This is your shot

One thing about Fall League. When you go out to see some Fall League games, you know that lots of prominent players are not going to be there. Some of them, like Maple Grove sophomore point guard Abby Schulte, are still playing fall sports, and good for them. Others don’t want to get hurt playing games that don’t mean a whole lot, a comment we heard from both parents and coaches about players who were MIA. It’s not meant as a complement. Some are making college visits, which is OK. And there’s a lot of other reasons why players might not make it to Fall League games. As a result, there’s several things you can’t help but notice at Fall League games. First and foremost, this is where some girls get their very first shot at playing varsity ball, maybe even sneaking in a few minutes with some of the starting 5. This is your shot! Secondly, you find out who’s got some depth. Who can put up a respectable effort even without their best players? Third is that you surely do notice the “tent-pole” players who do show up. You can’t help but notice those players because they stand out even more than usual against sometimes weakened opponents. But, fourth, what you really notice is when pretty much an entire varsity team shows up and plays Fall League games with intensity, focus and a sense of purpose. These are teams that are making the extra effort that tends to characterize teams that are going places. Elk River vs. St. Michael-Albertville That fourth scenario describes the first 2 teams we watched at St. Michael-Albertville Sunday morning—the host Knights and the Elks from Elk River. SMA started with sophomore Kenzie Kramer and junior Jadyn Hanson at the guards, freshman Kendal Cox and senior Riley Carlson at the forwards, and junior Hailey Coulson in the middle. On the other hand, Coulson is an example of the first scenario—getting a shot at playing with the rest of SMA’s starting five. She was playing ahead of sophomore Vanessa Alexander, as SMA coaches are frankly looking for a more consistent level of effort from both. They need their size but more than that they need some aggression down in the lane. But what makes the Knights go is guards Kramer and Hanson. Kramer has always been slated for stardom while Hanson really elevated her game this past summer. They’re both point guards and so they make the SMA offense play at a fast pace, making the right pass and doing it right now. Both can get to the rim, Kramer with a little more finesse, Hanson with a little more power. Elk River countered with post Matia Person and four guards—sophomores Lydia Haack and Abby Barschdorf, and seniors Ella Berg (a transfer from Maranatha) and Madison Leuthold. SMA might wish for a post like Person, combining size with maturity and poise, but even with Person out there Elk River is a very small team. They make up for that with high basketball IQs, especially Haack, who despite her 5-5 size will be a star even in he NW Suburban. I like Barschdorf’s upside, too, though she’s a little bit raw at this stage. Elk River led early as both teams missed some bunnies, but SMA took the lead at 12-10 on a Kramer 3 from the left wing off a pass from Cox, and they extended that lead to 24-15 late in the 1st half. The Elks played them pretty even and even reduced the Knights lead a bit over the 2nd half. SMA was clearly the better, deeper team but the Elks are going to be a tough out against just about anybody. Monticello vs. Zimmerman My 2nd feature game was the Magic vs. the Thunder. Zim was missing star combo guard Alyssa Daugherty and injured forward Naomi Hagstrom, and they were not only missing, they were missed. The Thunder is going to need both of them to contend in their conference and in their section. With them, they can do it. Without them, not so much. The Magic, on the other hand, had their most impressive players, sophomore bigs Anna Olson and Cat Terres, on hand. Olson is 5-11, maybe 6-feet, smooth, natural. She lets the game come to her. It’s just that her teammates aren’t able to bring the game to her as much as you’d wish. Terres is a little bit bigger and more of a work in progress. Still, the two of them are an inside pairing that any team would envy. Zim’s returning forwards Ilea May and Mikayla Pool provided a steadiness that Monticello couldn’t match but neither is a playmaker like Daugherty or the graduated Danielle Williams. But more interesting was Zimmerman’s version of “this is your shot.” There were a bunch of girls who were new to me who showed some upside. 2-guard Mia Banack was also athletic, mobile, with a nice motor, but what Monticello needs is to find a 1-guard to get the ball to the big girls. I didn’t see that today. Olivia Williams, Danielle’s sister, is a scrappy sophomore who could grow into that role but probably not in 2018. Lydia Hagstrom, Naomi’s little sister, is also a sophomore, 5-8, 5-9 maybe, active and athletic. But the big news out of Zim is 6-foot-plus sophomore Bailey Griffin. She’s long and lean and mobile. She’s a work in progress but she’ll have a role for the Thunder this year, and could be very good before she’s done. The Rest of the Rest Becker and Rogers were missing some players who are expected—no, needed—to contribute pretty big-time this year, and without those players both teams had a very, very tough time. Becker settled for long bombs too often and didn’t make more than a couple. And, yet, they led Champlin Park 11-8 early on as Haley Benda, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Madi Kerzman and Jenna Middlestadt all took turns scoring. Guards Deja Williams and Sydney Fields scored early for Champlin, as Ericka Hicks, the only returning starter playing for the Rebels today, let her teammates take the shots. The 2 of hem—Williams and Fields—made 3-of-7 shots with 3 boards and a steal between them in the opening minutes. Neither is a threat to take any minutes away from Hicks or Amanda Pollard, the starting 1 for Champlin, but both are likely to get some significant action backing them up. Rogers, meanwhile, got lit up by Maple Grove and St. Michael with their heir-apparent at the point guard, Alaina Brenning, not available today. Best of the Best Center--Matia Person, Elk River, 6-2, senior Forward--Anna Olson, Monticello, 5-11, junior Point Guard--Kenzie Kramer, St. MA, 5-8, sophomore Combo Guard--Lydia Haack, Elk River, 5-5, sophomore Combo Guard--Jadyn Hanson, St. MA, 5-7, junior Today’s Stock Raisers The winner’s of today’s episode of “this is your shot”! These are girls who may or may not play important roles for their teams this year. The jury is out, but they showed some upside. Center—Cat Terres, Monticello, 6-2, sophomore Forward—Bailey Griffin, Zimmerman, 6-0, sophomore Forward—Hailey Coulson, St. MA, 6-0, junior Point Guard—Sydney Fields, Champlin Park, 5-7, senior Shooting Guard—Abby Barschdorf, Elk River, 5-7, sophomore More Stock Raisers Center—Johanna Langbehn, Elk River, 6-0 Power Forward—Natalie Hanson, Maple Grove, 6-0, junior Small Forward—Lydia Hagstrom, Zimmerman, 5-8, sophomore Point Guard—Olivia Williams, Zimmerman, 5-6, sophomore Shooting Guard—Kae Christian, St. MA, 5-6, junior