This is delayed from Sunday due to crunching numbers, my other obligations including marathon sessions Monday, and dealing with, and capturing a possum that was annoying Dexter (our dog).
The first leg of the 2023 Minnesota State AAU Qualifiers wrapped up on Sunday, May 7 with eight age #1 seeds determined at Bloomington Kennedy. The action took place in their Activity Center on Court 2 with 17 wall hangings of the various clubs in the state. Not all I assume were listed. Of the 17 clubs, five were involved on championship court two. All five claimed a title. But it was the traditional big three clubs that were involved more frequently. Of the 16 potential windows, North Tartan led the way with five title game experiences with three championships. Both the MN Fury and MN Stars had four appearances with the Stars earning back to back titles at 8 and 9, the Fury won at 4. The Metro Stars had two appearances with one title and the only outlier was Inspired Athletics with one appearance and one title. IA is based out of the Fargo-Moorhead area. And there were more NoDakers in the mix sprinkled among the teams.
Traditionally there has been about a 63% success rate of being #1 seed and following it up with the real state title. Also, there is a 63% rate of return in matchups. In the past there was a two week window of preparation. Recent history is a seven day turnaround. Do not be stunned to find that the same teams will be facing each other. Will there be eight identical champions. That has never happened. Most of the churn takes place in the 14 minute half division (4th through 8th grade). The top three grades work with 16 minute halves.
So, what did we learn?
The “best” team out there measured by pp100s was the North Tartan 16 EYBL (or current sophs) with a 101.86. This was the only team to crack 100 and was the only team to enjoy running time in the second half. Their opponent in the past has won state titles, but their chances took a hit when Kendall McGee went down with a knee injury in the high school state semifinals in March.
The “best” game measured by the losing team’s pp100 was the grand finale with North Tartan and Metro Stars both reaching the 90s. This would also be true with contentious, intense action throughout (like it should be). The Metro Stars at 93.2 was 14 points better than the next closest team that lost and that was North Tartan 15 EYBL who lost to the MN Stars in a one possession game.
The “best” game measued by the pp100 spread differential came in the sixth grade division with 0.8 separating North Tartan from MN Stars. That too was a one possession game. All told there were three games down to the wire. Not bad at 37.5% of the action.
THE GAMES
I am going in order of grade for ease of understanding/progression.
4: North Tartan 44, MN Fury 32
5: Metro Stars 35, MN Fury 29
6: North Tartan 44, MN Stars 42
7: Inspired Athletics 64, MN Fury 54
8: MN Stars 52, MN Fury 35
9: MN Stars 52, North Tartan 49
10: North Tartan 56, MN Stars 30
11: North Tartan 71, Metro Stars 68
THE PLAYERS
The thumbnail measurements I rely on are the pp100 and the 31 Club scores. The 31 Club is extremely difficult to enter in the summer months because the games are four minutes shorter (at the top three grades) or eight minutes shorter than high school action. On top of that, unlike high school, the benches are better, more kids play. It is not necessarily five in, five out, but more so than the winter scene.
As such there were a surprising number of 31 Clubbers—-six to be precise. One for almost every game. There was an extra state twist on the list with at least two, maybe three NoDakers. The only two games were shut out in that category—the fifth grade division where Jaya Taylor just missed out with a 29; and the sophomore division. The 31 Club even welcomed two 41 Clubbers (talk about even more exclusive). The top honors of the day went to Lee Lee Bell of MN Stars with a 46 in the win over NT. Bell plays her HS ball in Minot, ND. For those unfamiliar she is 6-0 and a 2026. She nailed four 3s on her way to 25 points (one shy for the day) and a 113.6 pp100. The other 41 Clubber was the only representative from a team that did not win. Liv McGill of Metro Stars (& Hopkins) made it on the nose with 41. She topped all scoring with 26 for the day. She would have surely been joined in the 31 Club by teammate Ja’Kahla Craft (St. Michael-Albertville) who left the game with an ankle injury with 9:24 left to go two shy of the 31 Club. Metro Stars at that point was down 50-45.
The only team to feature two 31 Clubbers was Inspired Athletics with Lakyn Donnelly with 35 (West Fargo Horace class of 2028) and Violet Richmond again right on the nose with 31. Richmond had a 146.7 pp100.
Greenway also made the 31 Club….Beckett Greenway of North Tartan in the sixth grade game—right on the nose again.
The youngest member of the 31 Club came in grade four with Jayda Nobles of MN Fury with a 36, the third highest total (highest in the 14 minute division). She had 20 points with a 111.1 pp100.
One other performance needs to be highlighted. Analaya Salanoa had an eyepopping 200 pp100 in the MN Stars win over Fury. She was helped by going 6/11 on 3s, the only 3s made by MN Stars. She was six shy of the 31 Club.
MEMORIES
Once upon a time I coached club basketball (back in the 90s). On Sunday one of my former players reconnected—Jackie Doerr. She played on a state title team with MN PowerPlay. We went out and got her from LeSueur-Henderson. She was unfamiliar with the club system. But she certainly enjoyed it and thrived. After her high school career ended, she attended MSU Moorhead, scored over 1000 points and is in their Hall of Fame. She now has three daughters playing and they all made the championship games. 4 grade daughter Riley Staloch plays with MN Fury (champion); 2029 daughter Jordan Staloch plays with North Tartan (champion); and 2026 daughter Morgan Staloch plays with North Tartan (runner-up). The bridge to reintroduction? Karyn Wilson who also has a pair of daughters that were in title games along with Jordan & Morgan. Her daughters are Mya and Ashlee.