Made the annual pilgrimmage up to Anoka on this Thursday night to take in the Section 5AAAA Championship Game between number three seed Champlin Park and number one seed Park Center. The Rebels advanced to the title game by virtue of their upset win over second-seeded Roseville last Saturday while the Pirates had to hold on for dear life against fourth-seeded Osseo on the same afternoon. These two neighborhood and Northwest Suburban Conference rivals have gone at each other for a long time but never in a game this big before. After enduring another agonizing 40 minutes of Iowa basketball earlier in the day that saw the Hawkeyes drop a 68-66 decision to Illinois in the B1G Tourney and after having to stomach UCLA's THIRD blowout loss to crosstown rival USC in ONE season the night before in the Pac 12 Tournament, a chance to take in these two bitter Northwest Suburban Conference rivals playing for the right to advance to state was exactly what the doctor ordered.
It would be the underdog Rebels drawing first blood in this contest as sophomore guard Erica Hicks drained a "3" from the right top area at the 16:45 mark for a 3-0 Champlin Park lead but the Pirates would come right back with a 7-0 run. A drive and finish by sophomore guard Sommer Blakemore at the 14:17 mark and a turnaround jumper off the glass by lanky junior post Mikayla Hayes at the 13:36 mark had Park Center out in front 4-3. Fellow junior sharpshooting guard Ann Simonet punctuated the early run with her "3" from the left corner at the 12:08 mark. The Rebels managed to close the gap to one point when equally lanky 6'4" senior post Hanna Crymble maneuvered down low for a score and drew a foul in the process that allowed her to sink the obligatory free throw at the 11:42 mark. Another Crymble score in the paint at the 9:25 mark and two free throws by reserve sophomore guard Amanda Pollard with 8:51 left in the first half kept Champlin Park right in the thick of things trailing 11-10.
Things appeared to get even more dicey from a Pirate standpoint with 8:28 left when Hayes; the future Florida Gator, picked up her third foul of the contest which forced Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde to sit her for the rest of the first half. Champlin Park meanwhile got its nose out in front again with 8:15 left when Pollard banged home a "3" from the top of the key that had the Rebels up 13-11. The Pirates would respond as sophomore reserve guard Charo Nickens knocked down a "3" from the left corner with 7:46 left and athletic junior forward Fey Ayobamidele snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 7:13 left to forge a 16-13 Park Center advantage. Still, when Crymble snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 5:11 left, it appeared to signal that the Rebels were going to stay right in the thick of things trailing 16-15. It was at this point, however, that the Pirates were able to make their first decisive move and build a bit of a cushion. A 13-5 run to close the first half changed the complexion of this game and a lay-up by Blakemore with 4:54 left and a pull-up jumper in the lane in transition by junior guard Danielle Schaub with 4:37 left made it 20-15 Park Center. Two charity stripe shots by sophomore reserve guard Meghan DuBois with 4:10 left stretched the Pirate lead to 22-15 before Champlin Park could respond on a coast-to-coast lay-up by Hicks that drew a foul and sent her to the line for the ensuing freebie. Undeterred by that hiccup, the Pirates struck right back on a "3" from left wing by DuBois with 3:23 left and two DuBois free throws with 2:46 left made it 27-18. The Rebels were now having considerable difficulty setting up their half-court offense thanks to that swarming, in-your-face Park Center defense that can make life miserable for opponents. Two free throws by Simonet with :55.8 left had the Pirates up double digits at 29-18 and, although Hicks was able to knock down two free throws of her own with :30.5 left that had Champlin Park back within single digit range trailing 29-20, the Rebels were clearly on their heels going into the locker room at the half.
Park Center came out at the beginning of the second half as aggressive as ever and did not give the Rebels much breathing room when they had the ball which led to inevitable turnovers. A Simonet "3" from the left corner at the 16:45 mark and a Hayes jumper from the left wing at the 14:53 mark had the Pirates back up in double-digit range again at 34-20. A Crymble lay-up at the 14:36 mark stopped some of the Champlin Park bleeding but one Ayobamidele free throw at the 14:23 mark and another Simonet three-point bomb - this one from the left top area at the 13:56 mark - made it a 38-22 ballgame. One free throw by reserve sophomore forward Azsha Michael at the 13:17 mark and an Ayobamidele three-point bomb from the left corner at the 13:03 mark now had the Pirates up comfortably at 42-22 and left the Rebels reeling. Two free throws by sophomore reserve forward Lydia Brecht at the 12:10 mark and a Crymble lay-up that drew a foul and sent her to the line for the obligatory freebie cut some of the fat off the deficit but trailing 42-27 at the 10:06 mark, Champlin Park had a long way to go and a short time to get there.
A rare Crymble trey from the right corner with 7:14 left gave the Rebels and their fans a wisp of hope trailing 44-30 but Park Center wasted little time in effectively closing the door on those fragile hopes. A Blakemore drive into the lane and finish with 6:30 left and two free throws by Hayes with 5:59 left built the cushion back up to eighteen points and the Pirates managed to keep their neighborhood rival at bay the rest of the way. Hayes; still riding those three fouls, scored in the paint with 5:25 left and Ayobamidele lay-ups with 4:59 and 4:46 left effectively choked off any last hope Champlin Park may have had. The Rebels still kept flailing away, however, as treys by both Hicks and Pollard got the defict down to sixteen at 54-38 with 4:25 left but they could get no closer. Free throws by Ayobamidele and Hayes made it a 61-40 game with 2:38 left and an Ayobamidele "3" from the left corner with 2:05 left was the cherry on top of the cake. Michael added one more insurance free throw with 1:44 left as Park Center claimed its third straight section title - this one coming in the 5AAAA section - with a convincing 65-41 victory and with it, their third trip to the state tournament.
I have to be honest here.....At the beginning of the season, I really thought that the odds were stacked against the Pirates returning to the state tournament. Sure, they had that core of juniors back who were now much more experienced with two state titles under their belt but going through the Class AAAA field to return to state was obviously going to be filled with many more landmines than it ever was in Class AAA. And they could have easily lost that section semifinal game to Osseo when the Orioles made that late run at them. Somehow along the way, this team took it to another level; another notch if you will. It's an amazing process to watch a group of young players grow not only on the basketball court but emotionally and mentally as well. This squad under VanderHyde and his staff has done just that. VanderHyde, in fact, admitted afterward that he had no concern when Hayes picked up her third foul early in the contest. He knew his other players would step up and they did. The big question now becomes where do the Pirates get seeded for the state tournament this next week? You have to figure that Hopkins will be the number one seed and then Minnetonka would likely be the number two seed should they defeat Shakopee in the Section 2AAAA Championship game on Friday night (3-11). The best bet here would have Park Center going in as a possible number four seed which isn't a bad spot to be in. They would at least avoid the Hopkins - Minnetonka/Shakopee warship off the bat. Depending upon who they play in the first quarterfinal game on Tuesday, assuming they get past that of course, the Pirates could at the very least roll the dice against those one of those top teams. But that prospect didn't seem to faze VanderHyde at all who noted that "we've played these teams already."
Los Angeles Rams
Friday, March 11, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016
NCAA Tournament 2nd Round Game - UST vs UW-River Falls 3-5-16
The second stop on this basketball-filled day was back at Karges Center on the campus of UW-River Falls for the second round NCAA Tournament game between host UW-River Falls of the WIAC and UST of the MIAC. The Falcons easily took care of business against Wheaton on Friday night but the Tommies on the other hand had to pull a rabbit out of their hat to survive in overtime against Loras and it took a grand performance from senior guard Katie Stone to make that happen. Knowing the potential of both teams, my feeling coming into this contest was that this one had the makings of an instant classic.
Both teams spent the opening minutes of this contest feeling each other out with neither side able to gain any decisive advantage. With the score tied at 2, junior guard Kate Theisen; doing what she does best, muscled into the paint for a lay-up at the 7:44 mark but that was matched by Stone's pull-up jumper off the glass at the 5:24 mark that knotted the issue again at 4 a piece. The Falcons, however, slowly went to work and grabbed a small advantage. Junior guard Katie Messman drained a "3" from the top of the key off of an inbounds pass at the 5:07 mark and a score by lanky sophomore post Taylor Karge with 3:35 left had the raucous UW-River Falls student section rocking and rolling with a 9-4 lead. UST was able to close the gap to one point as sophomore reserve guard Maddie Wolkow connected with a jumper from the right elbow area with 3:17 left and freshman reserve guard Kaylie Brazil made good on a drive into the lane for a finish with 2:43 left. The Falcons soon found another groove as senior guard Richell Mehus drilled a "3" from the left corner with 2:14 left and another Karge score in the paint with 1:18 left had UW-River Falls back up 14-10. Tommie sophomore guard/forward Lauren Fischer cut the deficit to a scant point with her three-point bomb from the left top area with 1:06 left but the Falcons were able to extend the lead to three points when Mehus connected with a lay-up with :52 left. UST would have been able to close the gap to one but a jumper from Stone from the left wing was waived off as the officials ruled it did not beat the buzzer.
The Tommies would close that gap to one point again early on in the second period on two scores by Langer - a lay-up at the 9:46 mark and a score in the paint at the 7:52 mark that had UW-River Falls up only 18-17. But the Falcons were able to make another move thanks to Theisen; the former Watertown-Mayer standout. One lay-up at the 7:33 mark and a score in the paint that drew a foul and sent her to the line for the "and one" at the 5:29 mark had UW-River Falls up 23-17 and, presumably anyway, in position to possibly get firm control of this game. But UST, after surviving the scare from last night, had no desire to relive that nightmarish experience and a 10-0 push to finish out the second period changed the complexion of this game. A lay-up by freshman reserve guard/forward Morganne Gruber with 4:55 left and then junior post Kaitlin Langer got into the paint for a score with 3:31 left that cut the Falcon lead down to two points at 23-21. Then it was Fischer; the Oshkosh, Wisconsin native, drilling a "3" from the right wing area at the 2:41 mark that put the Tommies back up for good at 24-23. Then it was Stone draining a "3" from the right wing with 1:25 left from the right wing area that allowed UST to take a somewhat surprising 27-23 lead into the locker room at the half over a slightly shell-shocked Falcon squad that seemed to be on the verge of taking this game over. A quick glance of the first half box score doesn't reveal anything startling as UST held a small 23-20 advantage on the boards and FG shooting percentages were essentially the same (34.3 for UST vs 33.3 for UW-River Falls). It was just the Tommies being the Tommies when the chips appeared to be down for them.
Though the Falcons had let the momentum they had slip away from them down the stretch of the second period, they still weren't in that bad of a spot down four points and UW-River Falls was still certainly well within striking distance if they could find some spark on offense. What Falcon Head Coach Cindy Holbrook couldn't have counted on, though, was her squad suddenly losing its confidence and rhythm on offense while the Tommies pounced on the opportunity laid in front of them. An opening 7-0 spurt at the beginning of the third period changed the outlook of this game for good. Langer got into the paint for a score right off the bat at the 9:46 mark that drew a foul and the Stillwater native made good on the "and one" opportunity for a 30-23 UST lead. Two more Langer free throws at the 7:59 mark and a Langer score in the paint at the 7:06 mark suddenly made it 34-23 and Holbrook; knowing full and well that her squad was reeling, called an immediate timeout to assess the damage. Coming out of the timeout, UW-River Falls tried to be more aggressive on offense; taking the ball to the rim and the effort momentarily paid off at the 6:24 mark as junior guard Brynn Liljander; who struggled all game long to find her touch, got to the line for free throws. But Liljander could only get the front end to go down and the Tommies were off to the races again. An 8-0 spurt this time which commenced with a Fischer three-point bomb from the right top area at the 6:12 mark and was followed by a Stone lay-up with the shot clock expiring at the 5:24 mark pushed the lead to fifteen at 39-24. A Langer lay-up in transition with 4:35 left put an exclamation mark on this latest offensive move by UST and with the score now 41-24, Holbrook had to take a match to another full timeout with her Falcon squad in serious trouble and under the gun. UW-River Falls tried desperately to find some sort of spark that might spur a big run. Mehus finally found her range from three-point land again with 4:18 left in the third period as she drilled a "3" from the left wing and got one free throw to go down with 3:12 left. A Karge score in the paint with 1:06 left cut a bit of fat off of the deficit as the UST cushion was down to 45-30 but, unlike the previous night, the Falcons just could never find or establish that one big run that might get them back to within striking distance and, worse yet, they couldn't get stops defensively either. Gruber got into the paint for a score and also drew a foul in the process and the ensuing free throw pushed the lead back up to eighteen at 48-30. Then it was Stone putting the finishing touches on this decisive third period. A "3" from the right wing area in transition with :22 left and, after a Falcon turnover, a lay-up in transition with just :05 left made it 53-30 and any doubts about how this one was going to go were effectively put to rest.
A proud UW-River Falls team refused to give up the ship and the Falcons kept fighting; looking for any possible crack in the Tommie ship. Liljander finally connected with a lay-up at the 7:29 mark and got another lay-up attempt to go down at the 5:39 mark. Still, there was simply no way they could make any inroads on the twenty-plus deficit they were facing at 58-35. Junior guard Paige Gernes got one free throw to go down at the 5:16 mark and a long offensive rebound and putback by Langer with 4:25 left essentially sealed the deal for UST now up 61-35. Two more Gernes free throws with 3:55 left and a Langer jumper from the top of the key with 2:43 left made it 65-42 and Gernes added two more insurance free throws with 2:18 left that made it 67-42. Holbrook took out her lone senior, Mehus, to a standing ovation in Karges Center with :37 left as the Tommies claimed a 67-46 victory to advance into the Sweet 16.
A very happy UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn talked about that crucial stretch in the second period when the Tommies first grabbed control of the game. "If you watched the last six minutes of the second quarter.....we started doing what we were supposed to do.....We did a really good job defensively.....They (UW-River Falls) were getting shots, but they were contested shots where we could rebound and then run......We talked about (at halftime) the idea that we had to shut down that lane and I thought the girls did a really nice job of that." I asked Sinn specifically about what fears she may have had coming into this contest from an emotional standpoint given the struggle they had to overcome the night before in overtime against a very gamey Loras team. But Sinn pooh-poohed any notion that her team wasn't prepared mentally (or physically for that matter) coming into the contest against host UW-River Falls in a potentially very hostile environment. Sinn was also quick to praise her younger players and pointed out how young her squad really is and how they've been able to rise to the occasion in this setting. "We have one kid......who has been on the big stage (referring to her senior starter Stone).....Kaitlin (Langer) was 11 minutes last year." When you stop and ponder this for a second, it really is amazing how the younger core of players that Sinn has on this squad has grown in all aspects of the game in such a short period of time and now, with a berth in the Sweet Sixteen awaiting them, the sky could be the limit for them. I also was able to speak with UW-River Falls' Holbrook afterward as well and I asked her specifically about the opening minutes of the third period when UST made its decisive runs that put them in a hole that they simply were unable to recover from. "That's the part of the game that we've struggled with all year long" she lamented and added that "the beginning of the third period has just been a tough time for us all year." Holbrook reluctantly admitted that her squad may have panicked a bit in that critical stretch of the third period and the shot selection process wasn't what it needed to be. She did speak glowingly and proudly of her departing senior; Mehus. "She's a great player and I love that kid.....She's going to realize when she has a chance to sit down and relax and take a few breaths what a great player she is." With a solid group of juniors returning next year, the future does indeed look bright for the Falcons.
After fouling out in the fourth period on Friday night, Langer more than made amends in this outing as she recorded a double-double; leading all scorers with her 25 points and snaring 12 rebounds in the process; an outstanding day for the MIAC's POY. While Stone didn't have the dramatic output she had the previous night against Loras, she was still rock-solid as always with her 12 points and three rebounds. Fischer; seemingly getting better and better with each game, added nine points while both Brazil and Gruber; the freshmen; added six points a piece. On the UW-River Falls side, Mehus, Theisen and Karge all had nine points on this day while Liljander and junior reserve guard Mikaela Wilson added five points. It was simply a struggle for the Falcons on this day as they could only muster 36.5% from FG range and 33.3% from three-point land. Another factor that contributed to UW-River Falls' demise on this day was that the Tommies owned a decisive advantage on the boards at 41-33 and 14 Falcon turnovers did not help, either.
Both teams spent the opening minutes of this contest feeling each other out with neither side able to gain any decisive advantage. With the score tied at 2, junior guard Kate Theisen; doing what she does best, muscled into the paint for a lay-up at the 7:44 mark but that was matched by Stone's pull-up jumper off the glass at the 5:24 mark that knotted the issue again at 4 a piece. The Falcons, however, slowly went to work and grabbed a small advantage. Junior guard Katie Messman drained a "3" from the top of the key off of an inbounds pass at the 5:07 mark and a score by lanky sophomore post Taylor Karge with 3:35 left had the raucous UW-River Falls student section rocking and rolling with a 9-4 lead. UST was able to close the gap to one point as sophomore reserve guard Maddie Wolkow connected with a jumper from the right elbow area with 3:17 left and freshman reserve guard Kaylie Brazil made good on a drive into the lane for a finish with 2:43 left. The Falcons soon found another groove as senior guard Richell Mehus drilled a "3" from the left corner with 2:14 left and another Karge score in the paint with 1:18 left had UW-River Falls back up 14-10. Tommie sophomore guard/forward Lauren Fischer cut the deficit to a scant point with her three-point bomb from the left top area with 1:06 left but the Falcons were able to extend the lead to three points when Mehus connected with a lay-up with :52 left. UST would have been able to close the gap to one but a jumper from Stone from the left wing was waived off as the officials ruled it did not beat the buzzer.
The Tommies would close that gap to one point again early on in the second period on two scores by Langer - a lay-up at the 9:46 mark and a score in the paint at the 7:52 mark that had UW-River Falls up only 18-17. But the Falcons were able to make another move thanks to Theisen; the former Watertown-Mayer standout. One lay-up at the 7:33 mark and a score in the paint that drew a foul and sent her to the line for the "and one" at the 5:29 mark had UW-River Falls up 23-17 and, presumably anyway, in position to possibly get firm control of this game. But UST, after surviving the scare from last night, had no desire to relive that nightmarish experience and a 10-0 push to finish out the second period changed the complexion of this game. A lay-up by freshman reserve guard/forward Morganne Gruber with 4:55 left and then junior post Kaitlin Langer got into the paint for a score with 3:31 left that cut the Falcon lead down to two points at 23-21. Then it was Fischer; the Oshkosh, Wisconsin native, drilling a "3" from the right wing area at the 2:41 mark that put the Tommies back up for good at 24-23. Then it was Stone draining a "3" from the right wing with 1:25 left from the right wing area that allowed UST to take a somewhat surprising 27-23 lead into the locker room at the half over a slightly shell-shocked Falcon squad that seemed to be on the verge of taking this game over. A quick glance of the first half box score doesn't reveal anything startling as UST held a small 23-20 advantage on the boards and FG shooting percentages were essentially the same (34.3 for UST vs 33.3 for UW-River Falls). It was just the Tommies being the Tommies when the chips appeared to be down for them.
Though the Falcons had let the momentum they had slip away from them down the stretch of the second period, they still weren't in that bad of a spot down four points and UW-River Falls was still certainly well within striking distance if they could find some spark on offense. What Falcon Head Coach Cindy Holbrook couldn't have counted on, though, was her squad suddenly losing its confidence and rhythm on offense while the Tommies pounced on the opportunity laid in front of them. An opening 7-0 spurt at the beginning of the third period changed the outlook of this game for good. Langer got into the paint for a score right off the bat at the 9:46 mark that drew a foul and the Stillwater native made good on the "and one" opportunity for a 30-23 UST lead. Two more Langer free throws at the 7:59 mark and a Langer score in the paint at the 7:06 mark suddenly made it 34-23 and Holbrook; knowing full and well that her squad was reeling, called an immediate timeout to assess the damage. Coming out of the timeout, UW-River Falls tried to be more aggressive on offense; taking the ball to the rim and the effort momentarily paid off at the 6:24 mark as junior guard Brynn Liljander; who struggled all game long to find her touch, got to the line for free throws. But Liljander could only get the front end to go down and the Tommies were off to the races again. An 8-0 spurt this time which commenced with a Fischer three-point bomb from the right top area at the 6:12 mark and was followed by a Stone lay-up with the shot clock expiring at the 5:24 mark pushed the lead to fifteen at 39-24. A Langer lay-up in transition with 4:35 left put an exclamation mark on this latest offensive move by UST and with the score now 41-24, Holbrook had to take a match to another full timeout with her Falcon squad in serious trouble and under the gun. UW-River Falls tried desperately to find some sort of spark that might spur a big run. Mehus finally found her range from three-point land again with 4:18 left in the third period as she drilled a "3" from the left wing and got one free throw to go down with 3:12 left. A Karge score in the paint with 1:06 left cut a bit of fat off of the deficit as the UST cushion was down to 45-30 but, unlike the previous night, the Falcons just could never find or establish that one big run that might get them back to within striking distance and, worse yet, they couldn't get stops defensively either. Gruber got into the paint for a score and also drew a foul in the process and the ensuing free throw pushed the lead back up to eighteen at 48-30. Then it was Stone putting the finishing touches on this decisive third period. A "3" from the right wing area in transition with :22 left and, after a Falcon turnover, a lay-up in transition with just :05 left made it 53-30 and any doubts about how this one was going to go were effectively put to rest.
A proud UW-River Falls team refused to give up the ship and the Falcons kept fighting; looking for any possible crack in the Tommie ship. Liljander finally connected with a lay-up at the 7:29 mark and got another lay-up attempt to go down at the 5:39 mark. Still, there was simply no way they could make any inroads on the twenty-plus deficit they were facing at 58-35. Junior guard Paige Gernes got one free throw to go down at the 5:16 mark and a long offensive rebound and putback by Langer with 4:25 left essentially sealed the deal for UST now up 61-35. Two more Gernes free throws with 3:55 left and a Langer jumper from the top of the key with 2:43 left made it 65-42 and Gernes added two more insurance free throws with 2:18 left that made it 67-42. Holbrook took out her lone senior, Mehus, to a standing ovation in Karges Center with :37 left as the Tommies claimed a 67-46 victory to advance into the Sweet 16.
A very happy UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn talked about that crucial stretch in the second period when the Tommies first grabbed control of the game. "If you watched the last six minutes of the second quarter.....we started doing what we were supposed to do.....We did a really good job defensively.....They (UW-River Falls) were getting shots, but they were contested shots where we could rebound and then run......We talked about (at halftime) the idea that we had to shut down that lane and I thought the girls did a really nice job of that." I asked Sinn specifically about what fears she may have had coming into this contest from an emotional standpoint given the struggle they had to overcome the night before in overtime against a very gamey Loras team. But Sinn pooh-poohed any notion that her team wasn't prepared mentally (or physically for that matter) coming into the contest against host UW-River Falls in a potentially very hostile environment. Sinn was also quick to praise her younger players and pointed out how young her squad really is and how they've been able to rise to the occasion in this setting. "We have one kid......who has been on the big stage (referring to her senior starter Stone).....Kaitlin (Langer) was 11 minutes last year." When you stop and ponder this for a second, it really is amazing how the younger core of players that Sinn has on this squad has grown in all aspects of the game in such a short period of time and now, with a berth in the Sweet Sixteen awaiting them, the sky could be the limit for them. I also was able to speak with UW-River Falls' Holbrook afterward as well and I asked her specifically about the opening minutes of the third period when UST made its decisive runs that put them in a hole that they simply were unable to recover from. "That's the part of the game that we've struggled with all year long" she lamented and added that "the beginning of the third period has just been a tough time for us all year." Holbrook reluctantly admitted that her squad may have panicked a bit in that critical stretch of the third period and the shot selection process wasn't what it needed to be. She did speak glowingly and proudly of her departing senior; Mehus. "She's a great player and I love that kid.....She's going to realize when she has a chance to sit down and relax and take a few breaths what a great player she is." With a solid group of juniors returning next year, the future does indeed look bright for the Falcons.
After fouling out in the fourth period on Friday night, Langer more than made amends in this outing as she recorded a double-double; leading all scorers with her 25 points and snaring 12 rebounds in the process; an outstanding day for the MIAC's POY. While Stone didn't have the dramatic output she had the previous night against Loras, she was still rock-solid as always with her 12 points and three rebounds. Fischer; seemingly getting better and better with each game, added nine points while both Brazil and Gruber; the freshmen; added six points a piece. On the UW-River Falls side, Mehus, Theisen and Karge all had nine points on this day while Liljander and junior reserve guard Mikaela Wilson added five points. It was simply a struggle for the Falcons on this day as they could only muster 36.5% from FG range and 33.3% from three-point land. Another factor that contributed to UW-River Falls' demise on this day was that the Tommies owned a decisive advantage on the boards at 41-33 and 14 Falcon turnovers did not help, either.
Section 5AAAA Semifinal Game - Osseo vs Park Center 3-5-16
The first stop of this busy Saturday afternoon was over at nearby Park Center High School where the host Pirates would take on Northwest Suburban Conference rival Osseo in the Class AAAA semifinal game. The two teams split the series during the regular season so it was somewhat fitting that this game would be not only the rubber match but would also give the winner the right to advance to the Section Championship Game up at Anoka next Thursday night.
The opening minutes of the first half would be tight as expected between these two bitter conference rivals. After lanky junior post Mikayla Hayes got into the paint for Park Center to draw first blood, the Orioles came right back and grabbed a 4-2 lead as flashy senior guard Kiara Russell connected with a lay-up at the 15:32 mark and fellow senior post Lemia Ntor-ue knocked down a jumper from the free throw line at the 15:01 mark. The Pirates would reclaim the lead on one free throw by junior guard Ann Simonet at the 14:16 mark and a "3" from the right top area by sophomore guard Sommer Blakemore. Another Simonet freebie pushed Park Center's lead to 7-4 before the Orioles closed the gap to one point on two free throws by junior forward Azaria Reed at the 12:58 mark. The Pirates, though, would manage to build a bit of a cushion right before the midway point of the first half. One Hayes free throw at the 12:35 mark and another score in the paint by the future Florida Gator got the lead to 10-6 and then Hayes struck again at the 11:09 mark with a lay-up that gave Park Center its largest lead of the game so far at 12-6. Osseo would trim the deficit back to four points on a jumper along the left baseline by Russell at the 10:49 mark but when junior point guard Danielle Schaub dropped a jumper from the left baseline area at the 10:21 mark and sophomore reserve forward Charo Nickens snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 9:59 mark, the Orioles now found themselves down 16-8 and Osseo Head Coach Jen Moen; not liking this development at all, called a timeout to get her troops reorganized.
To their credit, Osseo managed to battle and get right back in the thick of things. One Reed free throw at the 9:23 mark and a lay-up in transition by junior guard Mikayla Homola with 8:14 left trimmed the Pirate lead down to 16-11 and two free throws by senior guard Ari Jones with 7:04 left had the Orioles back to within a single possession trailing 16-13. Jones would strike again for Osseo with 5:40 left on a lay-up in transition and when Homola did the same with 4:54 left the game was now tied at 17-all. Simonet would get Park Center back out by three points at 20-17 with her first three-point bomb of the day that came from the left wing area with 4:45 left. But junior reserve guard Mina Porte was able to knock down a trey of her own from the right top area with 3:55 left that knotted the issue at 20-all. Neither side would give an inch down the final minutes of the first half with defense taking center stage and when the buzzer sounded ending the first half, things looked very uncertain for the defending AAA champion Pirates.
Successive lay-ups in transition by Osseo's Homola at the 17:34 and 16:36 marks of the second half not only had the Orioles in front 24-20 but cast an even bigger shadow of doubt on the Pirates chances of defending their home floor and moving on to the section finals. Then things really got crazy over the next several minutes as both sides traded heavy artillery in the form of three-point bombs. Simonet fired one from the right corner area at the 16:23 mark and one by Schaub from the same right corner area at the 16:20 mark after a steal put Park Center back out in front 26-24. Jones answered for Osseo with her "3" from the right top area at the 16:01 mark but then it was Simonet again at the 15:48 mark that gave the Pirates a tenuous one-point advantage at 28-27. Then it was Osseo's Russell snaring an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback right at the 15:00 mark that put the Orioles back out in front 29-28. Jones added to Osseo's lead with a "3" from the left top area at the 14:09 mark to make it 32-28. Then Park Center was able to finally restore a bit of order to this wild affair as they managed to re-establish their lead and build a bit of a cushion heading into the midway point of the second half. A tough jumper along the right baseline by Simonet at the 13:45 mark cut the Oriole lead down to two at 32-30 and then athletic junior forward Fey Ayobamidele let loose with a "3" from the left corner at the 13:03 mark that had the Pirates back out in front 33-32. Another Simonet three-point bomb; this one from the right corner at the 12:36 mark made it 36-34 and lay-ups in transition by sophomore reserve guard Meghan DuBois at the 12:14 mark and by Schaub at the 11:45 mark - both the result of turnovers created by that pesky Pirate defense - had Park Center up 40-34 and, although not necessarily an insurmountable lead by any stretch, maybe now the Pirates could restore some calm and order to the chaos that ensued.
But Osseo had other ideas and the Orioles slyly battled their way right back to create more turmoil into this hotly contested section semifinal. Homola, enroute to a stellar afternoon, unleashed a "3" from the right corner at the 11:10 mark that sliced Park Center's lead down to three at 40-37 and with 7:35 left, the Pirates made the mistake of allowing her to set up shop in the same spot where she made Park Center pay again with another three-point bomb. With 5:42 left, Homola connected with a jumper that had the Orioles trailing by just two at 44-42 and a Homola drive and finish kept Osseo within a single possession trailing 47-44. A 5-0 Pirate spurt fueled by two Simonet treys with 5:27 and 4:05 left could have easily finished off this gamey Osseo team but the Orioles still refused to buckle, down 52-44. Giving the Pirates a taste of their own medicine with pressure defense, Park Center began making uncharacteristic errors that their opponents usually make and Osseo was more than willing to pounce on the opportunities given to them. One Homala freebie with 3:20 left and two more by Russell with 3:06 left along with a steal and lay-up the other way by Jones with 2:38 left had the Orioles back to within a single possession trailing 52-49. With Osseo banging the boards hard on missed shots, Notr-ue was sent to the charity stripe with 1:44 left where she promptly knocked down two free throws and on the next Osseo possession, Russell would get fouled and her two free throws with 1:17 left now had the Orioles up 53-52 and Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde; sensing that everything could go kablooey for his squad right then and there, called a timeout to get his squad calmed down and refocused.
With the Pirates in an incredibly dangerous spot, the stoppage in play paid off. Park Center got a stop on the ensuing Oriole possession and were able to get the ball downcourt to set up their offense. With the Pirates moving the ball around on the perimeter and working the clock skillfully, Ayobamidele got a look from the left corner area and, with total disregard to nervousness or tightness, she let loose with a "3" that found its mark with :33 left that put Park Center back up 55-53. The Orioles still had a chance however but on the ensuing Osseo possession, an unforgiving Pirate defense managed to get a stop and Hayes; grabbing the all important defensive rebound, was fouled in the process with :18.3 left. A pair of free throws right then and there would have iced the game for Park Center but on the 1-and-1 situation, Hayes' front-end attempt missed its mark and the Orioles grabbed the rebound; hell-bent on getting one last shot attempt. What they couldn't have counted on, however, was having this last opportunity foiled by that darned Park Center defense which stripped the ball with :12 left and got the rock to their most reliable free throw shooter, Schaub, who was fouled with :08.7 left. Schaub; with older sister and former Pirate standout (and current UW-Stout player) Nicole cheering her on, calmy sank two free throws that made it a 57-53 game and all the Orioles could do now was to heave a desperation trey attempt and hope for a foul in the process. The vain attempt failed and Park Center claimed a thrilling 57-53 victory to advance into Thursday night's Section 5AAAA Championship Game against another conference rival just up the road, Champlin Park.
The opening minutes of the first half would be tight as expected between these two bitter conference rivals. After lanky junior post Mikayla Hayes got into the paint for Park Center to draw first blood, the Orioles came right back and grabbed a 4-2 lead as flashy senior guard Kiara Russell connected with a lay-up at the 15:32 mark and fellow senior post Lemia Ntor-ue knocked down a jumper from the free throw line at the 15:01 mark. The Pirates would reclaim the lead on one free throw by junior guard Ann Simonet at the 14:16 mark and a "3" from the right top area by sophomore guard Sommer Blakemore. Another Simonet freebie pushed Park Center's lead to 7-4 before the Orioles closed the gap to one point on two free throws by junior forward Azaria Reed at the 12:58 mark. The Pirates, though, would manage to build a bit of a cushion right before the midway point of the first half. One Hayes free throw at the 12:35 mark and another score in the paint by the future Florida Gator got the lead to 10-6 and then Hayes struck again at the 11:09 mark with a lay-up that gave Park Center its largest lead of the game so far at 12-6. Osseo would trim the deficit back to four points on a jumper along the left baseline by Russell at the 10:49 mark but when junior point guard Danielle Schaub dropped a jumper from the left baseline area at the 10:21 mark and sophomore reserve forward Charo Nickens snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 9:59 mark, the Orioles now found themselves down 16-8 and Osseo Head Coach Jen Moen; not liking this development at all, called a timeout to get her troops reorganized.
To their credit, Osseo managed to battle and get right back in the thick of things. One Reed free throw at the 9:23 mark and a lay-up in transition by junior guard Mikayla Homola with 8:14 left trimmed the Pirate lead down to 16-11 and two free throws by senior guard Ari Jones with 7:04 left had the Orioles back to within a single possession trailing 16-13. Jones would strike again for Osseo with 5:40 left on a lay-up in transition and when Homola did the same with 4:54 left the game was now tied at 17-all. Simonet would get Park Center back out by three points at 20-17 with her first three-point bomb of the day that came from the left wing area with 4:45 left. But junior reserve guard Mina Porte was able to knock down a trey of her own from the right top area with 3:55 left that knotted the issue at 20-all. Neither side would give an inch down the final minutes of the first half with defense taking center stage and when the buzzer sounded ending the first half, things looked very uncertain for the defending AAA champion Pirates.
Successive lay-ups in transition by Osseo's Homola at the 17:34 and 16:36 marks of the second half not only had the Orioles in front 24-20 but cast an even bigger shadow of doubt on the Pirates chances of defending their home floor and moving on to the section finals. Then things really got crazy over the next several minutes as both sides traded heavy artillery in the form of three-point bombs. Simonet fired one from the right corner area at the 16:23 mark and one by Schaub from the same right corner area at the 16:20 mark after a steal put Park Center back out in front 26-24. Jones answered for Osseo with her "3" from the right top area at the 16:01 mark but then it was Simonet again at the 15:48 mark that gave the Pirates a tenuous one-point advantage at 28-27. Then it was Osseo's Russell snaring an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback right at the 15:00 mark that put the Orioles back out in front 29-28. Jones added to Osseo's lead with a "3" from the left top area at the 14:09 mark to make it 32-28. Then Park Center was able to finally restore a bit of order to this wild affair as they managed to re-establish their lead and build a bit of a cushion heading into the midway point of the second half. A tough jumper along the right baseline by Simonet at the 13:45 mark cut the Oriole lead down to two at 32-30 and then athletic junior forward Fey Ayobamidele let loose with a "3" from the left corner at the 13:03 mark that had the Pirates back out in front 33-32. Another Simonet three-point bomb; this one from the right corner at the 12:36 mark made it 36-34 and lay-ups in transition by sophomore reserve guard Meghan DuBois at the 12:14 mark and by Schaub at the 11:45 mark - both the result of turnovers created by that pesky Pirate defense - had Park Center up 40-34 and, although not necessarily an insurmountable lead by any stretch, maybe now the Pirates could restore some calm and order to the chaos that ensued.
But Osseo had other ideas and the Orioles slyly battled their way right back to create more turmoil into this hotly contested section semifinal. Homola, enroute to a stellar afternoon, unleashed a "3" from the right corner at the 11:10 mark that sliced Park Center's lead down to three at 40-37 and with 7:35 left, the Pirates made the mistake of allowing her to set up shop in the same spot where she made Park Center pay again with another three-point bomb. With 5:42 left, Homola connected with a jumper that had the Orioles trailing by just two at 44-42 and a Homola drive and finish kept Osseo within a single possession trailing 47-44. A 5-0 Pirate spurt fueled by two Simonet treys with 5:27 and 4:05 left could have easily finished off this gamey Osseo team but the Orioles still refused to buckle, down 52-44. Giving the Pirates a taste of their own medicine with pressure defense, Park Center began making uncharacteristic errors that their opponents usually make and Osseo was more than willing to pounce on the opportunities given to them. One Homala freebie with 3:20 left and two more by Russell with 3:06 left along with a steal and lay-up the other way by Jones with 2:38 left had the Orioles back to within a single possession trailing 52-49. With Osseo banging the boards hard on missed shots, Notr-ue was sent to the charity stripe with 1:44 left where she promptly knocked down two free throws and on the next Osseo possession, Russell would get fouled and her two free throws with 1:17 left now had the Orioles up 53-52 and Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde; sensing that everything could go kablooey for his squad right then and there, called a timeout to get his squad calmed down and refocused.
With the Pirates in an incredibly dangerous spot, the stoppage in play paid off. Park Center got a stop on the ensuing Oriole possession and were able to get the ball downcourt to set up their offense. With the Pirates moving the ball around on the perimeter and working the clock skillfully, Ayobamidele got a look from the left corner area and, with total disregard to nervousness or tightness, she let loose with a "3" that found its mark with :33 left that put Park Center back up 55-53. The Orioles still had a chance however but on the ensuing Osseo possession, an unforgiving Pirate defense managed to get a stop and Hayes; grabbing the all important defensive rebound, was fouled in the process with :18.3 left. A pair of free throws right then and there would have iced the game for Park Center but on the 1-and-1 situation, Hayes' front-end attempt missed its mark and the Orioles grabbed the rebound; hell-bent on getting one last shot attempt. What they couldn't have counted on, however, was having this last opportunity foiled by that darned Park Center defense which stripped the ball with :12 left and got the rock to their most reliable free throw shooter, Schaub, who was fouled with :08.7 left. Schaub; with older sister and former Pirate standout (and current UW-Stout player) Nicole cheering her on, calmy sank two free throws that made it a 57-53 game and all the Orioles could do now was to heave a desperation trey attempt and hope for a foul in the process. The vain attempt failed and Park Center claimed a thrilling 57-53 victory to advance into Thursday night's Section 5AAAA Championship Game against another conference rival just up the road, Champlin Park.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
NCAA Tournament 1st Round Game - Wheaton vs UW-River Falls 3-4-16
The nightcap at Karges Center had all the makings of a humdinger - CCIW co-champ Wheaton taking on host and WIAC regular season champ UW-River Falls. D3hoops.com had touted this match-up as perhaps the marquee match-up of all the sites on this Friday evening and why not? Two Top 25 teams squaring off in the first round and both teams with a ton of talent and ability. The Falcons received a second life not only getting into the Dance but also being able to host a pod as well after losing a 65-64 heartbreaker to UW-Oshkosh in the WIAC Championship Game last Saturday and with a rowdy and raucous student section on hand for this one, you knew that Karges Center would be rocking for this one.
The visiting Thunder drew first blood in this contest as sophomore guard Kelly Lawson drained a "3" from the left top area at the 9:39 mark and, in a hostile environment such as Karges Center on this night, Wheaton needed a jump start to keep that student section halfway quiet. However, a score in the paint by junior guard Brynn Liljander at the 9:20 mark spurred a quick 9-0 UW-River Falls run. Junior guard Kate Theisen followed up with a lay-up at the 9:06 mark as did senior guard Richell Mehus at the 7:34 mark that gave the Falcons a 6-3 lead. Then it was Liljander; the former Cambridge-Isanti standout striking from downtown behind the arc at the 7:11 mark that suddenly made it a 9-3 ballgame and Wheaton Head Coach Kent Madsen; fearing an early collapse by his squad, called a timeout in hopes of getting his team calmed down. That stoppage in play seemed to do the trick as senior post Hannah Considine made a drive along the left baseline and finished at the 6:30 mark and another trey by Lawson - this one from the left corner at the 5:40 mark - cut the UW-River Falls lead down to a scant point at 9-8. It was here, however, that the Falcons embarked on a 10-0 blitz. Two Theisen freebies at the 5:19 mark increased the lead to 11-8 and then the Thunder made the mistake of leaving Liljander open from behind the arc again as she drained one from the right top area with 4:50 left that pushed the lead to 14-8. Lanky sophomore post Taylor Karge got into the paint for a score with 4:24 left and then junior guard Katie Messman drained a "3" from the left wing area with 3:19 left that now had UW-River Falls up 19-8. The Thunder calmly responded with a 5-0 push of their own. Junior point guard Katie McDaniels knocked down one free throw after getting fouled in transition with 2:37 left and the former Mounds View standout followed that up with a lay-up with 1:55 left that trimmed the Falcon lead down to 19-13. Sophomore reserve guard Maggie Dansdill cut further into the UW-River Falls cushion with her two free throws with 1:13 left that made it a 19-15 game. The Falcons, however, made a late push right before the end of the first period. Messman dropped another three-point bomb - this one from the top of the key - with :47 left and sophomore reserve post Hayley Rau got into the paint for a score with just :02 left that had UW-River Falls up 24-17. Not a prohibitive margin by any means but momentum was clearly with the home team.
A 12-2 Falcon run to begin the second period put Wheaton behind the 8-ball. A Mehus lay-up at the 8:39 mark and Messman "3" from the top of the key at the 8:05 mark had UW-River Falls up double digits at 29-17. Theisen; the former Watertown-Mayer standout who can make things happen out on the perimeter with her defense and can mix it up down low, got into the paint for one score at the 7:40 mark as did Rau at the 6:41 mark for a 33-19 Falcon lead. Then it was the crafty and skilled Liljander; slithering through traffic for a lay-up that drew a foul and sent her to the line for the obligatory free throw and a 36-19 UW-River Falls advantage that the Thunder never really recovered from. Back-to-back Theisen scores - a lay-up at the 5:09 mark and one in the paint at the 4:35 mark - had the Falcons up 40-20. McDaniels tried in vain to bring her Wheaton team back from this avalanche of Falcon attacks but she wasn't getting a lot of help. One lay-up with 4:22 left and a lay-up in transition with 3:10 left along with two free throws left got the Thunder points but they simply were not getting stops. As the Falcons took a cushy 44-26 lead into the locker room at the half, Wheaton was going to have to find a way to match the energy and intensity that their opponent had on this night. A glance at the first half box score reveals the damage as UW-River Falls not only had a decided 21-14 advantage on the boards but was also shooting a blistering 64.3% from FG range and an equally torrid 55.6% from three-point land. Wheaton on the other hand could only muster 25% from FG range and an icy 16.7% from downtown and that simply wasn't going to get the job done on this night.
Going into the third period, the Thunder needed some sort of boost; something that might somehow spark a run that could whittle the deficit down and give them half a chance of climbing back into this thing. A drive into the lane and finish by McDaniels at the 9:44 mark and a "3" from the top of the key by by junior guard Chantal Meachem at the 7:15 mark was definitely a good start from a scoring standpoint but again, Wheaton was not getting defensive stops. Liljander burned the Thunder from behind the arc again at the 6:56 mark with her trey from the top of the key at the 6:56 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by Mehus at the 6:17 mark maintained the twenty-point cushion at 54-34. Liljander connected with a lay-up at the 5:42 mark that, coupled with a score in the paint by Karge with 4:40 left and a lay-up by Theisen with 4:16 left, had UW-River Falls up 60-39. With 2:54 left, Karge made a sweet spin move and got a lay-up for a 62-42 Falcon lead and an offensive rebound and putback by Theisen with :09 left maintained the cushion at 64-44 and although Lawson got a "3" from the right corner with just :02 left for the Thunder, Wheaton had stepped into a dungeon on this night that was Karges Center and there was little, if any chance at this point that they could complete any comeback attempt.
To their credit, the Thunder made a bit of an inroad into the UW-River Falls cushion in the opening moments of the fourth and final period. Two McDaniels free throws at the 9:28 mark and one more by Considine at the 8:12 mark reduced the Falcon lead to 16 at 66-50 but any hope that Wheaton had at that point quickly vanished into thin air. A Messman jumper from the left corner with the shot clock winding down at the 7:42 mark spurred a 6-0 Falcon burst. A score in the paint by Theisen at the 5:33 mark and two Karge free throws at the 5:07 mark had UW-River Falls up 72-50 and there was no looking back now. McDaniels tried desperately to work her magic with one free throw with 4:52 left and a lay-up with 4:07 left but the Falcons simply would not be denied on this night. Junior reserve guard Mikaela Wilson snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 3:01 left and insurance free throws by Liljander and junior reserve guard Cassy Saxton with 1:27 left put the finishing touches on a resounding 81-56 UW-River Falls victory that propels the Falcons into the second round on Saturday night to take on UST in the friendly confines of Karges Center.
I had the pleasure afterward of conducting one of the most fun interviews afterward with UW-River Falls Head Coach Cindy Holbrook and four of her players - Mehus, Karge, Theisen and Liljander. I first asked Holbrook about the incredible energy and intensity that her team displayed on this night. "That comes from our team" she said adding that her squad came out with a lot of confidence going into this game. Holbrook didn't think that the loss to UW-Oshkosh last Saturday in the WIAC Championship Game was in the back of the team's mind going into this contest. "We came into this NCAA Tournament just wanting to move forward and win games" and added that UW-Oshkosh never really crossed her mind going into this contest on this night. I asked Theisen about her ability to be able to get into the paint not only to score but to do the "dirty work" as well; i.e. boxing out, getting rebounds and the like. She talked about though she's only 5'8" she works on this a lot in practice and it definitely paid dividends on this night as her 21 points and nine rebounds would suggest. Liljander; perhaps the most shy of this fun group, talked about how the early three-point bombs she was able to drop helped raise the intensity and energy-level of this team. "It just really helped get everyone 'jacked'.....and it really makes you want to push the ball faster." Holbrook: What you've gotta know about this team is that Brynn can shoot the ball" as she pointed out how a good start by Liljander can really give this team a shot of confidence on both ends of the floor and definitely can stretch out an opposing team's defense and added that "they like to run and share the ball." Karge, the Mankato native, talked about how much her confidence has grown in just her sophomore year and it definitely showed on the floor tonight as she dropped 12 points and made life miserable down low for the Thunder. Mehus, the senior from Spring Grove, talked about how getting the opportunity to play in the state tournament in high school and now being able to play in the NCAA Tournament in her senior season; and being able to do it on her home floor is "a dream come true.......It's your ultimate goal as a senior...It's huge." I finally asked Holbrook about the upcoming game with UST on Saturday night. Specifically, I asked her if the squad can bring the same type of intensity and energy as it showed on this night which, not surprisingly, drew a collective laugh from the players indicating that that won't be a problem. "Oh, absolutely" Holbrook said. "We're in the (tournament) to win the tournament......Our starters put in a lot of minutes but we also got good minutes from our subs as well....Our kids will bring that spunk tomorrow (Saturday) night."
Theisen's 21 points did indeed lead the way for UW-River Falls on this night and Liljander was right behind with her 20 points as her three-point bombs did a lot of damage that Wheaton could never recover from. Karge had those 12 points and Messman added 11 points. Not surprisingly, McDaniels led the way for Wheaton in the losing effort with her 17 points while Lawson added 11 points in the losing effort as the Thunder bow out with a 22-6 overall record.
The visiting Thunder drew first blood in this contest as sophomore guard Kelly Lawson drained a "3" from the left top area at the 9:39 mark and, in a hostile environment such as Karges Center on this night, Wheaton needed a jump start to keep that student section halfway quiet. However, a score in the paint by junior guard Brynn Liljander at the 9:20 mark spurred a quick 9-0 UW-River Falls run. Junior guard Kate Theisen followed up with a lay-up at the 9:06 mark as did senior guard Richell Mehus at the 7:34 mark that gave the Falcons a 6-3 lead. Then it was Liljander; the former Cambridge-Isanti standout striking from downtown behind the arc at the 7:11 mark that suddenly made it a 9-3 ballgame and Wheaton Head Coach Kent Madsen; fearing an early collapse by his squad, called a timeout in hopes of getting his team calmed down. That stoppage in play seemed to do the trick as senior post Hannah Considine made a drive along the left baseline and finished at the 6:30 mark and another trey by Lawson - this one from the left corner at the 5:40 mark - cut the UW-River Falls lead down to a scant point at 9-8. It was here, however, that the Falcons embarked on a 10-0 blitz. Two Theisen freebies at the 5:19 mark increased the lead to 11-8 and then the Thunder made the mistake of leaving Liljander open from behind the arc again as she drained one from the right top area with 4:50 left that pushed the lead to 14-8. Lanky sophomore post Taylor Karge got into the paint for a score with 4:24 left and then junior guard Katie Messman drained a "3" from the left wing area with 3:19 left that now had UW-River Falls up 19-8. The Thunder calmly responded with a 5-0 push of their own. Junior point guard Katie McDaniels knocked down one free throw after getting fouled in transition with 2:37 left and the former Mounds View standout followed that up with a lay-up with 1:55 left that trimmed the Falcon lead down to 19-13. Sophomore reserve guard Maggie Dansdill cut further into the UW-River Falls cushion with her two free throws with 1:13 left that made it a 19-15 game. The Falcons, however, made a late push right before the end of the first period. Messman dropped another three-point bomb - this one from the top of the key - with :47 left and sophomore reserve post Hayley Rau got into the paint for a score with just :02 left that had UW-River Falls up 24-17. Not a prohibitive margin by any means but momentum was clearly with the home team.
A 12-2 Falcon run to begin the second period put Wheaton behind the 8-ball. A Mehus lay-up at the 8:39 mark and Messman "3" from the top of the key at the 8:05 mark had UW-River Falls up double digits at 29-17. Theisen; the former Watertown-Mayer standout who can make things happen out on the perimeter with her defense and can mix it up down low, got into the paint for one score at the 7:40 mark as did Rau at the 6:41 mark for a 33-19 Falcon lead. Then it was the crafty and skilled Liljander; slithering through traffic for a lay-up that drew a foul and sent her to the line for the obligatory free throw and a 36-19 UW-River Falls advantage that the Thunder never really recovered from. Back-to-back Theisen scores - a lay-up at the 5:09 mark and one in the paint at the 4:35 mark - had the Falcons up 40-20. McDaniels tried in vain to bring her Wheaton team back from this avalanche of Falcon attacks but she wasn't getting a lot of help. One lay-up with 4:22 left and a lay-up in transition with 3:10 left along with two free throws left got the Thunder points but they simply were not getting stops. As the Falcons took a cushy 44-26 lead into the locker room at the half, Wheaton was going to have to find a way to match the energy and intensity that their opponent had on this night. A glance at the first half box score reveals the damage as UW-River Falls not only had a decided 21-14 advantage on the boards but was also shooting a blistering 64.3% from FG range and an equally torrid 55.6% from three-point land. Wheaton on the other hand could only muster 25% from FG range and an icy 16.7% from downtown and that simply wasn't going to get the job done on this night.
Going into the third period, the Thunder needed some sort of boost; something that might somehow spark a run that could whittle the deficit down and give them half a chance of climbing back into this thing. A drive into the lane and finish by McDaniels at the 9:44 mark and a "3" from the top of the key by by junior guard Chantal Meachem at the 7:15 mark was definitely a good start from a scoring standpoint but again, Wheaton was not getting defensive stops. Liljander burned the Thunder from behind the arc again at the 6:56 mark with her trey from the top of the key at the 6:56 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by Mehus at the 6:17 mark maintained the twenty-point cushion at 54-34. Liljander connected with a lay-up at the 5:42 mark that, coupled with a score in the paint by Karge with 4:40 left and a lay-up by Theisen with 4:16 left, had UW-River Falls up 60-39. With 2:54 left, Karge made a sweet spin move and got a lay-up for a 62-42 Falcon lead and an offensive rebound and putback by Theisen with :09 left maintained the cushion at 64-44 and although Lawson got a "3" from the right corner with just :02 left for the Thunder, Wheaton had stepped into a dungeon on this night that was Karges Center and there was little, if any chance at this point that they could complete any comeback attempt.
To their credit, the Thunder made a bit of an inroad into the UW-River Falls cushion in the opening moments of the fourth and final period. Two McDaniels free throws at the 9:28 mark and one more by Considine at the 8:12 mark reduced the Falcon lead to 16 at 66-50 but any hope that Wheaton had at that point quickly vanished into thin air. A Messman jumper from the left corner with the shot clock winding down at the 7:42 mark spurred a 6-0 Falcon burst. A score in the paint by Theisen at the 5:33 mark and two Karge free throws at the 5:07 mark had UW-River Falls up 72-50 and there was no looking back now. McDaniels tried desperately to work her magic with one free throw with 4:52 left and a lay-up with 4:07 left but the Falcons simply would not be denied on this night. Junior reserve guard Mikaela Wilson snared an offensive rebound for a putback with 3:01 left and insurance free throws by Liljander and junior reserve guard Cassy Saxton with 1:27 left put the finishing touches on a resounding 81-56 UW-River Falls victory that propels the Falcons into the second round on Saturday night to take on UST in the friendly confines of Karges Center.
I had the pleasure afterward of conducting one of the most fun interviews afterward with UW-River Falls Head Coach Cindy Holbrook and four of her players - Mehus, Karge, Theisen and Liljander. I first asked Holbrook about the incredible energy and intensity that her team displayed on this night. "That comes from our team" she said adding that her squad came out with a lot of confidence going into this game. Holbrook didn't think that the loss to UW-Oshkosh last Saturday in the WIAC Championship Game was in the back of the team's mind going into this contest. "We came into this NCAA Tournament just wanting to move forward and win games" and added that UW-Oshkosh never really crossed her mind going into this contest on this night. I asked Theisen about her ability to be able to get into the paint not only to score but to do the "dirty work" as well; i.e. boxing out, getting rebounds and the like. She talked about though she's only 5'8" she works on this a lot in practice and it definitely paid dividends on this night as her 21 points and nine rebounds would suggest. Liljander; perhaps the most shy of this fun group, talked about how the early three-point bombs she was able to drop helped raise the intensity and energy-level of this team. "It just really helped get everyone 'jacked'.....and it really makes you want to push the ball faster." Holbrook: What you've gotta know about this team is that Brynn can shoot the ball" as she pointed out how a good start by Liljander can really give this team a shot of confidence on both ends of the floor and definitely can stretch out an opposing team's defense and added that "they like to run and share the ball." Karge, the Mankato native, talked about how much her confidence has grown in just her sophomore year and it definitely showed on the floor tonight as she dropped 12 points and made life miserable down low for the Thunder. Mehus, the senior from Spring Grove, talked about how getting the opportunity to play in the state tournament in high school and now being able to play in the NCAA Tournament in her senior season; and being able to do it on her home floor is "a dream come true.......It's your ultimate goal as a senior...It's huge." I finally asked Holbrook about the upcoming game with UST on Saturday night. Specifically, I asked her if the squad can bring the same type of intensity and energy as it showed on this night which, not surprisingly, drew a collective laugh from the players indicating that that won't be a problem. "Oh, absolutely" Holbrook said. "We're in the (tournament) to win the tournament......Our starters put in a lot of minutes but we also got good minutes from our subs as well....Our kids will bring that spunk tomorrow (Saturday) night."
Theisen's 21 points did indeed lead the way for UW-River Falls on this night and Liljander was right behind with her 20 points as her three-point bombs did a lot of damage that Wheaton could never recover from. Karge had those 12 points and Messman added 11 points. Not surprisingly, McDaniels led the way for Wheaton in the losing effort with her 17 points while Lawson added 11 points in the losing effort as the Thunder bow out with a 22-6 overall record.
NCAA Tournament 1st Round Game - Loras vs UST 3-4-16
Made the journey over to UW-River Falls on this somewhat snowy Friday afternoon to take in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Pod being hosted by UW-River Falls. The first game on this Friday evening featured IIAC Championship Game winner Loras going up against five-time MIAC Championship Game winner UST. The Tommies; in something of an unusual set-up having to be the number-one seed on a neutral court (for this game anyway), still were decided favorites going into this first-round game against their IIAC opponent but were not going to take anyone lightly this time of the year.
Not surprisingly, the Tommies got off to their usual good start; building an early 7-0 lead. A score in the paint at the 9:41 mark by junior post and MIAC POY Kaitlin Langer and a "3" by sophomore guard/forward Lauren Fischer at the 8:52 mark along with two Langer freebies at the 8:12 mark gave UST that seven-point cushion but a resourceful Loras squad managed to cut into the deficit. A jumper from the left corner by junior guard Kat Cabrera at the 7:56 mark and a score in the paint by lanky 6'2" junior post Lori Obendorf made it a 7-4 ballgame. The Tommies appeared to grab the upper hand again when sophomore reserve guard Maddie Wolkow uncorked a three-point bomb from the left wing in transition on a 4-on-2 fast break with 4:02 left and a jumper from the top of the key by senior guard Katie Stone had UST up by six at 12-6 with 1:09 left in the opening period. But the 2-3 match-up zone being employed by the Duhawks paid dividends in the final minute as the potent Tommie attack was clogged up. Senior guard Megan Jones came up huge for the underdog Duhawks as she dropped her first trey of the game with just :25 left that cut the UST lead down to 12-9 and on the final Loras possession with time winding down in the opening period, Jones got free from way behind the arc on the left top area and she let loose with a bomb that found nothing but cotton that tied this one up at 12 a piece going into the second period.
Defense was the watchword of the second period as both sides clamped down on scoring opportunities. Stone; the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native, finally found a small gap in that Duhawk 2-3 match-up zone and slithered through for a lay-up to get the Tommies back up 14-12 but that was answered by Loras as senior point guard Kaitlin Phillips made good on a drive into the lane for a finish at the 5:59 mark that tied things up once again at 14 a piece. Two Fischer free throws at the 5:04 mark and a Stone "3" from the top of the key with 4:36 mark looked to have UST going again offensively with a 19-14 advantage but once again as the Duhawks battled right back. Phillips connected with a jumper from the right elbow area with 4:15 left and a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve guard Miranda Chapman with 2:54 left pulled Loras right back in the thick of things trailing 19-18. Stone got one more jumper to fall right before the half from the right elbow area with 1:27 left but Obendorf, who was starting to make life a bit miserable for her counterpart Langer; got to the charity stripe with 1:06 left where she dropped one free throw that trimmed the Tommie lead to 21-19 going into the locker room at the half. For a UST team accustomed to going into the halftime break with a substantial lead, things had to be a little bit unsettling for Head Coach Ruth Sinn and her staff.
Despite a Langer score in the paint at the 9:44 mark of the third period, the Tommies still found shaking a pesky Loras squad difficult. Another Langer score; a lay-up in transition at the 8:48 mark had UST up four at 25-21 and a Fischer score in the paint at the 8:18 mark and one by Langer at the 7:15 mark gave the Tommies a 29-23 lead which, for the moment anyway, seemed to have them in decent shape. But the Duhawks, playing loose and free and with a nothing to lose attitude, slowly usurped control of this contest. Cabrera connected with a jumper from the right wing area at the 6:43 mark and a score in the paint by Obendorf at the 6:11 mark got Loras back to within a single possession trailing 29-27. A Fischer score in the paint with 4:57 left increased UST's lead to 31-28 but the Duhawks simply weren't going away. Phillips connected with a short jumper with 4:41 left that cut the Tommie lead down to one at 31-30 and then Loras went on a three-point barrage. Chapman drained one from the left wing with 4:16 left that gave the Duhawks their first lead of the contest at 33-31 and connected with another trey from the left corner with 3:05 left that gave Loras a 36-34 lead. Jones dropped a three-point bomb from the left top area with 2:20 left and repeated the feat on the Duhawks next possession with 1:56 left that gave Loras a 42-36 lead. Langer would score again in the paint with :41 left and get one free throw with :05 left but now UST was not only trailing 44-39 going into the fourth period but the wind had clearly been taken out of their sails as well.
A Langer lay-up at the 9:50 mark of the fourth period trimmed the Loras lead down to 44-41 but the Duhawks were in the process of putting UST in unfamiliar territory - DEEP, deep trouble. Junior forward Terese McMahon connected with a lay-up at the 9:30 mark that drew a foul and allowed the Lindenhurst, Illinois native to drop the obligatory freebie for a 47-41 lead. Then it was Jones again from behind the arc from the right top area at the 8:40 mark and a 50-41 lead. A McMahon score in the paint at the 8:01 mark put the Duhawks up by double digits at 52-41 and the Tommies looked completely stunned. Langer did connect with a lay-up in transition at the 7:52 mark and Stone connected with a three-point bomb from the top of the key at the 7:23 mark that had UST back to within single-digit range trailing 54-46 but Langer picked up her fourth foul at the 7:02 mark that sent McMahon to the line to shoot two free throws for a 56-46 Loras lead. At the 6:28 mark, McMahon struck again down low that now had the Duhawks up 58-46 and UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn quickly called a timeout to assess the situation. But even that stoppage in play didn't solve the ensuing crisis. Rolling the dice, Sinn kept Langer out on the floor with those four fouls and at the 6:02 mark, the former Hill-Murray standout got whistled for her fifth and final foul of the evening and when Langer momentarily stepped outside the arena door to vent her frustrations, all the hopes and dreams the Tommies had seemed to go out the door with her.
But, as legendary NFL Films narrator John Facenda once said, "Great teams aren't always great. They're just great when they have to be." And, with the Tommies in dire straits - down double digits and their starting post player fouled out - the unlikely comeback began. And it would be the senior point guard Stone, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native, who helped keep UST's dreams alive. Two Stone free throws after she was fouled in transition with 5:28 left got the Tommies back into single-digit range again trailing 58-49 and a Stone jumper from the left elbow area at the 5:04 mark cut further into the deficit as Loras' lead was now down to 59-51. Then back-to-back Stone treys - one from the right wing with 2:36 left and another from the left top with 2:04 left suddenly had UST back to within a single possession trailing 61-58. Even worse for the Duhawks was that those perimeter shots that all seemed to be dropping - suddenly stopped dropping and they were not able to make up for it down in the paint either. A Fischer "3" from the right wing area with 1:38 left cut Loras' lead down to a scant point at 62-61 and although a Cabrera free throw with 1:07 left increased the Duhawk lead to 63-61 with 1:07 left, Loras was unable to get their lead beyond a single possession and with just :18 left, Fischer got the ball in the paint and finished that knotted the issue at 63 a piece. Loras had one last chance to try and win it in regulation as Cabrera; the Gilbert, Arizona native, made a hard drive to the rack to try and draw a foul but her shot attempt was errant and the buzzer sounded ending regulation with the score tied at 63.
The extra five minute period saw Stone put UST back into the lead with her lay-up at the 4:32 mark but the Duhawks manged to tie the score at 65-all on a short jumper by junior reserve forward Erin Weaver at the 4:10 mark. Stone, who simply was not going to let her team lose on this night, connected with another lay-up at the 3:41 mark for a 67-65 Tommie advantage. A Cabrera free throw with 2:27 left brought Loras back to a single point again trailing 67-66 but that's as close as the Duhawks could get. The Tommies got a big defensive stop with 1:44 left and Fischer; fouled on the defensive rebound, dropped two charity stripe shots for a 69-66 advantage. On the ensuing Loras possession, the Duhawks could not score and another Fischer defensive rebound that drew a foul allowed the Oshkosh, Wisconsin native to drop one more free throw with 1:28 left that now made it a two-possession game at 70-66. A short jumper by Cabrera with 1:13 left briefly had Loras back to within a single possession again trailing 70-68 and briefly gave the Duhawk contingent some reason for hope but those hopes and dreams were dashed once again by Stone as she unleashed a dagger "3" from the right wing area with :43 left that made it 73-68. Loras was not able to cut any deeper into the deficit and insurance free throws by Stone with :18 and :10.9 left in the extra period allowed UST to escape the first round with an exhilirating 76-68 overtime victory.
A happy and relieved Sinn brought in both Stone and Langer into the media room for interviews afterward. Sinn, whose leadership has helped take the Tommies to new heights and consistency, was quick to credit Loras in what proved to be an outstanding game. "In the NCAA's it's a game of runs" she said pointing out the barrage of treys that Loras had that helped propel the Duhawks into the lead. Sinn also pointed out that her squad was getting the looks they wanted "but we just weren't converting". I asked Sinn specifically about how her team kept their composure down double digits and with their starting post player (Langer) on the bench with five fouls and the situation itself in such dire straits. "We talked about being courageous instead of worrying about the outcome.....We talked in the huddle (during timeouts) about don't worry about missed shots.....Just be aggressive and be willing to take risks." Somehow, that strategy paid off. As for the senior, Stone, I don't think there are enough superlatives out there to describe what she did tonight. Just watching her these last few years, I've seen her grow not only as a person but also as a basketball player as well and what she did on this night will go down in Tommie lore. Sinn: "She loves the big moments and she stepped up tonight." I asked Stone about the situation her team found herself in and how she helped bring her squad back from the brink. As humble as ever, Stone simply replied, "I just think I had the ball at the right moment"; as she was more interested in giving her teammates credit in setting her up for the moment. I had to ask Langer, who left the game at a critical juncture with 6:02 left in regulation if there was any lesson learned on this night. I asked Langer if there was perhaps any lesson learned from this game going into Saturday's night clash against the winner of UW-River Falls vs Wheaton. "I don't think there's any lesson to be learned......."We found a way to win even though we didn't play our best in regulation.....It'll be a new gameplan, a new strategy." I can't help but wonder though if winning a game like this doesn't give UST a real shot in the arm as far as confidence goes; being able to pull one off away from home in such dire situations in a setting like the NCAA Tournament where the competition is top flight. That can help propel a team a long way.
A glance of the box score shows what incredible night this was for Stone as she easily led all scorers with her 32 points while Langer; even though she fouled out with plenty of time left in regulation, still finished with a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds while Fischer chipped in with 15 points. A much more balanced attack on the Loras side in the losing effort - Jones led the way with her 17 points while McMahon added 14 points. Cabrera had 10 points while Phillips and Obendorf finished with eight and seven points, respectively with the latter grabbing nine rebounds. Things on the rebounding front were nearly even with the Tommies holding a small 42-41 edge although the Duhawks had 18 turnovers compared to UST's 13 turnovers.
Not surprisingly, the Tommies got off to their usual good start; building an early 7-0 lead. A score in the paint at the 9:41 mark by junior post and MIAC POY Kaitlin Langer and a "3" by sophomore guard/forward Lauren Fischer at the 8:52 mark along with two Langer freebies at the 8:12 mark gave UST that seven-point cushion but a resourceful Loras squad managed to cut into the deficit. A jumper from the left corner by junior guard Kat Cabrera at the 7:56 mark and a score in the paint by lanky 6'2" junior post Lori Obendorf made it a 7-4 ballgame. The Tommies appeared to grab the upper hand again when sophomore reserve guard Maddie Wolkow uncorked a three-point bomb from the left wing in transition on a 4-on-2 fast break with 4:02 left and a jumper from the top of the key by senior guard Katie Stone had UST up by six at 12-6 with 1:09 left in the opening period. But the 2-3 match-up zone being employed by the Duhawks paid dividends in the final minute as the potent Tommie attack was clogged up. Senior guard Megan Jones came up huge for the underdog Duhawks as she dropped her first trey of the game with just :25 left that cut the UST lead down to 12-9 and on the final Loras possession with time winding down in the opening period, Jones got free from way behind the arc on the left top area and she let loose with a bomb that found nothing but cotton that tied this one up at 12 a piece going into the second period.
Defense was the watchword of the second period as both sides clamped down on scoring opportunities. Stone; the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native, finally found a small gap in that Duhawk 2-3 match-up zone and slithered through for a lay-up to get the Tommies back up 14-12 but that was answered by Loras as senior point guard Kaitlin Phillips made good on a drive into the lane for a finish at the 5:59 mark that tied things up once again at 14 a piece. Two Fischer free throws at the 5:04 mark and a Stone "3" from the top of the key with 4:36 mark looked to have UST going again offensively with a 19-14 advantage but once again as the Duhawks battled right back. Phillips connected with a jumper from the right elbow area with 4:15 left and a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve guard Miranda Chapman with 2:54 left pulled Loras right back in the thick of things trailing 19-18. Stone got one more jumper to fall right before the half from the right elbow area with 1:27 left but Obendorf, who was starting to make life a bit miserable for her counterpart Langer; got to the charity stripe with 1:06 left where she dropped one free throw that trimmed the Tommie lead to 21-19 going into the locker room at the half. For a UST team accustomed to going into the halftime break with a substantial lead, things had to be a little bit unsettling for Head Coach Ruth Sinn and her staff.
Despite a Langer score in the paint at the 9:44 mark of the third period, the Tommies still found shaking a pesky Loras squad difficult. Another Langer score; a lay-up in transition at the 8:48 mark had UST up four at 25-21 and a Fischer score in the paint at the 8:18 mark and one by Langer at the 7:15 mark gave the Tommies a 29-23 lead which, for the moment anyway, seemed to have them in decent shape. But the Duhawks, playing loose and free and with a nothing to lose attitude, slowly usurped control of this contest. Cabrera connected with a jumper from the right wing area at the 6:43 mark and a score in the paint by Obendorf at the 6:11 mark got Loras back to within a single possession trailing 29-27. A Fischer score in the paint with 4:57 left increased UST's lead to 31-28 but the Duhawks simply weren't going away. Phillips connected with a short jumper with 4:41 left that cut the Tommie lead down to one at 31-30 and then Loras went on a three-point barrage. Chapman drained one from the left wing with 4:16 left that gave the Duhawks their first lead of the contest at 33-31 and connected with another trey from the left corner with 3:05 left that gave Loras a 36-34 lead. Jones dropped a three-point bomb from the left top area with 2:20 left and repeated the feat on the Duhawks next possession with 1:56 left that gave Loras a 42-36 lead. Langer would score again in the paint with :41 left and get one free throw with :05 left but now UST was not only trailing 44-39 going into the fourth period but the wind had clearly been taken out of their sails as well.
A Langer lay-up at the 9:50 mark of the fourth period trimmed the Loras lead down to 44-41 but the Duhawks were in the process of putting UST in unfamiliar territory - DEEP, deep trouble. Junior forward Terese McMahon connected with a lay-up at the 9:30 mark that drew a foul and allowed the Lindenhurst, Illinois native to drop the obligatory freebie for a 47-41 lead. Then it was Jones again from behind the arc from the right top area at the 8:40 mark and a 50-41 lead. A McMahon score in the paint at the 8:01 mark put the Duhawks up by double digits at 52-41 and the Tommies looked completely stunned. Langer did connect with a lay-up in transition at the 7:52 mark and Stone connected with a three-point bomb from the top of the key at the 7:23 mark that had UST back to within single-digit range trailing 54-46 but Langer picked up her fourth foul at the 7:02 mark that sent McMahon to the line to shoot two free throws for a 56-46 Loras lead. At the 6:28 mark, McMahon struck again down low that now had the Duhawks up 58-46 and UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn quickly called a timeout to assess the situation. But even that stoppage in play didn't solve the ensuing crisis. Rolling the dice, Sinn kept Langer out on the floor with those four fouls and at the 6:02 mark, the former Hill-Murray standout got whistled for her fifth and final foul of the evening and when Langer momentarily stepped outside the arena door to vent her frustrations, all the hopes and dreams the Tommies had seemed to go out the door with her.
But, as legendary NFL Films narrator John Facenda once said, "Great teams aren't always great. They're just great when they have to be." And, with the Tommies in dire straits - down double digits and their starting post player fouled out - the unlikely comeback began. And it would be the senior point guard Stone, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native, who helped keep UST's dreams alive. Two Stone free throws after she was fouled in transition with 5:28 left got the Tommies back into single-digit range again trailing 58-49 and a Stone jumper from the left elbow area at the 5:04 mark cut further into the deficit as Loras' lead was now down to 59-51. Then back-to-back Stone treys - one from the right wing with 2:36 left and another from the left top with 2:04 left suddenly had UST back to within a single possession trailing 61-58. Even worse for the Duhawks was that those perimeter shots that all seemed to be dropping - suddenly stopped dropping and they were not able to make up for it down in the paint either. A Fischer "3" from the right wing area with 1:38 left cut Loras' lead down to a scant point at 62-61 and although a Cabrera free throw with 1:07 left increased the Duhawk lead to 63-61 with 1:07 left, Loras was unable to get their lead beyond a single possession and with just :18 left, Fischer got the ball in the paint and finished that knotted the issue at 63 a piece. Loras had one last chance to try and win it in regulation as Cabrera; the Gilbert, Arizona native, made a hard drive to the rack to try and draw a foul but her shot attempt was errant and the buzzer sounded ending regulation with the score tied at 63.
The extra five minute period saw Stone put UST back into the lead with her lay-up at the 4:32 mark but the Duhawks manged to tie the score at 65-all on a short jumper by junior reserve forward Erin Weaver at the 4:10 mark. Stone, who simply was not going to let her team lose on this night, connected with another lay-up at the 3:41 mark for a 67-65 Tommie advantage. A Cabrera free throw with 2:27 left brought Loras back to a single point again trailing 67-66 but that's as close as the Duhawks could get. The Tommies got a big defensive stop with 1:44 left and Fischer; fouled on the defensive rebound, dropped two charity stripe shots for a 69-66 advantage. On the ensuing Loras possession, the Duhawks could not score and another Fischer defensive rebound that drew a foul allowed the Oshkosh, Wisconsin native to drop one more free throw with 1:28 left that now made it a two-possession game at 70-66. A short jumper by Cabrera with 1:13 left briefly had Loras back to within a single possession again trailing 70-68 and briefly gave the Duhawk contingent some reason for hope but those hopes and dreams were dashed once again by Stone as she unleashed a dagger "3" from the right wing area with :43 left that made it 73-68. Loras was not able to cut any deeper into the deficit and insurance free throws by Stone with :18 and :10.9 left in the extra period allowed UST to escape the first round with an exhilirating 76-68 overtime victory.
A happy and relieved Sinn brought in both Stone and Langer into the media room for interviews afterward. Sinn, whose leadership has helped take the Tommies to new heights and consistency, was quick to credit Loras in what proved to be an outstanding game. "In the NCAA's it's a game of runs" she said pointing out the barrage of treys that Loras had that helped propel the Duhawks into the lead. Sinn also pointed out that her squad was getting the looks they wanted "but we just weren't converting". I asked Sinn specifically about how her team kept their composure down double digits and with their starting post player (Langer) on the bench with five fouls and the situation itself in such dire straits. "We talked about being courageous instead of worrying about the outcome.....We talked in the huddle (during timeouts) about don't worry about missed shots.....Just be aggressive and be willing to take risks." Somehow, that strategy paid off. As for the senior, Stone, I don't think there are enough superlatives out there to describe what she did tonight. Just watching her these last few years, I've seen her grow not only as a person but also as a basketball player as well and what she did on this night will go down in Tommie lore. Sinn: "She loves the big moments and she stepped up tonight." I asked Stone about the situation her team found herself in and how she helped bring her squad back from the brink. As humble as ever, Stone simply replied, "I just think I had the ball at the right moment"; as she was more interested in giving her teammates credit in setting her up for the moment. I had to ask Langer, who left the game at a critical juncture with 6:02 left in regulation if there was any lesson learned on this night. I asked Langer if there was perhaps any lesson learned from this game going into Saturday's night clash against the winner of UW-River Falls vs Wheaton. "I don't think there's any lesson to be learned......."We found a way to win even though we didn't play our best in regulation.....It'll be a new gameplan, a new strategy." I can't help but wonder though if winning a game like this doesn't give UST a real shot in the arm as far as confidence goes; being able to pull one off away from home in such dire situations in a setting like the NCAA Tournament where the competition is top flight. That can help propel a team a long way.
A glance of the box score shows what incredible night this was for Stone as she easily led all scorers with her 32 points while Langer; even though she fouled out with plenty of time left in regulation, still finished with a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds while Fischer chipped in with 15 points. A much more balanced attack on the Loras side in the losing effort - Jones led the way with her 17 points while McMahon added 14 points. Cabrera had 10 points while Phillips and Obendorf finished with eight and seven points, respectively with the latter grabbing nine rebounds. Things on the rebounding front were nearly even with the Tommies holding a small 42-41 edge although the Duhawks had 18 turnovers compared to UST's 13 turnovers.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Thoughts On The Eve Of The NCAA Tournament
In anticipation of tomorrow night's NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Pod being hosted by UW-River Falls tomorrow night, I just wanted to let loose with these thoughts tonight:
First, a huge shout-out to all the players of the MIAC who were voted onto the various all-conference teams and a special shout out to both UST junior post Kaitlin Langer who was voted MIAC POY and to SMU Head Coach Brent Pollari was was voted COY by his MIAC peers. It's these people who help make the MIAC the great conference that it is and so much fun to watch and cover. Here's the link from the official MIAC website covering the listings of players. A big congratulations to everyone involved!
http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/releases/030316_wbb_awards
That said, I'll be over in River Falls, Wisconsin both Friday night and Saturday night covering the first and second round games at host UW-River Falls. The first game at 5:00 P.M. Friday evening features MIAC Champion UST going up against IIAC Championship Game winner Loras. The Duhawks; who shocked IIAC regular season champ Luther in Decorah this last Saturday, are decided underdogs against the eighth-ranked Tommies. Then again, no one gave Loras a prayer's chance against Luther this last weekend either. The Duhawks are led by senior guard Kaitlin Phillips and her 13.2 ppg along with junior forward Terese McMahon (12.5 ppg) and fellow junior post Lori Obendorf (11.0 ppg and 11.5 rebounds per game). Loras is not an exceptional three-point shooting team but they do know how to clean the glass as their 44.1 rebounds per game and +12.6 rebounding margin number would suggest. Turnovers have plagued Loras at times this year and they don't come into this game with a whole ton of momentum but they are still a very dangerous team and UST cannot afford to come into this contest with a casual attitude at all. I think this game, since it is on a neutral floor for both teams, stays close before the Tommies gradually pull away down the stretch. I just think UST has too many weapons for Loras to handle for a full 40 minutes.
The nightcap features an intriguing match-up between host UW-River Falls and Wheaton (IL). The Thunder; out of the CCIW and winners of the CCIW Championship Game over perennial powerhouse Illinois Wesleyan, bring a solid 22-5 record into the NCAA Tournament. The Thunder have a few former Minnesotans on their roster and junior guard Katie McDaniels out of Mounds View High School leads the team in scoring with her 17.0 ppg. Senior post Hannah Considine averages 10.2 ppg but more importantly leads the team in rebounding with 6.9 rebounding average. Another Minnesota player; senior Ellie Zeller, who starred at St. Anthony Village averages 9.3 ppg and can rebound as well. The host Falcons bring a similar 22-5 record into this game although they arguably come into this contest on something of a down note as they were upset 65-64 in the WIAC Championship Game by UW-Oshkosh. Lanky sophopmore post Taylor Karge and junior guard Brynn Liljander lead the way in scoring for UW-River Falls with their 14.4 and 14.0 ppg respectively and it's no surprise that Karge leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots. Another player to keep your eye on is junior forward Kate Theisen with her 10.8 ppg and an ability to get into the paint to do the dirty work. This is a Falcon team that likes to make a living by getting out and running and finishing in transition. A much tougher call here on this one......My gut says UW-River Falls hangs on to win a tough one on their home floor but it won't be easy. That would set up a huge MIAC-WIAC showdown on Saturday night with the Tommies and Falcons battling it out for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.
Should be a couple of good games for sure and I encourage you to make the short hop across the River over to UW-River Falls on Friday evening to catch the action!
First, a huge shout-out to all the players of the MIAC who were voted onto the various all-conference teams and a special shout out to both UST junior post Kaitlin Langer who was voted MIAC POY and to SMU Head Coach Brent Pollari was was voted COY by his MIAC peers. It's these people who help make the MIAC the great conference that it is and so much fun to watch and cover. Here's the link from the official MIAC website covering the listings of players. A big congratulations to everyone involved!
http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2015-16/releases/030316_wbb_awards
That said, I'll be over in River Falls, Wisconsin both Friday night and Saturday night covering the first and second round games at host UW-River Falls. The first game at 5:00 P.M. Friday evening features MIAC Champion UST going up against IIAC Championship Game winner Loras. The Duhawks; who shocked IIAC regular season champ Luther in Decorah this last Saturday, are decided underdogs against the eighth-ranked Tommies. Then again, no one gave Loras a prayer's chance against Luther this last weekend either. The Duhawks are led by senior guard Kaitlin Phillips and her 13.2 ppg along with junior forward Terese McMahon (12.5 ppg) and fellow junior post Lori Obendorf (11.0 ppg and 11.5 rebounds per game). Loras is not an exceptional three-point shooting team but they do know how to clean the glass as their 44.1 rebounds per game and +12.6 rebounding margin number would suggest. Turnovers have plagued Loras at times this year and they don't come into this game with a whole ton of momentum but they are still a very dangerous team and UST cannot afford to come into this contest with a casual attitude at all. I think this game, since it is on a neutral floor for both teams, stays close before the Tommies gradually pull away down the stretch. I just think UST has too many weapons for Loras to handle for a full 40 minutes.
The nightcap features an intriguing match-up between host UW-River Falls and Wheaton (IL). The Thunder; out of the CCIW and winners of the CCIW Championship Game over perennial powerhouse Illinois Wesleyan, bring a solid 22-5 record into the NCAA Tournament. The Thunder have a few former Minnesotans on their roster and junior guard Katie McDaniels out of Mounds View High School leads the team in scoring with her 17.0 ppg. Senior post Hannah Considine averages 10.2 ppg but more importantly leads the team in rebounding with 6.9 rebounding average. Another Minnesota player; senior Ellie Zeller, who starred at St. Anthony Village averages 9.3 ppg and can rebound as well. The host Falcons bring a similar 22-5 record into this game although they arguably come into this contest on something of a down note as they were upset 65-64 in the WIAC Championship Game by UW-Oshkosh. Lanky sophopmore post Taylor Karge and junior guard Brynn Liljander lead the way in scoring for UW-River Falls with their 14.4 and 14.0 ppg respectively and it's no surprise that Karge leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots. Another player to keep your eye on is junior forward Kate Theisen with her 10.8 ppg and an ability to get into the paint to do the dirty work. This is a Falcon team that likes to make a living by getting out and running and finishing in transition. A much tougher call here on this one......My gut says UW-River Falls hangs on to win a tough one on their home floor but it won't be easy. That would set up a huge MIAC-WIAC showdown on Saturday night with the Tommies and Falcons battling it out for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.
Should be a couple of good games for sure and I encourage you to make the short hop across the River over to UW-River Falls on Friday evening to catch the action!
Section 5AAAA Quarterfinal Game Recap - Spring Lake Park vs Park Center 3-2-16
The first step of the journey of getting back to the State Tournament began in earnest last night and I was over at nearby Park Center High School to take in their opening Section 5AAAA quarterfinal game against visiting Spring Lake Park. Given the fact that the Pirates had already handily defeated the Panthers on this same floor back in early February 83-36 their was little, if any reason to expect a different outcome this time around. However, once you get to this stage of the season, the LAST thing ANY team can afford is complacency and, as has been the case the last two seasons anyway, this is when the Pirates play their best.
And, coming out of the starting gate, it appeared as if Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde had his squad in full gear as they came out bombs away. Back-to-back treys - one by athletic junior forward Fey Ayobamidele from the left top area at the 17:20 mark and another one by sophomore guard Sommer Blakemore from the right top area at the 16:53 mark - gave the Pirates a quick 6-0 lead. A score in the paint by lanky junior post Mikayla Hayes at the 16:26 mark and another Blakemore "3" from the same right top area as before made it 11-0 by the 15:24 mark. At the 14:20 mark, Ayobamidele pick-pocketed a Panther and dashed the other way for a lay-up that made it 13-0 before Spring Lake Park finally got on the board at the 13:42 mark when sophomore reserve forward Emma Curran knocked down a "3" from the top of the key. But a "3" from the right wing area by junior sharp-shooting guard Ann Simonet from the right wing area at the 13:27 mark and a steal and lay-up the other way by junior point guard Danielle Schaub expanded Park Center's lead to 18-3 at the 13:08 mark and Panther Head Coach Randy Eatherton; sensing that this one was going to be a repeat of last time, called a time out to try and stop the hemorrhaging.
In reality, there was very little Spring Lake Park could do to try and stop this incredibly talented Pirate team - especially in the month of March. The Panthers managed to keep the deficit at fifteen points at 22-7 on free throws by freshman reserve guard Jocelyn Talso and senior guard Sierra Reiland but Park Center wasted little time in expanding the lead once again. A Simonet "3" from the right corner at the 10:56 mark and a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve forward Charo Nickens twenty seconds later made it 27-7 and successive lay-ups by Simonet made it a 33-9 game by the 9:36 mark which resulted in another Spring Lake Park timeout. This stoppage only delayed the inevitable as Blakemore unleashed her third trey of this game with 7:58 left from the left wing area and a lay-up in transition by reserve sophomore guard Meghan DuBois with 7:26 left made it 38-9. The Panthers tried everything conceivable under the sun to try and slow down the Park Center attack but even a 1-2-2 zone defense wouldn't do the trick. Hayes snared a long offensive rebound of her own miss and got a jumper in the lane out of it with 6:07 left for a 40-10 advantage and a short jumper by Schaub with 5:29 left maintained the thirty-point edge at 42-12. Blakemore uncorked her fourth three-point bomb of this first half; this one coming from the left top area with 4:35 left to make it 45-13. A Curran jumper along the left baseline with 4:10 left momentarily stopped the Park Center artillery barrage but the Pirates quickly resumed the bombardment. A Hayes lay-up with 3:36 left followed by a jumper in the lane off the glass with 3:08 left by the future Florida Gator made it 49-18. Schaub knocked down a short jumper in the lane with 2:39 left and then Hayes snared an offensive rebound of a missed Blakemore free throw and got a lay-up out of it with 2:00 left for a 54-18 lead. Hayes got another score down low with :34 left and a lay-up in transition after a steal by Charo Nickens with just :17 left made it 58-19. Reiland managed to get one free throw to go down for the Panthers with :07.3 left but Hayes and the Pirates got one more dagger in right before the first half buzzer as she snared an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback with just :01 left that left no doubt how this one was going to turn out as Park Center trotted into the locker room with a 60-20 lead.
With a thirty-point lead and the contest all but decided, VanderHyde, as he had in the previous regular season game against Spring Lake Park, sent in his reserves to finish things up for the second half which not only kept the score halfway respectable but, just as important, protected his starting rotation from risking an injury. The young faces, given this opportunity in this setting, did not let the moment get away from them. Freshman reserve guard Trinidi Prochaska got into the paint for a score at the 17:38 mark and sophomore reserve guard Naomi Fields snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 15:54 mark that made it a 64-22 ballgame. Two scores by sophomore reserve post Chyanne Nickens at the 12:31 and 12:02 marks and a "3" from the left corner by junior reserve guard Ilenna Garcia at the 11:31 mark now had the Pirates up 76-28. Eighth-grader Lauren Frost and junior reserve guard Siah Tamba also had a nice outing in this second half opportunity for the young ones. Frost connected with a lay-up after a steal at the 11:10 mark and also drained a "3" from the top of the key with 8:59 left. Tamba meanwhile got one score in the paint at the 10:36 mark and another one at the 10:15 mark. With a prohibitive 85-30 lead after the Frost trey, the MSHSL Running Time Rule came into effect to speed the conclusion of this one. Eighth-grader Kayla Cox connected with a jumper from the free throw line with 5:43 left and freshman reserve forward Ajah McBride and eighth-grader Aaliyah Ragulen got late scores as Park Center waltzed into the semi-final round with a resounding 91-38 victory.
And, coming out of the starting gate, it appeared as if Park Center Head Coach Chris VanderHyde had his squad in full gear as they came out bombs away. Back-to-back treys - one by athletic junior forward Fey Ayobamidele from the left top area at the 17:20 mark and another one by sophomore guard Sommer Blakemore from the right top area at the 16:53 mark - gave the Pirates a quick 6-0 lead. A score in the paint by lanky junior post Mikayla Hayes at the 16:26 mark and another Blakemore "3" from the same right top area as before made it 11-0 by the 15:24 mark. At the 14:20 mark, Ayobamidele pick-pocketed a Panther and dashed the other way for a lay-up that made it 13-0 before Spring Lake Park finally got on the board at the 13:42 mark when sophomore reserve forward Emma Curran knocked down a "3" from the top of the key. But a "3" from the right wing area by junior sharp-shooting guard Ann Simonet from the right wing area at the 13:27 mark and a steal and lay-up the other way by junior point guard Danielle Schaub expanded Park Center's lead to 18-3 at the 13:08 mark and Panther Head Coach Randy Eatherton; sensing that this one was going to be a repeat of last time, called a time out to try and stop the hemorrhaging.
In reality, there was very little Spring Lake Park could do to try and stop this incredibly talented Pirate team - especially in the month of March. The Panthers managed to keep the deficit at fifteen points at 22-7 on free throws by freshman reserve guard Jocelyn Talso and senior guard Sierra Reiland but Park Center wasted little time in expanding the lead once again. A Simonet "3" from the right corner at the 10:56 mark and a lay-up in transition by sophomore reserve forward Charo Nickens twenty seconds later made it 27-7 and successive lay-ups by Simonet made it a 33-9 game by the 9:36 mark which resulted in another Spring Lake Park timeout. This stoppage only delayed the inevitable as Blakemore unleashed her third trey of this game with 7:58 left from the left wing area and a lay-up in transition by reserve sophomore guard Meghan DuBois with 7:26 left made it 38-9. The Panthers tried everything conceivable under the sun to try and slow down the Park Center attack but even a 1-2-2 zone defense wouldn't do the trick. Hayes snared a long offensive rebound of her own miss and got a jumper in the lane out of it with 6:07 left for a 40-10 advantage and a short jumper by Schaub with 5:29 left maintained the thirty-point edge at 42-12. Blakemore uncorked her fourth three-point bomb of this first half; this one coming from the left top area with 4:35 left to make it 45-13. A Curran jumper along the left baseline with 4:10 left momentarily stopped the Park Center artillery barrage but the Pirates quickly resumed the bombardment. A Hayes lay-up with 3:36 left followed by a jumper in the lane off the glass with 3:08 left by the future Florida Gator made it 49-18. Schaub knocked down a short jumper in the lane with 2:39 left and then Hayes snared an offensive rebound of a missed Blakemore free throw and got a lay-up out of it with 2:00 left for a 54-18 lead. Hayes got another score down low with :34 left and a lay-up in transition after a steal by Charo Nickens with just :17 left made it 58-19. Reiland managed to get one free throw to go down for the Panthers with :07.3 left but Hayes and the Pirates got one more dagger in right before the first half buzzer as she snared an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback with just :01 left that left no doubt how this one was going to turn out as Park Center trotted into the locker room with a 60-20 lead.
With a thirty-point lead and the contest all but decided, VanderHyde, as he had in the previous regular season game against Spring Lake Park, sent in his reserves to finish things up for the second half which not only kept the score halfway respectable but, just as important, protected his starting rotation from risking an injury. The young faces, given this opportunity in this setting, did not let the moment get away from them. Freshman reserve guard Trinidi Prochaska got into the paint for a score at the 17:38 mark and sophomore reserve guard Naomi Fields snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 15:54 mark that made it a 64-22 ballgame. Two scores by sophomore reserve post Chyanne Nickens at the 12:31 and 12:02 marks and a "3" from the left corner by junior reserve guard Ilenna Garcia at the 11:31 mark now had the Pirates up 76-28. Eighth-grader Lauren Frost and junior reserve guard Siah Tamba also had a nice outing in this second half opportunity for the young ones. Frost connected with a lay-up after a steal at the 11:10 mark and also drained a "3" from the top of the key with 8:59 left. Tamba meanwhile got one score in the paint at the 10:36 mark and another one at the 10:15 mark. With a prohibitive 85-30 lead after the Frost trey, the MSHSL Running Time Rule came into effect to speed the conclusion of this one. Eighth-grader Kayla Cox connected with a jumper from the free throw line with 5:43 left and freshman reserve forward Ajah McBride and eighth-grader Aaliyah Ragulen got late scores as Park Center waltzed into the semi-final round with a resounding 91-38 victory.
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