Game of the Week #9 Preview: St. Cloud Apollo at Eden Prairie

Last winter, Eden Prairie went 5-21. The Eagles record was 6-20 the year before that. Entering this week's encounter with St. Cloud Apollo, EP is 8-8. Something has changed and we will learn more Wednesday at the Northstar Girls Hoops Game of the Week. It is an impressive turnaround, and the credit belongs squarely on the shoulders of new coach Ellen Wiese. "The last couple of years have been tough on the kids, not just the losing but the culture wasn't good," Wiese said. "There were a lot of transfers, a lot of kids left the program, and a lot of girls just lost interest in playing basketball. So it was a big challenge, but we knew what we were getting into. We've got a long way to go, but we are heading in the right direction, that's for sure." That Wiese would have success at Eden Prairie isn't a surprise, although it is happening sooner than expected. She built a powerhouse 3A program at Orono, before leaving last year to take an assistant coaching position at the University of St. Thomas. She watched from afar as the Spartans captured the 3A state championship last spring, while realizing she missed high school ball and the challenges of running her own program. When Faith Patterson departed after a disappointing stint in Eden Prairie, Wiese leapt at the opportunity to rebuild the program. "I wouldn't have jumped at just any job," she said, "but I was intrigued by the idea that here was this huge high school that excels at so much and yet the girls basketball program had been hurting. I thought it would be a good challenge." The transformation has been dramatic, on and off the court. Kids have discovered that there are consequences if you miss practice, show up late or fail to play team-first basketball. The Eagles have gone from playing almost exclusively zone defense to grasping the principles of man-to-man. They are learning how to withstand the pressure top-tier opponents can put on the ball-handler. Last week, Eden Prairie dealt with Hopkins' legendary pressure quite well, and it was a close game. The Eagles have notable wins over Moorhead, Minneapolis North and Waconia with losses to top programs such as Park Center, Centennial, Wayzata, and Cooper. "The most important thing is they are gaining the confidence to play at the level we are asking them to play at," said Wiese. "Without confidence you can't do anything." It's not as though the program was devoid of talent. Although their top returning scorer averaged less than 5 points per game, Eden Prairie had some very nice pieces beginning with Abby Johnson. The 6'2" forward is rated #22 in the Class of 2019. She is a long, fluid, athletic, mobile forward who can be counted on for 10 ppg. Brooke Lewis (7.6) is an experienced point guard who has improved dramatically, and had 18 against Hopkins. Sophomore Natalie Mazurek is a top 30 player, a lanky but surprisingly quick and agile 6'1 forward from the elite Fury 2020 Blue squad. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for the Eagles is the play of sophomore forward Nneka Obiazor, who is Eden Prairie's leading scorer at 15.5 ppg. Obiazor comes off the bench and is a constant threat to score. She can handle the ball, has a high IQ and is developing a nice outside game, too. Seniors Sam Nordskog and Isy Obiazor (Nneka's sister) play key roles, as do junior Kemara Watson and sophomores Abby Jirele and Jaliya Davis. On Wednesday, the Eagles will face an Apollo team that is 2-6 in the challenging Central Lakes Conference, 9-7 overall. Coached by Jill Lipp, Apollo is very much focused around one player: Lariah Washington. She is one of the leading scorers in the Class of 2019, averaging more than 26 ppg with very high shooting percentages. The 5'10" wing is aggressive and athletic, rebounds well and leads the team in steals. Apollo's supporting cast includes senior Shelby Phannenstein (7 ppg), juniors Ashley Koepp (10.8) and Jessica Timipane (7.3), and freshman Chloe Swanson (7.3,) but Eden Prairie's emphasis must be on keeping the ball out of Washington's hands. "Brooke and Abby (Jirele) are great on-ball defenders, but it will be a team thing. We just have to have help there without fouling," Wiese said. "She is strong, goes up strong and has a great pull-up shot. We just have to make sure we don't bail her out and put her at the line too much because she gets there a lot." Other games worth watching Tuesday <ul> <li>Roseville at Cretin-Derham Hall (postponed)</li> </ul> Thursday <ul> <li>St. Louis Park at Bloomington Kennedy</li> <li>Lyle-Pacelli at Plainview-Elgin-Millville</li> </ul> Friday <ul> <li>Centennial at Champlin Park</li> <li>Eastview at Lakeville North</li> </ul> Saturday <ul> <li>Wheaton-Herman-Norcross vs Dilworth-Glydon-Felton at Concordia-Moorhead</li> <li>Hopkins at Moorhead</li> </ul>