MN Pump n Run 15U easily took 1st place in the Denver Mile High Classic over this past weekend, while the 16U got to the final before losing 60-58 to Utah Hoops. The 15s beat Colorado Elite, Colorado Hawks and Colorado Miners Cooper.
The 17U were upset by the Texas D-1 Ambassadors Morse in the semis. Ambassadors Morse went on to another upset, 85-60 over Danny Granger Select, in the final.
Pump n Run players who were highlighted in daily reports coming out of the Classic include, listed roughly in order of how effusive the reports were:
1. Henry Ellenson, 15U, 6-8, 2015, SF/PF, Rice Lake, WI. "Likely to be a national recruit.... Deadly 3 point shooter, can get out on the break and finish above the rim."
2. Alex Herink, 15U, 6-6, 2014, WF, Hudson, WI. "May be (15U) best player... Savvy."
3. Jarvis Johnson, 16U, 6-1, 2015, PG, DeLaSalle. "Consummate point guard," "quick, athletic, tightened up his shot." Playing up a year.
4. Amir Coffey, 15U, 6-6, 2016, SF, Hopkins. I had to laugh at the comment, "Reportedly the son of a former Minnesota hoopster." "Lefty wing F can consistently hit the outside shot, capable of runners and off the dribble, terrific prospect." Playing up a year.
5. Ian Theisen, 17U, 6-9, 2014, C, Osseo. Could have a "Big 10 future," "nice stroke," "a 4 or 5." Playing up a year.
6. Reid Travis, 17U, 6-7, 2014, SF, DeLaSalle. "Improved all around offensive game, more consistent range to 3 point line, able to get off a decent shot off the dribble, nailed some mid-range shots...adequate defense." Playing up a year.
7. Marshawn Wilson, 15U, 6-2, 2015, PG, Tartan. "Notable inside-outside offense, versatile, athletic."
8. Jordan Demblay, Holy Angels, and Dejon Davis, Mpls. Washburn, 16U guards.
10. Paul Friendshuh, 16U, 6-9, C, New Prague.
11. J.P. Macura, Lakeville North, and Dennis Austin, Apple Valley, more 16U guards.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
T-Wolves in the Draft After All
The T-Wolves have no 1st round draft pick of their own, but now with the Utah Jazz sneaking into the playoffs the final weekend, the Wolves get the Jazz' pick at #15. So what I wrote a month ago in my mock draft becomes pretty interesting. I speculated that maybe a #15 choice could be had in a trade. Here's what I said.
"Still I suppose they could move up with a trade. What do they need? Oh, yes, somebody that won't get hurt. Good luck with that. But seriously, if they could package Beasley and Wesley, well, that surely doesn't get you a lottery pick, but say a #15, even, is there any way you make that trade? Well, sure, because you can't use Beasley and Wesley. But if you just end up with another guy you can't use.... But, is there a gem of a guy hidden at #15 or thereabouts? Well, you know, maybe Terrence Ross. Maybe is the guy that Johnson and Ellington and Webster isn't, a guy who brings a little instant offense off the bench and picks up the tempo a little bit. But seriously, who the hell is going to take Beasley off our hands? Once upon a time you could call the Clippers. Now I don't think so. Joisey? N'awlins? I dunno. But the one opportunity worth watching for is Terrence Ross at somewhere around #15, give or take a couple. But it's addition by subtraction. Dumping some dead wood is as much or more a rationale for such a deal as the draft pick himself."
I also had John Henson as the Jazz' pick at #15, and Austin Rivers at #16 though most people think Rivers will go much higher than that.
"Still I suppose they could move up with a trade. What do they need? Oh, yes, somebody that won't get hurt. Good luck with that. But seriously, if they could package Beasley and Wesley, well, that surely doesn't get you a lottery pick, but say a #15, even, is there any way you make that trade? Well, sure, because you can't use Beasley and Wesley. But if you just end up with another guy you can't use.... But, is there a gem of a guy hidden at #15 or thereabouts? Well, you know, maybe Terrence Ross. Maybe is the guy that Johnson and Ellington and Webster isn't, a guy who brings a little instant offense off the bench and picks up the tempo a little bit. But seriously, who the hell is going to take Beasley off our hands? Once upon a time you could call the Clippers. Now I don't think so. Joisey? N'awlins? I dunno. But the one opportunity worth watching for is Terrence Ross at somewhere around #15, give or take a couple. But it's addition by subtraction. Dumping some dead wood is as much or more a rationale for such a deal as the draft pick himself."
I also had John Henson as the Jazz' pick at #15, and Austin Rivers at #16 though most people think Rivers will go much higher than that.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Blue Surprises in Girls All-Star Series
I said it would come down to guards and I said the best guards were:
1. Maroon--Mullaney, Biewen, Retterath
2. Green--Bailey, Adanane, Scherber, Cichy
3. Gold--Janning, W. Olson, Mehus
4. Blue--Foley, Thorn, Zeller
Well, wouldn't you know. Blue knocked off Green by 5 on Friday night, then edged Maroon 79-77 on Saturday to "win" the MGBCA all-star series.
I don't have any stats for Friday but on Saturday Alexis Foley scored 16 points for the Blue, Ellie Zeller and Whitney Tinjum added 14, Courtney Hulstein (also a guard) 12 and Christine Thorn 11. Tinjum, Zeller and Kionda Nicks pounded the boards and also excelled on defense, while it was Zeller, Foley, Nicks and Thorn who most moved the ball. Deb Williams of St. Paul Highland coached the Blue.
The other finalist was Maroon, coached by Brian Cosgriff of Hopkins. They defeated Gold on Friday as Marissa Grossfeld scored 15, AnneMarie Healy 13, Heather Strese 12, Kadidjah Shumpert 11 and Shayne Mullaney 11. Katybeth Biewen scored just 4 points but led Maroon with 10 boards.
On Saturday Mullaney scored 28 but only Strese joined her in double figures with 10. Otherwise Blue did a terrific job of inside defense, holding Grossfeld, Healy and Shumpert to 8, 8 and 5 points. Mullaney and Shumpert each had 8 boards.
Gold beat Green 73-63 for 3rd place. Marissa Janning may have led all scorers with 40 points in 2 games. The only other 20 point games I'm aware of are Mullaney's 28, Jackie Johnson with 22, Janning with 24 for Gold on Saturday, and Mikayla Bailey with 20, also on Saturday. Johnson probably led everybody off the boards with 14 and 8 rebounds for a total of 22. She also led all players in Kevin Anderson's stats defensive stops (24, 5 more than Grossfeld) and distributions (18, 1 more than Janning).
Perhaps the top 5 players would be:
C- Jackie Johnson, Eden Prairie and Gold
F- Marissa Grossfeld, Wayzata and Maroon
F- Whitney Tinjum, Chisago Lakes and Blue
G- Marissa Janning, Watertown-Mayer and Gold
G- Shayne Mullaney, Eden Prairie and Maroon
Second 5
C- Kadidjah Shumpert, Benilde-SM and Maroon
F- Kionda Nicks, St.Paul Highland Park and Blue
F- Heather Strese, Brandon-Evansville and Maroon
G- Alexis Foley, White Bear Lake and Blue
G- Ellie Zeller, St. Anthony and Blue
Third 5
C- Mariah Monke, Fergus Falls and Green
F- AnneMarie Healy, Providence and Maroon
G- Richell Mehus, Spring Grove and Gold
G- Mikayla Bailey, Osseo and Green
G- Christine Thorn, St. Michael-Albertville and Blue
1. Maroon--Mullaney, Biewen, Retterath
2. Green--Bailey, Adanane, Scherber, Cichy
3. Gold--Janning, W. Olson, Mehus
4. Blue--Foley, Thorn, Zeller
Well, wouldn't you know. Blue knocked off Green by 5 on Friday night, then edged Maroon 79-77 on Saturday to "win" the MGBCA all-star series.
I don't have any stats for Friday but on Saturday Alexis Foley scored 16 points for the Blue, Ellie Zeller and Whitney Tinjum added 14, Courtney Hulstein (also a guard) 12 and Christine Thorn 11. Tinjum, Zeller and Kionda Nicks pounded the boards and also excelled on defense, while it was Zeller, Foley, Nicks and Thorn who most moved the ball. Deb Williams of St. Paul Highland coached the Blue.
The other finalist was Maroon, coached by Brian Cosgriff of Hopkins. They defeated Gold on Friday as Marissa Grossfeld scored 15, AnneMarie Healy 13, Heather Strese 12, Kadidjah Shumpert 11 and Shayne Mullaney 11. Katybeth Biewen scored just 4 points but led Maroon with 10 boards.
On Saturday Mullaney scored 28 but only Strese joined her in double figures with 10. Otherwise Blue did a terrific job of inside defense, holding Grossfeld, Healy and Shumpert to 8, 8 and 5 points. Mullaney and Shumpert each had 8 boards.
Gold beat Green 73-63 for 3rd place. Marissa Janning may have led all scorers with 40 points in 2 games. The only other 20 point games I'm aware of are Mullaney's 28, Jackie Johnson with 22, Janning with 24 for Gold on Saturday, and Mikayla Bailey with 20, also on Saturday. Johnson probably led everybody off the boards with 14 and 8 rebounds for a total of 22. She also led all players in Kevin Anderson's stats defensive stops (24, 5 more than Grossfeld) and distributions (18, 1 more than Janning).
Perhaps the top 5 players would be:
C- Jackie Johnson, Eden Prairie and Gold
F- Marissa Grossfeld, Wayzata and Maroon
F- Whitney Tinjum, Chisago Lakes and Blue
G- Marissa Janning, Watertown-Mayer and Gold
G- Shayne Mullaney, Eden Prairie and Maroon
Second 5
C- Kadidjah Shumpert, Benilde-SM and Maroon
F- Kionda Nicks, St.Paul Highland Park and Blue
F- Heather Strese, Brandon-Evansville and Maroon
G- Alexis Foley, White Bear Lake and Blue
G- Ellie Zeller, St. Anthony and Blue
Third 5
C- Mariah Monke, Fergus Falls and Green
F- AnneMarie Healy, Providence and Maroon
G- Richell Mehus, Spring Grove and Gold
G- Mikayla Bailey, Osseo and Green
G- Christine Thorn, St. Michael-Albertville and Blue
Friday, April 20, 2012
Girls All-Star Games Set for April 20-21 EDIT ROSTERS NOW SET, TOO
EDIT
As we reported earlier, the MGBCA all-star game is going to a new format. Players have now been drafted by the four teams--Gold, Green, Blue, Maroon.
Gold, led by Marissa Janning and Jackie Johnson, would have to be regarded as a contender. Richell Mehus, Josie Dillon and Whitney Olson are also potential difference-makers. Coaches are Rick Koivisto and Nick Furnstahl of Red Lake County Central, whose Michaela Casavan is also a Goldie.
Blue has Abbie Whitney, Whitney Tinjum and a bevy of guards including Alexis Foley. Coaches are Deb Williams and Francene Lee of St. Paul Highland, whose Kionda Nicks is also Blue.
Green looks like a contender with Mariah Monke, Kali Peschel and guards Brittney Scherber, Mikayla Bailey, Mariah Adanane, Tessa Cichy and others. Scott Bergman and Don Peschel of Sauk are coaches.
Maroon is loaded with Schumpert and Healy inside and Mullaney, Biewen and Sydney Coffey outside.
In the end the winner will be the team with the best guards and that looks like 1) Maroon, 2) Green, 3) Gold and 4) Blue.
Sydney Coffey 6’0 W Hopkins
ORIGINAL POST
The MGBCA all-star games will be Friday night and Saturday afternoon, April 20-21 at the Leonard Center at Macalester College. 6 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and 1:30 and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The 39 participants have been identified by Class (as follows). But my understanding is that the teams will be redistributed, lottery style and, like the Boys, you will end up with Gold, Maroon, Blue and Green or some such. With the games just one week away, maybe we'll only find out who is who on game night?
As we reported earlier, the MGBCA all-star game is going to a new format. Players have now been drafted by the four teams--Gold, Green, Blue, Maroon.
Gold, led by Marissa Janning and Jackie Johnson, would have to be regarded as a contender. Richell Mehus, Josie Dillon and Whitney Olson are also potential difference-makers. Coaches are Rick Koivisto and Nick Furnstahl of Red Lake County Central, whose Michaela Casavan is also a Goldie.
Blue has Abbie Whitney, Whitney Tinjum and a bevy of guards including Alexis Foley. Coaches are Deb Williams and Francene Lee of St. Paul Highland, whose Kionda Nicks is also Blue.
Green looks like a contender with Mariah Monke, Kali Peschel and guards Brittney Scherber, Mikayla Bailey, Mariah Adanane, Tessa Cichy and others. Scott Bergman and Don Peschel of Sauk are coaches.
Maroon is loaded with Schumpert and Healy inside and Mullaney, Biewen and Sydney Coffey outside.
In the end the winner will be the team with the best guards and that looks like 1) Maroon, 2) Green, 3) Gold and 4) Blue.
Gold Team
Josie Dillon 6’1 W Benilde -Margaret
Whitney Olson 5’7 PG Cambridge Isanti
Jackie Johnson 6’2 P Eden Prairie
Jessy Noreen 5’7 PG Hawley
Whitney Burmeister 5’10 W Jackson County Central
Mattie Lueck 6’0 P Pequot Lakes
Michaela Casavan 5’10 W Red Lake County
Richell Mehus 5’7 W Spring Grove
Katy Kuiper 5’9 PG St. Peter
Marissa Janning 5’8 PG Watertown-Mayer
Coaches:
Rick Koivisto—Red Lake County
Nick Furnstahl—Red Lake County
Blue Team
Katie Myhre 5’8 W Barnum
Whitney Tinjum 6’2 W Chisago Lakes
Courtney Hulstein 5’7 PG Fulda
Gabbi Steinstra 5’11 PG Minnehaha Academy
Abbie Whitney 6’5 P Sartell-St Stephen
Ellie Zeller 5’8 PG St. Anthony Village
Christine Thorn 5’7 W St. Michael-Albertville
Kionda Nicks 6’1 P St. Paul Highland Park
Alexis Foley 5’10 PG White Bear Lake
Coaches:
Deb Williams—St. Paul Highland Park
Francene Lee—St. Paul Highland Park
Green Team
Britney Scherber 5’9 PG Bloomington Jefferson
Riley Nordgaard 5’11 PG Canby
Mariah Adenane 5’10 W DeLaSalle
Mariah Monke 6’2 P Fergus Falls
Tessa Cichy 6’0 W Hill-Murray
Lindsey Lahr 5’6 PG Isle
Tara Roelofs 5’9 G Lake Crystal-Welcome Memorial
Mikayla Bailey 5’9 G Osseo
Katrina Moenkedick 5’10 P Perham
Kali Peschel 6’1 G Sauk Centre
Coaches:
Scott Bergman—Sauke Centre
Don Peschel—Sauk Centre
Maroon Team
Khadijah Shumpert 6’1 P Benilde-St. Margaret
Heather Strese 6’0 P Brandon-Evansville
Shayne Mullaney 5’8 PG Eden Prairie
Katybeth Biewen 5’9 PG Edina
Alissa Retterath G Hutchinson
Alexis Long 5’6 PG Maranatha
AnnMarie Healey 6’1 P Providence Academy
Jess Lillquist 5’11 P Sebeka
ORIGINAL POST
The MGBCA all-star games will be Friday night and Saturday afternoon, April 20-21 at the Leonard Center at Macalester College. 6 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and 1:30 and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The 39 participants have been identified by Class (as follows). But my understanding is that the teams will be redistributed, lottery style and, like the Boys, you will end up with Gold, Maroon, Blue and Green or some such. With the games just one week away, maybe we'll only find out who is who on game night?
Class A
|
Class AA
|
Richell Mehus
Spring Grove
|
Katy Kuiper
St. Peter
|
Riley Nordgaard
Canby
|
Tara Roelofs
LCWM Knights
|
Courtney Hulstein
Fulda
|
Whitney Burmeister
Jackson County Central
|
Alexis Long
Marantha Christian Academy
|
Gabbi Stienstra
Minnehaha Academy
|
Lindsey Lahr
Isle
|
AnnMarie Healy
Providence Academy
|
Jesica Lillquist
Sebeka
|
Marissa Janning
Watertown-Mayer
|
Michaela Casavan
Red Lake County Central
|
Kali Peschel
Sauk Centre
|
Heather Strese
Brandon-Evansville
|
Jessy Noreen
Hawley
|
Katie Myhre
Barnum
|
Mattie Lueck
Pequot Lakes
|
Katrina Moenkedick
Perham
|
Class AAA
|
Class AAAA
|
Alissa Retterath
Hutchinson
|
Britney Scherber
Bloomington Jefferson
|
Mariah Adanene
DeLaSalle
|
Jackie Johnson
Eden Prairie
|
Ellie Zeller
St. Anthony Village
|
Shayne Mullaney
Eden Prairie
|
Tessa Cichy
Hill-Murray
|
Katybeth Biewen
Edina
|
Kiondra Nicks
St. Paul Highland Park
|
Alexis Foley
White Bear Lake
|
Khadijah Shumpert
Benilde-St. Margarets
|
Mikayla Bailey
Osseo
|
Josie Dillon
Benilde-St. Margarets
|
Sydney Coffey
Hopkins
|
Whitney Tinjum
Chisago Lakes
|
Marissa Grossfeld
Wayzata
|
Abbie Whitney
Sartell-St. Stephen
|
Whitney Olson
Cambridge-Isanti
|
Mariah Monke
Fergus Falls
|
Christine Thorn
St. Michael-Albertville
|
2011-2012 Minnesota Hoops Player(s) of the Year
Congrats to Taylor Young and her many fans, who apparently got the word out, and found their way to Minnesota Hoops to vote for her in our 2nd annual Player of the Year vote. Young won the fan balloting with 73 of 254 ballots (28 percent).
Last year's PoY based on the fan balloting, Kevin Love, was this year's runner-up with 62 votes (24 percent).
3rd was Lindsay Whalen with 29 votes (11 percent), followed by:
Rachel Banham was 4th with 23 votes (9 percent)
Tyus Jones was 5th with 20 votes (7 percent).
Seimone Augustus with 19 votes (7 percent)
Ricky Rubio with 13 (5 percent)
James Ellisor with 10 (3 percent)
Nia Coffey with 3 votes (1 percent)
Siyani Chambers with 2 votes (0 percent)
Last year I wrote after the balloting was complete that I was within an eyelash of picking Tyler Nicolai, point guard for St. Thomas' national champions, as my PoY. But Love won the reader poll by a landslide, and so I decided to go with the consensus and pick Love as my PoY.
Keep in mind that I have picked a Minnesota PoY for every season going back to 1900. Check out the list on the post entitled Minnesota Player of the Year. (As of today it is the next post down.)
This year I'm going in a different direction:
Taylor Young is the MnHoops Readers Poll PoY. God bless all of you who made the effort to give her your support in the poll.
But Lindsay Whalen is the official Minnesota PoY and goes on that list of Minnesota PoYs that stretches all the way back to 1900.
Thanks to all who cast 254 ballots this year. Last year we had about 120.
Last year's PoY based on the fan balloting, Kevin Love, was this year's runner-up with 62 votes (24 percent).
3rd was Lindsay Whalen with 29 votes (11 percent), followed by:
Rachel Banham was 4th with 23 votes (9 percent)
Tyus Jones was 5th with 20 votes (7 percent).
Seimone Augustus with 19 votes (7 percent)
Ricky Rubio with 13 (5 percent)
James Ellisor with 10 (3 percent)
Nia Coffey with 3 votes (1 percent)
Siyani Chambers with 2 votes (0 percent)
Last year I wrote after the balloting was complete that I was within an eyelash of picking Tyler Nicolai, point guard for St. Thomas' national champions, as my PoY. But Love won the reader poll by a landslide, and so I decided to go with the consensus and pick Love as my PoY.
Keep in mind that I have picked a Minnesota PoY for every season going back to 1900. Check out the list on the post entitled Minnesota Player of the Year. (As of today it is the next post down.)
This year I'm going in a different direction:
Taylor Young is the MnHoops Readers Poll PoY. God bless all of you who made the effort to give her your support in the poll.
But Lindsay Whalen is the official Minnesota PoY and goes on that list of Minnesota PoYs that stretches all the way back to 1900.
Thanks to all who cast 254 ballots this year. Last year we had about 120.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
This Weekend (April 20-22) It's the Boys' Turn
OK, the girls coaches all-star games are at 6 and 7:30 Friday night and 1:30 and 3 Saturday afternoon at Macalester.
But otherwise this is a week for the boys to take the spotlight, after the girls Midwest Kickoff tournament last weekend.
Thanks to Gopher Warrior over at the GopherHole.com, by the way, for alerting me to these events. They are not 1, not 2, but 3 in number, and without making an actual count I would estimate we're talking about almost 500 games of basketball to be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
NIKE EYBL
The Nike Elite Youth Basketball League consists of 40 elite traveling teams that will play in 3 events in the Twin Cities, Hampton, VA, and Dallas. This week's games are at the High Performance Academy, 2950 Lexington Avenue South, Eagan.
Friday night 4-20--15 games at 6, 7:30 and 9 p.m. The local entry, Howard Pulley, plays the Georgia Stars at 7:30 on Court 3.
Saturday 4-21--40 games from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pulley plays Albany City Rocks at 2 p.m again on Court 3. If you just plop yourself down on Court 3 you'll see Pulley, Albany, Indy Spiece, Boo Williams, NY Lightning, Georgia Stars, Team Texas Titans, Wisconsin Playground, Mean Streets (IL), CP3 (NC) and All Iowa Attack.
Sunday 4-22--25 games from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pulley plays NJ Playaz at 9:30 a.m. on Court 1.
The Pulley 17U features Dion Bradley, St. Paul Highland; Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian; Kamali Chambers and Jamal Davis, Hopkins; Gage Deis, Prairie Seeds; Quinton Hooker, Park Center; Wayland Johnson, St. Paul Johnson; Tyus Jones, Apple Valley; Sam Neumann, Cretin; Henry Sonie, Apple Valley; Renard Suggs, Woodbury; Kyle Washington; and others.
Pump n Run's Best Buy Spring Classic
April 20-22 in Bloomington at Jefferson, Kennedy and Olson Middle School. This is all 17U with 48 teams, 24 from MN and the same number from elsewhere. Elsewhere means Wisconsin (7 teams), Kansas City (4), Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa (3 each), and 1 each from North Dakota, Arkansas, Michigan, Florida and Texas.
Games are at 7:10, 8:20 and 9:30 Friday night, all day Saturday, and 10:15 through 2:45 (the 3 championship games) on Sunday.
Pump n Run does not appear to have up to date rosters on its Web site yet, but last year's 16U (2013s) included Graham Woodward of Edina, Ian Theisen of Osseo, and Elwood Ellenson of Rice Lake. Whether these fellows are returning to this year's 17U I don't know. Jamal Davis, who has jumped to Pulley, was on Pump n Run's 16U a year ago. Some of its 15U last year were Marshawn Wilson of Tartan, Jarvis Johnson and Reid Travis of DeLaSalle, and Henry Ellenson.
NY2LA Sports
The Spring Extravaganza will be at Hopkins Lindbergh and Minnetonka. Play opens at 6 p.m. Friday, and 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. There is play all the way from 9U to 17U, with 15U-16U and 17U somewhat featured. There are 36 17Us, 32 16Us and 24 15Us. Like the Best Buy Classic, the older teams are predominantly from the upper midwest but with some coming from elsewhere all over the country. The younger brackets feature anywhere from 6 to 12 teams.
The 15-16-17U finals are at 12:40 and 1:50 Sunday at Hopkins. The other finals follow at 3:30 at Hopkins.
Minnesotans in the 17U division are MN Select White, MN Comets Elite Hanson, 43 Hoops, MN Select Blue and MN Comets Elite Stock.
Select White, coached by Mitch Ohnstad, features Carson Shanks of Prior Lake, Kebu Johnson of Blake, Brady Wohler of Orono, Logan Brown of Roseville, and others. Select Blue is coached by Patrick Boughton.
Comets Stock, coached by Jordan Stock, is a greater MN team with kids from Lac Qui Parle Valley, Long Prairie, Willmar, Fergus, Melrose, Braham, New London-Spicer, etc. Comets Hanson, coached by Josh Hanson, is also greater MN based featuring Aaron Lien of Moorhead, Jonah Eisenschenk of Rocori, 6-11 Conor Voss of St. Cloud Cathedral, and more.
43 Hoops, coached by Chris Carr, hasn't published a 17U roster yet.
Summary
The caliber of play is in the order given. I would probably think of NY2LA on Friday night, EYBL on Saturday, and Pump n Run/Best Buy on Sunday, assuming I wanted to see as much MN talent as possible plus a smattering of the best of the rest. If I just wanted the best of the best I'd be at the High Performance Academy for 3 days.
But otherwise this is a week for the boys to take the spotlight, after the girls Midwest Kickoff tournament last weekend.
Thanks to Gopher Warrior over at the GopherHole.com, by the way, for alerting me to these events. They are not 1, not 2, but 3 in number, and without making an actual count I would estimate we're talking about almost 500 games of basketball to be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
NIKE EYBL
The Nike Elite Youth Basketball League consists of 40 elite traveling teams that will play in 3 events in the Twin Cities, Hampton, VA, and Dallas. This week's games are at the High Performance Academy, 2950 Lexington Avenue South, Eagan.
Friday night 4-20--15 games at 6, 7:30 and 9 p.m. The local entry, Howard Pulley, plays the Georgia Stars at 7:30 on Court 3.
Saturday 4-21--40 games from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pulley plays Albany City Rocks at 2 p.m again on Court 3. If you just plop yourself down on Court 3 you'll see Pulley, Albany, Indy Spiece, Boo Williams, NY Lightning, Georgia Stars, Team Texas Titans, Wisconsin Playground, Mean Streets (IL), CP3 (NC) and All Iowa Attack.
Sunday 4-22--25 games from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pulley plays NJ Playaz at 9:30 a.m. on Court 1.
The Pulley 17U features Dion Bradley, St. Paul Highland; Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian; Kamali Chambers and Jamal Davis, Hopkins; Gage Deis, Prairie Seeds; Quinton Hooker, Park Center; Wayland Johnson, St. Paul Johnson; Tyus Jones, Apple Valley; Sam Neumann, Cretin; Henry Sonie, Apple Valley; Renard Suggs, Woodbury; Kyle Washington; and others.
Pump n Run's Best Buy Spring Classic
April 20-22 in Bloomington at Jefferson, Kennedy and Olson Middle School. This is all 17U with 48 teams, 24 from MN and the same number from elsewhere. Elsewhere means Wisconsin (7 teams), Kansas City (4), Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa (3 each), and 1 each from North Dakota, Arkansas, Michigan, Florida and Texas.
Games are at 7:10, 8:20 and 9:30 Friday night, all day Saturday, and 10:15 through 2:45 (the 3 championship games) on Sunday.
Pump n Run does not appear to have up to date rosters on its Web site yet, but last year's 16U (2013s) included Graham Woodward of Edina, Ian Theisen of Osseo, and Elwood Ellenson of Rice Lake. Whether these fellows are returning to this year's 17U I don't know. Jamal Davis, who has jumped to Pulley, was on Pump n Run's 16U a year ago. Some of its 15U last year were Marshawn Wilson of Tartan, Jarvis Johnson and Reid Travis of DeLaSalle, and Henry Ellenson.
NY2LA Sports
The Spring Extravaganza will be at Hopkins Lindbergh and Minnetonka. Play opens at 6 p.m. Friday, and 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. There is play all the way from 9U to 17U, with 15U-16U and 17U somewhat featured. There are 36 17Us, 32 16Us and 24 15Us. Like the Best Buy Classic, the older teams are predominantly from the upper midwest but with some coming from elsewhere all over the country. The younger brackets feature anywhere from 6 to 12 teams.
The 15-16-17U finals are at 12:40 and 1:50 Sunday at Hopkins. The other finals follow at 3:30 at Hopkins.
Minnesotans in the 17U division are MN Select White, MN Comets Elite Hanson, 43 Hoops, MN Select Blue and MN Comets Elite Stock.
Select White, coached by Mitch Ohnstad, features Carson Shanks of Prior Lake, Kebu Johnson of Blake, Brady Wohler of Orono, Logan Brown of Roseville, and others. Select Blue is coached by Patrick Boughton.
Comets Stock, coached by Jordan Stock, is a greater MN team with kids from Lac Qui Parle Valley, Long Prairie, Willmar, Fergus, Melrose, Braham, New London-Spicer, etc. Comets Hanson, coached by Josh Hanson, is also greater MN based featuring Aaron Lien of Moorhead, Jonah Eisenschenk of Rocori, 6-11 Conor Voss of St. Cloud Cathedral, and more.
43 Hoops, coached by Chris Carr, hasn't published a 17U roster yet.
Summary
The caliber of play is in the order given. I would probably think of NY2LA on Friday night, EYBL on Saturday, and Pump n Run/Best Buy on Sunday, assuming I wanted to see as much MN talent as possible plus a smattering of the best of the rest. If I just wanted the best of the best I'd be at the High Performance Academy for 3 days.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Lynx Pick Deveraux Peters
The Lynx have 6 picks in this year's WNBA draft, but being the defending champs, it is thought to be very doubtful that anybody after the #3 pick in the 1st round would stick with the club.
So the only name you probably have to get accustomed to is Deveraux Peters, a 6-2 power forward from Notre Dame. She scored career highs of 12 points with 9 boards and 2 assists as a 5th year senior this past year, when she helped the Irish to 2nd place in the NCAA. You might recall they defeated UConn in OT in the semi, then got blowed out by Baylor in the final.
The draft went according to Hoyle for exactly one pick, Nnemkadi Obumwike of Stanford, at #1. #2 was expected to be Shenise Johnson of Miami Florida but instead it was Shekinne Stricklen of Tennessee. The Lynx had been expected to take Stricklen, but now the reached down past Stricklen's college teammate, Glory Johnson, who was projected at #4, and grabbed Peters instead. Glory Johnson went 4th and Shenise Johnson 5th, and Lynx fans will be following the trio for years to come to evaluate how the Lynx did with their #3 pick.
They Also Ran
At #12 the Lynx grabbed perhaps the top 19 year old in the world, Damaris Dantas of Brazil. She's a 6-4 center who was the #1 scorer at the 2011 FIBA 19 & Under worlds at 21 ppg (plus 12.5 rebounds and 2 steals). Her upside would seem to be greater than current Lynx back-up post Jessica Adair but Adair performed well enough in last summer's playoffs that her position ought to be pretty solid. Perhaps the point of picking Dantas, aside from her upside potential, is that she can stay with and in Brazil for a couple of years and then the Lynx can harvest her when she is more mature and perhaps the Lynx' need will be "enhanced."
At #18 it was Julie Wojta, 6-footer from Wisconsin-Green Bay. Her senior numbers are 20 ppg, 10 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals. She would be a keeper under anything other than the Lynx' "loaded" status. Hopefully she can be flipped for some future draft choices when the Lynx need them.
Ditto #19 Kayla Standish of Gonzaga, another tall one at 6-2, but clearly behind Wojta with 16 ppg, 8 boards and a .473 shooting percentage to Wojta's .501 (career) and .522 (senior).
And ditto #20 Nika Baric of Slovenia, a 5-7 point guard who scored 14 ppg with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
5 down and 1 to go.
So the only name you probably have to get accustomed to is Deveraux Peters, a 6-2 power forward from Notre Dame. She scored career highs of 12 points with 9 boards and 2 assists as a 5th year senior this past year, when she helped the Irish to 2nd place in the NCAA. You might recall they defeated UConn in OT in the semi, then got blowed out by Baylor in the final.
The draft went according to Hoyle for exactly one pick, Nnemkadi Obumwike of Stanford, at #1. #2 was expected to be Shenise Johnson of Miami Florida but instead it was Shekinne Stricklen of Tennessee. The Lynx had been expected to take Stricklen, but now the reached down past Stricklen's college teammate, Glory Johnson, who was projected at #4, and grabbed Peters instead. Glory Johnson went 4th and Shenise Johnson 5th, and Lynx fans will be following the trio for years to come to evaluate how the Lynx did with their #3 pick.
They Also Ran
At #12 the Lynx grabbed perhaps the top 19 year old in the world, Damaris Dantas of Brazil. She's a 6-4 center who was the #1 scorer at the 2011 FIBA 19 & Under worlds at 21 ppg (plus 12.5 rebounds and 2 steals). Her upside would seem to be greater than current Lynx back-up post Jessica Adair but Adair performed well enough in last summer's playoffs that her position ought to be pretty solid. Perhaps the point of picking Dantas, aside from her upside potential, is that she can stay with and in Brazil for a couple of years and then the Lynx can harvest her when she is more mature and perhaps the Lynx' need will be "enhanced."
At #18 it was Julie Wojta, 6-footer from Wisconsin-Green Bay. Her senior numbers are 20 ppg, 10 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals. She would be a keeper under anything other than the Lynx' "loaded" status. Hopefully she can be flipped for some future draft choices when the Lynx need them.
Ditto #19 Kayla Standish of Gonzaga, another tall one at 6-2, but clearly behind Wojta with 16 ppg, 8 boards and a .473 shooting percentage to Wojta's .501 (career) and .522 (senior).
And ditto #20 Nika Baric of Slovenia, a 5-7 point guard who scored 14 ppg with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
5 down and 1 to go.
Surprises Galore at Girls Midwest Kickoff EDIT We now have all the finals
There were plenty of surprises at the Midwest Kickoff, at least in the top 2 (Gold and Silver) divisions, and at least based on Kevin Anderson's early ratings.
Gold was won by #5-rated (#4 among Midwest Kickoff participants) Metro Stars Black. I guess it just goes to show that one ought never to under-estimate Hopkins girls--i.e. Taylor Anderson and Nia Coffey, who led Metro Stars Black with 14 and 12 points in the 35-33 championship game win over All-Iowa Attack (AIA) Jensen. MC McGrory added 4 points, Leah Szabla 3 and Emily Spier 2.
Silver was won by AIA Johnson, a 10th grade team, #4-rated (#3 among participants). Johnson upset Metro Stars 15u 49-32 in the semis and then did the same to North Tartan's #1-rated and #1-seeded 15u team 52-41. Tia Elbert led Tartan with 13 while Cayla McMorris scored 9, Maddie Lee 6, Kenisha Bell 5, Anna Monke 3, Micaela Noga 2, Alexis Alexander 2 and Ayo Porte 1.
The MN Fury 2016 Blue played Metro Stars White (Martin) for the Platinum title, with Martin prevailing 48-31.
Metro Stars also won in the Emerald Division, Metro Stars Nelson beating Minnesota 36ers Keys in the final 65-41.
In the Pearl Division, the final was MN Heat Elite 7th 35 Winona Fury 24.
Bad Day for North Tartan
Overall it was a bad weekend and a bad Sunday for Minnesota's top club. The Elite was shocked 54-53 on Saturday in the Gold Division by Wisconsin Lakers White on a half-court 3 at the final buzzer. They went on to defeat Southern MinneMagic Black but then lose also to Kingdom Hoops Elite in the 5th place game.
Also in Gold, Wisconsin Lakers White went on to take 3rd place over MN Fury Elite 55-39. Minnesota clubs won 1 and lost 4 vs. Wisconsin entries.
Minnesota went 2-2 vs. Wisconsin (including 2-0 in championship round games) in Silver, but AIA Johnson knocked off 3 Minnesota teams en route to the title. North Tartan defeated Kingdom Hoops Red 67-40 and MN Fury 2014 Blue 50-43 to get to the final. Tonoia Wade led the way vs. Fury with 9 points, McMorris and Clare Lundberg added 8, Bell 7, Alexander 5, Elbert and Porte 4, Lee 3 and Noga 2.
North Tartan split a pair of finals with Kingdom Hoops. NT 15u Silver took 3rd place in Emerald, beating Kingdom Hoops Black 70-19. Tartan's 12u took 2nd behind Kingdom Hoops 7th (grade) 53-45 in Sapphire.
Finally at 4:10 NT Herbrechtsmeyer (14u) finally won a title in the Diamond division 46-25 over MN Fury Peper. At 5:20 NT West took the Ruby title 53-29 over MN Heat Elite 8th.
So, yeah, Tartan won a pair of titles. It hardly calls for a lot of doom and gloom. But most eyes were on the top 2 divisions, Gold and Silver, and the losses there were still the big surprises of the day.
Gold was won by #5-rated (#4 among Midwest Kickoff participants) Metro Stars Black. I guess it just goes to show that one ought never to under-estimate Hopkins girls--i.e. Taylor Anderson and Nia Coffey, who led Metro Stars Black with 14 and 12 points in the 35-33 championship game win over All-Iowa Attack (AIA) Jensen. MC McGrory added 4 points, Leah Szabla 3 and Emily Spier 2.
Silver was won by AIA Johnson, a 10th grade team, #4-rated (#3 among participants). Johnson upset Metro Stars 15u 49-32 in the semis and then did the same to North Tartan's #1-rated and #1-seeded 15u team 52-41. Tia Elbert led Tartan with 13 while Cayla McMorris scored 9, Maddie Lee 6, Kenisha Bell 5, Anna Monke 3, Micaela Noga 2, Alexis Alexander 2 and Ayo Porte 1.
The MN Fury 2016 Blue played Metro Stars White (Martin) for the Platinum title, with Martin prevailing 48-31.
Metro Stars also won in the Emerald Division, Metro Stars Nelson beating Minnesota 36ers Keys in the final 65-41.
In the Pearl Division, the final was MN Heat Elite 7th 35 Winona Fury 24.
Bad Day for North Tartan
Overall it was a bad weekend and a bad Sunday for Minnesota's top club. The Elite was shocked 54-53 on Saturday in the Gold Division by Wisconsin Lakers White on a half-court 3 at the final buzzer. They went on to defeat Southern MinneMagic Black but then lose also to Kingdom Hoops Elite in the 5th place game.
Also in Gold, Wisconsin Lakers White went on to take 3rd place over MN Fury Elite 55-39. Minnesota clubs won 1 and lost 4 vs. Wisconsin entries.
Minnesota went 2-2 vs. Wisconsin (including 2-0 in championship round games) in Silver, but AIA Johnson knocked off 3 Minnesota teams en route to the title. North Tartan defeated Kingdom Hoops Red 67-40 and MN Fury 2014 Blue 50-43 to get to the final. Tonoia Wade led the way vs. Fury with 9 points, McMorris and Clare Lundberg added 8, Bell 7, Alexander 5, Elbert and Porte 4, Lee 3 and Noga 2.
North Tartan split a pair of finals with Kingdom Hoops. NT 15u Silver took 3rd place in Emerald, beating Kingdom Hoops Black 70-19. Tartan's 12u took 2nd behind Kingdom Hoops 7th (grade) 53-45 in Sapphire.
Finally at 4:10 NT Herbrechtsmeyer (14u) finally won a title in the Diamond division 46-25 over MN Fury Peper. At 5:20 NT West took the Ruby title 53-29 over MN Heat Elite 8th.
So, yeah, Tartan won a pair of titles. It hardly calls for a lot of doom and gloom. But most eyes were on the top 2 divisions, Gold and Silver, and the losses there were still the big surprises of the day.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
High School Coaches of the Year
EDIT APRIL 14, 2012
The 2 coaches associations have announced their CoY for each class. They are now edited in below.
-----
Forgot to include the coaches in the season wrap up. Oops. I mean, what do coaches really do, anyway? (Just kidding.) You've pretty much got to get to the state tournament to be a coach of the year, or there would have to be some really strange circumstance....
Boys
Class AAAA--Tim Theisen, Osseo. Mark Gerber of Eastview was my pick going into the state tournament but I had to switch for fairly obvious reasons. The MBCA has chosen Theisen and Scott Swansson of Woodbury as co-coaches of the year. Gerber did not even make section CoY, which seems pretty harsh.
Class AAA--Reggie Perkins, Minneapolis Washburn. I continue to consider Vern Simmons to be the best coach around, but Reggie had a better year this year. MBCA picked Bob Brink, which is undoubtedly a career award at this point. Reggie and Vern are both section CoY. Somebody on one of the forums gave me a hard time for picking Perkins, the point being that DeLaSalle won the title and coach Dave Thorson should be the coach of the year. The MBCA did not pick Thorson as section CoY.
Class AA--Kirk Thompson, Plainview-EM. Kelly Raymond of St. Peter and John Carlson of Litch get at least a hats off. Ron Vorwald of Worthington somehow bumped Thompson, who is not even section CoY. Raymond and Carlson are both section CoY.
Class A--Hard not to pick the champ Dave Montbriand of BBE, but Tom Vix, Rushford-Peterson, remains the best coach in Class A, career-wise. Montbriand all the way. Vix is section CoY.
Overall--Tim Theisen, Osseo. Let's say Montbriand second and Gerber third. There is no overall by the MBCA.
Girls
The 2 coaches associations have announced their CoY for each class. They are now edited in below.
-----
Forgot to include the coaches in the season wrap up. Oops. I mean, what do coaches really do, anyway? (Just kidding.) You've pretty much got to get to the state tournament to be a coach of the year, or there would have to be some really strange circumstance....
Boys
Class AAAA--Tim Theisen, Osseo. Mark Gerber of Eastview was my pick going into the state tournament but I had to switch for fairly obvious reasons. The MBCA has chosen Theisen and Scott Swansson of Woodbury as co-coaches of the year. Gerber did not even make section CoY, which seems pretty harsh.
Class AAA--Reggie Perkins, Minneapolis Washburn. I continue to consider Vern Simmons to be the best coach around, but Reggie had a better year this year. MBCA picked Bob Brink, which is undoubtedly a career award at this point. Reggie and Vern are both section CoY. Somebody on one of the forums gave me a hard time for picking Perkins, the point being that DeLaSalle won the title and coach Dave Thorson should be the coach of the year. The MBCA did not pick Thorson as section CoY.
Class AA--Kirk Thompson, Plainview-EM. Kelly Raymond of St. Peter and John Carlson of Litch get at least a hats off. Ron Vorwald of Worthington somehow bumped Thompson, who is not even section CoY. Raymond and Carlson are both section CoY.
Class A--Hard not to pick the champ Dave Montbriand of BBE, but Tom Vix, Rushford-Peterson, remains the best coach in Class A, career-wise. Montbriand all the way. Vix is section CoY.
Overall--Tim Theisen, Osseo. Let's say Montbriand second and Gerber third. There is no overall by the MBCA.
Girls
Class AAAA--Brian Cosgriff. Hard not to pick Matt Nilsen of Edina or Melissa Guebert of Eastview. The best DAY was Charlita Williamson's of Tartan in guiding her team to an upset of Stillwater in Section 4. The MGBCA picked Nilsen as did Kevin Anderson pick Nilsen overall regardless of class. Neither Cos nor Guebert was section CoY.
Class AAA--Josh Mohagen, Fergus Falls. The best DAY anybody had was Michael Wright's of Minneapolis Roosevelt in a near-upset of Park Center in Section 3. Mohagen all the way.
Class AA--Scott Bergman, Sauk Centre. Scott Paukert did a nice job to get Zumbrota-Mazeppa to the state tournament. Bergman all the way for the 2nd straight year.
Class A--Jeff Buffetta, Mountain Iron-Buhl. Dave Smart of Ada-Borup is still pretty smart in my book. Ashlee Zupancich of the new North Woods high school at Cook, MN, also gets a shout-out along with Tammy Filzen, new to Bethlehem Academy. The MGBCA picked Buffetta, not only Jeff but B. Buffetta as assistant of the year.
Overall--Cosgriff, then Buffetta, then Guebert. Again there is no overall CoY.
Overall
1. Thiesen
2. Cosgriff
3. Montbriand
2. Cosgriff
3. Montbriand
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Girls "Summer" Kicks Off
The girls summer AAU season kicks off this weekend with the midwest, well, "kick off" at Bloomington Kennedy. There are 8 divisions and 8 teams in each. They are not specifically by age group.
Gold Division
Gold is the top division, and here everybody is 2013 oriented. You've got 4 quarter-finals at 7:30 Saturday night, 2 semis at 10:10 a.m. Sunday and the final is at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
The top 2 teams are probably playing at 10:10, however, rather than 12:30, those being North Tartan Elite/Coury and All Iowa Attack Elite/Jensen. Kevin Anderson has Jensen rated #2 in the 2013 class and Tartan #3. (#1 Nebraska CSS Bison is not entered.) AIA's top team is awesome with Iowa State recruit and point guard Jadda Buckley; Iowa recruit Ally Disterhoff; Shaya Kellogg, Kionna's little sister; Madelin Robinson, KJ Veldman and 3-point specialist Mackenzie Freeman, MVP of last month's Iowa AAU championships. (KJA had Kellogg and Veldman on his weekly high five.)
North Tartan Coury features Savanna Trapp, Onye Osemenam, Tyseanna Johnson, T. T. Starks, Tesha Buck, Joanna Hedstrom, Grace Coughlin and Rebekah Dahlman, among others.
The other 10:10 semi may feature #5 Metro Stars Black and #6 MN Fury 2013 Elite. MSB features Bryanna Fernstrom, Tiffany Flaata, Nia Coffey, Natalie Ratliff, MC McGrory, Taylor Anderson, Leah Szabla and more. Fury has Erin O'Toole, Lauren Shifflett, Natalie Van Whye, Katie McDaniels. Larissa Lurken, Jacquie Poss and more.
The final should be #2 AIA Jensen vs. #5 Metro Stars Black with #3 Tartan settling for 3rd.
Silver Division
In Silver you've got mostly 2014s, and here AIA and Tartan should meet in the 11:20 a.m. final.
AIA Johnson is rated #4 in its class after getting to the Iowa AAU final vs. its sisters at AIA Jensen. The older girls won 66-43. Veldman, a Johnson last year, came off the bench to lead Jensen with 19 points. Freeman had 15, Disterhoff and Buckley 11, Kellogg 10. Buckley led with 9 boards and 9 defensive stops while Kellogg had 5 distributions.
For Johnson, Myah Mellman scored 13 points and Shareece Burrell 12; Haley Lorenzen and Burrell had 7 boards each; Lorenzen had 7 defensive stops; and Mellman and Burrell 5 distributions.
Tartan's 15s are defending state champs (as 14s) with Cayla McMorris, Claire Lundberg, Maddy Lee, Alexis Alexander, Tia Elbert, Nakesha Bell, Micaela Noga and others.
The quarter-finals are at 6:20 Saturday night and the semis at 9:20 Sunday a.m. One other semi-finalists could be MN Fury 2014 Blue (Storm) featuring Ellie Thompson, Kylie Brown, Katie Quandt and others. The other will be either Wisconsin Fury 17U or Metro Stars 15U. Metro Stars 15U (Reiter) feature Hannah Grim, Taylor Thunstedt, Chase Coley, McKenna Happke, Jordan Meyer and others. Wisconsin Fury 17U is a mix of 2013s and 2014s with a 2015 thrown in for good measure. I would have to believe their age differential would make them the favorite against Metro Stars 15s but not against AIA Johnson.
Diamond Division
Here the championship round games are at 5:10 Saturday, 1:50 Sunday and 4:10 Sunday. You've got Iowa Extreme 15U and otherwise mostly 14Us, including Tartan14U, AIA Mauro, 2 MN Stars, a MN Fury and a Metro Stars.
Look for semi-finalists to be AIA Mauro vs. Tartan 14s, and Metro Stars 14U vs. MN Fury 2015 Blue. Mariah Criswell scored 18 of Mauro's 41 points in a final game loss in the Iowa AAU tournament. The Tartan 14s are coached by John Herbrechtsmeyer and feature Sam Trammel, Courtney Frederickson, Monica Burich, Hannah Schaub, Viria Livingstone, Kanani Ascuncion, Alexa Lee and others.
Metro Stars 14U, coached by Ellen Wiese, feature Maddie Guebert, Raven DuBois, Hana Metoxen, Ellie Vraa and others. Fury 2015 Blue, coached by Tim Peper, feature Alexis Greene and Jacky Volkert.
Platinum Division
Platinum looks like a mix of 8th and 9th grade teams. Tartan's 13U and 14U Silver are both here, along with an AIA, a MN Stars and a Metro Stars, a Fury, and others. AIA and Tartan could meet in both the upper bracket semis and again in the finals. Platinum games are at 4 p.m. Saturday, then 1:50 and 4:10 Sunday.
Tartan 14U Silver, coached by Josh Steck, are led by 3 Eden Prairie Eagles and 2 North St. Paul Polars. The Eagles are Emma Boehm, Rachel Platt and Alyssa Splittgerber. The Polars are Claire McNamara and Ashley Wiederhold. Tartan 13U, coached by Jake Kuppe, features Evelyn Knox, Hopkins, and Hannah Hedstrom, Minnetonka.
Fury 2016 Blue, coached by Ruth Sinn, features Emma Sinn and Erika Schlosser of Eastview plus 3 girls from Lakeville South and 2 more each from Shakopee and Maple Grove.
Emerald Division
Here we're back with 15s and 16s below the most elite level. North Tartan 15U Silver, for example, is coached by Ray Brodeur, features Mikayla Payne of Maranatha, Rachel Brodeur of Andover, Kailey and Kyla Adams of Kennedy, Sarah and Hannah Rowe of Chaska, Kayla Nickles of Braham, Katie Werth of Centennial, Olivia Baker of Minnetonka, and others.
Venturing way out on a limb, we'll suggest MN Stars Floyd as a finals opponent for Tartan. These Stars feature 2 girls each from Andover, Anoka and Chanhassan, plus 6-1 Maria Alipate of Jefferson.
Emerald games are at 4 p.m. Saturday, and 10:10 and 12:30 on Sunday.
Ruby Division
Ruby games are at 6:20 p.m. Saturday, and 3 and 5:20 p.m. Sunday. Going way out on a limb, again, I'll pick Metro Stars 14U Green and MN Fury 2015 Gold as finalists. Coached by Lindsay Hugstad-Vaa, the Green features Ashley Borland, Mackenzie Murtha and Megan Stewart from Providence Academy.
Fury 2015 Gold features one 2016, Aeryauna Powell, a 5-10 post from Benilde-SM. Coach is Chris Satterlie.
Sapphire Division
Sapphire features 7th and 8th graders. As a wild guess, you could see Minnesota Stars-Metro Stars and Tartan-Fury in the semis. Metro Stars 13U, coached by Dave Stromme, has one of the more intriguing names among the younger girls, Catherine Retica of Hopkins. How, one wonders, is she related to John and Mario Retica? North Tartan 12U, coached by Jake Kuppe, features Danielle Schaub, and also features another interesting name, Temi Carda. How is she related to all-stater Mona Carda, Janesville 1983?
Sapphire games are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 10:10 and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Pearl Division
That leaves just the Pearl Division, where most of the usual suspects are involved (Stars, Stars, Suns, Fury, but no Tartan). And these again are youngsters, 7th grade, 2017, 12 & U. These games are at 5:10 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. and 5:20 on Sunday.
Minnesota Stars 7th Frericks features Jordan Lamberty of Park, while Fury 2017 Gold features 3 each from Minnetonka and Chaska. Metro Stars 12U, coached by Jamie Broback Waldo, features 3 Northfields, 2 Edinas and 2 Alexandrias, including Kendall Kohler.
Gold Division
Gold is the top division, and here everybody is 2013 oriented. You've got 4 quarter-finals at 7:30 Saturday night, 2 semis at 10:10 a.m. Sunday and the final is at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
The top 2 teams are probably playing at 10:10, however, rather than 12:30, those being North Tartan Elite/Coury and All Iowa Attack Elite/Jensen. Kevin Anderson has Jensen rated #2 in the 2013 class and Tartan #3. (#1 Nebraska CSS Bison is not entered.) AIA's top team is awesome with Iowa State recruit and point guard Jadda Buckley; Iowa recruit Ally Disterhoff; Shaya Kellogg, Kionna's little sister; Madelin Robinson, KJ Veldman and 3-point specialist Mackenzie Freeman, MVP of last month's Iowa AAU championships. (KJA had Kellogg and Veldman on his weekly high five.)
North Tartan Coury features Savanna Trapp, Onye Osemenam, Tyseanna Johnson, T. T. Starks, Tesha Buck, Joanna Hedstrom, Grace Coughlin and Rebekah Dahlman, among others.
The other 10:10 semi may feature #5 Metro Stars Black and #6 MN Fury 2013 Elite. MSB features Bryanna Fernstrom, Tiffany Flaata, Nia Coffey, Natalie Ratliff, MC McGrory, Taylor Anderson, Leah Szabla and more. Fury has Erin O'Toole, Lauren Shifflett, Natalie Van Whye, Katie McDaniels. Larissa Lurken, Jacquie Poss and more.
The final should be #2 AIA Jensen vs. #5 Metro Stars Black with #3 Tartan settling for 3rd.
Silver Division
In Silver you've got mostly 2014s, and here AIA and Tartan should meet in the 11:20 a.m. final.
AIA Johnson is rated #4 in its class after getting to the Iowa AAU final vs. its sisters at AIA Jensen. The older girls won 66-43. Veldman, a Johnson last year, came off the bench to lead Jensen with 19 points. Freeman had 15, Disterhoff and Buckley 11, Kellogg 10. Buckley led with 9 boards and 9 defensive stops while Kellogg had 5 distributions.
For Johnson, Myah Mellman scored 13 points and Shareece Burrell 12; Haley Lorenzen and Burrell had 7 boards each; Lorenzen had 7 defensive stops; and Mellman and Burrell 5 distributions.
Tartan's 15s are defending state champs (as 14s) with Cayla McMorris, Claire Lundberg, Maddy Lee, Alexis Alexander, Tia Elbert, Nakesha Bell, Micaela Noga and others.
The quarter-finals are at 6:20 Saturday night and the semis at 9:20 Sunday a.m. One other semi-finalists could be MN Fury 2014 Blue (Storm) featuring Ellie Thompson, Kylie Brown, Katie Quandt and others. The other will be either Wisconsin Fury 17U or Metro Stars 15U. Metro Stars 15U (Reiter) feature Hannah Grim, Taylor Thunstedt, Chase Coley, McKenna Happke, Jordan Meyer and others. Wisconsin Fury 17U is a mix of 2013s and 2014s with a 2015 thrown in for good measure. I would have to believe their age differential would make them the favorite against Metro Stars 15s but not against AIA Johnson.
Diamond Division
Here the championship round games are at 5:10 Saturday, 1:50 Sunday and 4:10 Sunday. You've got Iowa Extreme 15U and otherwise mostly 14Us, including Tartan14U, AIA Mauro, 2 MN Stars, a MN Fury and a Metro Stars.
Look for semi-finalists to be AIA Mauro vs. Tartan 14s, and Metro Stars 14U vs. MN Fury 2015 Blue. Mariah Criswell scored 18 of Mauro's 41 points in a final game loss in the Iowa AAU tournament. The Tartan 14s are coached by John Herbrechtsmeyer and feature Sam Trammel, Courtney Frederickson, Monica Burich, Hannah Schaub, Viria Livingstone, Kanani Ascuncion, Alexa Lee and others.
Metro Stars 14U, coached by Ellen Wiese, feature Maddie Guebert, Raven DuBois, Hana Metoxen, Ellie Vraa and others. Fury 2015 Blue, coached by Tim Peper, feature Alexis Greene and Jacky Volkert.
Platinum Division
Platinum looks like a mix of 8th and 9th grade teams. Tartan's 13U and 14U Silver are both here, along with an AIA, a MN Stars and a Metro Stars, a Fury, and others. AIA and Tartan could meet in both the upper bracket semis and again in the finals. Platinum games are at 4 p.m. Saturday, then 1:50 and 4:10 Sunday.
Tartan 14U Silver, coached by Josh Steck, are led by 3 Eden Prairie Eagles and 2 North St. Paul Polars. The Eagles are Emma Boehm, Rachel Platt and Alyssa Splittgerber. The Polars are Claire McNamara and Ashley Wiederhold. Tartan 13U, coached by Jake Kuppe, features Evelyn Knox, Hopkins, and Hannah Hedstrom, Minnetonka.
Fury 2016 Blue, coached by Ruth Sinn, features Emma Sinn and Erika Schlosser of Eastview plus 3 girls from Lakeville South and 2 more each from Shakopee and Maple Grove.
Emerald Division
Here we're back with 15s and 16s below the most elite level. North Tartan 15U Silver, for example, is coached by Ray Brodeur, features Mikayla Payne of Maranatha, Rachel Brodeur of Andover, Kailey and Kyla Adams of Kennedy, Sarah and Hannah Rowe of Chaska, Kayla Nickles of Braham, Katie Werth of Centennial, Olivia Baker of Minnetonka, and others.
Venturing way out on a limb, we'll suggest MN Stars Floyd as a finals opponent for Tartan. These Stars feature 2 girls each from Andover, Anoka and Chanhassan, plus 6-1 Maria Alipate of Jefferson.
Emerald games are at 4 p.m. Saturday, and 10:10 and 12:30 on Sunday.
Ruby Division
Ruby games are at 6:20 p.m. Saturday, and 3 and 5:20 p.m. Sunday. Going way out on a limb, again, I'll pick Metro Stars 14U Green and MN Fury 2015 Gold as finalists. Coached by Lindsay Hugstad-Vaa, the Green features Ashley Borland, Mackenzie Murtha and Megan Stewart from Providence Academy.
Fury 2015 Gold features one 2016, Aeryauna Powell, a 5-10 post from Benilde-SM. Coach is Chris Satterlie.
Sapphire Division
Sapphire features 7th and 8th graders. As a wild guess, you could see Minnesota Stars-Metro Stars and Tartan-Fury in the semis. Metro Stars 13U, coached by Dave Stromme, has one of the more intriguing names among the younger girls, Catherine Retica of Hopkins. How, one wonders, is she related to John and Mario Retica? North Tartan 12U, coached by Jake Kuppe, features Danielle Schaub, and also features another interesting name, Temi Carda. How is she related to all-stater Mona Carda, Janesville 1983?
Sapphire games are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 10:10 and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Pearl Division
That leaves just the Pearl Division, where most of the usual suspects are involved (Stars, Stars, Suns, Fury, but no Tartan). And these again are youngsters, 7th grade, 2017, 12 & U. These games are at 5:10 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. and 5:20 on Sunday.
Minnesota Stars 7th Frericks features Jordan Lamberty of Park, while Fury 2017 Gold features 3 each from Minnetonka and Chaska. Metro Stars 12U, coached by Jamie Broback Waldo, features 3 Northfields, 2 Edinas and 2 Alexandrias, including Kendall Kohler.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Green Sweeps 2 Boys All-Star Games
The Green team, coached by Joe Hyser and Jason Daisy of Mpls. South, surprised everybody but themselves, sweeping the Gold and the favored Maroon by a total score of 213-191. Green was led by tournament MVP Taylor Stafford of Duluth East with 39 points in 2 games.
Friday's games were at Halenback Hall, St. Cloud State and they went like this:
Gold 107 Blue 102
Gold: Johnny Woodard 27 points including 3 2nd half dunks, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
Sean Lumpkin 24 points 13 rebounds 3 assists
Barry Wohler 16 points
Latrell Love 15 points 6 rebounds 2 assists
N. Meyer of Rocori 6 points 5 boards 4 assists
Connor Goodwin 10 points
Blue: Cortez Tillman and Tyler Vaughan scored 16 each.
Green 112 Maroon 101
Green: Tyler Flack 20 points 3 rebounds
Taylor Stafford 22 points 11 assists 3 steals
Mike Tyus 16 points 9 boards 4 assists 3 steals
Isaiah Gray 7-of-11 FG 3 rebounds 2 assists
Maroon: Joey King 19 points 6 boards
Siyani Chambers 19 6 rebounds 3 assists
Michael Busack 16 points 3 assists
Saturday's games were at Macalester.
Maroon 105 Blue 90
Maroon: Busack 24 points 11-of-14 FG 6 rebounds
Sean Scott 17 points
Joey King 13 points 4 boards
Blue: Ricky Suggs 14 4 rebounds 4 steals 2 assists
Brady Ziegler 12 7 rebounds 3 assists
Green 101 Gold 90
Mike Tyus 19 7 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals
Stafford 17 5 assists 2 steals
C.J. Neumann 17 9 rebounds
Tyler Flack 19 9 rebounds
Isaiah Gray 12 6 rebounds 4 assists
Gold: Woodard 20 9 rebounds 4 assists
Love 15 3 rebounds 2 steals
Lumpkin 11 5 rebounds 2 assists
Austen Pohlen 12 4 rebounds 3 assists
Best Overall
Scoring: Woodard 47 Busack 40 Stafford 39
Rebounds: Woodard and Lumpkin 18 apiece
Assists: Stafford 16
Steals: Stafford and Tyus 5 each
1st All-Star's All-Stars (My Picks)
Taylor Stafford, Duluth East, MVP (official tournament selection)
Johnny Woodard, Duluth East
Tyler Flack, Lakeville North
Mike Tyus, Anoka
Michael Busack, Redwood Valley
2nd Team
Sean Lumpkin, Benilde-SM
Isaiah Gray, Benilde-SM
Latrell Love, Minnetonka
Joey King, Eastview
Siyani Chambers, Hopkins
Friday's games were at Halenback Hall, St. Cloud State and they went like this:
Gold 107 Blue 102
Gold: Johnny Woodard 27 points including 3 2nd half dunks, 8 rebounds, 2 assists
Sean Lumpkin 24 points 13 rebounds 3 assists
Barry Wohler 16 points
Latrell Love 15 points 6 rebounds 2 assists
N. Meyer of Rocori 6 points 5 boards 4 assists
Connor Goodwin 10 points
Blue: Cortez Tillman and Tyler Vaughan scored 16 each.
Green 112 Maroon 101
Green: Tyler Flack 20 points 3 rebounds
Taylor Stafford 22 points 11 assists 3 steals
Mike Tyus 16 points 9 boards 4 assists 3 steals
Isaiah Gray 7-of-11 FG 3 rebounds 2 assists
Maroon: Joey King 19 points 6 boards
Siyani Chambers 19 6 rebounds 3 assists
Michael Busack 16 points 3 assists
Saturday's games were at Macalester.
Maroon 105 Blue 90
Maroon: Busack 24 points 11-of-14 FG 6 rebounds
Sean Scott 17 points
Joey King 13 points 4 boards
Blue: Ricky Suggs 14 4 rebounds 4 steals 2 assists
Brady Ziegler 12 7 rebounds 3 assists
Green 101 Gold 90
Mike Tyus 19 7 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals
Stafford 17 5 assists 2 steals
C.J. Neumann 17 9 rebounds
Tyler Flack 19 9 rebounds
Isaiah Gray 12 6 rebounds 4 assists
Gold: Woodard 20 9 rebounds 4 assists
Love 15 3 rebounds 2 steals
Lumpkin 11 5 rebounds 2 assists
Austen Pohlen 12 4 rebounds 3 assists
Best Overall
Scoring: Woodard 47 Busack 40 Stafford 39
Rebounds: Woodard and Lumpkin 18 apiece
Assists: Stafford 16
Steals: Stafford and Tyus 5 each
1st All-Star's All-Stars (My Picks)
Taylor Stafford, Duluth East, MVP (official tournament selection)
Johnny Woodard, Duluth East
Tyler Flack, Lakeville North
Mike Tyus, Anoka
Michael Busack, Redwood Valley
2nd Team
Sean Lumpkin, Benilde-SM
Isaiah Gray, Benilde-SM
Latrell Love, Minnetonka
Joey King, Eastview
Siyani Chambers, Hopkins
Sunday, April 8, 2012
North Tartan Set to Dominate AAU Schedule
Perusing the girls AAU rosters, it would seem that if anything the North Tartan club is stronger than ever and more likely to dominate even than in recent years. Time will tell. Time specifically referring to the Midwest Kickoff next weekend (April 14-15), then the Minnesota AAU Qualifier on May 5 and 6, and the AAU State Tournament on May 19-20. All 3 tournaments are in Bloomington, which means Kennedy but also satellite locations for the latter 2.
But back to Tartan, for starters, let's just look at the big 4 2013 rosters.
Tartan Coury
Bigs--Savanna Trapp, Onye Osemenam
Forwards and wings--Tyseanna Johnson, Clarissa Ober, T.T. Starks, Kristina White
Guards--Tesha Buck, Joanna Hedstrom, Grace Coughlin, Rebekah Dahlman
Metro Stars Black
Bigs-- Bryanna Fernstrom
Forwards--Tiffany Flaata, Nia Coffey, Natalie Ratliff, Paige Waytashek, Spier (Buffalo), Taylor Finley
Guards--MC McGrory, Taylor Anderson, Leah Szabla
Minnesota Stars Borowicz
Bigs--Jordyn Alt, Sade Chatman, Rachel Doll
Forwards--Jade Martin
Guards--Jessica January, Phyllis Webb, Janay Morton, Allina Starr
MN Fury
Big--Erin O'Toole
Forwards--Brooke Fitzlar, Lauren Shifflett, Kaytlin Kueffler
Guards--Natalie Van Whye, Katie McDaniels, Larissa Lurken, Deanna Busse, Jacqie Poss
Talk
OK, there's some people who will be able to scrap with Tartan in the paint. There's some guards out there, most notably Stars Borowicz, who aren't gonna be thinking of backing down, not even from Rebekah Dahlman. And anybody that's got Nia Coffey is solid on the wing. But nobody has all 3 like Tartan has. Better and deeper up front and on the wing, not quite as good as Stars Borowicz nor even Metro Stars Black at the guard.
So actually I'm talking myself into this being pretty competitive. But still, NT looks like the team to beat. And note that Kevin Anderson has 'em #1, and with Borowicz #2 and Metro Stars #3.
2014
North Tartan Alexander
Defending state champs are back intact.
Inside: Cayla McMorris, Ayo Porte
Forwards and wings: Tonoia Wade, Anna Monke, Clare Lundberg
Guards: Maddy Lee, A. Alexander, Tia Elbert, Kanesha Bell, Micaela Noga
MN Stars Taylor
Bailey Norby
Maddy Dean, Destinee and Daizah Williams
Grace Sawatzke, Carlie Wagner, Lamberty
Metro Stars Reiter
McKenna Happke, Jordan Meyer, Gabby Smith, Taylor Thunstedt
Here it's not so close.
2015
North Tartan Herbrechtsmayer
6-4 Molly Trapp, I assume this of the Esko Trapps
6-2 Sam Trammel, Eden Prairie
6-2 Olivia Hass, St. Peter
6-1 Monica Burich, Roseville
6-1 Courtney Frederickson, Minnetonka
5-10 Marina Nowak, Rogers
5-9 Kanani Ascunscion, Rochester Century
5-7 1/2 Lexi Lee, Maranatha
5-6 Hannah Schaub, Park Center
5-6 Viria Livingstone, Hopkins
5-5 McKenna DuBois, Park Center
Yup, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 and these are girls who are going to be sophomores next year.
At 2015, Metro Stars have Maddie Guebert; Fury has Alexis Greene and Jacky Volkert.
But back to Tartan, for starters, let's just look at the big 4 2013 rosters.
Tartan Coury
Bigs--Savanna Trapp, Onye Osemenam
Forwards and wings--Tyseanna Johnson, Clarissa Ober, T.T. Starks, Kristina White
Guards--Tesha Buck, Joanna Hedstrom, Grace Coughlin, Rebekah Dahlman
Metro Stars Black
Bigs-- Bryanna Fernstrom
Forwards--Tiffany Flaata, Nia Coffey, Natalie Ratliff, Paige Waytashek, Spier (Buffalo), Taylor Finley
Guards--MC McGrory, Taylor Anderson, Leah Szabla
Minnesota Stars Borowicz
Bigs--Jordyn Alt, Sade Chatman, Rachel Doll
Forwards--Jade Martin
Guards--Jessica January, Phyllis Webb, Janay Morton, Allina Starr
MN Fury
Big--Erin O'Toole
Forwards--Brooke Fitzlar, Lauren Shifflett, Kaytlin Kueffler
Guards--Natalie Van Whye, Katie McDaniels, Larissa Lurken, Deanna Busse, Jacqie Poss
Talk
OK, there's some people who will be able to scrap with Tartan in the paint. There's some guards out there, most notably Stars Borowicz, who aren't gonna be thinking of backing down, not even from Rebekah Dahlman. And anybody that's got Nia Coffey is solid on the wing. But nobody has all 3 like Tartan has. Better and deeper up front and on the wing, not quite as good as Stars Borowicz nor even Metro Stars Black at the guard.
So actually I'm talking myself into this being pretty competitive. But still, NT looks like the team to beat. And note that Kevin Anderson has 'em #1, and with Borowicz #2 and Metro Stars #3.
2014
North Tartan Alexander
Defending state champs are back intact.
Inside: Cayla McMorris, Ayo Porte
Forwards and wings: Tonoia Wade, Anna Monke, Clare Lundberg
Guards: Maddy Lee, A. Alexander, Tia Elbert, Kanesha Bell, Micaela Noga
MN Stars Taylor
Bailey Norby
Maddy Dean, Destinee and Daizah Williams
Grace Sawatzke, Carlie Wagner, Lamberty
Metro Stars Reiter
McKenna Happke, Jordan Meyer, Gabby Smith, Taylor Thunstedt
Here it's not so close.
2015
North Tartan Herbrechtsmayer
6-4 Molly Trapp, I assume this of the Esko Trapps
6-2 Sam Trammel, Eden Prairie
6-2 Olivia Hass, St. Peter
6-1 Monica Burich, Roseville
6-1 Courtney Frederickson, Minnetonka
5-10 Marina Nowak, Rogers
5-9 Kanani Ascunscion, Rochester Century
5-7 1/2 Lexi Lee, Maranatha
5-6 Hannah Schaub, Park Center
5-6 Viria Livingstone, Hopkins
5-5 McKenna DuBois, Park Center
Yup, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 and these are girls who are going to be sophomores next year.
At 2015, Metro Stars have Maddie Guebert; Fury has Alexis Greene and Jacky Volkert.
The 1976 Boys All-Tournament Team: Marshall-U Places 5 on All-Tournament Team, or Do They?
During the recent high school tournament, you were of course aware that it was the 100th year of stat tournament basketball and that the MSHSL was celebrating same--as well they should.
One thing I heard and/or read a couple times was that Minneapolis Marshall-U's 1976 state champs were the only team in tournament history to place all 5 players on the all-tournament team. I have to set the record straight on this. It's not true.
I mean it's true in a manner of speaking that all 5 Marshall-U players made the all-tournament team. But only in a manner of speaking. And it's not true that they're the only one. Rochester placed 5 boys on the all-tournament team in 1917. Otherwise, Marshall-U is indeed the only other team that's done it.
And yet, there was in fact NO OFFICIAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM IN 1976. The tournament that year underwent a variety of changes. There would no longer be an A vs. AA "overall" championship game. The ranks of Class AA had been enlarged from just 64 teams to 128. It was the year of the first "official" girls tournament.
And so the MSHSL also initiated a practice--just for a 2-year period--that it would not pick an all-tournament team. Now the girls coaches and other influencers had insisted that there would be no all-tournament team among the girls, and there was not for many many years. And for 2 years, that went for the boys, too, until in 1978 a boys all-tournament team was picked again.
And so, at the end of the 1976 tournament, an enterprising young historian wanna-be picked his own all-tournament teams.
Class AA
Steve Lingenfelter, Al Hutchison, Brent Knight, Jefferson
Kevin McHale, John Retica, Hibbing
Doug and Brian Pederson, Prior Lake
Milo Backowski, Doug Fregin, Little Falls
Ron Schoenecker, New Prague
Dave Herzan, Cretin
Johnny Hunter, Mpls. North
Class A
Ronnie Hadley, Rodney Hargest, Ronnie Henderson, Jim Ludgate, Steve Newby, Minneapolis Marshall-U
Paul Biewen, Brian Mitchell, Mankato Wilson
Dan Carpenter, Scott Holmen, Windom
Doug Luebbe, Winona Cotter
Brady Lipp, Breckenridge
Nate Dahlman, Orr
I noted the following scoring averages for the M-U players: Hargest 19, Henderson and Newby 14, Hadley and Ludgate 11.7. I also designated Henderson as the Class A MVP.
For the record the other Class A all-stars averaged somewhere between 24 ppg (Carpenter and Lipp) and 12 (Mitchell).
Probably the best player who didn't make my all-tournament 12 was Brad Olson of Montevideo who scored 19 points (including the final 4 in a 53-51 win), then 15 points. He scored something less than 16 points in the final but I don't know exactly how many. Or Joe Westlund of runner-up Mankato Wilson who scored 14, and then scored in double figures including a 40-footer to end the 1st half. I don't know how many he scored in the championship game, won by M-U 64-59 in OT.
Of course, the fact that I picked 12 players to my all-tournament team is arbitrary, too. But I could just as well have picked more as less. During the 2-class era the MSHSL had picked 15 players each in A and AA in 1971, 12 each in 1972, 14 each in 1973, then 10 each in 1974 and 1975. They would pick 10 again in 1978, so maybe 10 is the best number.
But the fact is I picked 12 and I did it in the heat of the moment, right after having seen the tournament. So I stick with my picks. The only question is whether you want to allow my unofficial all-tournament team to sub for the one the MSHSL didn't pick. It's not like they picked one and I overruled it or threw it out.
4 or 5 Picks
So here are the schools that got 4 or 5 players on the all-toyurnament team.
1917--Rochester 5. The 1st 5 included guards Enke and Kitzman. Enke went on to win all-Big 10 honors at the U, Kitzman started by Carleton, then a small college powerhouse. The 1st and 2nd teams both included forwards Bay "or" Mattson. And the 2nd team included center Kruse.
1918--Waseca's state champs. L. Juhnke, Jacobson and E. Juhnke made the 1st team, Wyman the 2nd. My dad was an 8-year old boy in Waseca at the time and almost surely would have been at the local train depot to welcome the boys home.
1922--Red Wing 4. Forward Oliver Nordly and guard "Butsie" Maetzold were on the 1st team, and center Chuck Hartupee and guard Kenneth Brown made the 2nd.
During the period from 1917 to 1922, there were generally 10 players on the all-tournament team. They went to just 5 in 1923 through 1937, then 8 through 1951, then finally back to 10 in 1951. During the 5 to 8 honoree era from 1923 to 1950 only St. Paul Mechanic Arts (1925), Moorhead (1929 and 1930), Minneapolis Edison (1937), Minneapolis North (1938), Mountain Lake (1939), Breckenridge (1940), Buhl and Marshall (1942) and Gilbert (1951) got as many as 3.
The all-tournament team went to 10 in 1952, then 12 in 1957, and it remained in double figures forever, except when there was no all-tournament team.
1960--Edgerton: Veenhof, Verdoes, Kreun, Graphenteen
1967--Edina; Zender, Shellhas, Wright, Kiedrowski
1970--South St. Paul: Stoeve, Peterson, Virgin, Mettler
1997--Hancock and Caledonia. Hancock: Tony and Justin Thielke, Nuest, Jepma; Caledonia: Middendorf, Foster, King, Diersen
2010--New London-Spicer: Aaron Johnson, Jayme Moten, Eric Tengwall, Justin Zylstra
2011--Hopkins: Coleman, Chambers, Singleton, Stahl
In Summary
Last summer I met with the MSHSL and other "historians" of high school basketball. the goal was to pick the best players, coaches, teams, games, moments for the MSHSL promo. I mentioned that Marshall-U was the only team ever to place 5 boys on the all-tournament team. Next thing I knew it was heard on TV. So again, it's not quite right, specifically in that Rochester also did it.
And, technically, I guess they didn't do it at all. But I was there, I saw them, I picked my all-tournament team and the MSHSL dropped that ball. To the best of my knowledge 1976 and 1977 are the only years since 1916 that no all-tournament team was picked. So in spirit, M-U did indeed place five players on the (only) all-tournament team. I'm good with that.
One thing I heard and/or read a couple times was that Minneapolis Marshall-U's 1976 state champs were the only team in tournament history to place all 5 players on the all-tournament team. I have to set the record straight on this. It's not true.
I mean it's true in a manner of speaking that all 5 Marshall-U players made the all-tournament team. But only in a manner of speaking. And it's not true that they're the only one. Rochester placed 5 boys on the all-tournament team in 1917. Otherwise, Marshall-U is indeed the only other team that's done it.
And yet, there was in fact NO OFFICIAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM IN 1976. The tournament that year underwent a variety of changes. There would no longer be an A vs. AA "overall" championship game. The ranks of Class AA had been enlarged from just 64 teams to 128. It was the year of the first "official" girls tournament.
And so the MSHSL also initiated a practice--just for a 2-year period--that it would not pick an all-tournament team. Now the girls coaches and other influencers had insisted that there would be no all-tournament team among the girls, and there was not for many many years. And for 2 years, that went for the boys, too, until in 1978 a boys all-tournament team was picked again.
And so, at the end of the 1976 tournament, an enterprising young historian wanna-be picked his own all-tournament teams.
Class AA
Steve Lingenfelter, Al Hutchison, Brent Knight, Jefferson
Kevin McHale, John Retica, Hibbing
Doug and Brian Pederson, Prior Lake
Milo Backowski, Doug Fregin, Little Falls
Ron Schoenecker, New Prague
Dave Herzan, Cretin
Johnny Hunter, Mpls. North
Class A
Ronnie Hadley, Rodney Hargest, Ronnie Henderson, Jim Ludgate, Steve Newby, Minneapolis Marshall-U
Paul Biewen, Brian Mitchell, Mankato Wilson
Dan Carpenter, Scott Holmen, Windom
Doug Luebbe, Winona Cotter
Brady Lipp, Breckenridge
Nate Dahlman, Orr
I noted the following scoring averages for the M-U players: Hargest 19, Henderson and Newby 14, Hadley and Ludgate 11.7. I also designated Henderson as the Class A MVP.
For the record the other Class A all-stars averaged somewhere between 24 ppg (Carpenter and Lipp) and 12 (Mitchell).
Probably the best player who didn't make my all-tournament 12 was Brad Olson of Montevideo who scored 19 points (including the final 4 in a 53-51 win), then 15 points. He scored something less than 16 points in the final but I don't know exactly how many. Or Joe Westlund of runner-up Mankato Wilson who scored 14, and then scored in double figures including a 40-footer to end the 1st half. I don't know how many he scored in the championship game, won by M-U 64-59 in OT.
Of course, the fact that I picked 12 players to my all-tournament team is arbitrary, too. But I could just as well have picked more as less. During the 2-class era the MSHSL had picked 15 players each in A and AA in 1971, 12 each in 1972, 14 each in 1973, then 10 each in 1974 and 1975. They would pick 10 again in 1978, so maybe 10 is the best number.
But the fact is I picked 12 and I did it in the heat of the moment, right after having seen the tournament. So I stick with my picks. The only question is whether you want to allow my unofficial all-tournament team to sub for the one the MSHSL didn't pick. It's not like they picked one and I overruled it or threw it out.
4 or 5 Picks
So here are the schools that got 4 or 5 players on the all-toyurnament team.
1917--Rochester 5. The 1st 5 included guards Enke and Kitzman. Enke went on to win all-Big 10 honors at the U, Kitzman started by Carleton, then a small college powerhouse. The 1st and 2nd teams both included forwards Bay "or" Mattson. And the 2nd team included center Kruse.
1918--Waseca's state champs. L. Juhnke, Jacobson and E. Juhnke made the 1st team, Wyman the 2nd. My dad was an 8-year old boy in Waseca at the time and almost surely would have been at the local train depot to welcome the boys home.
1922--Red Wing 4. Forward Oliver Nordly and guard "Butsie" Maetzold were on the 1st team, and center Chuck Hartupee and guard Kenneth Brown made the 2nd.
During the period from 1917 to 1922, there were generally 10 players on the all-tournament team. They went to just 5 in 1923 through 1937, then 8 through 1951, then finally back to 10 in 1951. During the 5 to 8 honoree era from 1923 to 1950 only St. Paul Mechanic Arts (1925), Moorhead (1929 and 1930), Minneapolis Edison (1937), Minneapolis North (1938), Mountain Lake (1939), Breckenridge (1940), Buhl and Marshall (1942) and Gilbert (1951) got as many as 3.
The all-tournament team went to 10 in 1952, then 12 in 1957, and it remained in double figures forever, except when there was no all-tournament team.
1960--Edgerton: Veenhof, Verdoes, Kreun, Graphenteen
1967--Edina; Zender, Shellhas, Wright, Kiedrowski
1970--South St. Paul: Stoeve, Peterson, Virgin, Mettler
1997--Hancock and Caledonia. Hancock: Tony and Justin Thielke, Nuest, Jepma; Caledonia: Middendorf, Foster, King, Diersen
2010--New London-Spicer: Aaron Johnson, Jayme Moten, Eric Tengwall, Justin Zylstra
2011--Hopkins: Coleman, Chambers, Singleton, Stahl
In Summary
Last summer I met with the MSHSL and other "historians" of high school basketball. the goal was to pick the best players, coaches, teams, games, moments for the MSHSL promo. I mentioned that Marshall-U was the only team ever to place 5 boys on the all-tournament team. Next thing I knew it was heard on TV. So again, it's not quite right, specifically in that Rochester also did it.
And, technically, I guess they didn't do it at all. But I was there, I saw them, I picked my all-tournament team and the MSHSL dropped that ball. To the best of my knowledge 1976 and 1977 are the only years since 1916 that no all-tournament team was picked. So in spirit, M-U did indeed place five players on the (only) all-tournament team. I'm good with that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)