Battled traffic on I-94 from the northwest suburbs in the late afternoon to get over to the St. Paul side of town again and over to Macalester College to watch my first scrimmage of the year featuring host Macalester against visiting Anoka-Ramsey. I managed to get settled in with 7:10 left in the first ten minute scrimmage but, since there is typically no score kept on the scoreboard for scrimmages I was clueless as to what the situation was. But Anoka-Ramsey was struggling with turnovers and miscues on offense and this gave the Scots several opportunities to cash in. Sophomore guard Vivi Gregorich cashed in with a lay-up in transition at the 6:13 mark and, despite a three-point bomb by the Golden Rams with 2:03 left, savvy senior guard Erin Murray got two late scores for the Scots towards the end of the first scrimmage: one jumper in the lane with 1:16 left and another from the left corner just inside the arc with :19 left.
That strong finish by Murray towards the end of the first scrimmage seemed to be the cue for the rest of the squad to pick up their game as well once the second scrimmage got underway. Two quick scores in the first minute by lanky junior forward Park Masterson - a "3" from the right top area with 9:26 left and a lay-up after a steal with 9:10 left gave the Scots an early 5-0 lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt called a quick timeout to give his team an earful. But the Scots were far from finished. Two more quick scores by willowy sophomore forward Leah Gray - a "3" from the right wing with 8:51 left and a rebound and putback with 8:02 left - put Macalester up 10-0 and a lay-up by junior point guard Grace Dickman who was wearing a protective mask over her face for this one now made it 12-0 before the Golden Rams finally settled down on offense and started to make things happen. One score in the paint by sophomore forward Daron Mainville with 7:08 left and a steal and lay-up the other way the Golden Rams with 6:50 left trimmed the deficit to eight points. Trailing 14-4, Golden Ram guard Laya Sath made a drive into the paint for a finish and got fouled in the process as well and the ensuing free throw cut the Macalester lead down to seven at 14-7. Anoka-Ramsey cut the Scot lead down to six at 15-9 with 4:45 left but a lay-up after a steal by senior guard Katelyn Kack pushed the Scot lead back to eight at 17-9. Still, Anoka-Ramsey had one last push left in them to draw tantalizingly close. A three-point shot off of an inbounds pass with 3:27 left and a lay-up with 2:52 left cut Macalester's lead down to four at 18-14. Scot sophomore reserve forward Emilie McGuire connected with a lay-up with 1:47 left that made it 20-14 but another Golden Ram score in the paint with 1:33 left and a lay-up with just :02 left had me counting the final in this one at 20-18 Macalester.
The last scrimmage of the evening featured running time to move things along. Anoka-Ramsey drew first blood in this one with a "3" from the left corner with 9:49 left but that was answered by a "3" from Scot junior reserve guard Lauren Clamage from the left corner as well with 8:57 left. Anoka-Ramsey; looking a bit more comfortable on offense in this third scrimmage, was able to score on a lay-up with 6:26 left to forge a 5-3 advantage. Macalester struggled a bit more offensively in this third scrimmage but was able to cut the deficit to one when Gregorich connected with one freebie after being fouled with 3:10 left. A score in the paint by Anoka-Ramsey with 1:41 left gave the Golden Rams a 7-4 lead and Macalester tried to answer when McGuire connected with a score in the paint as well with :25 left. The Scots Masterson looked to be going down for the winning lay-up with scant seconds remaining but she was fouled as time expired and no free throws were given making the final score 7-6 in favor of Anoka-Ramsey.
While the final scores aren't so important scrimmages, overall execution and improvement are and Macalester Head Coach Kelly Roysland seemed pleased with her squad's performance in this outing although she was quick to agree when I felt that they arguably left some points on the table with missed free throws. They're still awaiting one player to join the team yet - sophomore post Regan Fruh who is currently on the volleyball team at Macalester. Roysland feels very excited for the season to begin and I got the impression that she also thinks that her squad is primed to improve on last season's bumpy road. I also visited with Anoka-Ramsey Assistant Coach James Fassett afterward as well. He noted that the numerous turnovers committed by the Golden Rams on this day were not the result of Macalester doing anything special on defense but rather because players were simply trying to do too much at the wrong time; i.e., improvising when they really didn't need to improvise. With several new faces on the squad, it may take some time to get everyone on the same page. Fassett also pointed out that the team scrimmages at home against Augsburg tomorrow (Thursday) night and he wished that the scrimmages were a bit more "spaced out" so that they could have some extra time to work on the things he thinks that they need to work on.
Los Angeles Rams
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
St. Kate's Practice 10-23-16
Got up early on my day off from work to drive over to the St. Paul side of town for the Friday morning (9:00 A.M.) practice at St. Kate's. I got over there early to catch up with both Head Coach Sean Pinkerton and Assistant Coach Tim Kjar. Both are excited for the upcoming season and the challenges that lay ahead as they seek to make amends for a disappointing 2014-15 season.
After I get settled in, one of the first things Pinkerton has the squad work on is on lay-ups in transition opportunities. This is a squad that definitely has the athleticism to get out and run but the overall work in the drills is not to Pinkerton's liking and not a good way to get this Friday morning practice started. As a result, full-court sprints are in order for the squad and they get an earful of Pinkerton's displeasure as well.
The next drill keeps the focus on transition as well. Here, one group of players are lined up on the baseline and two more groups are lined up along each sideline. Off of a mock rebound, one player from each group go down the court in a transition situation to finish with a lay-up. On the trip back down, a screen is set and the idea is to get the ball kicked out to the point guard. A similar drill is performed a bit late with three players going down the court in a mock transition opportunity but on the trip back, one of the players turns into a defensive player to represent a 2-on-1 situation.
After the team is split into two groups that allows the players to do a little one-on-one work, the focus then switches to defense in a 2-on-2 drill where the emphasis for the defenders is moving with the ball. This later morphs into a 3-on-3 half-court drill where the emphasis appears to be setting a good screen and coming off the screen as well. Later, a 5-on-4 half-court drill is done and the emphasis here is defensively moving with the ball.
The team then gets to do more work on lay-ups as they are split into two groups but in this drill, each player comes off of a screen set for them. Then, one of the last big drills of this morning workout is some 5-on-5 half-court work where the starters are on offense and the reserves are on defense. The starters definitely get the best of their understudies but, to make things halfway fair, the roles are later reversed where now the starters are on defense and the understudies get to show their stuff with the ball. Very good to watch and it gives the bench players a chance to showcase their skills. Finally, with fall break going on during the week, Pinkerton wraps up this morning practice as he has the players work on both their three-point shooting and their mid-range jumpers as well.
Outtakes: I've always felt that St. Kates is a team that you should keep your eyes on as they have the coaching and the athleticism to "topple the applecart" so to speak; i.e., spoil the hopes of another team's playoff chances and sneak into the MIAC playoffs. To do that, though, two things need to happen: (1) They have to, without question, stay healthy and (2) they have to find some consistency as they endured a nine-game skid from mid-January to mid-February last season. The twin sister duo of Audra and Meg Clark is more than just a fun show to watch. They work incredibly well together and they're only sophomores. Sharpshooting senior forward Shauna Horsch has developed into a true leader for this team and she's shown one more than one occasion that she can be a game-changer with her three-point shooting ability. Junior forward Mari Lee has blossomed into a very solid player and I expect big things from her this season. Junior guard/forward Kennedy Jennings is a very versatile, athletic player and, oh, let's not forget about junior guard/forward LaShay Holt who can single-handedly electrify a gym floor with her sensational ability on both ends of the floor. On the downside, depth again will be an issue so it'll be crucial for the reserves to develop as much as possible between now and January once the 'Cats delve into the meat of their schedule. Again, it's going to come down to (1) staying healthy and (2) finding consistency some consistency along the way. And it wouldn't hurt if they were able to steal a game or two that they're not supposed to win on paper.
After I get settled in, one of the first things Pinkerton has the squad work on is on lay-ups in transition opportunities. This is a squad that definitely has the athleticism to get out and run but the overall work in the drills is not to Pinkerton's liking and not a good way to get this Friday morning practice started. As a result, full-court sprints are in order for the squad and they get an earful of Pinkerton's displeasure as well.
The next drill keeps the focus on transition as well. Here, one group of players are lined up on the baseline and two more groups are lined up along each sideline. Off of a mock rebound, one player from each group go down the court in a transition situation to finish with a lay-up. On the trip back down, a screen is set and the idea is to get the ball kicked out to the point guard. A similar drill is performed a bit late with three players going down the court in a mock transition opportunity but on the trip back, one of the players turns into a defensive player to represent a 2-on-1 situation.
After the team is split into two groups that allows the players to do a little one-on-one work, the focus then switches to defense in a 2-on-2 drill where the emphasis for the defenders is moving with the ball. This later morphs into a 3-on-3 half-court drill where the emphasis appears to be setting a good screen and coming off the screen as well. Later, a 5-on-4 half-court drill is done and the emphasis here is defensively moving with the ball.
The team then gets to do more work on lay-ups as they are split into two groups but in this drill, each player comes off of a screen set for them. Then, one of the last big drills of this morning workout is some 5-on-5 half-court work where the starters are on offense and the reserves are on defense. The starters definitely get the best of their understudies but, to make things halfway fair, the roles are later reversed where now the starters are on defense and the understudies get to show their stuff with the ball. Very good to watch and it gives the bench players a chance to showcase their skills. Finally, with fall break going on during the week, Pinkerton wraps up this morning practice as he has the players work on both their three-point shooting and their mid-range jumpers as well.
Outtakes: I've always felt that St. Kates is a team that you should keep your eyes on as they have the coaching and the athleticism to "topple the applecart" so to speak; i.e., spoil the hopes of another team's playoff chances and sneak into the MIAC playoffs. To do that, though, two things need to happen: (1) They have to, without question, stay healthy and (2) they have to find some consistency as they endured a nine-game skid from mid-January to mid-February last season. The twin sister duo of Audra and Meg Clark is more than just a fun show to watch. They work incredibly well together and they're only sophomores. Sharpshooting senior forward Shauna Horsch has developed into a true leader for this team and she's shown one more than one occasion that she can be a game-changer with her three-point shooting ability. Junior forward Mari Lee has blossomed into a very solid player and I expect big things from her this season. Junior guard/forward Kennedy Jennings is a very versatile, athletic player and, oh, let's not forget about junior guard/forward LaShay Holt who can single-handedly electrify a gym floor with her sensational ability on both ends of the floor. On the downside, depth again will be an issue so it'll be crucial for the reserves to develop as much as possible between now and January once the 'Cats delve into the meat of their schedule. Again, it's going to come down to (1) staying healthy and (2) finding consistency some consistency along the way. And it wouldn't hurt if they were able to steal a game or two that they're not supposed to win on paper.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Anoka-Ramsey Practice 10-16-15
Had this Friday off from work - and thankfully so as I was still very much hungover from UCLA's Thursday night debacle up at Stanford. Nevertheless, I was able to make the 0900 Friday A.M. practice for Anoka-Ramsey and to see what Head Coach David DeWitt has for his 2015-16 squad. One thing is for sure - there are a LOT of new faces on the squad but there is also a lot of talent and athleticism as well and while the refined product will obviously take some time to reveal itself there's a sense that this program can get back to its winning ways and have a solid shot at getting back to the National Tournament as well.
After an initial "sit-down" meeting on the floor to discuss things such as getting better and playing hard as well as the upcoming jamboree on Saturday, DeWitt has his team doing its first drill which consists of having three players at a basket as the players move to different areas on the perimeter to work on their perimeter shooting. DeWitt stops the drill about a third of the way through as he not pleased with the lack of talking and communication between the players during the drill. Specifically, DeWitt wants his shooters yelling for the ball.
The next significant drill has one player from the baseline pass the ball out to a player near the top of the key and then the baseline person has to come out and defend the shot at the top of the key. A bit later, DeWitt has his squad do a 3-on-0 "shell" drill that emphasizes setting a good screen. Unfortunately, however, the drill is not going anywhere near the level that DeWitt expects and he vents his displeasure to his squad which in the end results in two sets of sprints.
After working on a variety of passes, DeWitt then has his squad in a 3-on-2 half-court drill that emphasizes ball movement and defending on a transition opportunity. Another 3-on-0 "shell" drill is done afterward that emphasizes crisp passing and movement. But again, the drill is not done to DeWitt's liking and he lets the team know about it under no uncertain terms. To have his squad fully understand what he wants, he has his team "walk through" the drill at a slow pace
Another 3-on-2 half-court drill and a 3-on-3 full-court drill are performed that emphasize defense and movement to the ball. Then comes a 5-on-0 "shell" drill where movement and positioning is emphasized. Several times during the drill, however, DeWitt has to stop the action to point out mistakes made by players coming off the screen that was set for them.
Finally, it's time for some 5-on-5 full-court action and this is where I got my first glimpse of the team's potential. But DeWitt has to stop the action several times again to point out various deficiencies that have to be corrected. And again, being that this is only mid-October, I fully expect that. Particularly when you have, for the most part anyway, a whole new group of players getting used to a new system. As I've told DeWitt myself on more than one occasion, "Rome wasn't built in a day."
DeWitt wraps up the morning practice by having the players work on their perimeter shooting some more before a short team meeting and having the squad set up things for the Saturday jamboree. Again, I think this squad has a ton of potential and the ability to make up for last year's disappointing season. The big thing for me that I want to see is who/whom develops as a leader for this squad. It becomes an interesting question considering that you have at least two players that are sophomores that transferred into Anoka-Ramsey after playing their first season on other teams. Chemistry is another thing that has to be developed as well although I think that will take care of itself as the season progresses. Certainly Anoka-Ramsey has to be considered one of the favorites in the MCCC along with Rochester and possibly Minnesota West.
After an initial "sit-down" meeting on the floor to discuss things such as getting better and playing hard as well as the upcoming jamboree on Saturday, DeWitt has his team doing its first drill which consists of having three players at a basket as the players move to different areas on the perimeter to work on their perimeter shooting. DeWitt stops the drill about a third of the way through as he not pleased with the lack of talking and communication between the players during the drill. Specifically, DeWitt wants his shooters yelling for the ball.
The next significant drill has one player from the baseline pass the ball out to a player near the top of the key and then the baseline person has to come out and defend the shot at the top of the key. A bit later, DeWitt has his squad do a 3-on-0 "shell" drill that emphasizes setting a good screen. Unfortunately, however, the drill is not going anywhere near the level that DeWitt expects and he vents his displeasure to his squad which in the end results in two sets of sprints.
After working on a variety of passes, DeWitt then has his squad in a 3-on-2 half-court drill that emphasizes ball movement and defending on a transition opportunity. Another 3-on-0 "shell" drill is done afterward that emphasizes crisp passing and movement. But again, the drill is not done to DeWitt's liking and he lets the team know about it under no uncertain terms. To have his squad fully understand what he wants, he has his team "walk through" the drill at a slow pace
Another 3-on-2 half-court drill and a 3-on-3 full-court drill are performed that emphasize defense and movement to the ball. Then comes a 5-on-0 "shell" drill where movement and positioning is emphasized. Several times during the drill, however, DeWitt has to stop the action to point out mistakes made by players coming off the screen that was set for them.
Finally, it's time for some 5-on-5 full-court action and this is where I got my first glimpse of the team's potential. But DeWitt has to stop the action several times again to point out various deficiencies that have to be corrected. And again, being that this is only mid-October, I fully expect that. Particularly when you have, for the most part anyway, a whole new group of players getting used to a new system. As I've told DeWitt myself on more than one occasion, "Rome wasn't built in a day."
DeWitt wraps up the morning practice by having the players work on their perimeter shooting some more before a short team meeting and having the squad set up things for the Saturday jamboree. Again, I think this squad has a ton of potential and the ability to make up for last year's disappointing season. The big thing for me that I want to see is who/whom develops as a leader for this squad. It becomes an interesting question considering that you have at least two players that are sophomores that transferred into Anoka-Ramsey after playing their first season on other teams. Chemistry is another thing that has to be developed as well although I think that will take care of itself as the season progresses. Certainly Anoka-Ramsey has to be considered one of the favorites in the MCCC along with Rochester and possibly Minnesota West.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Another Season Is Upon Us!
And how appropriate is it with the Minnesota Lynx closing in on another WNBA title at Target Center!! Yes, tomorrow (Thursday) is that magical date of October 15 when practice officially begins for all DIII teams. And I'll be out visiting some of these early practices over the next few weeks to try and get a feel for how these teams will fare in the upcoming 2015-16 season.
Get ready!
Get ready!
Monday, August 31, 2015
Tribute To Bill McKee
I had to take some time to gather my thoughts after I found out about the passing of Augsburg Head Coach Bill McKee after a courageous battle with kidney cancer. Having lost my mother to leukemia and an older brother to brain cancer, I can certainly relate to the grief and sorrow that the McKee family bears at this time. But I wanted to focus on how I knew him and what a great person and coach that he was.
Sadly, I don't think I knew Bill as well as I should have and certainly wanted to. Still, there was something about Bill that I couldn't help but notice. He was a remarkable professional both on and off the court but, even more than that, what caught my eye about Bill early on was his demeanor on the bench. You simply didn't see Bill get that upset on the floor during a game simply because that wasn't his way. I can only recall one occasion where I saw Bill upset with a call and all you got was a sour look and a wave of hands.
When Bill took over a struggling Augsburg program back in 2011, I knew it would only be a matter of time before he righted the ship and had the Auggies going in the right direction in an incredibly competitive MIAC. After falling just short of the playoffs the last few seasons, Augsburg broke through this last season and snared the sixth spot in the MIAC playoffs and pulled off the shocker of the season when they defeated a very good Concordia squad up in Moorhead before falling to eventual MIAC playoff champion UST (which, oh, by the way, made another great run in the NCAA Tournament this last March).
My heart goes out to all the current and former players who were lucky enough to not only have him as a coach but a mentor as well. Women's basketball and the MIAC have lost a great coach and an even better person. I was lucky enough to be able to talk to Bill a few times during the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League when the Augsburg teams were competing and he was keeping a sharp eye on his squads. I also had the pleasure of talking to him after games whether his team won or lost. He genuinely cared about his players not only on the court but off the court as well. He will be dearly missed.
Sadly, I don't think I knew Bill as well as I should have and certainly wanted to. Still, there was something about Bill that I couldn't help but notice. He was a remarkable professional both on and off the court but, even more than that, what caught my eye about Bill early on was his demeanor on the bench. You simply didn't see Bill get that upset on the floor during a game simply because that wasn't his way. I can only recall one occasion where I saw Bill upset with a call and all you got was a sour look and a wave of hands.
When Bill took over a struggling Augsburg program back in 2011, I knew it would only be a matter of time before he righted the ship and had the Auggies going in the right direction in an incredibly competitive MIAC. After falling just short of the playoffs the last few seasons, Augsburg broke through this last season and snared the sixth spot in the MIAC playoffs and pulled off the shocker of the season when they defeated a very good Concordia squad up in Moorhead before falling to eventual MIAC playoff champion UST (which, oh, by the way, made another great run in the NCAA Tournament this last March).
My heart goes out to all the current and former players who were lucky enough to not only have him as a coach but a mentor as well. Women's basketball and the MIAC have lost a great coach and an even better person. I was lucky enough to be able to talk to Bill a few times during the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League when the Augsburg teams were competing and he was keeping a sharp eye on his squads. I also had the pleasure of talking to him after games whether his team won or lost. He genuinely cared about his players not only on the court but off the court as well. He will be dearly missed.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Playoff Results For Wednesday 8-5-15
Here are the results of the playoff games I was able to catch last night at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League:
5:00 P.M. Games
Hoops, I Did It Again - 48
Royals - 40
Phatties - 46
CSB - 33
5:55 P.M. Games
Dream Team - 42
Augsburg #1 - 29
Warriors - 49
Winona State - 45 OT
6:50 P.M. Games
Hoops, I Did It Again - 55
Phatties - 42
Dream Team - 51
Warriors - 40
7:45 P.M. Games
B Ballers - 46
Concordia St. Paul - 42
UST Purple - 51
Northern State - 40
8:40 P.M. Games
Hoops, I Did It Again - 55
Northern State - 50
Concordia St. Paul - 43
Dream Team - 37
Not a lot of drama in the 5:00 P.M. slot as the Hoops, I Did It Again squad used their speed and quickness to dismantle the Royals (Bethel) team while the Phatties dismissed the CSB Blazers from the loser's bracket with a 46-33 win. Things started to get really interesting, however, in the 5:55 P.M. slot. First, the Dream Team was able to open up some distance on the Augsburg #1 team right before the half on a "3" by former Northwestern standout Mollie Sir and although the Auggies would make a bit of a run at the Dream Team in the second half, the seasoned vets of the Dream Team got the "W" to advance. The real doozy of the evening was the other game in this time slot between Winona State and the Warriors team. Winona State looked to have things pretty much wrapped up late in the contest with a seemingly "safe" 42-35 lead but a late 7-0 burst by a Warriors team which seems to have more lives than a cat knotted the issue at 42 at the end of regulation. In the two-minute overtime period, the Warriors made all the right moves while Winona State could muster only a "3" by senior-to-be Connor Nagle as the Warriors advanced. The Warriors magic carpet ride came to a screeching halt in the 6:50 P.M. slot as they were bounced by a rested Dream Team while the Hoops, I Did It Again squad dismantled the Phatties by a 55-42 count despite the Phatties making a nice comeback in the second half to get things close......A couple of wild games in the 7:45 P.M. slot as the B Ballers had to overcome an early 21-6 deficit against a very good Concordia St. Paul squad just to get close again. The B Ballers got a couple of key shots late and stifled late attempts by the Golden Bears to pull off an unlikely 46-42 win. In the other game in this time slot, Northern State built a sizable lead early on a small but very quick UST Purple team but that cushion was slowly eaten up by a determined Tommie squad that sliced Northern State's lead down to 24-19 at the half. The UST Purple team came out with a vengeance in the second half and used their quickness, speed, and half-court trapping defense that completely frustrated a bigger Northern State squad and the UST Purple team scored a 51-40 upset. In the 8:40 P.M. slot, Concordia St. Paul got some redemption from its disappointment in the earlier time slot to end the dreams of the Dream Team in a very close and hard-fought contest. Meanwhile, Northern State's incredible run of bad luck continued as they once AGAIN forged a sizable lead on the Hoops, I Did It Again squad only to see the speed and athleticism of former Hamline standout Jordan Sammons cut them to smithereens in the second half as Hoops, I Did It Again recorded a 59-50 victory and, considering the loss Northern State suffered to the GAC Black team on Monday night over at the JCC Women's College Summer League, this is a week that the Wolves would probably just as soon like to forget ever happened.
The championship game for the Midtown YWCA will be at approximately 2:45 P.M. on this coming Saturday afternoon at Target Center co-inciding with the Minnesota Lynx's game Sunday night against the Los Angeles Sparks.
5:00 P.M. Games
Hoops, I Did It Again - 48
Royals - 40
Phatties - 46
CSB - 33
5:55 P.M. Games
Dream Team - 42
Augsburg #1 - 29
Warriors - 49
Winona State - 45 OT
6:50 P.M. Games
Hoops, I Did It Again - 55
Phatties - 42
Dream Team - 51
Warriors - 40
7:45 P.M. Games
B Ballers - 46
Concordia St. Paul - 42
UST Purple - 51
Northern State - 40
8:40 P.M. Games
Hoops, I Did It Again - 55
Northern State - 50
Concordia St. Paul - 43
Dream Team - 37
Not a lot of drama in the 5:00 P.M. slot as the Hoops, I Did It Again squad used their speed and quickness to dismantle the Royals (Bethel) team while the Phatties dismissed the CSB Blazers from the loser's bracket with a 46-33 win. Things started to get really interesting, however, in the 5:55 P.M. slot. First, the Dream Team was able to open up some distance on the Augsburg #1 team right before the half on a "3" by former Northwestern standout Mollie Sir and although the Auggies would make a bit of a run at the Dream Team in the second half, the seasoned vets of the Dream Team got the "W" to advance. The real doozy of the evening was the other game in this time slot between Winona State and the Warriors team. Winona State looked to have things pretty much wrapped up late in the contest with a seemingly "safe" 42-35 lead but a late 7-0 burst by a Warriors team which seems to have more lives than a cat knotted the issue at 42 at the end of regulation. In the two-minute overtime period, the Warriors made all the right moves while Winona State could muster only a "3" by senior-to-be Connor Nagle as the Warriors advanced. The Warriors magic carpet ride came to a screeching halt in the 6:50 P.M. slot as they were bounced by a rested Dream Team while the Hoops, I Did It Again squad dismantled the Phatties by a 55-42 count despite the Phatties making a nice comeback in the second half to get things close......A couple of wild games in the 7:45 P.M. slot as the B Ballers had to overcome an early 21-6 deficit against a very good Concordia St. Paul squad just to get close again. The B Ballers got a couple of key shots late and stifled late attempts by the Golden Bears to pull off an unlikely 46-42 win. In the other game in this time slot, Northern State built a sizable lead early on a small but very quick UST Purple team but that cushion was slowly eaten up by a determined Tommie squad that sliced Northern State's lead down to 24-19 at the half. The UST Purple team came out with a vengeance in the second half and used their quickness, speed, and half-court trapping defense that completely frustrated a bigger Northern State squad and the UST Purple team scored a 51-40 upset. In the 8:40 P.M. slot, Concordia St. Paul got some redemption from its disappointment in the earlier time slot to end the dreams of the Dream Team in a very close and hard-fought contest. Meanwhile, Northern State's incredible run of bad luck continued as they once AGAIN forged a sizable lead on the Hoops, I Did It Again squad only to see the speed and athleticism of former Hamline standout Jordan Sammons cut them to smithereens in the second half as Hoops, I Did It Again recorded a 59-50 victory and, considering the loss Northern State suffered to the GAC Black team on Monday night over at the JCC Women's College Summer League, this is a week that the Wolves would probably just as soon like to forget ever happened.
The championship game for the Midtown YWCA will be at approximately 2:45 P.M. on this coming Saturday afternoon at Target Center co-inciding with the Minnesota Lynx's game Sunday night against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
JCC Women's College Summer League Playoff Results For Monday 8-3-15
Here are the playoff results on the final night of the JCC Women's College Summer League:
5:30 P.M. Game
GAC Alumni + A Few - 62
GAC Gold - 45
Despite the fact that I arrived late on this night thanks to some untimely errands I had to run after I got off the bus from work, I could tell that the young GAC Gold squad had their work cut out for them against the bigger, more experienced GAC Alumni + A Few squad which forged a 35-24 halftime lead. Still, the gamey GAC Gold squad tried to get right back into the thick of things once the second half got underway as they managed to whittle the deficit down to single digits in the early going of the second half but their efforts soon faltered. The GAC Alumni + A Few squad rebuilt their lead to double digits and had a thirteen point cushion by the 11:50 mark at 47-34 that would soon grow to seventeen points at 53-36 with 9:25 left and the GAC Alumni + A Few team was able to cruise into Monday night's championship game with a relatively easy 62-45 victory.
6:20 P.M. Game
GAC Black - 54
Northern State - 45
The other semifinal on this night pitted the other young Gustie squad; the GAC Black team up against the team that most projected into the other slot of the championship game on this evening - Northern State. The young GAC Black team managed to keep things close in the early going but late in the second half Northern State was able to make a move. A jumper by freshman-to-be Jaycie Gerding out of Centennial with 4:35 left upped the Wolves lead to 19-14 and a 6-2 Northern State run shortly thereafter increased their lead to 25-16 with 2:00 minutes left in the first half. Northern State appeared to stick an early dagger into the heart of the GAC Black team right before the half when freshman-to-be Taylor Kane (who hit a huge game winner over at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League recently) drilled a jumper from along the right baseline that gave the Wolves a 27-19 halftime lead. But this tricky underdog GAC Black squad slowly chipped and clawed their way right back into the game while a bigger and more athletic Northern State squad suddenly saw things go totally awry for them. With their lead cut down to a scant point at 40-39, the GAC Black squad suddenly took a 41-40 lead with 7:35 left and still held that one-point edge at 42-41 with 5:48 left. Northern State tried desperately to stem the GAC Black tide but they couldn't find a way to stop freshman-to-be Brooke Lemke out of Delano who was simply sensational down the stretch; hitting "3's" and masterfully running the offense and making things happen on defense as well. With time ticking away, Northern State's situation became more and more desperate as the GAC Black team built a four-point lead at 47-43 with 3:15 left which grew to a seven-point 52-45 lead with just 2:02 left. GAC Black pulled off the big upset on this night; claiming a 54-45 win over a shell-shocked Northern State team to advance to the championship game.
7:30 P.M. Championship Game
GAC Alumni + A Few - 53
GAC Black - 43
You had to wonder if the GAC Black team had anything left in the tank after their big upset win over Northern State. Still, the young, scrappy GAC Black team hung in there in the opening minutes; staying close with their older, bigger opponent. Down the stretch of the first half, however, the inevitable happened as the GAC Alumni + A Few team made a bit of a run fueled by former Gustie PG Bri Radtke and former Augsburg player Anne Skriba (the "A Few" part) that gave them a 20-14 lead with 8:15 left and they maintained that cushion for the rest of the first half as they built a 30-22 halftime lead. But this time there would be no spirited comeback for the GAC Black squad as their rested opponent seized control. Radtke played as though she could hold the point guard spot for her old school for the next ten years while Skriba was simply unstoppable at times. The GAC Black squad wasn't willing to fly the white flag as they made a late flurry to keep things reasonably close but the GAC Alumni + A Few team were the champions at the end with a 53-43 victory.
5:30 P.M. Game
GAC Alumni + A Few - 62
GAC Gold - 45
Despite the fact that I arrived late on this night thanks to some untimely errands I had to run after I got off the bus from work, I could tell that the young GAC Gold squad had their work cut out for them against the bigger, more experienced GAC Alumni + A Few squad which forged a 35-24 halftime lead. Still, the gamey GAC Gold squad tried to get right back into the thick of things once the second half got underway as they managed to whittle the deficit down to single digits in the early going of the second half but their efforts soon faltered. The GAC Alumni + A Few squad rebuilt their lead to double digits and had a thirteen point cushion by the 11:50 mark at 47-34 that would soon grow to seventeen points at 53-36 with 9:25 left and the GAC Alumni + A Few team was able to cruise into Monday night's championship game with a relatively easy 62-45 victory.
6:20 P.M. Game
GAC Black - 54
Northern State - 45
The other semifinal on this night pitted the other young Gustie squad; the GAC Black team up against the team that most projected into the other slot of the championship game on this evening - Northern State. The young GAC Black team managed to keep things close in the early going but late in the second half Northern State was able to make a move. A jumper by freshman-to-be Jaycie Gerding out of Centennial with 4:35 left upped the Wolves lead to 19-14 and a 6-2 Northern State run shortly thereafter increased their lead to 25-16 with 2:00 minutes left in the first half. Northern State appeared to stick an early dagger into the heart of the GAC Black team right before the half when freshman-to-be Taylor Kane (who hit a huge game winner over at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League recently) drilled a jumper from along the right baseline that gave the Wolves a 27-19 halftime lead. But this tricky underdog GAC Black squad slowly chipped and clawed their way right back into the game while a bigger and more athletic Northern State squad suddenly saw things go totally awry for them. With their lead cut down to a scant point at 40-39, the GAC Black squad suddenly took a 41-40 lead with 7:35 left and still held that one-point edge at 42-41 with 5:48 left. Northern State tried desperately to stem the GAC Black tide but they couldn't find a way to stop freshman-to-be Brooke Lemke out of Delano who was simply sensational down the stretch; hitting "3's" and masterfully running the offense and making things happen on defense as well. With time ticking away, Northern State's situation became more and more desperate as the GAC Black team built a four-point lead at 47-43 with 3:15 left which grew to a seven-point 52-45 lead with just 2:02 left. GAC Black pulled off the big upset on this night; claiming a 54-45 win over a shell-shocked Northern State team to advance to the championship game.
7:30 P.M. Championship Game
GAC Alumni + A Few - 53
GAC Black - 43
You had to wonder if the GAC Black team had anything left in the tank after their big upset win over Northern State. Still, the young, scrappy GAC Black team hung in there in the opening minutes; staying close with their older, bigger opponent. Down the stretch of the first half, however, the inevitable happened as the GAC Alumni + A Few team made a bit of a run fueled by former Gustie PG Bri Radtke and former Augsburg player Anne Skriba (the "A Few" part) that gave them a 20-14 lead with 8:15 left and they maintained that cushion for the rest of the first half as they built a 30-22 halftime lead. But this time there would be no spirited comeback for the GAC Black squad as their rested opponent seized control. Radtke played as though she could hold the point guard spot for her old school for the next ten years while Skriba was simply unstoppable at times. The GAC Black squad wasn't willing to fly the white flag as they made a late flurry to keep things reasonably close but the GAC Alumni + A Few team were the champions at the end with a 53-43 victory.
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