Was over at Macalester's Leonard Center late Wednesday afternoon to catch the scrimmage between host Macalester and visiting Anoka-Ramsey; a match-up that you don't get to see on a regular basis. For the visiting Golden Rams - at least on this day anyway - it's probably just as well..
First off, it was quite obvious that Anoka-Ramsey was operating a bit short-handed again. While Maria Loughlin was there supporting her teammates with the left knee heavily wrapped and bandaged after suffering that ACL injury back in September on the first day of practice, Cami Bauer and Tasha Ambrose were also in street clothes and I don't know for sure if they were possibly injured or not. In any event, things did not start off well for the Golden Rams as Head Coach David DeWitt called a timeout at the 19:27 mark; obviously unhappy about something. The Scots, meanwhile, pounced early and often on their junior college opponents. Junior post Veronika Jakubovie connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 18:57 mark and senior point guard Kyanna Jones scored on a lay-up at the 18:09 mark. Junior guard Carmen Whitehead connected with a lay-up of her own in transition at the 17:52 mark and another Macalester score at the 17:00 mark ballooned the score to 8-0 before Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Kelli Schramm finally stopped the bleeding for a bit with her jumper along the left baseline at the 16:32 mark. Schramm would connect with a "3" from the top at the 14:28 mark but that was after Jones had made two steals for easy lay-ups the other way for Macalester. Sophomore Erika Weimann connected with a jumper at the 14:05 mark for a 14-5 Macalester lead.
It would only get worse for the Golden Rams and part of that reason was the emergence of Whitehead as a "go to" player for the Scots; something they desperately need with the graduated Rene twins (Jessica and Shannon who were both in attendance to root their old teammates on). She connected with a short jumper at the 10:55 mark and then knocked down another jumper at the 9:15 mark. A finish in transition by Whitehead at the 8:29 mark and then a score inside at the 6:18 mark helped to open up a big lead for the Scots at 27-9; a situation that Anoka-Ramsey does not find themselves in very often. Scores by freshman Erin Murray, sophomore Annie Drabot and freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst made it 32-9 by the three minute intermission break.
Whitehead picked up right where she left off as the second half got underway as she made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 18:57 mark which resulted in another quick time-out by a VERY unhappy David DeWitt. Schramm tried to get her Anoka-Ramsey teammates going with her sweet turnaround move and shot at the 18:26 mark but another jumper by Whitehead at the 17:34 mark and a "3" by the junior who hails from Greeley, Colorado inflated the Macalester lead to 43-11 by the 16:37 mark. Schramm connected with a jumper at the 15:45 mark but she simply was not getting much help from a scoring standpoint from her teammates; particularly freshman Nicole Schaub, a three-point shooting machine who wreaked havoc during her high school days at Park Center. Schaub simply did not have a very good outing on this day as she would get open for three point tries but simply couldn't get much to go down although she did get a rebound and putback at the 12:49 mark. Macalester, however, simply couldn't miss on this day it seemed. Junior Taylor Pike drained a "3" from the top at the 9:32 mark and the Murray connected with a "3" from the right corner at the 6:58 mark. Junior Kathryn Medinger added her own "3" right before the final buzzer of the regular session for a 63-27 blowout win.
The Golden Rams and Scots also played an extra 20 minute session with running time after the 10:00 mark. Guess who got things started off for Macalester here? Whitehead, of course, as she banged down a "3" from the right wing at the 17:53 mark. A lay-up by Pike at the 17:04 mark and another one by Whitehead in transition at the 16:31 mark gave Macalester a touchdown lead at 7-0 before Schaub FINALLY connected from behind the arc at the 14:46 mark. But, like before, the Golden Rams simply could not get close enough to threaten the hosts. Two scores by Drabot - a jumper at the 10:21 mark and a steal and lay-up at the 10:08 mark quickly pushed the Macalester lead to 13-4. Schramm made a sweet reverse lay-up at the 7:46 mark but two more consecutive scores by Drabot coming down the stretch would give the Scots the cushion they needed. A late "3" by Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Tacita Gonzalez got the Golden Rams to double digits but Macalester won the extra session easily as well by a final score of 20-11.
I think it's probably a bit too early to make any assumptions about how Macalester might fare this year. Clearly they're not the same team they were last year without the Rene Sisters. It is nice to see how Whitehead is emerging as a real scoring threat for this squad and if she can be consistent the Scots can definitely be a dangerous team. I'm a little worried about Anoka-Ramsey at the moment, however. They still look horribly out of sorts on offense and they've simply GOT to find a way to all get on the same page. Moreover, they've GOT to find a way to stay healthy as well with Loughlin out for the season (she does plan to return next year). Right now, Schramm seems to be the only consistent scoring threat for this team and DeWitt needs others to step up. Hopefully they'll find the answers they need - soon - as they're slated to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this weekend for two games against Madison and Milwaukee Tech.
Los Angeles Rams
Friday, November 9, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Northwestern vs Bethel Scrimmage 10-31-12
On this Halloween afternoon I found myself over at Bethel's Robertson Center to catch the scrimmage between host Bethel and visiting Northwestern; just a stone's throw away from the Bethel campus which makes this an ideal get-together for both squads as they prepare for the upcoming season - just a mere 2 1/2 weeks away. What was really neat was that both former Bethel standout (and reigning MIAC Player of the Year) Taylor Sheley and former Northwestern standout Kristin Sczublewski were in attendance to watch and you knew that both wished they could be out there playing with their former teammates.
The opening minutes of the first half would be tight with neither team able to gain much of an advantage; mainly because both offenses looked totally out of synch and Bethel's seemingly cold touch from a shooting standpoint. Sophomore post Kia Dahlquist did get the Royals on the board first when she manuevered her way inside and finished at the 19:48 mark but that was quickly countered by Northwestern junior standout Mollie Sir's running jumper at the 18:47 mark. Dahlquist and Sir would trade buckets again at the 17:18 and 17:04 marks and then senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski briefly gave the Royals the lead again at 6-4 when she canned a jumper in the lane at the 16:47 mark. But the Eagles, peppered with an enthusiastic group of freshmen who are blending in well with the veterans, pulled even again with freshman Courtney Cunard's jumper at the 13:07 mark. The pattern would continue over the next few minutes as Northwestern would cling to a one point advantage at 12-11 by the 9:05 mark.
But the Royals were still having a ton of problems getting on the same page on offense and putting down potential easy finishes inside which would prove costly. It was here where the Eagles made a decisive 11-0 run over the next four minutes that helped put Bethel in a hole. After sophomore Chanel Madson put down two freebies after being fouled, Cunard connected with another jumper at the 8:01 mark. Junior post Jessica Fife - who should be one of the standout post players in the UMAC - snared a rebound and got a putback at the 6:49 mark. Then it was Sir's time to shine as the not only got a drive and finish at the 6:06 mark but also connected from 3-point range at the right top at the 5;22 mark. Bethel senior Kelly Swenson, who struggled all day with her shooting touch, finally ended the bleeding at the 3:52 mark with a jumper that cut the deficit to ten points at 23-13. The Royals would then actually go on a flurry right before the half fueled by two lay-ups in transition off of Northwestern turnovers by Nye-Studanski that made things much more manageable for Bethel at halftime now down only 23-19.
Northwestern would make another jump as the second half got underway. Fife was able to get a freebie to go in after being fouled at the 18:59 mark. After Bethel junior Nicole Berscheid's score at the 17:36 mark, Sir again connected from behind the arc at the 16:35 mark and freshman Kim Campbell was able to put down a jumper from along the left baseline at the 15:53 mark for a 29-21 Northwestern lead. Gradually, though, Bethel would battle back. Dahlquist scored inside at the 15:03 mark and was fouled in the process and the ensuing freebie cut the Eagle lead to five points. Then senior Alicia Montbriand, who also struggled with her shooting on this day, finally did connect with a short jumper at the 13:44 mark. Sophomore reserve post Lindy Parker was able to get a rebound at putback at the 12:40 mark and then scores by both Berscheid and Swenson knotted things up at 32. The Royals finally went ahead 38-35 when junior Katelyn Vavra nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 7:21 mark and it LOOKED as if Bethel might have finally righted the ship and was poised to take control.
But oh those tricky Northwestern Eagles had other ideas and refused to go quietly on this Halloween night and all the goblins and spooks out there may have had a hand in helping doom the Royals as well coming down the stretch. First, Sir connected with a jumper just as the shot clock was expiring at the 6:00 mark. After a lay-up by Swenson, Northwestern junior Kaia Larson made a lay-up at the 4:42 mark. Sir then tied things up again at the 3:08 mark with her jumper along the left baseline. Things would be incredibly tight in the last few minutes; a Bethel score tied things at 44-all with 1:49 left before Northwestern would reclaim the lead just a few seconds later. Then Vavra was able to get a lay-up to go in after a couple of roll-arounds on the rim with just :11 left on the clock that tied it again at 46-all. But with just :02 left on the clock, the freshman Cunard was able to get inside and give the Eagles the lead and the win, 48-46 in what was one of the wildest, weirdest scrimmages I have ever seen.
The two teams did also play an extra 20 minute session that featured continuous clock running after the 10-minute mark. Bethel would get a measure of redemption in this one as the starters gave way to let the younger players get some much-needed experience. While it was not one of the prettiest games to watch, it was good to see the new faces get some opportunites to show what they could do. With things tied at 8-all at the 10:07 mark, sophomore post Jami Friday made a single free throw that gave the Royals a lead they would not relinquish this time around. Freshman Kaia Carlson connected with a lay-up at the 6:58 mark and a score inside by Friday with 6:24 left had Bethel up 13-8. Freshman post Megan Brodeur also collected scores at the 3:58 and 2:04 marks that helped the Royals record a 20-12 win in this one.
While I try not to take too much from early-in-the-year scrimmages, it's obvious that the Royals have a lot of work ahead of them in if they plan to be a factor in the MIAC race again this upcoming season. While they may have lost Sheley to graduation, they still have Swenson who has a chance to become a dominating player in the MIAC this year; certainly from a defensive standpoint but she needs to step up from a scoring standpoint as well. Micaella Petrich, when she returns from her injury, will be an important factor as well as both Berscheid and Montbriand who will likely be the top three-point bomber for the Royals this season. Certainly their margin for error is smaller than what it was last year and they need to avoid some of the swoons this team has had in recent years if they hope to return to the conference playoffs. Kahl thinks his Northwestern squad SHOULD be in the upper half of the UMAC this season. Again, I think Fife can be dominating if she wants to be. Sir can be a deadly three-point shooter when "on" and junior Becca Kendrick should be a "go to" player as well.
The opening minutes of the first half would be tight with neither team able to gain much of an advantage; mainly because both offenses looked totally out of synch and Bethel's seemingly cold touch from a shooting standpoint. Sophomore post Kia Dahlquist did get the Royals on the board first when she manuevered her way inside and finished at the 19:48 mark but that was quickly countered by Northwestern junior standout Mollie Sir's running jumper at the 18:47 mark. Dahlquist and Sir would trade buckets again at the 17:18 and 17:04 marks and then senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski briefly gave the Royals the lead again at 6-4 when she canned a jumper in the lane at the 16:47 mark. But the Eagles, peppered with an enthusiastic group of freshmen who are blending in well with the veterans, pulled even again with freshman Courtney Cunard's jumper at the 13:07 mark. The pattern would continue over the next few minutes as Northwestern would cling to a one point advantage at 12-11 by the 9:05 mark.
But the Royals were still having a ton of problems getting on the same page on offense and putting down potential easy finishes inside which would prove costly. It was here where the Eagles made a decisive 11-0 run over the next four minutes that helped put Bethel in a hole. After sophomore Chanel Madson put down two freebies after being fouled, Cunard connected with another jumper at the 8:01 mark. Junior post Jessica Fife - who should be one of the standout post players in the UMAC - snared a rebound and got a putback at the 6:49 mark. Then it was Sir's time to shine as the not only got a drive and finish at the 6:06 mark but also connected from 3-point range at the right top at the 5;22 mark. Bethel senior Kelly Swenson, who struggled all day with her shooting touch, finally ended the bleeding at the 3:52 mark with a jumper that cut the deficit to ten points at 23-13. The Royals would then actually go on a flurry right before the half fueled by two lay-ups in transition off of Northwestern turnovers by Nye-Studanski that made things much more manageable for Bethel at halftime now down only 23-19.
Northwestern would make another jump as the second half got underway. Fife was able to get a freebie to go in after being fouled at the 18:59 mark. After Bethel junior Nicole Berscheid's score at the 17:36 mark, Sir again connected from behind the arc at the 16:35 mark and freshman Kim Campbell was able to put down a jumper from along the left baseline at the 15:53 mark for a 29-21 Northwestern lead. Gradually, though, Bethel would battle back. Dahlquist scored inside at the 15:03 mark and was fouled in the process and the ensuing freebie cut the Eagle lead to five points. Then senior Alicia Montbriand, who also struggled with her shooting on this day, finally did connect with a short jumper at the 13:44 mark. Sophomore reserve post Lindy Parker was able to get a rebound at putback at the 12:40 mark and then scores by both Berscheid and Swenson knotted things up at 32. The Royals finally went ahead 38-35 when junior Katelyn Vavra nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 7:21 mark and it LOOKED as if Bethel might have finally righted the ship and was poised to take control.
But oh those tricky Northwestern Eagles had other ideas and refused to go quietly on this Halloween night and all the goblins and spooks out there may have had a hand in helping doom the Royals as well coming down the stretch. First, Sir connected with a jumper just as the shot clock was expiring at the 6:00 mark. After a lay-up by Swenson, Northwestern junior Kaia Larson made a lay-up at the 4:42 mark. Sir then tied things up again at the 3:08 mark with her jumper along the left baseline. Things would be incredibly tight in the last few minutes; a Bethel score tied things at 44-all with 1:49 left before Northwestern would reclaim the lead just a few seconds later. Then Vavra was able to get a lay-up to go in after a couple of roll-arounds on the rim with just :11 left on the clock that tied it again at 46-all. But with just :02 left on the clock, the freshman Cunard was able to get inside and give the Eagles the lead and the win, 48-46 in what was one of the wildest, weirdest scrimmages I have ever seen.
The two teams did also play an extra 20 minute session that featured continuous clock running after the 10-minute mark. Bethel would get a measure of redemption in this one as the starters gave way to let the younger players get some much-needed experience. While it was not one of the prettiest games to watch, it was good to see the new faces get some opportunites to show what they could do. With things tied at 8-all at the 10:07 mark, sophomore post Jami Friday made a single free throw that gave the Royals a lead they would not relinquish this time around. Freshman Kaia Carlson connected with a lay-up at the 6:58 mark and a score inside by Friday with 6:24 left had Bethel up 13-8. Freshman post Megan Brodeur also collected scores at the 3:58 and 2:04 marks that helped the Royals record a 20-12 win in this one.
While I try not to take too much from early-in-the-year scrimmages, it's obvious that the Royals have a lot of work ahead of them in if they plan to be a factor in the MIAC race again this upcoming season. While they may have lost Sheley to graduation, they still have Swenson who has a chance to become a dominating player in the MIAC this year; certainly from a defensive standpoint but she needs to step up from a scoring standpoint as well. Micaella Petrich, when she returns from her injury, will be an important factor as well as both Berscheid and Montbriand who will likely be the top three-point bomber for the Royals this season. Certainly their margin for error is smaller than what it was last year and they need to avoid some of the swoons this team has had in recent years if they hope to return to the conference playoffs. Kahl thinks his Northwestern squad SHOULD be in the upper half of the UMAC this season. Again, I think Fife can be dominating if she wants to be. Sir can be a deadly three-point shooter when "on" and junior Becca Kendrick should be a "go to" player as well.
Anoka-Ramsey vs Hamline Scrimmage 10-29-12
Made the trek over to the St. Paul side of town after I got home from work to catch my first scrimmage of the year between Anoka-Ramsey and Hamline; always interesting as it's not a match-up you would see on a regular basis and it's just the beginning of the 2012-13 season and it's exciting to get things going again. In any event, I got into Hutton Arena and got settled in right around the 17:20 mark of the 1st half with Hamline holding a 6-2 lead.
Hamline's lead didn't last long as sophomore Tacita Gonzalez made a drive and finish at the 16:34 mark and new freshman sharpshooter Nicole Schaub drained a "3" from the left wing at the 14:48 mark to give Anoka-Ramsey a 7-6 lead. At the same time, though, Anoka-Ramsey was looking quite out of synch on offense making several errors (and in turn making Head Coach David DeWitt's blood pressure rise even more) allowing the host Pipers to come right back and build a small lead. Junior Je'Naya Brown made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 14:17 mark and senior Cassidy Vogt scored inside at the 10:16 mark. But Anoka-Ramsey would counter with a jumper by sophomore Kelli Schramm from the left baseline at the 9:51 mark and fellow sophomore Erica Parker sank two free throws at the 7:50 mark which helped fuel a 6-0 run as Anoka-Ramsey found themselves with an 18-13 lead. The Golden Rams then would control things down the stretch before the break as Schaub buried another "3" from the left wing at the 2:35 mark. Vogt and sophomore Mackenzie Lee tried to cut the deficit with their buckets but another "3" by the Golden Rams with just :00.5 left on the clock allowed Anoka-Ramsey to hold a 30-22 lead by the break.
Anoka-Ramsey seemed to pick up right where they left off as the second half got underway. Schaub buried another "3" from the right wing this time as the Golden Rams enjoyed their biggest lead of the contest at 33-22 at the 18:40 mark. But just as things appeared to be rosy for the junior college visitors, Hamline made their decisive move to get themselves right back in the thick of things. A "3" at the 18:13 mark (not sure whom) and an unlikely "3" from Vogt from the left wing suddenly cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to just 33-30 by the 16:59 mark. Then it was sophomore Jordan Sammons, on her first day back from soccer; looking like she was picking right up from where she left off last season who made lightning strike for the Pipers. She made a hard drive and finish at the 14:35 mark to cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 35-33 and after a "3" by one of the new Hamline players wearing #5 that gave the Pipers the lead back at 36-35 at the 13:14 mark, Sammons then knocked down two freebies after being fouled and then made another hard drive and finish at the 10:01 mark to help the Pipers reclaim the lead in this suddenly see-saw affair at 40-39. Schaub did bang home another one of her patented "3s" from the left wing at the 5:48 mark that did once again knot things up at 42-all but Hamline was in control from then on. Steph Pilgrim (a former Anoka-Ramsey great herself) may have had an off-day from a scoring standpoint but she still would play a pivotal role coming down the stretch to help seal the deal for the Pipers as she scored inside and was fouled in the process which, along with the obligatory freebie helped push the Hamline advantage to 46-42 by the 4:36 mark. A rebound and putback by Pilgrim at the 3:46 mark kept the lead at four by the 3:46 mark and Vogt was able to do the same with just under a minute left that pushed the lead to 50-44. A lay-up in transition by Vogt with just :20 left was the final nail in the coffin as Hamline prevailed 52-44 in the regular two 20 minute session.
The Pipers and Golden Rams did play an extra 20 minute continuous clock session as well which was controlled by Hamline. After Schaub knocked down two freebies after being fouled early on and an inside basket by Schramm Hamline was in control. Sammons snared a rebound and got a putback with 15:04 left and then Sammons did the same off a missed Hamline free throw that ballooned the Piper lead to 9-4 which did not sit well with Anoka-Ramsey's DeWitt who continually chastised his team for not being active on the boards the way they should be. Lee knocked down a "3" from the right wing for a 12-5 Hamline lead with 7:14 left and withstood a "3" from Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Cami Bauer with 4:19 left that narrowed Hamline's lead to 14-8. Bauer did make two free throws with scant seconds remaining but Hamline prevailed 14-10.
Afterward, Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell admitted that there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of greasing the parts so to speak to help make this offense run more smoothly. Still she sees potential with this squad and it's easy to tell how much better Hamline can be with Sammons back in the mix. It had to be frustrating for DeWitt and assistant coach David Alto that the Golden Rams just did not appear to be all on the same page with the ball as turnovers and decision-making with the ball all plauged this team on this particular day. Still, I would not hit the panic button if I were DeWitt as his squads always find a way to have the engine fine-tuned once December rolls around. The Golden Rams will get their chance to get their house in order as they depart for Arizona on Wednesday to take on both Western Arizona and Mesa Community College so while the team may pack the sunblock you can be sure they'll be working hard once they land in the desert.
Hamline's lead didn't last long as sophomore Tacita Gonzalez made a drive and finish at the 16:34 mark and new freshman sharpshooter Nicole Schaub drained a "3" from the left wing at the 14:48 mark to give Anoka-Ramsey a 7-6 lead. At the same time, though, Anoka-Ramsey was looking quite out of synch on offense making several errors (and in turn making Head Coach David DeWitt's blood pressure rise even more) allowing the host Pipers to come right back and build a small lead. Junior Je'Naya Brown made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 14:17 mark and senior Cassidy Vogt scored inside at the 10:16 mark. But Anoka-Ramsey would counter with a jumper by sophomore Kelli Schramm from the left baseline at the 9:51 mark and fellow sophomore Erica Parker sank two free throws at the 7:50 mark which helped fuel a 6-0 run as Anoka-Ramsey found themselves with an 18-13 lead. The Golden Rams then would control things down the stretch before the break as Schaub buried another "3" from the left wing at the 2:35 mark. Vogt and sophomore Mackenzie Lee tried to cut the deficit with their buckets but another "3" by the Golden Rams with just :00.5 left on the clock allowed Anoka-Ramsey to hold a 30-22 lead by the break.
Anoka-Ramsey seemed to pick up right where they left off as the second half got underway. Schaub buried another "3" from the right wing this time as the Golden Rams enjoyed their biggest lead of the contest at 33-22 at the 18:40 mark. But just as things appeared to be rosy for the junior college visitors, Hamline made their decisive move to get themselves right back in the thick of things. A "3" at the 18:13 mark (not sure whom) and an unlikely "3" from Vogt from the left wing suddenly cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to just 33-30 by the 16:59 mark. Then it was sophomore Jordan Sammons, on her first day back from soccer; looking like she was picking right up from where she left off last season who made lightning strike for the Pipers. She made a hard drive and finish at the 14:35 mark to cut the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 35-33 and after a "3" by one of the new Hamline players wearing #5 that gave the Pipers the lead back at 36-35 at the 13:14 mark, Sammons then knocked down two freebies after being fouled and then made another hard drive and finish at the 10:01 mark to help the Pipers reclaim the lead in this suddenly see-saw affair at 40-39. Schaub did bang home another one of her patented "3s" from the left wing at the 5:48 mark that did once again knot things up at 42-all but Hamline was in control from then on. Steph Pilgrim (a former Anoka-Ramsey great herself) may have had an off-day from a scoring standpoint but she still would play a pivotal role coming down the stretch to help seal the deal for the Pipers as she scored inside and was fouled in the process which, along with the obligatory freebie helped push the Hamline advantage to 46-42 by the 4:36 mark. A rebound and putback by Pilgrim at the 3:46 mark kept the lead at four by the 3:46 mark and Vogt was able to do the same with just under a minute left that pushed the lead to 50-44. A lay-up in transition by Vogt with just :20 left was the final nail in the coffin as Hamline prevailed 52-44 in the regular two 20 minute session.
The Pipers and Golden Rams did play an extra 20 minute continuous clock session as well which was controlled by Hamline. After Schaub knocked down two freebies after being fouled early on and an inside basket by Schramm Hamline was in control. Sammons snared a rebound and got a putback with 15:04 left and then Sammons did the same off a missed Hamline free throw that ballooned the Piper lead to 9-4 which did not sit well with Anoka-Ramsey's DeWitt who continually chastised his team for not being active on the boards the way they should be. Lee knocked down a "3" from the right wing for a 12-5 Hamline lead with 7:14 left and withstood a "3" from Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Cami Bauer with 4:19 left that narrowed Hamline's lead to 14-8. Bauer did make two free throws with scant seconds remaining but Hamline prevailed 14-10.
Afterward, Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell admitted that there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of greasing the parts so to speak to help make this offense run more smoothly. Still she sees potential with this squad and it's easy to tell how much better Hamline can be with Sammons back in the mix. It had to be frustrating for DeWitt and assistant coach David Alto that the Golden Rams just did not appear to be all on the same page with the ball as turnovers and decision-making with the ball all plauged this team on this particular day. Still, I would not hit the panic button if I were DeWitt as his squads always find a way to have the engine fine-tuned once December rolls around. The Golden Rams will get their chance to get their house in order as they depart for Arizona on Wednesday to take on both Western Arizona and Mesa Community College so while the team may pack the sunblock you can be sure they'll be working hard once they land in the desert.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
GAC Practice 10-20-12
With UCLA off on a bye week on this October Saturday I made the trip down to St. Peter to catch the Gusties Saturday A.M. practice. I was met by new Gustavus Head Coach Laurie Kelly and just spending time talking with her you can easily detect her passion and enthusiasm for not only the GAC program but for the MIAC in general and how much she wants to see the conference return to its glory days and prominence when she was a star player at UST. She certainly has inherited a solid, stable program that has a cupboard full of some very, very good players despite the losses of Molly Geske, Colleen Ruane, Ava Perry, and Liz Shay to graduation.
As I make my way into Lund Arena, I'm greeted by a familiar face - former Gustie great Angie Peterson-Potts who played for Gustavus from 2001-2004 (she played her freshman year at UST) and played an integral role in that fabulous 2002-03 season when GAC, Carleton, and CSB all wound up in a three-way tie for MIAC conference honors. Despite losing the MIAC Championship Game to Carleton in Northfield, the Gusties received a bid to the NCAA Tournament where they knocked off Wartburg at home in St. Peter before losing their second round game out in the Pacific Northwest. In retrospect, that GAC team was built for a deep run that year (as was Carleton) and it's a shame it didn't work out a bit differently for them. In any event, Peterson-Potts is volunteering for the Gustie program this year and her knowledge and experience will be invaluable to not only Kelly and assistants Dan Wolfe and Nate Otto but even more importantly to the players as well. She knows those important things on the floor to help make a player be as successful as they can possibly be. And when it comes to shooting the ball, well, there's no one better to learn from as AP had then - and has now - the prettiest jump shot you'll ever see.
After the normal warming up and stretching, the team moves on to a partner sideline passing drill that involves moving properly with pivoting. The intensity picks up on the next drill which is called a 12-person shooting drill and you can see the intensity and desire on senior post Abby Rothenbuehler's face as she shouts for a ball and contorts her face when a player is late getting her the ball. A transition 5-0 "shell" drill is also performed where the team splits into three different groups. Kelly is always making her presence known; whether it is in terms of correcting mistakes or rooting her players on. Transition defense is also worked on and this is where defense guru Wolfe gets a chance to help mold this squad into one of the top defensive teams in the conference. Positional breakdown drills are also done as guards, forwards and post players all work on their specialties.
Outtakes - From what I can tell, the Gusties are buying into Kelly's philosophy and I think that's important given what this program has gone through over the last 6-7 months. Obviously this program will have a somewhat different look than it did under the Haller regime but it remains to be seen how much. When I asked Kelly about who might fall into the starting point guard spot she seemed uncertain at this point stating that there are no "givens" at this stage of the season. The only "sure" deal at this point would appear to be Rothenbuehler at the post position backed up by Amanda Iverson. The guess here is that senior Steph Comer will probably get the nod at the PG spot but sharpshooting junior Julia Dysthie and sophomore Shelly Blashko could fill in there as well as Kelly wants to be as flexible as possible and doesn't want players to be nailed down to specific positions. One of the newcomers who really appears ready to step right in is Lindsey Johnson and she's only going to get better......This GAC team is too good and too talented to miss out on the MIAC playoffs but I don't know if it's good enough to actually make a serious run at the MIAC title. You have to figure that GAC along with both CSB and SMU will be jockeying for the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots respectively.
As I make my way into Lund Arena, I'm greeted by a familiar face - former Gustie great Angie Peterson-Potts who played for Gustavus from 2001-2004 (she played her freshman year at UST) and played an integral role in that fabulous 2002-03 season when GAC, Carleton, and CSB all wound up in a three-way tie for MIAC conference honors. Despite losing the MIAC Championship Game to Carleton in Northfield, the Gusties received a bid to the NCAA Tournament where they knocked off Wartburg at home in St. Peter before losing their second round game out in the Pacific Northwest. In retrospect, that GAC team was built for a deep run that year (as was Carleton) and it's a shame it didn't work out a bit differently for them. In any event, Peterson-Potts is volunteering for the Gustie program this year and her knowledge and experience will be invaluable to not only Kelly and assistants Dan Wolfe and Nate Otto but even more importantly to the players as well. She knows those important things on the floor to help make a player be as successful as they can possibly be. And when it comes to shooting the ball, well, there's no one better to learn from as AP had then - and has now - the prettiest jump shot you'll ever see.
After the normal warming up and stretching, the team moves on to a partner sideline passing drill that involves moving properly with pivoting. The intensity picks up on the next drill which is called a 12-person shooting drill and you can see the intensity and desire on senior post Abby Rothenbuehler's face as she shouts for a ball and contorts her face when a player is late getting her the ball. A transition 5-0 "shell" drill is also performed where the team splits into three different groups. Kelly is always making her presence known; whether it is in terms of correcting mistakes or rooting her players on. Transition defense is also worked on and this is where defense guru Wolfe gets a chance to help mold this squad into one of the top defensive teams in the conference. Positional breakdown drills are also done as guards, forwards and post players all work on their specialties.
Outtakes - From what I can tell, the Gusties are buying into Kelly's philosophy and I think that's important given what this program has gone through over the last 6-7 months. Obviously this program will have a somewhat different look than it did under the Haller regime but it remains to be seen how much. When I asked Kelly about who might fall into the starting point guard spot she seemed uncertain at this point stating that there are no "givens" at this stage of the season. The only "sure" deal at this point would appear to be Rothenbuehler at the post position backed up by Amanda Iverson. The guess here is that senior Steph Comer will probably get the nod at the PG spot but sharpshooting junior Julia Dysthie and sophomore Shelly Blashko could fill in there as well as Kelly wants to be as flexible as possible and doesn't want players to be nailed down to specific positions. One of the newcomers who really appears ready to step right in is Lindsey Johnson and she's only going to get better......This GAC team is too good and too talented to miss out on the MIAC playoffs but I don't know if it's good enough to actually make a serious run at the MIAC title. You have to figure that GAC along with both CSB and SMU will be jockeying for the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots respectively.
Macalester Practice 10-19-12
On this Friday afternoon I made the trek over to Macalester's Leonard Center to catch the 2012-13 version of Ellen Thompson's team in its early season routine. Without question this team has a different look to it without the Rene Sisters, Maggie Wood, and Holly Schiedermayer who have all moved on and Thompson is quick to admit that the younger players will have to step up from a scoring standpoint. In fact, the lone senior on the team is Kyanna Jones who hails from Osseo HS.
By the time I arrived, the team had got a head start on its flexing/stretching/footwork drills before Thompson moved things right along. The first few drills consisted of dribbling and lay-up work and then the emphasis then switched to passing as two players would go down the court doing both chest and overhead passes to keep these small but vital skills sharp. Another neat little drill that was done early on was where a player was fed a ball at the center of court who then had to go against a defender and had to finish with a jump shot.
The team then moved into drills that emphasized offense and positioning plus screen work. Transition work was also addressed as this is something that Macalester has always seemed to do well. Guards and small forwards also got into one group to do work on a variety of skills while the taller forwards and post players worked on things to help improve their game. Practice finally wrapped up with a short 5-on-5 scrimmage so that Thompson could get a better look at her team to see where they're at right now.
Outtakes - As I mentioned, this is a new-look Macalester team that won't have the Rene Sisters launching up bombs from behind the perimeter that usually terrorized opponents. Just from watching myself I'm not yet sure who/whom is going to be picking up where they left off. While the jury may be out on that front, one player who did catch my eye as far as improvement is junior Carmen Whitehead who hails from Greeley, Colorado. She just looks more confident and comfortable out there and I would have to think that she'll certainly see her share of playing time this year if she doesn't start. The other "big" item revolving around the Macalester program during the off-season was the transfer of Veronika Jakubovie from Hamline. This is certainly a tremendous addition to Thompson's program considering the graduation of Schiedermayer.....I'm thinking that this team could somehow find a way to be one of those "bubble" teams; in play for that 6th playoff spot but several things will have to go right for the Scots in order for that to happen. But Macalester is the last team you want to play if you need to count on a "W" as GAC found out late this last season.
By the time I arrived, the team had got a head start on its flexing/stretching/footwork drills before Thompson moved things right along. The first few drills consisted of dribbling and lay-up work and then the emphasis then switched to passing as two players would go down the court doing both chest and overhead passes to keep these small but vital skills sharp. Another neat little drill that was done early on was where a player was fed a ball at the center of court who then had to go against a defender and had to finish with a jump shot.
The team then moved into drills that emphasized offense and positioning plus screen work. Transition work was also addressed as this is something that Macalester has always seemed to do well. Guards and small forwards also got into one group to do work on a variety of skills while the taller forwards and post players worked on things to help improve their game. Practice finally wrapped up with a short 5-on-5 scrimmage so that Thompson could get a better look at her team to see where they're at right now.
Outtakes - As I mentioned, this is a new-look Macalester team that won't have the Rene Sisters launching up bombs from behind the perimeter that usually terrorized opponents. Just from watching myself I'm not yet sure who/whom is going to be picking up where they left off. While the jury may be out on that front, one player who did catch my eye as far as improvement is junior Carmen Whitehead who hails from Greeley, Colorado. She just looks more confident and comfortable out there and I would have to think that she'll certainly see her share of playing time this year if she doesn't start. The other "big" item revolving around the Macalester program during the off-season was the transfer of Veronika Jakubovie from Hamline. This is certainly a tremendous addition to Thompson's program considering the graduation of Schiedermayer.....I'm thinking that this team could somehow find a way to be one of those "bubble" teams; in play for that 6th playoff spot but several things will have to go right for the Scots in order for that to happen. But Macalester is the last team you want to play if you need to count on a "W" as GAC found out late this last season.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Hamline Practice 10-18-12
Made my way up Snelling Avenue after leaving UST's practice to catch the 6:30 P.M. practice that Haline was having that night. I arrived at Hamline in plenty of time and had an opportunity to chat with Head Coach Kerri Stockwell who was in her office with assistants Angel Leon, Dean Stambaugh, and Jon Hodge as they were preparing tonight's practice session. When I went into the arena I also got to chat with seniors Cassidy Vogt and Steph Pilgrim who both figure to play major roles in the success of this Piper program for this upcoming season.
In addition to myself, there were other visitors as well in the form of high school recruits checking out practice tonight as well as Stockwell has been hitting the recruiting trail hard. The really neat thing, though, was the presence of Steph Rice who is helping out with the team at practice this season as much as she can. Rice, of course, missed the last few games of her senior season last year but her knowledge of the game and her basketball savvy will be invaluable to this team. It's just a testament as to how much she loves this program and how she wants to contribute to its success. And, make no mistake about it, she'll be able to "ball" for a long, long time.
After getting loosened up, the Pipers get it going in earnest as they start with a 4-on-4 halfcourt drill where the emphasis here appears to be defense and communication. The next drill Stockwell employs starts out as a 2-on-1 and eventually morphs into a 5-on-4 drill where the emphasis appears to be defending transition opportunities.
For the next set of drills, the team divides into two groups at each basket to do what appears to be "give and go" work in the paint. Dribbling is added to enhance the drill and then later chairs are placed just inside the 3-point line that the dribblers have to go around. Another notable drill the Pipers perform is a lay-up drill whereby players are lined up at the ends and at the center where three players with ball go the full length of the court to do a lay-up. After doing the lay-up, they then have to do a long baseball-type pass to the center of the court to the next player. Stockwell also has the team do 5-on-5 halfcourt work to work on the offense.
Outtakes - This Hamline squad went through perhaps one of the most uncanny injury-riddled seasons I have ever seen any team endure and yet, through it all, they remained very competitive throughout. Obviously Stockwell does not hope for a repeat of the injury bugaboo and if the key components of this squad can stay healthy there's certainly no reason why this team can't be in the mix as far as a playoff spot is concerned. When sophomore standout Jordan Sammons returns from soccer, it will make this athletic and speedy squad even more dangerous. I'm also impressed with how senior PG Kara Poirier has taken on the leadership role for this team as well. Also keep your eyes on Je'Naya Brown and Mackenzie Lee this year as well.
In addition to myself, there were other visitors as well in the form of high school recruits checking out practice tonight as well as Stockwell has been hitting the recruiting trail hard. The really neat thing, though, was the presence of Steph Rice who is helping out with the team at practice this season as much as she can. Rice, of course, missed the last few games of her senior season last year but her knowledge of the game and her basketball savvy will be invaluable to this team. It's just a testament as to how much she loves this program and how she wants to contribute to its success. And, make no mistake about it, she'll be able to "ball" for a long, long time.
After getting loosened up, the Pipers get it going in earnest as they start with a 4-on-4 halfcourt drill where the emphasis here appears to be defense and communication. The next drill Stockwell employs starts out as a 2-on-1 and eventually morphs into a 5-on-4 drill where the emphasis appears to be defending transition opportunities.
For the next set of drills, the team divides into two groups at each basket to do what appears to be "give and go" work in the paint. Dribbling is added to enhance the drill and then later chairs are placed just inside the 3-point line that the dribblers have to go around. Another notable drill the Pipers perform is a lay-up drill whereby players are lined up at the ends and at the center where three players with ball go the full length of the court to do a lay-up. After doing the lay-up, they then have to do a long baseball-type pass to the center of the court to the next player. Stockwell also has the team do 5-on-5 halfcourt work to work on the offense.
Outtakes - This Hamline squad went through perhaps one of the most uncanny injury-riddled seasons I have ever seen any team endure and yet, through it all, they remained very competitive throughout. Obviously Stockwell does not hope for a repeat of the injury bugaboo and if the key components of this squad can stay healthy there's certainly no reason why this team can't be in the mix as far as a playoff spot is concerned. When sophomore standout Jordan Sammons returns from soccer, it will make this athletic and speedy squad even more dangerous. I'm also impressed with how senior PG Kara Poirier has taken on the leadership role for this team as well. Also keep your eyes on Je'Naya Brown and Mackenzie Lee this year as well.
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