5 GAMES FROM THE KASSON-MANTORVILLE SHOWCASE
Showcase Saturdays are cropping up with more frequency in recent
years. Hayfield ran a Saturday event for the past few years. Kasson-Mantorville took over the event and hosted in their three year old facility. When you first walk in you are transported to meeting space that seems like you are either at a collegiate or professional event. Big screen televisions, sleek design features and wide open spaces await in the lobby. The home side seats are all seatbacks. There is even a meeting/eating/greeting space above like at Twins games. It will start a new arms race in high school facilities. The only thing missing was coffee on the concession menu. I mentioned this (in jest) and was soon hand delivered some coffee. Expect coffee on the menu next year.
As for the day I was able to cross off seven new teams, and made my first serious dent into the A and AA ranked teams. Things learned: physical presence, with height and body length, plus hours in the weight room leave clues; DO NOT STALL with more than six, no five, no FOUR minutes left—-it sends YOUR team the wrong message—the game is not over and two teams escaped the grave because instead of trying to score teams tried to play keep away and lost any momentum. Perhaps a corollary is: if you are going to stall, make sure you cash in at the free throw line when given the chance.
Five of the ten teams today had pp100s over 100 with Waseca doing the best at 101. The 31 Club added nine players, four of which actually joined the 41 Club. Norwood-Young America had two 41 Clubbers. Three teams that lost had a 31 Clubber.
Due to time constraints the stories are brief below.
GRAND MEADOW 65, NRHEG 50
#4A Grand Meadow had more experience than NRHEG’s youngsters, they also had a +20 field goal percentage, a +10 in turnover differential and was more effective at the line.
| GRAND MEADOW | NRHEG | |
| POINTS | 65 | 50 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 35/12 | 41/15 |
| TURNOVERS | 11 | 22 |
| FTA/% | 18/61.11 | 8/37.50 |
| 2FG%/3FG% | 54.54/12.50 | 34.48/33.33 |
| PP100 | 94.2 | 72.50 |
| TOP SCORER | Jordyn Glynn 28 | Sophie Stork 21 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Jordyn Glynn with 28 points, 121.7 pp100 and a 48 in the 31 Club
SIMLEY 59, NEW ULM 58
This started a two game stretch where there was a resurrection after the dirt was being shoveled on the grave. NU had a 13 point lead with over 12 minutes left. A delay game plus an inspired Ysareia Chevre turned the tables on the Eagles. Simley trailed 58-56 with 17 ticks left. Chevre was fouled, made the first free throw, missed the second, but Simley recovered the rebound. Chevre was fouled again and converted both for three points in one possession. NU had 10 seconds to get a shot off. They did, but missed a lay up opportunity. Still they got the team rebound. But they could not generate a shot in the last 1.9 seconds.
| SIMLEY | NEW ULM | |
| POINTS | 59 | 58 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 44/17 | 25/6 |
| TURNOVERS | 15 | 10 |
| FTA/% | 18/66.67 | 22/54.54 |
| 2FG%/3FG% | 42.10/38.46 | 52.38/34.78 |
| PP100 | 100.00 | 95.1 |
| TOP SCORER | Ysareia Chevre 27 | Joey Batt 31 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Ysareia Chevre with 27 points, 122.7 pp100 and a 34 in the 31 Club
NORWOOD-YOUNG AMERICA 80, LAKE CITY 78 OT
NYA applied the same lessons Simley learned in the game prior to this. LC had an 11 point lead with nine minutes left. That evaporated down the stretch. Abby Mackenthun hit a game tying 3 for NYA at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. The Raiders and Tigers each had their top scorer foul out of the game. Bremer fouled out in regulation, Glander left in overtime. LC had a two point lead with one minute to go in overtime. That didn’t last. With 32 seconds left in the extra session Grace Strickfaden knocked down two free throws. LC had two cracks to score in their last possession.
One odd item in this game: both teams showed up in white. NYA had to use scrimmage jerseys (maroon) for their uniform this day.
| NORWOOD-YOUNG AMERICA | LAKE CITY | |
| POINTS | 80 | 78 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 48/24 | 43/13 |
| TURNOVERS | 12 | 24 |
| FTA/% | 33/60.60 | 31/61.29 |
| 2FG%/3FG% | 40.38/21.42 | 43.18/43.75 |
| PP100 | 94.1 | 88.6 |
| TOP SCORER | Hayden Glander 37 | Natalie Bremer 25 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Hayden Glander with 37 points, 132.1 pp100 and a 50 in the 31 Club.
GOODHUE 53, MOUNTAIN IRON-BUHL 43
Goodhue’s size, strength and pressure held off #2A Mountain Iron-Buhl in a battle of two long time A rivals. 6-3 Lexi Lodermeier cast a big shadow inside and she also was a factor on the offensive end with 21 points. The Wildcats had a +11 margin on the glass. They also put MIB in foul trouble with +17 more free throw attempts.
| GOODHUE | MOUNTAIN IRON-BUHL | |
| POINTS | 53 | 43 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 41/11 | 30/5 |
| TURNOVERS | 17 | 17 |
| FTA/% | 27/59.25 | 10/80.00 |
| 2FG%/3FG% | 38.63/20.00 | 45.45/17.85 |
| PP100 | 79.1 | 65.2 |
| TOP SCORER | Lexie Lodermeier 21 | Macy Savela 13 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Lexie Lodermeier with 21 points, 116.7 pp100, and a 38 score in the 31 Club.
WASECA 67, KASSON-MANTORVILLE 50
#6AAA Waseca’s ball and player movement on offense kept the KoMets off balance and as a result the Bluejays left the building with a win. The Bluejays start five players 5-10 or bigger.
| WASECA | KASSON-MANTORVILLE | |
| POINTS | 67 | 50 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 39/15 | 33/8 |
| TURNOVERS | 13 | 18 |
| FTA/% | 28/64.28 | 15/60.00 |
| 2FG%/3FG% | 35.89/46.67 | 41.93/29.41 |
| PP100 | 101.5 | 75.8 |
| TOP SCORER | Madison Gehloff 21 | Lexi Hugeback 15 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Madison Gehloff with 21 points, 161.5 pp100, and a 33 score in the 31 Club.