FIVE GAMES FROM MLK MONDAY
Monday was Martin Luther King Day—-honored for leading the fight for equality and the famous “I have a dream” speech. Monday was anything but equal when it came to the girls’ basketball games I charted and anything but a dream; more of a nightmare—-at least for the teams on the short end of the stick. I started the day at Augsburg for four games and then made my first ever excursion to Holdingford. The closest game of the day was Bloomington Jefferson’s 13 points win over Byron. Of the five games only one losing team made it to the 70s pp100, two failed to get to the 40s; even the 30s was difficult to achieve.
With Monday’s action there were important parts of the puzzle completed:
#1 I saw more games in one day than I did all last week.
#2 QRF top 100 teams crossed off the list included Holdingford and Hibbing—-the H Bombs, One explosive, one a dud.
#3 I finished my first conference list (the Metro West) with Bloomington Jefferson—-that a seven team conference. I am still waiting to complete my first AAAA section.
#4 There was a cross section of teams starting off with urban and then moving to bigger outstate and finally “real” outstate—-in size and travel. There were 3 AAAA; 4 AAA; 2 AA; and 1 A charted.
#5 It was a bad day, very bad day to be AAA. There were 0-4.
#6 It was a very good day to AA, both teams were centurions.
#7 It was a good day to be from Minneapolis, both teams were 2-0.
#8 It was a “Meh” day to be from Bloomington as they split on the day.
#9 The MN Suns put together the Augsburg event. There are still a few MIAC schools that haven’t dipped into hosting a high school event. I am sure that will be on the to do list of some institutions.
MINNEAPOLIS WASHBURN 59, BLOOMINGTON KENNEDY 45
The Millers led at half 24-19. Kennedy tied it at 29 early in the second half. Maia Stevens made an &1 on the next Washburn possession and it was Miller time after that to the tune of an 8-0 run which Kennedy had a hard time recovering from. 6-3 Kesha White for Washburn had 11 points and 20 rebounds (11 offensive). Many of those o boards came on her own misses. She shot 21% (4/19).
| MINNEAPOLIS WASHBURN | BLOOMINGTON KENNEDY | |
| POINTS | 59 | 45 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 63/24 | 48/22 |
| TURNOVERS | 21 | 16 |
| 2FGA/% | 56/32.14 | 41/26.82 |
| 3FGA/% | 9/33.33 | 28/14.28 |
| FTA/% | 26/53.84 | 25/44.00 |
| PP100 | 76.6 | 58.4 |
| TOP SCORER | Three with 11 | Ashlee Burchette 15 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Maia Stevens of Washburn with 11 points, 137.5 pp100 and a 14 score in the 31 Club.
MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST 63, ST. PAUL HIGHLAND PARK 38
The Lakers shot better, rebounded better, and took care of the ball better. Three betters will equal a win. SW outscored the Scots 8-2 the last four minutes of the first half and then added another 10-0 to start the first four minutes of the second half (18-2 run).
| MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST | ST. PAUL HIGHLAND PARK | |
| POINTS | 63 | 38 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 42/15 | 34/14 |
| TURNOVERS | 18 | 23 |
| 2FGA/% | 43/46.51 | 40/25.00 |
| 3FGA/% | 15/33.33 | 16/25.00 |
| FTA/% | 10/80.00 | 7/85.71 |
| PP100 | 92.6 | 56.7 |
| TOP SCORER | Josephine Igherighe 16 | Two with 9 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Josephine Igherighe, 16 points, 133.3 pp100 and a 37 score in the 31 Club.
BLOOMINGTON JEFFERSON 55, BYRON 42
Jefferson snapped a 13 game losing streak and picked up their second win of the year thanks to the sharpshooting from behind the arc. The Jaguars converted eleven of 22 chances with Emily Roach leading the way with 5/8. Jefferson grabbed the lead for good at 22-21 in the first half after a 3 by Roach. At half Jefferson led 28-25. Eight unanswered points early in the second half gave BJ the separation they need (36-25). Byron’s Sacia Vanderpool, listed at 6-4, was only 30% inside, but can (and will) be a stretch floor in the future with a 3 of her own. One reason BJ didn’t venture into the lane as much was the shadow of Vanderpool.
| BLOOMINGTON JEFFERSON | BYRON | |
| POINTS | 55 | 42 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 31/13 | 39/22 |
| TURNOVERS | 15 | 22 |
| 2FGA/% | 28/25.00 | 41/31.70 |
| 3FGA/% | 22/50.00 | 10/40.00 |
| FTA/% | 14/58.14 | 11/36.36 |
| PP100 | 91.7 | 71.2 |
| TOP SCORER | Emily Roach 18 | Sacia Vanderpool 14 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Emily Roach 18 points, 138.5 pp100, 23 score in the 31 Club
WASECA 56, HIBBING 15
When you shoot good you look good. When you shoot awful, you look awful. Hibbing was dreadful. Last year’s 7AAA champ shot 11% (e-l-e-v-e-n) from the floor. The Bluer than blue bluejackets had the shots, they just continually misfired. Hibbing was a collective 2/18 within five feet of the basket. Waseca, in the third charting this year, avoided the issues that plagued them in Rochester loss vs Lake City earlier in the month: fouls (Gus Boyer had 4 v LC in the FIRST half); shooting (25% then, not as horrible as Hibbing Monday, but still below freezing); plus they took better care of the ball (10 turnovers to 17). Waseca led 26-8 at the break with enough points to win the contest.
| WASECA | HIBBING | |
| POINTS | 56 | 15 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 41/16 | 28/11 |
| TURNOVERS | 10 | 17 |
| 2FGA/% | 34/47.05 | 27/11.11 |
| 3FGA/% | 20/35.00 | 17/11.76 |
| FTA/% | 4/75.00 | 3/100.00 |
| PP100 | 107.7 | 28.8 |
| TOP SCORER | Gus Boyer 19 | Haley Hawkinson 5 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Gus Boyer with 19 points, 95.0 pp100 and a 35 score in the 31 Club
HOLDINGFORD 94, OGILVIE 27
Or game one Holdingford 66, Ogilvie 9; Game two Holdingford 28, Ogilvie 18
Sometimes you go see a game because it just fits the schedule. This was the case for Holdingford. I had never been to the school; I have charted them once, the only time in 2012; and they were the highest QRF team available in the time slot. I don’t get to pick the opponent. Ogilvie coming into this game was 5-4 and had won two straight. I was expecting a bit closer contest, but not a nailbiter. But it was the Lions in the Huskers den this night. Holdingford actually trailed(!?) 3-2 in this game. But the unrelenting full court pressure plus the domination on the boards caged the Lions. The Holdingford starters were done with their night at half with a 66-9 lead. The Huskers were hellacious. Holdingford had enough in the bank to win the game with 10:25 left in the first half. They ran off turnovers; they ran off missed shots. Lay ups ruled. Holdingford had a 140 pp100 in the first half holding Ogilvie to 19. The transition game wasn’t perfect at 14/26 but with the added benefit of second chances that number was closer to perfect. Two players made the 31 Club in the first half: senior Grace Gerads and junior Kendra Gerads. The second half saw Holdingford win with their bench. Their bench includes two eighth grade guards and a 6-0 seventh grade post. Makenna Hohbein was the third leading scorer with 10 showcasing the balance provided. 11 players scored.
It should be pointed that Ogilvie started an 8th grader.
Part of the reason for the uptick in offense? Holdingford’s last game was a loss to the extremely patient Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles 36-32.
Holdingford resides in the deep and competitive 6AA. Sauk Centre, Albany, Pine City, Royalton are all ranked in the top 20. Only section 1AA is more wicked.
In case you don’t know where Holdingford is, turn right at Avon off of 94 and go north about nine miles on county road 9. I have three 6AA gyms I have yet to visit (Pine City, Rush City and Melrose).
| HOLDINGFORD | OGILVIE | |
| POINTS | 94 | 27 |
| REBOUNDS/OFF | 47/20 | 34/18 |
| TURNOVERS | 15 | 38 |
| 2FGA/% | 62/54.83 | 34/23.52 |
| 3FGA/% | 7/57.14 | 17/11.76 |
| FTA/% | 26/53.84 | 9/55.56 |
| PP100 | 119.0 | 34.6 |
| TOP SCORER | Grace Gerads 25 | Annika Berg 9 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Kendra Gerads, 21 points, 210.0 pp100 and a 37 score in the 31 Club…..in only one half of action.