10 Best: Webster City vs. Carroll
After a slow start by both teams, the scoring opened up in the final three frames. Webster City held a 4-3 lead over the hosts at the end of the first and the game looked to be on the way…
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Continue ReadingAfter a slow start by both teams, the scoring opened up in the final three frames. Webster City held a 4-3 lead over the hosts at the end of the first and the game looked to be on the way to a low scoring affair with the host Carroll High School. The duo of teams combined for 25 points in the second frame and more than tripled the output from the first quarter. Webster City looked to be controlling the tempo of the game and running their gameplan to perfection. Caroll shot just 3-of-21 from the floor against the combination of the 1-3-1 and 2-3 zones.
Caroll made adjustments and got off to a blistering start in the second half scoring 10 points in just over two minutes to start the second half. Their press started to cause fits for Webster City and a quick run for Carroll gave them all the momentum. A 22-point quarter by the hosts gave them a 36-30 cushion going into the fourth quarter. Although Webster City battled back, you never quite thought that they would end up taking the lead over Carroll. Carroll finished off the game at the line and took an opening game win, 49-42.
MVP: Ella Collison | 2021 | 5’8 SF | Carroll
Collison was all over the floor and ended up leading her team to the win. She was efficient from the floor scoring 19 points and she was instrumental in the press. She garnered a ton of deflections and created havoc all night on the defensive end. Collison displayed good court vision and passed the ball well all night long.
Best Offensive Player: Taylor McKinney | 2020 | 5’7 PG | Webster City
Even though McKinney wasn’t the game’s leading scorer, it seemed that she was the best player on the offensive end all night long. She finished the game with 18 points and was 3/5 from behind the arc. She made just enough shots to give her team a chance but wasn’t able to make enough to give her team the win.
Best Defensive Player: Kennedy Lein | 2021 | 5’9 SF | Carroll
Lein’s best asset is her length on the defensive end. She is a long wing who can put a lot of pressure on her opponent. I really liked how she was able to control the pace of the game on the defensive side of the ball by getting quite a few deflections. While she ended up with four steals, it seemed like she could have had a lot more.
Best Passer: Laura Sweeney | 2021 | 5’4 PG | Carroll
Sweeney controlled the game nicely on the offensive end with her passing. She had three assists on the night and could have had more provided her teammates finished the shot. She was making crisp passes all night long and was able to press the issue on the offensive side of the ball.
Best Rebounder: Grace Hoversten | 2020 | 5’11 PF | Webster City
Hoversten is a workhorse down low. She was consistently beating Carroll to the rebound each and every time. She ended with 11 rebounds and five of those were on the offensive glass. Hoversten is one of those athletic bigs who high point the ball really well as it comes off the rim. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her average double-digit rebounds.
Best Intangibles: Josie Ayala | 2021 | 5’9 PF | Carroll
Ayala provided a spark off the bench for Carroll and I thought that it gave them some momentum. She only scored two points but played very good defense, had a few key steals, and had a big assist leading to a critical basket. She brought the energy level of the group up and showed me that she belongs in the rotation.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Gabi Hammer | 2021 | 5’9 SF | Carroll
Hammer didn’t shoot the ball particularly well this evening but did still end up with 10 points on the night. She nailed two threes, one of which sparked a run at the end of the second quarter. Hammer had seven rebounds on the evening and five of them were offensive rebounds. She also added in four steals and played a very solid but unflashy game.
Best Shooter: Taylor McKinney | 2020 | 5’7 PG | Webster City
With her three 3-pointers tonight I thought that McKinney proved that she was the best shooter on the floor. She struggled at times to get the ball in the basket at the rim but out on the perimeter, she lit it up. I would have liked to see the ball in her hands a little bit more and her a little more aggressive shooting from distance.
Best Underclassman: Kelsie Reicks | 2022 | 5’6 SG | Carroll
Reicks struggled shooting the ball tonight, but I think it was simply a case of the ball just not going in. She has a good looking shot but it was just not falling for her in the game. I have full confidence in her as she continues to shoot it and I feel it’ll start dropping for her consistently. She provided a spark off of the bench in this one.
Best Coaching Decision: Carroll’s overall adjustments at the half
Carroll was really struggling with the zone defense of Webster City and in the first half they shot just 3-of-21 from the floor. In the second half they shot the ball much better improving to 16-of-33 from the floor thanks in part to some big adjustments. They started looking to get the ball into the high post and found Ashley Onken under the rim but they also ramped their up their press leading to a plethora of easy lay-ins.