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.   

St. Olaf vs St. Kate's 12-11-13

Battled those God-forsaken St. Paul streets on this Wednesday night to get over to the Butler Center on the campus of St. Kate’s to catch this clash between the host Wildcats and the visiting St. Olaf Oles.  Both teams had suffered home losses just two nights before – the ‘Cats dropping an 80-53 decision to Carleton while the Oles came up short against SMU by a score of 68-57.  Somebody was going to have to bounce back on this night but neither team could afford to just show up and hope for the “W”.  It would have to be earned.

 

In the opening minutes, it looked as if St. Olaf was primed to get things rolling as the Oles Front Range bomber, sophomore guard Kim Cerjan, got free on a nice screen set for her and let loose with a “3” from the left top area at the 19:51 mark.  Sophomore point guard Lauren Gutierrez; another member of the Ole Colorado Connection, knocked down a “3” from the right corner at the 16:22 mark for a 6-3 St. Olaf lead.  But the Wildcats sought to make amends for their disappointing Monday night outing as they embarked on an 11-1 run over the next three minutes; highlighted by senior Kristen Lee’s “3” from the right top at the 15:39 mark and a “3” from strong sophomore guard Gabby Zehrer from the right wing at the 14:01 mark.  Speedy freshman guard Abby Torgerson made her presence felt as the former Anoka Tornado got a lay-up in transition and then completed the run at the 13:32 mark with a “3” from the left top area.  The Oles would strike back behind a “3” by reserve sophomore guard Afton Wolter from the left corner at the 12:25 mark and charity stripe shots by Cerjan freshman reserve guard Betsey Daly that enabled St. Olaf to draw to within one at 14-13 by the 11:44 mark.

 

St. Kate’s Head Coach Sean Pinkerton was certainly ready for the battle on this night as he shed his sport coat with 10:26 left.  Maybe his squad took that as a cue to kick things into second gear; at least defensively anyway as the ‘Cats shut down the vaunted 1-2 punch down low of senior Elise Raney and sophomore partner Emily Wahlberg as neither of the Twin Towers could get much going offensively.  The Wildcats, on the other hand, looked quite comfortable wheeling and dealing from the perimeter and in the paint as well.  Freshman phenom Kennedy Jennings was able to maneuver inside for a score with 9:18 left that helped up the St. Kate’s lead to 17-13.  St. Olaf would keep things close but they had to rely on their perimeter shooting to do so.  Perhaps just as disconcerting to St. Olaf Head Coach Dave Stromme was that he was substituting liberally in this first half; trying to find the right “mix” to counter the lack of scoring down low.  A Cerjan “3” from the right wing with 6:57 left tied things up at 17-all but that would be countered by a “3” from Zehrer from the left corner just seconds later.  Zehrer would also connect with a lay-up with 5:25 left and, despite another push from the Oles, St. Kate’s would manage to keep a hold of the tempo and the lead coming down the stretch of the first half.  A “3” by Torgerson from the top of the key with 2:53 left and a drive and finish by the fearless freshman had the ‘Cats back up by four at 27-23 with 2:06 left.  Then Kristen Lee knocked down a “3” from the left corner with 1:22 left for a 30-23 St. Kate’s lead.  St. Olaf would get some reprieve when Cerjan drained a “3” from the right wing area with :26 left before halftime but Stromme – and the Oles – clearly had to make some adjustments for the second half.    

 

It was relatively easy to see what one of the adjustments was that Stromme and his assistant Mike Ludwig had to have talked about at halftime and that was taking the ball strong to the hole and utilizing the height advantage that the Oles had.  Raney must have taken that advice to heart as she used her lanky 6’3” frame to score a lay-up at the 18:37 mark that cut the St. Kate’s lead down to 30-28 but that was quickly answered by a “3” from the left top by the ‘Cats Kristen Lee that had St. Kate’s up by five by the 18:18 mark.  That was followed by a lay-up from junior forward Sarah Manning at the 17:36 mark along with a shot off the glass by Kristen Lee’s younger sister Mari at the 16:49 mark that suddenly made it an eight-point game at 37-29 and had Stromme clamoring for a timeout.  Luckily for the Oles, they found their way back into things when they were on the brink of being in a big hole on the road.  Cerjan made good on a drive and finish down the lane at the 16:17 mark and then Wahlberg snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 15:27 mark.  The unheralded Gutierrez then knocked down a “3” from the top of the key at the 14:46 mark that sliced that eight-point Wildcat lead down to a scant point at 37-36 and had the Oles back on even terms with their hosts. 

 

And things would then stay close over the next six minutes with each side trading blows.  A Torgerson “3” for St. Kate’s at the 14:15 mark was countered by a three-point bomb by Wolter at the 12:35 mark.  Another one of those Colorado Oles; sophomore reserve guard Woo Bandel, slyly stole a Wildcat inbounds pass and got fouled in transition and the ensuing freebie at the 10:35 mark tied the issue at 40-all.  St. Kate’s would grab the lead at the 8:43 mark when freshman phenom LaShay Holt, who had been making life miserable for the Oles all game long with her great defense, sunk one free throw to make it a 41-40 game.  But it was at this point when St. Olaf finally made it’s decisive move to not only regain the lead but take control of things.  Another one of those Colorado Oles; strong junior reserve forward Sheridan Blanford, was the one who stole the spotlight at this critical moment.  Her drive and finish with 8:29 left drew a foul as well and made it a 42-41 game in favor of the Black and Old Gold.  Blanford’s ensuing freebie missed its mark but Raney with her long reach snared the errant free throw and put it back in the hole for a 44-41 Ole lead.  Then it was Blanford again with 7:48 left with a one-handed shot off the glass that now had St. Olaf up 46-41 and quickly had Pinkerton up off the bench calling a timeout in hopes of slowing down this suddenly rejuvenated Ole team. 

 

Blanford, who missed all of last season with an ACL injury, showed how hungry she was to make an impact for this Ole team.  She drilled a “3” from the top of the key with 7:05 left to push the lead to eight at 49-41.  The Wildcats tried desperately to cut into this lead but every time they were able to do something offensively St. Olaf was ready and willing to meet the challenge.  A “3” from Cerjan from the top of the key with 4:00 left made it a 55-45 game and an offensive rebound and putback by Wahlberg kept the margin at ten at 57-47 with 3:03 left.  It wasn’t until there was just over a minute left to play that the Wildcats were able to make things a little nervous for the Oles.  Sophomore reserve guard Shauna Horsch; not necessarily known for her three-point prowess, drained one from the left corner with 1:18 left that cut the Ole lead to 57-50 and then uncorked another one from the right wing area with :43.9 left that sliced the Ole advantage down to four points at 57-53.  But the last gasp push by the ‘Cats would not be enough as the Oles held on for a precious road win by a final count of 59-53.

 

Ole Assistant Mike Ludwig admitted afterward that the team was not doing a very good job of moving on offense or setting screens to get their three-point game going in the first half.  Being aggressive and taking it to the hole more often was also key in his mind as well.  A disappointed Pinkerton and his assistant Tim Kjar noted that it was another step forward for the Wildcats but stressed the need for the young squad to put together a complete 40-minutes.  Both squads are now off for the rest of the year for finals and the holidays to lick their wounds, rest and re-charge for January 2014.  Certainly for the Oles anyway, 2013 is ending a lot better than 2012 did.

Breakdown 2013 - Anoka vs Hopkins 12-7-13

Made my way back to Lindbergh Center in busy traffic after the UST – St. Kate’s game to catch the much-anticipated clash between Anoka and two-time defending state champ (and host) Hopkins.  A large (almost SRO) crowd was on hand (presumably for the De La Salle – Apple Valley boys clash afterward) but the audience would get a very good appetizer before the main course.  And, perhaps more importantly, wipe away the notion that Hopkins should be anointed at this point in the season to repeat again.

 

Still, the Royals showed why they are certainly a big favorite to indeed repeat (again) and doing the damage early on was strong 5’8” sophomore Ashley Bates as she showed how versatile she really is by not only hitting treys but also getting steals for easy lay-ups and playing a big part of Hopkins’ ability to take Anoka out of any rhythm offensively as the Royals bolted to a 10-3 lead by the 14:26 mark.  Another Bates “3” from the right wing at the 13:52 mark and two freebies from her as well after getting fouled at the 13:17 mark had Hopkins up 15-4 before the Tornadoes could get anything going.  This big Anoka team would finally wake up at the 11:54 mark when lanky senior guard Kyrah Fredenburg was able to maneuver into the paint for a score and fellow senior Ashley Bray made good on two charity stripe opportunities after getting fouled at the 11:23 mark.  Still, a drive and finish by sophomore guard Nia Hollie and a rebound and putback by fellow lanky sophomore reserve Liz Bulver had Hopkins up 19-8 by the 10:36 mark and had new Anoka Head Coach Scott Antl calling a timeout to halt the action.

 

Slowly, but steadily, the Tornadoes scratched and clawed their way right back into the thick of things – and then some.  Trailing 21-8 after a lay-up in transition by Royal sophomore Evelyn Knox, Anoka began to pick up the pace offensively and, more importantly, began to utilize their decisive size advantage to dominate the boards on both ends of the floor.  A score inside by senior guard Samantha Brannen at the 10:09 mark plus free throws by Fredenburg got the deficit into single digits with 8:33 left.  Bates twice had Hopkins back up by double digits with her heroics but this experienced Anoka squad was not to be fazed.  Reserve senior forward Samantha Adamich got into the paint for a score with 6:36 left and then lanky senior guard Claire Lundberg connected with a jumper along the right baseline with 5:26 left.  Brannen surprised the Royals by snaring a steal for a lay-up with 4:31 left that sliced the Hopkins lead down to 25-20 but the Tornadoes were not done yet.  Offensive rebounds for putbacks by Adamich with 3:51 left and by Lundberg with 3:18 left sliced the Hopkins advantage to a single point at 25-24.  Anoka seized the lead with 1:59 left when Adamich connected with a jumper from the right wing area and then Fredenburg sent shock waves throughout Lindbergh Center with her “3” with 1:41 left that paved the way for a 32-25 Anoka advantage at the half that gave Hopkins Head Coach Brian Cosgriff and his staff a lot to think about over the break.

 

Whatever Cosgriff told his team in the locker room over halftime seemed to work as the Royals wasted no time in snatching the momentum back from the opportunistic Tornadoes.  While Anoka had the size advantage, Hopkins had the speed and athleticism and, on this night anyway, it paid huge dividends.  Senior Molly O’Toole, having had to play in the shadow of her now-graduated sister Erin, also began to shine in the second half.  The other telling point in the early stages of the second half was that the foul advantage was in favor of the Royals by a 6-0 margin by the 14:44 mark which would soon have Hopkins in the bonus.  By the 14:15 mark, they were as sophomore Evelyn Knox made good from the charity stripe that enabled Hopkins to re-take the lead at 37-35 and they never looked back.  Anoka would still keep things close and stay within striking distance but they never could find that magical “run” again that they had in the first half.  A lay-up by Lundberg closed the margin to a single point for Anoka at the 13:44 mark as did Brannen’s score in the paint at the 12:52 mark that had the Royals up only by a score of 40-39. 

 

But a jumper by always-reliable Bates and a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve guard K’Aezha Wubben had the Hopkins Express rolling again by the 12:06 mark.  Anoka tried to counter with Fredenburg’s “3” from the right corner at the 10:47 mark and Ashley Bray’s score in the paint that got her fouled but, again, they never could quite get over the hump.  With the Royals nursing a 52-50 lead with 7:51 left, Holley connected with a short jumper with 6:38 left and then the unheralded O’Toole scored in the paint with 6:12 left.  The dagger would come with 5:40 left and it would be by none other than Bates as she delivered with a “3” from the left top that suddenly had Hopkins up 59-50 and effectively ended any threat from the visiting Tornadoes.  Up-and-coming reserve freshman guard Dee-Dee Winston nailed a “3” from the left top area with 3:50 left and then junior guard Viria Livingston made good on two free throws with 3:09 left that now had the Royals once again up by double digits at 64-52.  The Royals would be able to put a choke hold on the rest of the way to ensure a 68-57 win at home in this showcase event.

 

Afterward, Antl admitted his squad did not do a good enough job of boxing out and executing in the opening moments of the second half.  Still, I think Anoka can take a lot of positives from this contest going forward as they are not only the favorites to win the Northwest Suburban Conference but also take the Section 7AAAA honors as well and THIS time make a serious challenge at the State Tournament.  I think Hopkins SHOULD  still be considered to be the favorites to win the state title again but I would caution people from crowning them just yet as this is only December and there is a LOT of basketball to be played between now and March and the gap between the Royals and everyone else has narrowed considerably.     

UST vs St. Kate's Synopsis 12-7-13

After St. Olaf’s victory over Augsburg, I battled my way over I-94 and the ridiculously poor St. Paul streets over to St. Kate’s Butler Center to catch what I could of the 3:00 P.M. clash between UST and host St. Kate’s.  I arrived at halftime with the Tommies comfortably up by a score of 44-20.

 

Despite the Tommies overwhelming superiority from a size and athletic standpoint, the Wildcats never backed down and kept fighting throughout the second half.  Sophomore guard Gabby Zehrer’s drive and finish at the 19:52 mark along with a foray into the paint by freshman guard Abby Torgerson out of Anoka showed that the Wildcats had spirit at least, if not the guns to make a run at UST.  A turnaround jumper by senior guard/forward Kristen Lee and a drive into the lane and finish by the fearless Torgerson made things interesting but the Tommies had no intention of ever letting their hosts get close.  Senior post Maggie Weiers connected with a short jumper at the 14:58 mark and then fellow senior Taylor Young did the same at the 14:32 mark for a 55-27 bulge.  Zehrer would try and counter for St. Kate’s with a “3’ at the 13:58 mark but then Weiers would score down low at the 13:37 mark and then senior guard Kelly Brandenburg; arguably the most under-appreciated player in the MIAC, wowed the crowd at Butler Center as she came out of literally nowhere to snare a rebound in the air for a putback (probably something that she practices on a routine basis) at the 12:31 mark that made it a 59-30 game.  One of the more interesting moments in the game came when St. Kate’s freshman guard/forward Kennedy Jennings went down the court in transition with the ball with UST’s Young guarding her.  Jennings, eerily similar to the All-American Young in size and style, was unable to connect with the lay-up but Zehrer was right there for a rebound and putback.  I think that moment you were able to catch a glimpse, perhaps, of what the present is and what the future could possibly be.

 

The Tommies kept that same margin coming down the stretch that allowed UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn to substitute liberally in the last few minutes that gave the younger players such as freshman Paige Gernes and sophomore Courtney Pahl a chance to get some valuable playing time.  But veterans such as junior guard Laura Margarit, junior forward Elaine Warner, and junior forward Alyssa Favilla were kept in long enough to keep the young ones on track.  UST would close the deal by a final count of 80-49 but Sinn was not willing to rest on the team’s laurels just yet.  She emphasized that there were a couple of lapse moments in the second half that her squad cannot afford in the long-run if they want to realize their season’s goals.  I brought up that key buzzword of “consistency” that she used with me a couple of years ago and Sinn was quick to concur that that is a critical element of her team’s continued success; not only in conference play but beyond as well.

St. Olaf vs Augsburg 12-7-13

Made my way over from Hopkins High School over to Si Melby Hall around midday to catch the first Saturday of MIAC conference play as the visting St. Olaf Oles came a ‘callin to host Augsburg.  It was disheartening to see junior post Nikki Frogner hobbling in on crutches as she suffered a season-ending knee injury at Luther recently and now begins the long, agonizing period of recovery and rehab; as the Oles were devasted with injuries last year.  A pre-game discussion with always-congenial Augsburg Assistant Coach Joshua Hersch gave me an idea of what Augsburg had to do in this game to be successful; i.e., make enough three-point shots that would stretch the Ole defense just enough to allow them to have some opportunities in the paint as well.

 

Unfortunately for the host Auggies, though, it would be St. Olaf that got out to a quick 9-0 lead in the opening minutes of the contest; much to the delight of recent Ole greats Mackenzie Wolter, Erin Haglund and Ashley Menzel who were in the stands to cheer on their former teammates.  The Auggies simply were ice-cold from behind the arc early on and it wasn’t until the 15:18 mark when lanky senior guard Jolene Blood drained one of her patented high-arcing “3’s” that the Auggies were finally able to shake off some of the cobwebs.  Still, St. Olaf was in command of this one as they did damage down low with the twin tower duo of sophomore post Emily Wahlberg and senior post Elise Raney giving the Oles that “high-low” option.  Mackenzie Wolter’s younger sister, Afton, is slowly making a name for herself as a member of the Ole three-point bombing squad as she drained one from the left wing at the 13:05 mark that had St. Olaf up 17-5.  A score inside by Raney at the 11:35 mark had the Oles up 20-8 and they could have been on the verge of blowing out the home team right then and there.

 

But this Augsburg team seems to have a knack for making things interesting when you least expect it and they slowly forged their way back right into the thick of things.  Another “3” from Blood; this one from the top of the key with 8:49 left got the Auggies to within single digits at 20-11.  Both squads would endure a Dust Bowl-like scoring drought over the next four minutes but this benefitted the Auggies coming down the stretch.  Sophomore reserve post Bridget Kopp finally got the cotton active again when she maneuvered inside for a score with 4:22 left that got Augsburg to within a touchdown at 20-13.  Feisty junior guard Abbey Luger; always a threat from the perimeter, knocked down a long “2” from the top with 3:14 left and then senior guard/forward Jill Tichy, who struggled with her shooting touch for much of the first half, finally got into the books with a lay-up with 1:29 left that got the Auggies to within five.  St. Olaf sophomore reserve guard Woo Bandel would knock down two charity stripe shots with just :13.2 left before the half that got the Oles back up by seven at 24-17 but considering how things stood early on, this was a damned sight better for Augsburg Head Coach Bill McKee to make the necessary adjustments during the break.

 

Augsburg looked to gain some immediate momentum coming into the second half to try and consolidate their comeback bid.  Tichy used her strong 5’10” frame in the paint to snare an offensive rebound for a putback that once again the Auggies to within five but it took a while before they could get into position to possibly usurp control of this game from the Oles.  A lay-up in transition by sophomore Jenna Orth kept the Auggies close before the St. Olaf went on a 6-0 push.  A score in the paint by Raney at the 17:08 mark coupled with an offensive rebound and putback by strong junior forward Sheridan Blanford at the 16:18 mark along with a lay-up by sophomore Front Range bomber Kim Cerjan made things a bit safer for the Oles for the time being leading by a count of 34-23  at the 15:06 mark but the Auggies still had another run left in them.  Tichy would connect with a jumper at the 14:01 mark and, after withstanding another “3” from Wolter and a score in the paint from Raney, Blood went on a spree; knocking down a “3” from the left wing at the 11:51 mark and then another “3” from the left top area at the 11:14 mark.  Sophomore forward Jessica Lillquist, who had been quiet up to this point, got into the paint for a score with 9:44 left.  Then it was Tichy finally finding her range from behind the arc in the left wing area with 9:05 left and then Blood connected with a lay-up with 7:31 left that sliced the Ole lead to a scant point at 44-43 and had St. Olaf Head Coach Dave Stromme burning a timeout to find a way to solve this dilemma.

 

But just as Augsburg finally got oh so close, it faded away for them in the same fashion.  Free throws by senior guard Brit Weber and Wolter that sandwiched a score in the paint by Raney had the Oles back up by six at 49-43 with 3:43 left.  St. Olaf had four consecutive dead-ball turnovers but the Auggies were unable to capitalize on them.  Cerjan made good on a rare drive and finish with 1:53 left that was key in getting the Oles into position to ice the issue from the charity stripe.  Blood would connect with a “3” with 1:35 left and another one with :38 left but neither one could get the Auggies close enough that would change their strategy of having to foul in order to preserve the clock.  The Oles would finally close out the deal; winning 64-55 and got St. Olaf to 2-0 in conference play and 4-1 overall; a far-better start than last year when things started to go downhill frightfully fast early on.  Afterward, St. Olaf Assistant Mike Ludwig thought that it was important for the Oles to stay true to what they were trying to do defensively and, although things are looking up at the moment, he still acknowledged that the team has to do many things better coming down the stretch in close games to keep the beat going.

Breakdown 2013 Maple Grove vs Rochester John Marshall 12-7-13

Was up bright and early on this frigid Saturday morning; the first Saturday in a while that I wasn’t getting geared up for a big UCLA gameday.  It was nice for a change being able to relax after last week’s thumping of crosstown rival USC in the Coliseum by a 35-14 count.  And yes, we OWN LA!

 

Okay, enough of my ranting.  This morning’s first matchup in the 2013 Breakdown over at the Lindbergh Center at Hopkins High School featured an intriguing non-conference match-up between Maple Grove out of the Northwest Suburban Conference and Rochester John Marshall out of the Big 9 Conference.  From being a close observer of the Northwest Suburban Conference, I had a pretty decent idea about what I would be getting out of Maple Grove; even with some new faces inserted into the starting line-up.  Rochester John Marshall, though, I knew nothing about although the first thing that struck me during warm-ups was the noticeable size advantage they would have over the Crimson.

 

Perhaps it was the 9:30 A.M. start that had both teams a bit sloppy early on with turnovers and mistakes.  As a result, a good portion of the first half was marred with several turnovers and mistakes by both sides which likely played a factor in keeping the game close.  Sophomore forward Nicole Fautsch was doing the damge for the Rockets and sophomore Mackenzie Barta along with junior forward Julie Hagert paced the Crimson.  A “3” from Barta from the right top area had Maple Grove up by a 7-4 score by the 15:23 mark but Rochester John Marshall would battle right back behind Fautsch and tie things up at 7-all at the 12:42 mark.  Maple Grove would earn another four point advantage by the 11:39 mark by a score of 11-7 but again the Rockets would battle back and tie things at 11-all by the 10:27mark.

 

Things would remain very close; very tight over the course of the next six minutes but you could see a pattern developing.  Rochester John Marshall was getting its points in the paint thanks to Fautsch and fellow sophomore twin tower Jamie Ruden while Maple Grove was countering with solid guard play from Hagert, Barta and senior Kaela Jones.  But what had to be a red flag from Rochester John Marshall Coach Phil Schroeder’s view was that he was not getting any production from his guards and that is what would ultimately be the Rockets downfall in this game.  With the Crimson clinging to a one point 22-21 lead, Jones drilled a “3” from the right corner with 3:32 left to expand the Maple Grove lead to four.  Then Barta slithered inside to snare an offensive rebound in the land of giants to get a putback and got fouled in the process and the obligatory charity stripe shot suddenly had the Crimson up by seven at 28-21 with 2:40 left and had Schroeder quickly calling for a thirty second timeout to reassess things.  But Maple Grove was far from finished.  A lay-up by Jones in transition with 2:18 left plus a foray into the paint for a score by Hagert and an encore transition lay-up by Jones with :50 left bulged the lead to a cozy 34-21 margin going into the locker room at the break.    

 

But Schroeder had to know that his team had a decided advantage underneath and his squad sought to exploit that advantage in the opening minutes of the second half.  And it would be Ruden who would go on a spree in this ensuing spurt.  She scored inside at the 17:52 mark and got fouled in the process.  Another freebie on the ensuing possession after being fouled and then a jumper from the right elbow area at the 16:26 mark along with a turnaround jumper near the charity stripe at the 16:02 plus a strong drive and finish at the 15:34 mark suddenly cut the deficit to a much more-manageable 35-30 margin and now had Maple Grove Head Coach Mark Cook calling for a timeout to search for answers to this immediate crisis.   

 

The Crimson, facing a decided disadvantage in the paint, could have easily found themselves in a huge pile of doo-doo right then and there.  Rather, they ditched the proverbial panic button and calmly righted the ship.  Senior guard Cora Bourbonais found the range from behind the arc from the left wing to get the lead back up to 38-30 and, despite a score from Ruden off the glass a bit later, the Crimson would answer the call.  Barta would finish a transition opportunity at the 10:51 mark and then diminutive junior reserve Hailey Barker would get the lead back up to double-digits with her “3” from the right top area with 9:51 left.  The lead would become thirteen with 9:26 left when Jones muscled her way inside for a score and drew a foul in the process that, coupled with the free throw, made it a 48-35 game.  A lay-up by sophomore reserve Allie Schmidt with 6:48 left and another foray and finish in the paint by Jones with 5:32 left now had Maple Grove up 52-37 and once again had Rochester John Marshall’s Schroeder clamoring for a timeout.  With a double-digit lead and time becoming a factor, Cook had his Maple Grove squad milk the clock coming down the stretch which resulted in several trips to the charity stripe to ice the issue and the Crimson walked away with a solid 57-42 win on this Saturday morning.

 

Afterward, Cook was very pleased with his squad’s effort; particularly with staying calm and focused when the Rockets made their early second-half push.  “During that timeout, I stressed that we had to have help-side defense; we put the guard Barta on Ruden.”  I also asked about the junior reserve Barker who hit a key “3” in the decisive Maple Grove run.  “She has good energy; smart and very active on the floor.”  As for the sophomore Barta, Cook was gushing with joy and pride.  “Look out for her!”  Finally, I asked how a victory on this day was important going forward as they move into Northwest Suburban Conference play.  Cook said matter of factly, “The NWSC is the best conference and the deepest as well….This win is huge going forward because we know we’ll get a tough game every night in the NWSC.”  I have to agree with him 110% here.  When you look at the NWSC right now with Anoka suddenly in the forefront for not only conference AND section honors but also a decent chance of making it to the big stage plus perennial powerhouses such as Osseo and Centennial also right there in the mix plus a very, very talented Park Center squad that will almost certainly be one of the favorites to make it to State in Class AAA (and maybe win the whole thing, too) along with this Maple Grove team that has a very nice blend of youth and experience that Cook just loves, you’ve just got one heckuva cluster of good teams that have to beat each other up BEFORE they have to fight for survival in section play.  Needless to say, this should be a fun winter.

Northland vs Anoka-Ramsey 12-6-13

Was up at Anoka-Ramsey on this frigid Friday evening to catch the game between host Anoka-Ramsey and visiting Northland Community and Technical College out of Thief River Falls.  The Golden Rams had recently returned from sunny, warm Arizona to settle into conference play and I was curious if the Arizona trip against top-flight competition had somehow made this team better or tougher – at least mentally anyway – and I would get the answer as this one progressed.

 

Despite Anoka-Ramsey sophomore point guard Maria Loughlin’s jumper from the right wing at the 19:40 mark that drew first blood, it was the visiting Pioneers that got off to the good start.  A jumper in the lane by sophomore guard Jenna Lundon at the 19:29 mark along with a “3” from freshman forward Danielle Hernandez helped Northland build an 8-4 lead by the 18:10 mark before Anoka-Ramsey shook off some early cobwebs.  The Golden Rams went on a 6-1 push over the course of two minutes to take a 10-9 lead by the 16:05 mark; punctuated by a “3” from freshman post Olivia Antilla.  The two teams would trade slim leads over the next eight minutes and, at this point anyway, it appeared to be a toss up.

 

But, with 8:35 left in the first half, Northland seized some much-needed momentum and began to capitalize on it.  And part of the reason they were able to do it was some tough board work; much to the chagrin (I’m sure anyway) of Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt.  Holding a slim 19-18 lead, Hernandez knocked down a pair of freebies after being fouled which not only built the lead to 21-18 but also had the Pioneers in the bonus as well.  Reserve freshman guard Bailey Jenkins connected with a jumper from the left wing with 7:35 left and freshman Crystal Amundson snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 6:20 left that helped build the Northland lead to 25-21.  Amundson would score again at the 5:14 and 3:53 marks and a “3” by freshman reserve Megan Weiland from the left wing with 3:05 left helped build the Pioneer lead to 32-27.  But perhaps the one player who was hurting Anoka-Ramsey more than anyone was sophomore post Sarah Durand with her rebounding, tough defense and timely scoring.  A long two by Durand with 1:19 left from the left wing area allowed Northland to take a slim 36-34 lead into the locker room at the half; only two points but the Pioneers were more physical than their hosts and they had the momentum.

 

Anoka-Ramsey, which arguably struggled from the perimeter in the first half sought to come out with some spark in the second half as they needed to get re-energized.  A “3” from the right top area by willowy sophomore wing Nicole Schaub at the 19:46 mark and a “3” from freshman guard Mataya Racek from the right corner on the ensuing possession at the 19:21 mark now had Anoka-Ramsey back up by a count of 40-36 and an offensive rebound and putback by Antilla helped to build a 44-39 lead by the 17:02 mark and, presumably anyway, had the Golden Rams re-energized and back in control of things.  But the Pioneers refused to back off and they not only got close again but reclaimed the lead and usurped control of the game and tempo from Anoka-Ramsey as well.  A “3” from Hernandez from the top of the key at the 16:48 mark drew Northland to within two.  Then it was Durand doing damage in the paint and the charity stripe.  One freebie at the 15:46 mark got the Pioneers to within one and then a turnaround jumper down low at the 14:53 mark put the Pioneers back out in front.  Another score down low by Duran at the 14:18 mark made it a 47-44 ballgame and then two free throws by Hernandez upped the Northland advantage to 49-44 with 13:25 mark. 

 

But just when it appeared that Anoka-Ramsey could possibly be in a heap of trouble at home, Northland suddenly went ice cold and looked stymied on offense and this opened up the door for the Golden Rams to finally seize control for good as they proceeded to embark on a decisive 14-1 run over the course of six minutes; punctuated by “3’s” from Antilla, Racek, and Schaub plus a sweet drive and finish from the crafty Loughlin had Northland Head Coach Shannon Nelson calling a full timeout to try and stem the tide.  Turnovers, mistakes, and missed shots were rearing their ugly head for the Pioneers and Duran, who was having her way in the paint for a good portion of the night, may have suddenly hit the wall coming down the stretch.  A slick offensive rebound and putback by Schaub in traffic gave Anoka-Ramsey a 60-50 lead with 5:15 left and DeWitt, who had been curiously quiet for most of the game suddenly became his vocal self on the Anoka-Ramsey bench.  But as much as his blood pressure tends to rise at times, he’s incredibly fortunate to have Loughlin running the show for him on the floor as her ball-handling, basketball smarts and leadership often lead the Golden Rams to victory in clutch situations and tonight was no different.  Loughlin would get sent to the charity stripe four times in the last two minutes alone to ice the game for the Golden Rams.  With the last flicker of hope now gone for the Pioneers, Durand would hit a “3” from the top of the key off the glass with a mere :08 left but it would be for naught as Anoka-Ramsey would claim a tough 72-60 win.

 

Afterward, a disappointed Nelson told me that “We just couldn’t seem to get critical stops when we needed them and we couldn’t finish when we had to.”  Anoka-Ramsey Assistant Coach James Fassett pointed out that the quick, second-half start the Golden Rams got with the quick “3’s” helped build the confidence of the team; even after Northland reclaimed the lead.  The 21-23 from the free throw line was a huge key and he also felt that defensively they began to wear Durand down in the second half.  Head Coach David DeWitt, though pleased with the win, pointed out to me that his squad has to start looking to get the ball down low first before resorting to the three-point shot.  Still, I have to think that, given the win over a quality opponent; especially after trailing near the midway point of the second half, gives you an idea of how resilient this Anoka-Ramsey team is and that could be pivotal come February and March.