Player Matchups At The Hanson Classic
Blizzard postponement. New game times for Monday, Jan 20th – are shown below. Note that one game is re-scheduled for Feb 1st. Corn Palace courtside seating for $25? Get up close to see twitches, jab steps, and reads that win…
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Continue ReadingBlizzard postponement. New game times for Monday, Jan 20th – are shown below. Note that one game is re-scheduled for Feb 1st.
Corn Palace courtside seating for $25? Get up close to see twitches, jab steps, and reads that win (or lose) these mid-season thrillers. See if better defensive performance gets the ‘W’.
PGH says 10-to-12 state tourney teams are in this field; shown in RED FONT.
730 pm Monday -SF Christian (2-5) – Sioux Valley (2-2) SFC’s woes began 29-seconds into Game One – Lexi Unruh (PGH#2 in 2021’s) went down and out with a season-ending ACL injury. Tough sledding without their catalyst to meld, mentor, and lead-by-example. Maddie DeJong (2021 5’8), Kylah vanDonkersgoed (2022 6’1), Lauren TIms (2020 5’11), and Mauren Reu (2020 5’9) are leading their team back up the learning curve. For Sioux Valley, the ACL curse hit Miakken Vincent (2020 5’10) last year, and she has struggled to return to her top form (Vincent is a DSU commit). Reagan Johnson (2022 5’10), Annie Schneider (2021 5’10), and Julia Schneider (2023 5’6) have stepped up recently.
130 pm Monday – Hamlin (5-1) – Parkston (2-4) Two ACL injuries stunted Hamlin’s 2020 prospects; both are college prospects. Brynn Alfson (2020 6’0) likely will not play until her Northern State career launches next fall. Cami Stevenson (2022 5’7) could return this campaign, depending on rehab success. No hurry, tho; the domination of the Wadsworth sisters will crush the maturing youngsters from Parkston. Enjoy Hamlin’s well-balanced attack and stifling zone defenses. Ally Abraham (2023 5’10) & sister Astyn Abraham (2021 (5’10) provide a tall, active rotation in the paint, Leading rebounder McKenna Prouty (2021 5’10) will focus on the inside challenge from Emma Yost (2023 6’0). Meanwhile, the Trojans’ Tian Holzbauer (2021 5’4), Izzy Hohn (2020 5’10), and Allison Ziebart (2022 5’8) will battle furiously, but learn the hard way that Hamlin’s patient defense wins games.
Noon Feb 1st – Waubay/Summit (5-2) – Hanson (6-2) Hmmm … Hanson’s balance versus the scoring wizard Zoey Wohlleber (2022 5’6). Unless and until … PGH likes teamwork over individual brilliance. (e.g., Ipswich’s Halle Heinz scores, boards, and distributes, all a D-2+ level. However, results are often frustrating losses). Wohlleber may have a parallel situation. Steady play with ball skill fundamentals shape Hanson’s success over the years. The starters’ ages point out positive team chemistry: 2023 Annalyse Weber (5’8 G), 2022 Vanessa Doye (5’6 G), 2021 Mekiah Campbell (6’0 F), 2020 Morgan Huber (5’9 G), and 2020 Elizabeth Dewald (5’9 F).
1030 am Monday – Bridgewater/Emery (3-4) – Langford (8-0) BE team chemistry is AWOL, leaving Julia Weber (2022 5’7) to score and fend off attacks. Meanwhile, the Lions’ Ady Dwight (2020 6’0), Mallory Miller (2023 6’3), and Chesney Olson (2020 5’11) plan to shut off scoring inside of 15-ft, and control the boards – they’ve performed extremely well.
300 pm Monday- Faulkton Area (7-1) – Ethan (7-0) Faulkton Area plowed into Aberdeen Roncalli to halt their winning streak at 7. Ball pressure defense wins games; scoring get headlines, right? Faulkton scores only 5 points in the second half. A bounce-back effort and the prestige setting will entertain hoops fans greatly. Peyton Melius, 2021(6’0), Morgan Melius (2020 5’8), Abby Vetch (2020 5’5), & Isabel Aesoph (2022 5’7) can spur onward to their State B dreams. No matter that 2020 is “a rebuilding year” for Ethan, they have NOT been yet in a tight contest. Cameryn Logan (2021 5’10) is a primary reason for continuing success. Other mainstays are Jessica Bartscher (2020 5’5), Hannahexi Lingeman (20215’6), & Ava Lingeman (2024 5’4. If you play on the Ethan Rustlers, you play tight defense – or sit. Tough love works.
430 pm Monday – STM (8-0) – McCook Central (5-1) Does size matter? McCook features a 2-3 zone, and inside are 6’1 Madisen Koepsell, & 6’3 Abby Van Ruler , with alternates 5’9 Ashtyn Wobig & 5’7 Emily Bies. USD track commit Jacy Pulse (2020 5’8) stirs the defensive pot with speed and aggression. TO’s remain a McCook weakness; this week, Hanson snapped the 5 game win streak, benefiting from ball handling violations and steals. STM quickness will determine this game’s outcome. Can Delaney Klosterman (2020 5’7), Jenna Jacobson (2021 5’2), and Kacie Cooper (2020 5’10) trap, agitate, and frustrate McCook’ guards, alongside Haleigh Timmer (2021 5’11 PGH ‘s #1 in 2021’s)? Mairin Duffy (2022 5’11) has an agility edge on both McCook posts, & should turn interceptions into points.
Noon Monday – Corsica/Stickney (9-0) – White River (7-1) White River Tiger tempo feeds Caelyn Valandra-Prue scoring dashes. In the half court sets, a motion scheme emphasizes speed and agility. Watch cutters swirl through the lane from Lily Krogman (2023 ’10), Remedy Morrison (2021 5’7), and Trinity White Hat (2021 5’9). Nicole Yackley (2021 5’8) and Quincy Piper (2020 5’5) work outside to harrass and to jump start transition fast breaks. On the other hand, C/S has Lauren Broughton (5’11 PGH#1 in 2023’s), backed by Rachael Gerlach (2022 5’10) and Raven Barse (2021 5’10), both high achieving double-double gym rats. Six or seven more contributors off the pine boards and the relative schedule strength tilt the PGH prediction to C/S uber alles.
600 pm Monday – Winner (8-0) – Lennox (8-0) The Orioles rely heavily on Madysen Vlastuin (2020 6’0), Rianna Fillipi (2020 5’7), and Isabel Ihnen 2020 5’7), all college quality players. The depth thins out thereafter. Led by Morgan Hammerbeck (2020 6’0) and Bella Swedlund (2022 5’8 PGH’s #2 in 2022’s), Winner plays at least ten. Winner has not overcome a tough opponent; while Lennox survived Crofton (Nebr) last weekend. The strength of schedule ratings point to Lennox. Fillipi and Vlastuin are stronger individual talents, and could/should take over in the second half. PGH believes Lennox gets a wake-up call regarding fitness: from 2021’s Kalla Bertram, Katherine Jankauskas, & Maggie LaCompte, and from 2022’s Jenna Hammerbeck, Ellie Brozik, Kelsey Sachtjen, & Emma Jorgenson. Oh, yes, also participating are 2023’s Shannon Calhoon & Joselin Kludt. Deep Bench = Deep Run.