistant coach Zach Filzen work with one group on offensive positioning (5-0; 4 on the perimeter). Sir has another group under her tutelage as they work on inbounds passes and how to score off of them. Assistant Coach Roxie Brown has another group as they focus on starting points (with the high post). After six minutes, the groups switch so each group gets a taste of each work station.
Brown takes charge in the next drill which is aptly entitled "Get Lean And Mean With Rox!". Here, five players go down the floor on a 5-0 "shell" drill situation. The group must make five short shots off the glass and then sprint down to the other end and get into a 1-2-2 zone. Needless to say, a water break is in the offing for the squad once this session is complete.
Kahl has the squad spend some time on rebound transition work which consists mostly of 5-on-5 full court situations but he spends a large amount of time on 5-on-5 half court work; trying to get the offense to do what he wants them to do while, at the same time; getting his team to learn the ins and outs of zone defense - something that Kahl believes in strongly and something his teams have employed quite effectively over the last few years.
One of the really cool things about attending this practice was that practically all of the players came over to greet me and introduce themselves during the short breaks they had. I have to admit that I've never had quite anything like that happen before but, then again, this is a classy group and it's just further proof what a great program Kahl has here and the quality people he has in it. Afterward in his office, I got to talking with him about last year's team and if this year's squad can continue on that same path. Kahl admits that the road ahead is arguably a bit more treacherous than what it was last year given the youth on his squad. "We still have to get better defensively" he said and it's little wonder why he was doing so much half-court work focusing on defense in the latter stages of practice on this night. They'll get a chance to test their mettle this next week Monday night when Anoka-Ramsey makes the trek over to Roseville for a scrimmage that begins at 7:00 P.M.
Outtakes: This is a very young team and the two seniors, Chanel Madson and Jacki Smith, will certainly be thrust into the leadership role this season.......Speaking of newcomers, Kahl is very high on freshman Amy Berglund out of Springfield, Virginia and, watching her in practice, it's easy to see why. She has the potential to be a very, very good player for this program. Another newcomer to keep your eye on is junior Regan Cooper who transferred into Northwestern from Briar Cliff College. A very strong, athletic player who seems to be a perfect "fit" at the "4" position. Smith is the heir apparent to the post spot held down the last few years by Fife and her 6'2" frame will certainly allow her to get the job done in her own fashion. She hasn't been with the team as much as she'd like as she's also on the volleyball team at Northwestern. Another player to keep your eye on, IMHO, is 5'10" sophomore forward Emily Van Lith who likely will be one of the first players coming off the bench this season......Northwestern has been picked to finish third in the UMAC behind UM-Morris and St. Scholastica.
Los Angeles Rams
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Augsburg vs Anoka-Ramsey Scrimmage 10-28-14
Made my way up to Anoka-Ramsey on Tuesday night to catch this intriguing scrimmage between visiting Augsburg and Anoka-Ramsey. Both teams obviously have a lot to prove this coming season and, with the new faces on each side, it would be interesting to get a glimpse of how the newcomers would do and how they would mesh with the returning veterans.
1st Scrimmage:
Both sides struggled offensively in the early going as things were tight in the opening minutes. Augsburg grabbed a 2-0 lead at the 18:43 mark on junior guard Destiny Scott's lay-up but that was answered by Anoka-Ramsey freshman Maya DeLao's jumper from the right wing at the 18:21 mark. With both squads playing tight man-to-man defense, the scoring output suffered as neither side could gain a decided advantage. A lay-up by Augsburg senior guard Abbey Luger at the 17:25 mark tied things at 4-all but Anoka-Ramsey would come right back and hold a 6-4 lead by the 15:54 mark. Sophomore forward Laykn Bauer, however, would help get Augsburg back out in front by a count of 8-6 by the 12:23 mark thanks to a short shot from the right side and a charity stripe shot shortly afterward.
Anoka-Ramsey was finally able to assume some semblance of control in this first scrimmage at the 11:10 mark when sophomore guard Mattie Racek drilled a "3" from the top of the key that had the Golden Rams back out in front by a score of 12-8. Anoka-Ramsey would build the advantage to seven points at 19-12 with 4:57 left before the Auggies got untracked and went on a 7-0 run of their own over the next two minutes that had things knotted up at 19-all with 3:16 left. First, junior newcomer Raeann Sorenson, who comes to Augsburg after two years at Ridgewater College, knocked down one free throw with 4:48 left and a "3" from the left corner by junior guard Ashley Anfinson with 4:30 left pulled the Auggies to within three and a score inside by freshman post Hannah Steinhaus who hails from Waterville sliced the deficit to a scant point. Then freshman Bridget Bednar from Pierz made a freebie at the aforementioned 3:16 mark that knotted the score. But DeLao would come to the rescue for the Golden Rams in the home stretch of this one. She connected on a drive and finish with 2:34 left to put Anoka-Ramsey back out in front 21-19 and then a pretty lay-up by the former Simley standout that drew a foul in the process sent her to the charity stripe where she connected and made it a 24-19 game. Augsburg sophomore reserve guard Alison Ranum helped the Auggies stay within striking distance - she connected with a lay-up with 1:12 left and a free throw by the former Fridley product made it a one-possession game as Anoka-Ramsey clung to a 26-23 advantage. But Golden Ram sophomore point guard Hannah Norton's "3" from the left top area with :11 left proved to be the insurance that Anoka-Ramsey would need in this first scrimmage as they took this one by a count of 29-23.
2nd Scrimmage:
Perhaps the sting of defeat in the first scrimmage lit the fires of desire in the Auggies once it was time to tip off the second scrimmage. Or maybe it was because they simply upped their intensity after a long talk with Head Coach Bill McKee and his assistant Joshua Hersch. Whatever the reason, Augsburg came out with a newfound sense of purpose in this second scrimmage and they quickly took control as scores in the paint by Anfinson and Steinhaus had the Auggies up 4-0 by the 18:44 mark. Two scores by the Golden Rams had Anoka-Ramsey within two trailing 6-4 at the 17:55 mark but a free throw by Sorenson at the 17:48 mark and a "3" from the right wing by Scott at the 17:15 mark had the Auggies up by six at 10-4 and they never looked back. An 8-2 push by the Auggies over the next four minutes; fueled by a short turnaround jumper by junior guard Jenna Orth and a score off of an inbounds pass by Bednar that got her fouled and allowed her to knock down the obligatory freebie allowed the Auggies to grab an 18-8 lead by the 13:13 mark. Anoka-Ramsey tried to make inroads on the Augsburg advantage as Racek drained a "3" from the right top area at the 12:36 mark but another free throw by Sorenson at the 12:22 mark and a finish in the paint by Steinhaus made it a 22-13 game by the 11:50 mark.
Much to the chagrin of Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt, the bottom fell out for the Golden Rams as Augsburg continued with its charge. Despite a DeLao "3" from the right wing area with 8:11 left, the Auggies began to pour it on. Orth knocked down a free throw with 5:48 left and the former Melrose product followed that up with a lay-up in transition with 5:36 left. A Luger rebound and putback doubled up the Golden Rams at 34-17. A Ranum score in the paint with 2:47 left and a Luger score in the paint with 2:12 left that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the ensuing freebie only added to Anoka-Ramsey's miseries as Augsburg now held a 39-17 lead. Ranum provided the finishing touches in this runaway as she connected with a lay-up in transition with :08.5 left as the Auggies won this one by a count of 41-17.
3rd Scrimmage:
The third and final scrimmage on this night was twelve-minute running time affair that didn't allow for much in the way of scoring as the previous two scrimmages did but did allow some other players a chance to step up and show their game. Sophomore newcomer Alandra Brown-Cox; who transferred to Anoka-Ramsey after playing one year at Itasca Community College, was able to shake off the jitters from the first two scrimmages and make the most of this opportunity and she used her speed and athleticism to snare an errant Augsburg pass and dash the other way for an easy lay-up at the 8:13 mark and a 2-0 Golden Ram lead. Two scores by Luger - one in the paint with 7:50 left and a steal and lay-up the other way less than twenty seconds later - put Augsburg out in front 4-2 but Brown-Cox would help but Anoka-Ramsey back out in front for good in this one as she muscled into the paint for a score and got fouled in the process and her free throw put made it a 5-4 game. A pretty drive by Brown-Cox along the left baseline and finish with 4:50 left enabled Anoka-Ramsey to take this one by a final count of 11-6.
1st Scrimmage:
Both sides struggled offensively in the early going as things were tight in the opening minutes. Augsburg grabbed a 2-0 lead at the 18:43 mark on junior guard Destiny Scott's lay-up but that was answered by Anoka-Ramsey freshman Maya DeLao's jumper from the right wing at the 18:21 mark. With both squads playing tight man-to-man defense, the scoring output suffered as neither side could gain a decided advantage. A lay-up by Augsburg senior guard Abbey Luger at the 17:25 mark tied things at 4-all but Anoka-Ramsey would come right back and hold a 6-4 lead by the 15:54 mark. Sophomore forward Laykn Bauer, however, would help get Augsburg back out in front by a count of 8-6 by the 12:23 mark thanks to a short shot from the right side and a charity stripe shot shortly afterward.
Anoka-Ramsey was finally able to assume some semblance of control in this first scrimmage at the 11:10 mark when sophomore guard Mattie Racek drilled a "3" from the top of the key that had the Golden Rams back out in front by a score of 12-8. Anoka-Ramsey would build the advantage to seven points at 19-12 with 4:57 left before the Auggies got untracked and went on a 7-0 run of their own over the next two minutes that had things knotted up at 19-all with 3:16 left. First, junior newcomer Raeann Sorenson, who comes to Augsburg after two years at Ridgewater College, knocked down one free throw with 4:48 left and a "3" from the left corner by junior guard Ashley Anfinson with 4:30 left pulled the Auggies to within three and a score inside by freshman post Hannah Steinhaus who hails from Waterville sliced the deficit to a scant point. Then freshman Bridget Bednar from Pierz made a freebie at the aforementioned 3:16 mark that knotted the score. But DeLao would come to the rescue for the Golden Rams in the home stretch of this one. She connected on a drive and finish with 2:34 left to put Anoka-Ramsey back out in front 21-19 and then a pretty lay-up by the former Simley standout that drew a foul in the process sent her to the charity stripe where she connected and made it a 24-19 game. Augsburg sophomore reserve guard Alison Ranum helped the Auggies stay within striking distance - she connected with a lay-up with 1:12 left and a free throw by the former Fridley product made it a one-possession game as Anoka-Ramsey clung to a 26-23 advantage. But Golden Ram sophomore point guard Hannah Norton's "3" from the left top area with :11 left proved to be the insurance that Anoka-Ramsey would need in this first scrimmage as they took this one by a count of 29-23.
2nd Scrimmage:
Perhaps the sting of defeat in the first scrimmage lit the fires of desire in the Auggies once it was time to tip off the second scrimmage. Or maybe it was because they simply upped their intensity after a long talk with Head Coach Bill McKee and his assistant Joshua Hersch. Whatever the reason, Augsburg came out with a newfound sense of purpose in this second scrimmage and they quickly took control as scores in the paint by Anfinson and Steinhaus had the Auggies up 4-0 by the 18:44 mark. Two scores by the Golden Rams had Anoka-Ramsey within two trailing 6-4 at the 17:55 mark but a free throw by Sorenson at the 17:48 mark and a "3" from the right wing by Scott at the 17:15 mark had the Auggies up by six at 10-4 and they never looked back. An 8-2 push by the Auggies over the next four minutes; fueled by a short turnaround jumper by junior guard Jenna Orth and a score off of an inbounds pass by Bednar that got her fouled and allowed her to knock down the obligatory freebie allowed the Auggies to grab an 18-8 lead by the 13:13 mark. Anoka-Ramsey tried to make inroads on the Augsburg advantage as Racek drained a "3" from the right top area at the 12:36 mark but another free throw by Sorenson at the 12:22 mark and a finish in the paint by Steinhaus made it a 22-13 game by the 11:50 mark.
Much to the chagrin of Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt, the bottom fell out for the Golden Rams as Augsburg continued with its charge. Despite a DeLao "3" from the right wing area with 8:11 left, the Auggies began to pour it on. Orth knocked down a free throw with 5:48 left and the former Melrose product followed that up with a lay-up in transition with 5:36 left. A Luger rebound and putback doubled up the Golden Rams at 34-17. A Ranum score in the paint with 2:47 left and a Luger score in the paint with 2:12 left that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the ensuing freebie only added to Anoka-Ramsey's miseries as Augsburg now held a 39-17 lead. Ranum provided the finishing touches in this runaway as she connected with a lay-up in transition with :08.5 left as the Auggies won this one by a count of 41-17.
3rd Scrimmage:
The third and final scrimmage on this night was twelve-minute running time affair that didn't allow for much in the way of scoring as the previous two scrimmages did but did allow some other players a chance to step up and show their game. Sophomore newcomer Alandra Brown-Cox; who transferred to Anoka-Ramsey after playing one year at Itasca Community College, was able to shake off the jitters from the first two scrimmages and make the most of this opportunity and she used her speed and athleticism to snare an errant Augsburg pass and dash the other way for an easy lay-up at the 8:13 mark and a 2-0 Golden Ram lead. Two scores by Luger - one in the paint with 7:50 left and a steal and lay-up the other way less than twenty seconds later - put Augsburg out in front 4-2 but Brown-Cox would help but Anoka-Ramsey back out in front for good in this one as she muscled into the paint for a score and got fouled in the process and her free throw put made it a 5-4 game. A pretty drive by Brown-Cox along the left baseline and finish with 4:50 left enabled Anoka-Ramsey to take this one by a final count of 11-6.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Macalester Practice 10-27-14
Made my way over to the St. Paul side of town yesterday afternoon after work and down Snelling Avenue to catch Macalester's practice on this Monday afternoon. I got into Leonard Center about 15 minutes prior to the start of practice and was greeted by new Macalester Head Coach and former University of Minnesota standout and assistant coach Kelly Roysland and her new assistant - and last year's MIAC Player of the Year - Courtney Euerle. Both were bubbling with enthusiasm on this day and I couldn't help but remark that both could fit right into playing roles if they could somehow garner some extra NCAA eligibility.
To start things off, the team went through some dynamic stretching and warm-up exercises to help get loosened up for the day and then Roysland had the squad gather at mid-court to go over some things. The team also took time to sing "Happy Birthday" to sophomore post Park Masterson who was celebrating her birthday on this day (the big 2-0?). Then it was time to get down to business as Roysland's squad performed a corner lay-up drill whereby players line up on each baseline corner and each player takes a pass from the opposite side to make a lay-up. The opening minutes of the drill are not pleasing to Roysland and her quest for excellence as several easy lay-ups are missed. She stops the drill and tells the players "Put pressure on yourself!". The drill resumes and this time the squad responds in a much more crisp manner with a much better result in terms of lay-ups made. Roysland modifies this drill twice after a few minutes - once to have players shoot short-range jumpers off the glass and then again to have the players shoot medium-range jumpers from near the "elbow" area.
Next comes a series of fast-break drills. First is a full-court 5-person weave with lay-ups at both ends of the floor. Then the drill is modified to do a 5-person weave down the floor with a lay-up but coming back the other way it turns into a 3-on-2 situation. Then, going the other way, it turns into a 2-on-1 situation which is interesting. The next drill is called a "Timberwolves Drill" whereby (and I hope I'm describing this correctly) three players go down the court; one player does a lay-up and the two other players take passes from the baseline to take a jumper. After finishing this up, Roysland has her team do a round of sprints before the squad takes a well-deserved water break.
After a bit of 5-on-5 full-court work and a few minutes spent on charity stripe shots, Roysland has her squad perform another interesting drill - "pulls" - whereby the players are lined up in two lines and the player in action has to literally "pull" the ball away from either Roysland or assistant coach Jordi Gerking as if they were pulling the ball away from an opposing offensive players and then go to the hoop for a lay-up where they're greeted by Euerle under the net - an imposing enough sight as it is. Euerle, however, has a pad she holds with both hands that she uses to try and disrupt the players rhythm and concentration by pushing off on them just enough to get them a little off balance.
Next, Roysland sets up cones on the left wing side while players are lined up in two lines on the left baseline. The players have to go around the cones and one of the players is fed the ball to start a one-on-one situation. It's incredibly challenging for the defensive player to get around the cone and meet her opposing player with the ball in time to deter an easy lay-up or jumper. Roysland has the squad spend considerable time doing work on setting proper screens and several drills are incorporated into this facet of the game.
Next is another interesting drill - "Circle Rebounding". Here, five defensive players are in a circle underneath the basket while five offensive players are out along the perimeter. Euerle passes the ball out to one of the offensive players and the defensive players must sprint out to defend the ball. If the subsequent shot is missed and the defense is able to get the rebound, they go the other way in normal 5-on-5 fashion.
Lastly, Roysland has the squad do free throws and these are a bit more pressure-packed as one player is out on the charity stripe while the other players are along the baseline. If the player misses, the team must do either sprints or push-ups. The first few free throws are missed and rounds of sprints and push-ups are in the offing before most of the players begin to find their groove and make them. Masterson, the birthday girl, struggles with her first few attempts but sinks her last attempt; much to the delight of her teammates as Roysland calls it a day.
Afterward, I asked Roysland about what she feels is the biggest challenge in taking over a Macalester program that arguably struggled the last few years. She felt that the high academic standards at Macalester is primarily the big hurdle to overcome. Yet she seems confident and determined to go out and bring in the kind of players who can fit in both academically and with her program as well. She also pointed out that "buying in" to a new system is not always easy for the returning players. Yet, from what I saw, this team is buying in to Roysland's way of doing things hook, line and sinker. Additionally, she also felt that the youth factor of this squad is another area that's going to take some work as well as some of the newbies will likely have to grow up in a hurry. A glance at the Macalester roster shows one senior (forward Annie Drabot) along with two juniors (guards Erin Murray and Katelyn Kack), four sophomores and six freshmen. The one thing I pointed out to Roysland is that I felt that this squad his good chemistry and Roysland was quick to agree. "They're very supportive of each other" she said and that's obviously a big plus heading into this new season.
Outtakes: Even Roysland agreed that this squad is not the biggest out there and arguably Masterson will be carrying a huge load on her shoulders this season in the paint......Murray was at practice on this day but other than work on her free throw shooting she didn't participate in drills on this day as she had a wisdom tooth pulled (trust me, those kinds of things can be problematic) but should be back in action soon. Three sure bets at starters would include Masterson, Drabot, and Murray. Am guessing that Kack will somehow figure into the equation as well. Early schedule features matchups with three UMAC teams with both Crown and Northwestern visiting Leonard Center in November. UW-Superior will also pay a visit on 11-22 (unfortunately for me the same day as the UCLA-USC game). The Scots will also be playing in the Buena Vista Tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Storm Lake, Iowa before diving into MIAC play the first part of December.
To start things off, the team went through some dynamic stretching and warm-up exercises to help get loosened up for the day and then Roysland had the squad gather at mid-court to go over some things. The team also took time to sing "Happy Birthday" to sophomore post Park Masterson who was celebrating her birthday on this day (the big 2-0?). Then it was time to get down to business as Roysland's squad performed a corner lay-up drill whereby players line up on each baseline corner and each player takes a pass from the opposite side to make a lay-up. The opening minutes of the drill are not pleasing to Roysland and her quest for excellence as several easy lay-ups are missed. She stops the drill and tells the players "Put pressure on yourself!". The drill resumes and this time the squad responds in a much more crisp manner with a much better result in terms of lay-ups made. Roysland modifies this drill twice after a few minutes - once to have players shoot short-range jumpers off the glass and then again to have the players shoot medium-range jumpers from near the "elbow" area.
Next comes a series of fast-break drills. First is a full-court 5-person weave with lay-ups at both ends of the floor. Then the drill is modified to do a 5-person weave down the floor with a lay-up but coming back the other way it turns into a 3-on-2 situation. Then, going the other way, it turns into a 2-on-1 situation which is interesting. The next drill is called a "Timberwolves Drill" whereby (and I hope I'm describing this correctly) three players go down the court; one player does a lay-up and the two other players take passes from the baseline to take a jumper. After finishing this up, Roysland has her team do a round of sprints before the squad takes a well-deserved water break.
After a bit of 5-on-5 full-court work and a few minutes spent on charity stripe shots, Roysland has her squad perform another interesting drill - "pulls" - whereby the players are lined up in two lines and the player in action has to literally "pull" the ball away from either Roysland or assistant coach Jordi Gerking as if they were pulling the ball away from an opposing offensive players and then go to the hoop for a lay-up where they're greeted by Euerle under the net - an imposing enough sight as it is. Euerle, however, has a pad she holds with both hands that she uses to try and disrupt the players rhythm and concentration by pushing off on them just enough to get them a little off balance.
Next, Roysland sets up cones on the left wing side while players are lined up in two lines on the left baseline. The players have to go around the cones and one of the players is fed the ball to start a one-on-one situation. It's incredibly challenging for the defensive player to get around the cone and meet her opposing player with the ball in time to deter an easy lay-up or jumper. Roysland has the squad spend considerable time doing work on setting proper screens and several drills are incorporated into this facet of the game.
Next is another interesting drill - "Circle Rebounding". Here, five defensive players are in a circle underneath the basket while five offensive players are out along the perimeter. Euerle passes the ball out to one of the offensive players and the defensive players must sprint out to defend the ball. If the subsequent shot is missed and the defense is able to get the rebound, they go the other way in normal 5-on-5 fashion.
Lastly, Roysland has the squad do free throws and these are a bit more pressure-packed as one player is out on the charity stripe while the other players are along the baseline. If the player misses, the team must do either sprints or push-ups. The first few free throws are missed and rounds of sprints and push-ups are in the offing before most of the players begin to find their groove and make them. Masterson, the birthday girl, struggles with her first few attempts but sinks her last attempt; much to the delight of her teammates as Roysland calls it a day.
Afterward, I asked Roysland about what she feels is the biggest challenge in taking over a Macalester program that arguably struggled the last few years. She felt that the high academic standards at Macalester is primarily the big hurdle to overcome. Yet she seems confident and determined to go out and bring in the kind of players who can fit in both academically and with her program as well. She also pointed out that "buying in" to a new system is not always easy for the returning players. Yet, from what I saw, this team is buying in to Roysland's way of doing things hook, line and sinker. Additionally, she also felt that the youth factor of this squad is another area that's going to take some work as well as some of the newbies will likely have to grow up in a hurry. A glance at the Macalester roster shows one senior (forward Annie Drabot) along with two juniors (guards Erin Murray and Katelyn Kack), four sophomores and six freshmen. The one thing I pointed out to Roysland is that I felt that this squad his good chemistry and Roysland was quick to agree. "They're very supportive of each other" she said and that's obviously a big plus heading into this new season.
Outtakes: Even Roysland agreed that this squad is not the biggest out there and arguably Masterson will be carrying a huge load on her shoulders this season in the paint......Murray was at practice on this day but other than work on her free throw shooting she didn't participate in drills on this day as she had a wisdom tooth pulled (trust me, those kinds of things can be problematic) but should be back in action soon. Three sure bets at starters would include Masterson, Drabot, and Murray. Am guessing that Kack will somehow figure into the equation as well. Early schedule features matchups with three UMAC teams with both Crown and Northwestern visiting Leonard Center in November. UW-Superior will also pay a visit on 11-22 (unfortunately for me the same day as the UCLA-USC game). The Scots will also be playing in the Buena Vista Tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Storm Lake, Iowa before diving into MIAC play the first part of December.
Friday, October 17, 2014
St. Kate's Practice 10-16-14
Made my way over to the Butler Center early last evening to take in this Thursday evening practice by the St. Kate's Wildcats. There has been a lot of renovation work already completed at the Butler Center since late this last spring and more is currently underway. A new reception desk greets people as they enter the building and a newly refurbished lobby area upstairs adjacent to the arena is very spacious. By December, new locker rooms will be in place as well. Arguably, this renovation work will give St. Kate's a new identity it has been seeking for some time.
Before practice, I spent some time with Assistant Coach Tim Kjar and Head Coach Sean Pinkerton and also got to meet new Assistant Coach Tim Peper as well. You could just sense the optimism for the upcoming season from them as well as the players as they prepared getting ready for practice. Indeed, it is a very good sign to have the legion of walking wounded from last year's squad; i.e., junior point guard Gabby Zehrer and senior forward Mary Neumann, healthy again. I was also impressed by sophomore forward Mari Lee as she looks very strong and very confident from an offseason of hard work and preparation.
After a session of warm-up exercises that included defensive slides/jogs and zig zag defensive slides/sprints and a myriad of dynamic stretching exercises, Pinkerton has the team perform a drill called "star passing" whereby players are lined up at five different locations on the half-court and the players have to sharply and crisply make long passes and complete lay-ups at the end. Pinkerton also has the squad perform two more lay-up drills as well - one drill called "Canton Lay-ups" and another one called "2-Line Layups"; the latter being where players are lined up on either side of the basket and one player makes a shot off the glass and then caroms the ball off the other side of the glass for a player on the other side to grab the ball and tip it in for an easy shot.
The next important drill the team does is called "Villanova Closeouts" which entails work on ball screen with a contact switch. Next is a short combo drill with two groups where they work on two "v-cuts in deny". Pinkerton: "We're trying to establish a different defensive philosophy here at St. Kate's." Indeed, the intensity on this one is noticeable as Kjar; who is handling one of the groups is shouting "Deny, Deny!!!"
After a full-court shooting drill and some half-court 5-on-5 work, there is an interesting drill that starts out as a 3-on-2 situation in transition but has two defensive "trailers" coming in to assist. After the squad splits into two groups to do some 3-on-3 work conducted by Kjar and Peper, the squad then does a 5-0 "shell" drill conducted by Peper to work on offensive movement and setting screens. After a group of five players complete a set, they then go the other way in transition to complete the drill.
Next on the agenda is a drill entitled "Rolling Ball Closeouts Into 1-On-1". Basically, the way this works is that the offensive player starts from near the baseline area and rolls the ball out to the "high" area and has to recover to that area to get it. The defensive player meanwhile starts out in the "high" area but goes down low and then has to recover back out to the "high" area again to meet the offensive player where they then battle it out. After that there is a 4-on-4 defensive combo drill that once again emphasizes the new defensive philosophy that Pinkerton wants to establish. Kjar; who is handling one of the groups has the intensity flowing again as he shouts "Full denial!!!" as the team grinds through the work in this drill. And woe to the squad that gives up the middle of the floor on defense as sprints await for them.
Lastly on this evening is full-court 5-on-5 work with the squad split into three groups (purple, yellow and gray) that lasts for approximately 15 minutes before Pinkerton has the group assemble for a short pep talk to wrap things for the night. All in all, not a bad practice. A few little "owies" during the night - a bloody nose suffered by Zehrer and a blister that momentarily slowed sophomore sensation LaShay Holt and a few other minor scratches and/or scrapes but everyone came out fine and ready to go for the next practice.
Outtakes: The St. Kate's faithful have reason to be upbeat for this upcoming season. With everyone healthy again - and if they stay relatively healthy throughout the year - they should certainly improve on last season's disappointing 4-21 record. The post spot remains a bit of concern but, as I mentioned earlier, Lee has worked hard on the offseason and is noticeably stronger and should be able to hold her own down low. Obviously, the leadership and experience of departed senior Kristen Lee will be missed but I also think that Zehrer and others are more than capable of stepping into that leadership role.......The Wildcats have an interesting early schedule as they start the season out in Boston at a tip-off tournament there and also have a home date with UW-Stout plus encounters with three different UMAC teams as well - Crown, North Central and Northwestern with two of those games at the Butler Center (North Central and Northwestern). Concordia University of Chicago also makes a trip to the Twin Cities to take on the 'Cats just before the first of the year as well so if St. Kate's can get off to a good start and enter the brutal MIAC season with a head of steam, they certainly have the capability to make an impact. One nice aspect of the revamped MIAC scheduling for St. Kate's is that they only get Concordia once (at Butler Center) and SMU once (down in Winona) but they do pick up both UST and Bethel twice. IMHO, this team is certainly capable of 12-13 wins but if things click and go "right" for them, they could definitely surprise.
Before practice, I spent some time with Assistant Coach Tim Kjar and Head Coach Sean Pinkerton and also got to meet new Assistant Coach Tim Peper as well. You could just sense the optimism for the upcoming season from them as well as the players as they prepared getting ready for practice. Indeed, it is a very good sign to have the legion of walking wounded from last year's squad; i.e., junior point guard Gabby Zehrer and senior forward Mary Neumann, healthy again. I was also impressed by sophomore forward Mari Lee as she looks very strong and very confident from an offseason of hard work and preparation.
After a session of warm-up exercises that included defensive slides/jogs and zig zag defensive slides/sprints and a myriad of dynamic stretching exercises, Pinkerton has the team perform a drill called "star passing" whereby players are lined up at five different locations on the half-court and the players have to sharply and crisply make long passes and complete lay-ups at the end. Pinkerton also has the squad perform two more lay-up drills as well - one drill called "Canton Lay-ups" and another one called "2-Line Layups"; the latter being where players are lined up on either side of the basket and one player makes a shot off the glass and then caroms the ball off the other side of the glass for a player on the other side to grab the ball and tip it in for an easy shot.
The next important drill the team does is called "Villanova Closeouts" which entails work on ball screen with a contact switch. Next is a short combo drill with two groups where they work on two "v-cuts in deny". Pinkerton: "We're trying to establish a different defensive philosophy here at St. Kate's." Indeed, the intensity on this one is noticeable as Kjar; who is handling one of the groups is shouting "Deny, Deny!!!"
After a full-court shooting drill and some half-court 5-on-5 work, there is an interesting drill that starts out as a 3-on-2 situation in transition but has two defensive "trailers" coming in to assist. After the squad splits into two groups to do some 3-on-3 work conducted by Kjar and Peper, the squad then does a 5-0 "shell" drill conducted by Peper to work on offensive movement and setting screens. After a group of five players complete a set, they then go the other way in transition to complete the drill.
Next on the agenda is a drill entitled "Rolling Ball Closeouts Into 1-On-1". Basically, the way this works is that the offensive player starts from near the baseline area and rolls the ball out to the "high" area and has to recover to that area to get it. The defensive player meanwhile starts out in the "high" area but goes down low and then has to recover back out to the "high" area again to meet the offensive player where they then battle it out. After that there is a 4-on-4 defensive combo drill that once again emphasizes the new defensive philosophy that Pinkerton wants to establish. Kjar; who is handling one of the groups has the intensity flowing again as he shouts "Full denial!!!" as the team grinds through the work in this drill. And woe to the squad that gives up the middle of the floor on defense as sprints await for them.
Lastly on this evening is full-court 5-on-5 work with the squad split into three groups (purple, yellow and gray) that lasts for approximately 15 minutes before Pinkerton has the group assemble for a short pep talk to wrap things for the night. All in all, not a bad practice. A few little "owies" during the night - a bloody nose suffered by Zehrer and a blister that momentarily slowed sophomore sensation LaShay Holt and a few other minor scratches and/or scrapes but everyone came out fine and ready to go for the next practice.
Outtakes: The St. Kate's faithful have reason to be upbeat for this upcoming season. With everyone healthy again - and if they stay relatively healthy throughout the year - they should certainly improve on last season's disappointing 4-21 record. The post spot remains a bit of concern but, as I mentioned earlier, Lee has worked hard on the offseason and is noticeably stronger and should be able to hold her own down low. Obviously, the leadership and experience of departed senior Kristen Lee will be missed but I also think that Zehrer and others are more than capable of stepping into that leadership role.......The Wildcats have an interesting early schedule as they start the season out in Boston at a tip-off tournament there and also have a home date with UW-Stout plus encounters with three different UMAC teams as well - Crown, North Central and Northwestern with two of those games at the Butler Center (North Central and Northwestern). Concordia University of Chicago also makes a trip to the Twin Cities to take on the 'Cats just before the first of the year as well so if St. Kate's can get off to a good start and enter the brutal MIAC season with a head of steam, they certainly have the capability to make an impact. One nice aspect of the revamped MIAC scheduling for St. Kate's is that they only get Concordia once (at Butler Center) and SMU once (down in Winona) but they do pick up both UST and Bethel twice. IMHO, this team is certainly capable of 12-13 wins but if things click and go "right" for them, they could definitely surprise.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Anoka-Ramsey Practice 10-15-14
The new season kicked off for me today up at Anoka-Ramsey as I took in the Golden Rams 3:45 P.M. practice at their practice facility. I first met up with Assistant Coach James Fassett who has been Head Coach David DeWitt's right hand man for several seasons and we both were able to tell our tales of woe regarding our favorite college football teams (mine being UCLA of, course and his Missouri). We then briefly discussed the upcoming season and how the new players were coming along in practices so far.
It didn't take long for the team to start getting into their routine once DeWitt arrived and he had the squad start out with a drill I hadn't seen before. Basically, they started out from the sideline and "hopped" twice on their left legs to get squared up into shooting position. They did the same thing on their right leg a few minutes later. At first glance, it looked a little funny to watch them do this but DeWitt is a coach who insists on fundamentals and technique. This little drill would be modified in its latter stages with each player using a ball to dribble into shooting position.
Next, Coach Fassett had the guards and wing players work on their perimeter shooting. First he had the players start from near the half-court line to shoot from the right wing position and later had them start near the baseline and then move up to that same right wing spot to shoot the ball. The process would be repeated from the left wing as well. Meanwhile, Coach DeWitt was doing some one-on-one work with promising new sophomore Alandra Brown-Cox who comes to Anoka-Ramsey after one year at Itasca Community College and at Hope Academy before that. Former Anoka-Ramsey player and Assistant Coach Cami Bauer also helps out as DeWitt shows her some of the basic fundamentals of rebounding, posting up and going up hard for the shot.
Next, DeWitt had his squad work on his favorite aspect of basketball - defense and the drills he had his players go through were interrupted several times as DeWitt became increasingly agitated by the players' seeming lack of intensity and attitude toward it. "GET YOUR TECHNIQUE RIGHT!" DeWitt shouted (caps used to stress his ability to shout instructions!). Later, DeWitt had the team do a 3-on-3 drill with defensive emphasis; making sure each player knew where they were supposed to be defensively and how to move with the ball.
Next, DeWitt had the team employ a 5-on-0 "shell" drill where the players used the full-court to work on offensive positioning and ball movement. DeWitt became increasingly dissatisfied with the efforts here as well as once again, the drill was interrupted several times as DeWitt pointed out the shortcomings of their performance. A 4-on-4 half-court drill was done afterward as DeWitt had the squad work on some of the finer points of defense. To wrap things up on this day, the squad broke into groups of two to work on their shooting before calling it a practice.
Outtakes: With the departure of stalwart sophomores (and leaders) Maria Loughlin and Nicole Schaub, this is a team with a lot of new young faces and a squad still likely searching for that next "leader" to replace Loughlin who is now at UM-Crookston. The guess here is that burden likely falls on the shoulders of PG heir-apparent Hannah Norton and fellow sophomore guard Mattie Racek. The post spot is a bit of a concern as well as Fassett emphasized to me afterward that he's hoping to get some sort of commitment from one or two of the players currently playing on the volleyball team at Anoka-Ramsey. At the moment, Brown-Cox, is holding down the spot and Anoka-Ramsey can ill-afford any injury to her. She is incredibly athletic and has a ton of potential. While arguably more of a "natural" at the "4" position, you can bet that DeWitt will have her working hard to hold down that post position. The backcourt looks very solid at the moment with the aforementioned experience of both Norton and Racek but a host of hungry young players will be pushing them for playing time. I can't say at this date and time that Anoka-Ramsey is a sure bet to make a return trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Rochester come next March. The MCAC will be tough enough as it is with Minnesota West likely remaining a force in the conference and Northland Community and Technical College seeking to repeat last year's unlikely run to a national title. Still, DeWitt has a way of getting the most out of his teams and I suspect that this squad will only get better as the season progresses and will, at the very least, have something to say about who does go to the Big Dance in Rochester.
It didn't take long for the team to start getting into their routine once DeWitt arrived and he had the squad start out with a drill I hadn't seen before. Basically, they started out from the sideline and "hopped" twice on their left legs to get squared up into shooting position. They did the same thing on their right leg a few minutes later. At first glance, it looked a little funny to watch them do this but DeWitt is a coach who insists on fundamentals and technique. This little drill would be modified in its latter stages with each player using a ball to dribble into shooting position.
Next, Coach Fassett had the guards and wing players work on their perimeter shooting. First he had the players start from near the half-court line to shoot from the right wing position and later had them start near the baseline and then move up to that same right wing spot to shoot the ball. The process would be repeated from the left wing as well. Meanwhile, Coach DeWitt was doing some one-on-one work with promising new sophomore Alandra Brown-Cox who comes to Anoka-Ramsey after one year at Itasca Community College and at Hope Academy before that. Former Anoka-Ramsey player and Assistant Coach Cami Bauer also helps out as DeWitt shows her some of the basic fundamentals of rebounding, posting up and going up hard for the shot.
Next, DeWitt had his squad work on his favorite aspect of basketball - defense and the drills he had his players go through were interrupted several times as DeWitt became increasingly agitated by the players' seeming lack of intensity and attitude toward it. "GET YOUR TECHNIQUE RIGHT!" DeWitt shouted (caps used to stress his ability to shout instructions!). Later, DeWitt had the team do a 3-on-3 drill with defensive emphasis; making sure each player knew where they were supposed to be defensively and how to move with the ball.
Next, DeWitt had the team employ a 5-on-0 "shell" drill where the players used the full-court to work on offensive positioning and ball movement. DeWitt became increasingly dissatisfied with the efforts here as well as once again, the drill was interrupted several times as DeWitt pointed out the shortcomings of their performance. A 4-on-4 half-court drill was done afterward as DeWitt had the squad work on some of the finer points of defense. To wrap things up on this day, the squad broke into groups of two to work on their shooting before calling it a practice.
Outtakes: With the departure of stalwart sophomores (and leaders) Maria Loughlin and Nicole Schaub, this is a team with a lot of new young faces and a squad still likely searching for that next "leader" to replace Loughlin who is now at UM-Crookston. The guess here is that burden likely falls on the shoulders of PG heir-apparent Hannah Norton and fellow sophomore guard Mattie Racek. The post spot is a bit of a concern as well as Fassett emphasized to me afterward that he's hoping to get some sort of commitment from one or two of the players currently playing on the volleyball team at Anoka-Ramsey. At the moment, Brown-Cox, is holding down the spot and Anoka-Ramsey can ill-afford any injury to her. She is incredibly athletic and has a ton of potential. While arguably more of a "natural" at the "4" position, you can bet that DeWitt will have her working hard to hold down that post position. The backcourt looks very solid at the moment with the aforementioned experience of both Norton and Racek but a host of hungry young players will be pushing them for playing time. I can't say at this date and time that Anoka-Ramsey is a sure bet to make a return trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Rochester come next March. The MCAC will be tough enough as it is with Minnesota West likely remaining a force in the conference and Northland Community and Technical College seeking to repeat last year's unlikely run to a national title. Still, DeWitt has a way of getting the most out of his teams and I suspect that this squad will only get better as the season progresses and will, at the very least, have something to say about who does go to the Big Dance in Rochester.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Another Season Is Upon Us!
Well, here we are once again on the eve of October 15 and the start of another womens hoops season. As I have in the past, I will be checking out some of the various practices in the MIAC and community college scene to get a feel for each squad and their prospects. I expect this coming season in the MIAC to be as competitive as ever and I hope to get input from both coaches and players from the early going. As always, I will do my best to provide a detailed analysis of the practices I get to attend and break them down.
Let's get it started!
Let's get it started!
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