Ten Best: Carroll at Roland-Story
In a regional semifinal, Roland-Story grabbed a 10-point lead over Carroll in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers stormed back to cut it to two with a minute left. However, the Norse were able to keep the Tigers at bay…
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Continue ReadingIn a regional semifinal, Roland-Story grabbed a 10-point lead over Carroll in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers stormed back to cut it to two with a minute left. However, the Norse were able to keep the Tigers at bay and advance to the regional final, against Clear Lake, on Saturday. Here is who stood out from the 50-44 game:
The Best Player
Reagan Barkema, Roland-Story freshman
Yes, she’s just a freshman, and yes, she was the best player on either team. A high-potential, 5-foot-11 guard/forward, Barkema is incredibly multi-skilled, especially for a freshman. She poured in a game-high 18 points by scoring in a number of ways. She was especially big in the fourth quarter when she grabbed an offensive rebound off a free throw and put it back in and also notched a huge assist, followed by a layup.
On defense, Barkema did a good job of tracking both her man and the ball and also showed strong rebounding ability. A deft passer, especially for her age, Barkema displays great awareness to go along with her good size and athleticism. She is one that college coaches will be keeping a very close eye on in the coming years.
The Most Valuable
Ella Collison, Carroll sophomore
Carroll’s Ella Collison was by far the team’s top player and she was incredibly pivotal to their offensive and defensive success. She often played in the middle of Carroll’s zone offense and displayed an ability to score in the paint, which was much needed. She finished with a team-high 15 points and 6 rebounds.
All-around skilled and just a sophomore, Collison should continue to develop into a strong player.
Quickest Slasher
Kylie Tjernagel, Roland-Story junior
Quick off the dribble, Tjernagel beat her defender off the bounce, seemingly at will, to get to the rim. With the ability to finish with both hands, Tjernagel is a tough matchup and cut through Carroll’s defense like butter through a knife. She finished with just 5 points, but was a key part of the Norse’s offense.
Incredibly level-headed, she also made a couple great decisions in passing the ball. She could improve at the free throw line (she entered shooting just above 50 percent and made just 3-of-7 attempts), but is a strong offensive option in the paint.
Scrappiest Defender
Kennedy Lein, Carroll sophomore
With long arms, Lein constantly pressured the ball and made Roland-Story ball-handlers uncomfortable. She notched 3 steals and indirectly forced other turnovers to keep Carroll in the game.
On offense, she also showed off a nice spin move on the way to the bucket, hit a 3-pointer and finished with 9 points.
Toughest Rebounder
MaKayla Geise, Roland-Story senior
On the volleyball court, Geise is a star and will play next year at Valparaiso, but on the hardwood, she is focused upon one task: rebounding. She scored just 2 points against Carroll, but is the team’s rebounding leader and grabbed plenty of offensive and defensive rebounds.
“I mean, my job is basically to get any and every ball that comes at me,” the 6-foot-1 post said.
The Press Breaker
Laura Sweeney, Carroll sophomore
Roland-Story pressed Carroll for much of the game, which caused Carroll fits at times, but Sweeney was a reliable hand. She did have a few turnovers, but also was integral in breaking the press a few times. She finished with a team-high 4 assists.
The Biggest Play(s)
Madeline Morton, Roland-Story sophomore
Morton helped R-S get a 10-point fourth quarter lead by notching a steal and turning that into an assist (to senior Susie Weaver for a 3) and then canning a 3-pointer, but that lead evaporated.
With 29 seconds left, she went to the line to shoot 2 free throws, as the Norse clung to a 3-point lead. She made both to preserve the win.
A 5-foot-7 wing, Morton looked comfortable on the perimeter and should continue to grow.
The Senior Leader
Taylor Mohr, Carroll senior
Carroll started just two seniors in this playoff game and Mohr was strong for them throughout. The team’s second-leading scorer, the 5-foot-8 wing finished with 8 points and did a good job of penetrating from the wing and corner spots. She did a little bit of everything to keep Carroll close.
Best Quote
Juliann Clark, Roland-Story junior
After scoring 11 points, second-most on the team, Clark said of the hectic fourth quarter: “There was a lot of anxiety, obviously. But we knew that we had to stay composed and under control, and if we knew that, we knew we had the game.”
She was key for the Norse, scoring 5 points in the opening quarter and making good decisions on both fast breaks and in the half court. She wasn’t great from the line (4 of 9), but was a strong offensive weapon.
The Clutch Shooters off the Bench
Gabriella Hammer, Carroll sophomore
Ashley Onken, Carroll junior
Hammer and Onken combined for just 9 points, but they were all big shots and all 3-pointers. The two went 3 of 7 from beyond the arc (compared to 2 of 16 for the rest of the team) to score big buckets at clutch moments. In the final few minutes of the game, each hit a 3-pointer that kept Carroll in it.