Region 5 Tournament Update and Analysis

[Region5SportsFan]

(Note: Not a professional and I’m writing this from memory only, so forgive me if I miss an important detail or write a wrong name. Also, I didn't post this in the 'Region 5' post because that thread is just a bunch of players/fathers bickering at each other, so lets keep all that out of this thread please.)


Upsets abound in the region 5 tournament tonight at Mandan High School. I, for one, am happy that I wasn't able to post up my Region 5 Tournament preview (was waiting for an admin to confirm my account status) as I would have looked quite foolish had it been posted with my predictions.

Maybe it was just me, but did anyone doubt this whole 'refs for these games were selected based on demonstrated ability and yadda yadda yadda'? Several times through the night I saw a couple paying more attention to the people filtering in through the door than the game going on the court. I don't think they missed any calls because of it, but its a bit disconcerting. Maybe the 3 referee system makes them a bit more lax than usual. Otherwise, the officiating seemed relatively fair even if a lot of them are giving way too much leeway on obvious traveling violations.

Without further delay, let’s get to the breakdown:


GAME 1
(4)Center-Stanton Wildcats 42
def
(1)Washburn Cardinals 41

Probably the biggest shocker of the night, the Wildcats came out with a 7-0 run which set the tone for the entire game. The Cardinals were missing one of their starting seniors, Beckman, to what I'm told was an illness (if I'm mistaken here, please correct me) and the gap showed in the Cardinal defense. The Wildcats took advantage by feeding the ball into Hovey, driving into the lane at every opportunity and dominating the offensive glass.
Sloppy passing by the Cardinals racked up the turnovers when they could have been taking advantage of some abysmal shooting by the Wildcats in the second half (at one point, 3 airballs in a row). Probably the Cardinal's biggest problem all year resurfaced tonight when there was a complete reluctance to shoot the ball from the outside. The Wildcats obviously got that memo and stuffed the lane full so the post attack for the Cardinals was unable to adapt to the increased pressure.
The Cardinals had a chance to win it with 10 seconds left and went to their workhorse Samantha Schell, but as before they tried to get it into an overcrowded lane which resulted in a turnover.

MVP: Bailey Hanke's excellent guard play on both offense and defense sealed the win for the Wildcats.

After game thought: A very unfortunate turn of events for the Cardinals to have a starter out of the game. As a result they had less of a defensive presence and were missing out on some driving ability. In return, they had to use some unproven talent who would have otherwise not appeared in the game. The Wildcats, on the other hand, dominated the rebounding game in convincing fashion and showed that they know how to attack the hoop. The Cardinals were terrible from the charity stripe down the stretch as well.


GAME 2
(2)New Salem Lady Holsteins 46
def
(3)Turtle Lake Trojans 44

The Trojans had more tools on offense but it turned out that New Salem would use there’s just a bit more effectively in the end. Three point shooting was the name of the game for the Holsteins with 4 of their first 5 baskets being from behind the line. The game was an affair of back and forth with the Trojans using their superior size in the middle and the Holsteins using a superior medium and long game until the end of the game where Turtle Lake was forced to foul in an effort to make up points... which despite the typical outcome, actually worked. However, it seemed that the Trojan players didn't realize that they had tied the game and went for the foul again, putting New Salem back on the line to sink their free throws. (props to forum member 'oneshot' for setting me straight on the following details) The Trojans then came down the court with 10.7 seconds on the clock and were fouled just past the half line... as they had a foul to give they stopped play with around 2 seconds left and forced a last second out of bounds play from the sideline... however, it was not to be and New Salem pulled out the win.

MVP: Megan Toepke, New Salem's player to watch didn't disappoint.

After Game Thought: The breakdown in communication between the Trojan bench and players lost them the chance at sending the game into overtime as it seemed like none of the Trojan players on the floor realized that they had tied the game when they went for the foul (no, Turtle Lake doesn't practice the European 'control our own destiny' style). New Salem's three point shooting won the game for them, hands down. They knew that they couldn't compete with the size of the Trojans on the inside and adjusted accordingly with positive results.



GAME 3
(3)Grant County Coyotes 49
def
(2)Underwood Comets 47


In probably just as big of a shocker as Game 1, the Coyotes mounted a series of impressive comebacks against the Comets to pull off a well earned win. Underwood was up big from the start and by the end of the first half, it seemed like the Comets were going to cruse to an easy win. Strong performances by Dammen on the dribble drive and Horst on defense put the Comets up big. The Coyotes looked for answers for almost the entire half when they started to find an one in Iverson. Coming out in the second half, there was hardly a play where Iverson didn't get her hands on the ball at least once. Often times, the Coyotes completely bypassed the Comet full court press by launching it down to Iverson or Gifford on the other end.
Meanwhile, the offense for the Comets started to go flat but Auck, who had been something of a minor impact player during the season, started to pick up the slack for the Comets.
When it came down the stretch, the Coyotes continued their post offensive with a very effective high-low over the top entry game to which the Comets had few answers. Up by six points with just over a min to go in the game, Underwood gave up a series of turnovers which all lead to points on the other end and eventually gave Grant County the come from behind upset win.

MVP: Amber Iverson, amazing post play tonight.

After Game Thought: The help side failed the Comets tonight, there were just too many passes into Grant County's posts that went uncontested from both sides. The entire year, the Comets' game depended on the performance of Horst and tonight she didn't disappoint. However, once Grant County realized that Horst was their worst enemy they did their best to marginalize her by running their offense away from her and sticking someone in her face on offense in the second half and it ended up being just enough.



GAME 4
(1)Standing Rock Warriors 68
def
(4)Sheridan County Coyotes 50

In the game that saved my bracket predictions from being a totally borked mess, the would be Cinderella Coyotes couldn't match up against the might of the Rock. To be honest, they didn't stand much of a chance, the Warriors are an overplaying, highflying machine and the Coyotes didn't have the experience or the speed to counter that kind of play. The game started with 14 straight points by the Warriors and they didn't let up much for the rest of the half. Neilie Dockter, the Coyotes outside shooter, missed her first five 3-point attempts while the Coyotes seniors added points sporadically. At the half they Warriors had tripled up the Coyotes 36-12, at which point I and half the gym left the building.

MVP: The warrior's starting five were suffocating tonight, hard to choose just one.

After Game Thought: In my preview (that I never got to post) I said that the only chance that the Coyotes had was if the Warriors went ice cold and Dockter caught fire from the outside as she did in the district tournament. It didn't happen on either account. The Warriors are impressive, that’s for sure but they aren't unbeatable by any means. However, I don't think that after tonight there are any teams left that can do what it takes to stop them... which would include slowing the game down and exploiting their over-playing. Someone must have come alive for the Coyotes in the second half because they scored 38 points, but probably on the warriors' 3rd string.




Advice for the teams going home:

Washburn needs shooters, in a bad way. In football the running game opens up the passing game and in basketball the outside game opens up the inside game. You can't consistently win with just one and that's what the Cardinals attempted tonight. The outlook for the Cardinals looks decent but they lose 3 big contributors that will need to be replaced, look to their current sophomores to step into more well-defined roles than what they were in this year. A second year under their current coach will also greatly improve team chemistry. Expect them back in the mix in 2 years, if not next year.

Turtle Lake needs to work on their inside game. On all accounts they should be dominating people on the inside with 3 players that are tall enough to make a big impact... they make a good show if it, but they don't do it consistently enough. Establishing a good 2 post high-low game would go a long way (however, it seems that many coaches have a hard time teaching this effectively) and would be complimented by their improving shooters that made strides this year. A huge plus, they dont lose any players to graduation this year, look for Turtle Lake to be a force next year if they improve their ball-handling.

Underwood gets hit hard by graduation; the biggest hit is the loss of Kayla Horst probably their best defensive weapon and 3 point shooter. Underclassmen will have to step up big to fill the voids. Auck, who is pushing 6’+ started to show a lot of promise near the end of the year, and will only get better with age (as is the way with tall kids), she does need to develop post moves, however. Dammen needs to have a basketball in her left hand all summer.

Sheridan County is a wild-card. They lose 4 players to graduation, but move up 7 players to Senior status all of which have potential if they are willing to work for it. Dockter probably has the most room to make an impact if she can improve her shot. They most certainly need a crash course in defense if they are going to make it back to Regionals next year.




Final Words: Okay, this was a lot of typing! Just a few words to end this out. If someone wants to continue this beyond the first round, please be my guest, I will not be available to attend the games so I won't be able to do the next two rounds.

I have a small note on the Coaching I have seen here in Region 5 this year. I am glad to see that the age of shouting and yelling coaches is slowly dwindling down. All too often in the past decade have I witnessed coaches that have no qualms about shouting down their players when they are on the court or in the huddle. I read somewhere on here that someone thinks that this is because kids these days are too soft and can't take that kind of coach, but the truth is that kind of coaching is completely ineffectual and counter-productive. Morgan Wootten, the most successful high school basketball coach in history, believed screaming at your players from the bench and in the huddles only humiliates and embarrasses them and it has no place in coaching... and he's completely right. I seriously hope that this type of behavior from coaches continues to come to a close, especially in places where we don't see it (ie. in the locker room).

Finally, I am about sick of these "sportsmanship rules" that they are pushing harder and harder every year. Did anyone read the 'code of conduct' on the back of the program? It’s as if a group sat down and said, "Okay, how would basketball be in magical fuzzy feel-good world?". It’s just absurd that they are trying to do away with any sort of spontaneous display of emotion on all fronts. Allow me to write a revised version that isn't so preachy -- Rule 1: Respect all players, fans, coaches and officials. -- The end. That's all that needs to be said. That's Real Sportsmanship right there. Put it in big letters... BOLD it if you have to. I just saved all you big shots at the NDHSAA a whole lot of time.


Thank you for your time if you read this whole thing. If you enjoyed the breakdown, please let me know, I may do one for the boys Region 5 if I am able.

[rock83]

The cardinals shot very poorly tonight. But it wasnt the reluctance to shoot from outside that cost them the game. It was shooting from the outside when they had a 3 point lead with less then a minute to go in the game. If they would of held on to the ball the wildcats would have had to foul and the game could have been put on ice. Also losing beckman really hurt the cardinals overall attack. It is almost impossible for any team to lose one of their best players and stay in rhythm.

Not sure why we have three officials

(Note: Not a professional and I’m writing this from memory only, so forgive me if I miss an important detail or write a wrong name. Also, I didn't post this in the 'Region 5' post because that thread is just a bunch of players/fathers bickering at each other, so lets keep all that out of this thread please.)


Upsets abound in the region 5 tournament tonight at Mandan High School. I, for one, am happy that I wasn't able to post up my Region 5 Tournament preview (was waiting for an admin to confirm my account status) as I would have looked quite foolish had it been posted with my predictions.

Maybe it was just me, but did anyone doubt this whole 'refs for these games were selected based on demonstrated ability and yadda yadda yadda'? Several times through the night I saw a couple paying more attention to the people filtering in through the door than the game going on the court. I don't think they missed any calls because of it, but its a bit disconcerting. Maybe the 3 referee system makes them a bit more lax than usual. Otherwise, the officiating seemed relatively fair even if a lot of them are giving way too much leeway on obvious traveling violations.

Without further delay, let’s get to the breakdown:


GAME 1
(4)Center-Stanton Wildcats 42
def
(1)Washburn Cardinals 41

Probably the biggest shocker of the night, the Wildcats came out with a 7-0 run which set the tone for the entire game. The Cardinals were missing one of their starting seniors, Beckman, to what I'm told was an illness (if I'm mistaken here, please correct me) and the gap showed in the Cardinal defense. The Wildcats took advantage by feeding the ball into Hovey, driving into the lane at every opportunity and dominating the offensive glass.
Sloppy passing by the Cardinals racked up the turnovers when they could have been taking advantage of some abysmal shooting by the Wildcats in the second half (at one point, 3 airballs in a row). Probably the Cardinal's biggest problem all year resurfaced tonight when there was a complete reluctance to shoot the ball from the outside. The Wildcats obviously got that memo and stuffed the lane full so the post attack for the Cardinals was unable to adapt to the increased pressure.
The Cardinals had a chance to win it with 10 seconds left and went to their workhorse Samantha Schell, but as before they tried to get it into an overcrowded lane which resulted in a turnover.

MVP: Bailey Hanke's excellent guard play on both offense and defense sealed the win for the Wildcats.

After game thought: A very unfortunate turn of events for the Cardinals to have a starter out of the game. As a result they had less of a defensive presence and were missing out on some driving ability. In return, they had to use some unproven talent who would have otherwise not appeared in the game. The Wildcats, on the other hand, dominated the rebounding game in convincing fashion and showed that they know how to attack the hoop. The Cardinals were terrible from the charity stripe down the stretch as well.


GAME 2
(2)New Salem Lady Holsteins 46
def
(3)Turtle Lake Trojans 44

The Trojans had more tools on offense but it turned out that New Salem would use there’s just a bit more effectively in the end. Three point shooting was the name of the game for the Holsteins with 4 of their first 5 baskets being from behind the line. The game was an affair of back and forth with the Trojans using their superior size in the middle and the Holsteins using a superior medium and long game until the end of the game where Turtle Lake was forced to foul in an effort to make up points... which despite the typical outcome, actually worked. However, it seemed that the Trojan players didn't realize that they had tied the game and went for the foul again, putting New Salem back on the line to sink their free throws. In an equally confusing move, the Holsteins then fouled the Trojans and put THEM on the line with only seconds to go... however, it was not to be and New Salem pulled out the win.

MVP: Megan Toepke, New Salem's player to watch didn't disappoint.

After Game Thought: The breakdown in communication between the Trojan bench and players lost them the chance at sending the game into overtime as it seemed like none of the Trojan players on the floor realized that they had tied the game when they went for the foul (no, Turtle Lake doesn't practice the European 'control our own destiny' style). New Salem's three point shooting won the game for them, hands down. They knew that they couldn't compete with the size of the Trojans on the inside and adjusted accordingly with positive results.



GAME 3
(3)Grant County Coyotes 49
def
(2)Underwood Comets 47


In probably just as big of a shocker as Game 1, the Coyotes mounted a series of impressive comebacks against the Comets to pull off a well earned win. Underwood was up big from the start and by the end of the first half, it seemed like the Comets were going to cruse to an easy win. Strong performances by Dammen on the dribble drive and Horst on defense put the Comets up big. The Coyotes looked for answers for almost the entire half when they started to find an one in Iverson. Coming out in the second half, there was hardly a play where Iverson didn't get her hands on the ball at least once. Often times, the Coyotes completely bypassed the Comet full court press by launching it down to Iverson or Gifford on the other end.
Meanwhile, the offense for the Comets started to go flat but Auck, who had been something of a minor impact player during the season, started to pick up the slack for the Comets.
When it came down the stretch, the Coyotes continued their post offensive with a very effective high-low over the top entry game to which the Comets had few answers. Up by six points with just over a min to go in the game, Underwood gave up a series of turnovers which all lead to points on the other end and eventually gave Grant County the come from behind upset win.

MVP: Amber Iverson, amazing post play tonight.

After Game Thought: The help side failed the Comets tonight, there were just too many passes into Grant County's posts that went uncontested from both sides. The entire year, the Comets' game depended on the performance of Horst and tonight she didn't disappoint. However, once Grant County realized that Horst was their worst enemy they did their best to marginalize her by running their offense away from her and sticking someone in her face on offense in the second half and it ended up being just enough.



GAME 4
(1)Standing Rock Warriors 68
def
(4)Sheridan County Coyotes 50

In the game that saved my bracket predictions from being a totally borked mess, the would be Cinderella Coyotes couldn't match up against the might of the Rock. To be honest, they didn't stand much of a chance, the Warriors are an overplaying, highflying machine and the Coyotes didn't have the experience or the speed to counter that kind of play. The game started with 14 straight points by the Warriors and they didn't let up much for the rest of the half. Neilie Dockter, the Coyotes outside shooter, missed her first five 3-point attempts while the Coyotes seniors added points sporadically. At the half they Warriors had tripled up the Coyotes 36-12, at which point I and half the gym left the building.

MVP: The warrior's starting five were suffocating tonight, hard to choose just one.

After Game Thought: In my preview (that I never got to post) I said that the only chance that the Coyotes had was if the Warriors went ice cold and Dockter caught fire from the outside as she did in the district tournament. It didn't happen on either account. The Warriors are impressive, that’s for sure but they aren't unbeatable by any means. However, I don't think that after tonight there are any teams left that can do what it takes to stop them... which would include slowing the game down and exploiting their over-playing. Someone must have come alive for the Coyotes in the second half because they scored 38 points, but probably on the warrior's 3rd string.




Advice for the teams going home:

Washburn needs shooters, in a bad way. In football the running game opens up the passing game and in basketball the outside game opens up the inside game. You can't consistently win with just one and that's what the Cardinals attempted tonight. The outlook for the Cardinals looks decent but they lose 3 big contributors that will need to be replaced, look to their current sophomores to step into more well-defined roles than what they were in this year. A second year under their current coach will also greatly improve team chemistry. Expect them back in the mix in 2 years, if not next year.

Turtle Lake needs to work on their inside game. On all accounts they should be dominating people on the inside with 3 players that are tall enough to make a big impact... they make a good show if it, but they don't do it consistently enough. Establishing a good 2 post high-low game would go a long way (however, it seems that many coaches have a hard time teaching this effectively) and would be complimented by their improving shooters that made strides this year. A huge plus, they dont lose any players to graduation this year, look for Turtle Lake to be a force next year if they improve their ball-handling.

Underwood gets hit hard by graduation; the biggest hit is the loss of Kayla Horst probably their best defensive weapon and 3 point shooter. Underclassmen will have to step up big to fill the voids. Auck, who is pushing 6’+ started to show a lot of promise near the end of the year, and will only get better with age (as is the way with tall kids), she does need to develop post moves, however. Dammen needs to have a basketball in her left hand all summer.

Sheridan County is a wild-card. They lose 4 players to graduation, but move up 7 players to Senior status all of which have potential if they are willing to work for it. Dockter probably has the most room to make an impact if she can improve her shot. They most certainly need a crash course in defense if they are going to make it back to Regionals next year.




Final Words: Okay, this was a lot of typing! Just a few words to end this out. If someone wants to continue this beyond the first round, please be my guest, I will not be available to attend the games so I won't be able to do the next two rounds.

I have a small note on the Coaching I have seen here in Region 5 this year. I am glad to see that the age of shouting and yelling coaches is slowly dwindling down. All too often in the past decade have I witnessed coaches that have no qualms about shouting down their players when they are on the court or in the huddle. I read somewhere on here that someone thinks that this is because kids these days are too soft and can't take that kind of coach, but the truth is that kind of coaching is completely ineffectual and counter-productive. Morgan Wootten, the most successful high school basketball coach in history, believed screaming at your players from the bench and in the huddles only humiliates and embarrasses them and it has no place in coaching... and he's completely right. I seriously hope that this type of behavior from coaches continues to come to a close, especially in places where we don't see it (ie. in the locker room).

Finally, I am about sick of these "sportsmanship rules" that they are pushing harder and harder every year. Did anyone read the 'code of conduct' on the back of the program? It’s as if a group sat down and said, "Okay, how would basketball be in magical fuzzy feel-good world?". It’s just absurd that they are trying to do away with any sort of spontaneous display of emotion on all fronts. Allow me to write a revised version that isn't so preachy -- Rule 1: Respect all players, fans, coaches and officials. -- The end. That's all that needs to be said. That's Real Sportsmanship right there. Put it in big letters... BOLD it if you have to. I just saved all you big shots at the NDHSAA a whole lot of time.


Thank you for your time if you read this whole thing. If you enjoyed the breakdown, please let me know, I may do one for the boys Region 5 if I am able.

[oneshot]

Region5sportsfan...nice analogy...one correction in the tl-m vs. new salem game...yes, tl-m fouled with the game tied, 10 sec or so left in the game,(it seemed intentionally...can't figure that one out) and put new salem on the line...however, new salem had a foul to give...tl-m did not go to the line at the end of the game...it was a good move by new salem to force another out of bounds play with 2.6 seconds left...props to the lady holsteins for hitting free throws down the stretch.

[cometdad]

Some great insight - not sure what's up with the three refs either. Thought when that started - it was because of the 4 game nights (boys and girls) in class B. Someone explained that it was supposed to be a ref at each end and one at half court to limit the running they'd have to do on a long night but it doesn't seem like that's whats happening.

[rock83]

Boy you really put some thought into this. I complement you on the time and thought spent on this. good job and i enjoyed listening to your thoughts.

(Note: Not a professional and I’m writing this from memory only, so forgive me if I miss an important detail or write a wrong name. Also, I didn't post this in the 'Region 5' post because that thread is just a bunch of players/fathers bickering at each other, so lets keep all that out of this thread please.)


Upsets abound in the region 5 tournament tonight at Mandan High School. I, for one, am happy that I wasn't able to post up my Region 5 Tournament preview (was waiting for an admin to confirm my account status) as I would have looked quite foolish had it been posted with my predictions.

Maybe it was just me, but did anyone doubt this whole 'refs for these games were selected based on demonstrated ability and yadda yadda yadda'? Several times through the night I saw a couple paying more attention to the people filtering in through the door than the game going on the court. I don't think they missed any calls because of it, but its a bit disconcerting. Maybe the 3 referee system makes them a bit more lax than usual. Otherwise, the officiating seemed relatively fair even if a lot of them are giving way too much leeway on obvious traveling violations.

Without further delay, let’s get to the breakdown:


GAME 1
(4)Center-Stanton Wildcats 42
def
(1)Washburn Cardinals 41

Probably the biggest shocker of the night, the Wildcats came out with a 7-0 run which set the tone for the entire game. The Cardinals were missing one of their starting seniors, Beckman, to what I'm told was an illness (if I'm mistaken here, please correct me) and the gap showed in the Cardinal defense. The Wildcats took advantage by feeding the ball into Hovey, driving into the lane at every opportunity and dominating the offensive glass.
Sloppy passing by the Cardinals racked up the turnovers when they could have been taking advantage of some abysmal shooting by the Wildcats in the second half (at one point, 3 airballs in a row). Probably the Cardinal's biggest problem all year resurfaced tonight when there was a complete reluctance to shoot the ball from the outside. The Wildcats obviously got that memo and stuffed the lane full so the post attack for the Cardinals was unable to adapt to the increased pressure.
The Cardinals had a chance to win it with 10 seconds left and went to their workhorse Samantha Schell, but as before they tried to get it into an overcrowded lane which resulted in a turnover.

MVP: Bailey Hanke's excellent guard play on both offense and defense sealed the win for the Wildcats.

After game thought: A very unfortunate turn of events for the Cardinals to have a starter out of the game. As a result they had less of a defensive presence and were missing out on some driving ability. In return, they had to use some unproven talent who would have otherwise not appeared in the game. The Wildcats, on the other hand, dominated the rebounding game in convincing fashion and showed that they know how to attack the hoop. The Cardinals were terrible from the charity stripe down the stretch as well.


GAME 2
(2)New Salem Lady Holsteins 46
def
(3)Turtle Lake Trojans 44

The Trojans had more tools on offense but it turned out that New Salem would use there’s just a bit more effectively in the end. Three point shooting was the name of the game for the Holsteins with 4 of their first 5 baskets being from behind the line. The game was an affair of back and forth with the Trojans using their superior size in the middle and the Holsteins using a superior medium and long game until the end of the game where Turtle Lake was forced to foul in an effort to make up points... which despite the typical outcome, actually worked. However, it seemed that the Trojan players didn't realize that they had tied the game and went for the foul again, putting New Salem back on the line to sink their free throws. In an equally confusing move, the Holsteins then fouled the Trojans and put THEM on the line with only seconds to go... however, it was not to be and New Salem pulled out the win.

MVP: Megan Toepke, New Salem's player to watch didn't disappoint.

After Game Thought: The breakdown in communication between the Trojan bench and players lost them the chance at sending the game into overtime as it seemed like none of the Trojan players on the floor realized that they had tied the game when they went for the foul (no, Turtle Lake doesn't practice the European 'control our own destiny' style). New Salem's three point shooting won the game for them, hands down. They knew that they couldn't compete with the size of the Trojans on the inside and adjusted accordingly with positive results.



GAME 3
(3)Grant County Coyotes 49
def
(2)Underwood Comets 47


In probably just as big of a shocker as Game 1, the Coyotes mounted a series of impressive comebacks against the Comets to pull off a well earned win. Underwood was up big from the start and by the end of the first half, it seemed like the Comets were going to cruse to an easy win. Strong performances by Dammen on the dribble drive and Horst on defense put the Comets up big. The Coyotes looked for answers for almost the entire half when they started to find an one in Iverson. Coming out in the second half, there was hardly a play where Iverson didn't get her hands on the ball at least once. Often times, the Coyotes completely bypassed the Comet full court press by launching it down to Iverson or Gifford on the other end.
Meanwhile, the offense for the Comets started to go flat but Auck, who had been something of a minor impact player during the season, started to pick up the slack for the Comets.
When it came down the stretch, the Coyotes continued their post offensive with a very effective high-low over the top entry game to which the Comets had few answers. Up by six points with just over a min to go in the game, Underwood gave up a series of turnovers which all lead to points on the other end and eventually gave Grant County the come from behind upset win.

MVP: Amber Iverson, amazing post play tonight.

After Game Thought: The help side failed the Comets tonight, there were just too many passes into Grant County's posts that went uncontested from both sides. The entire year, the Comets' game depended on the performance of Horst and tonight she didn't disappoint. However, once Grant County realized that Horst was their worst enemy they did their best to marginalize her by running their offense away from her and sticking someone in her face on offense in the second half and it ended up being just enough.



GAME 4
(1)Standing Rock Warriors 68
def
(4)Sheridan County Coyotes 50

In the game that saved my bracket predictions from being a totally borked mess, the would be Cinderella Coyotes couldn't match up against the might of the Rock. To be honest, they didn't stand much of a chance, the Warriors are an overplaying, highflying machine and the Coyotes didn't have the experience or the speed to counter that kind of play. The game started with 14 straight points by the Warriors and they didn't let up much for the rest of the half. Neilie Dockter, the Coyotes outside shooter, missed her first five 3-point attempts while the Coyotes seniors added points sporadically. At the half they Warriors had tripled up the Coyotes 36-12, at which point I and half the gym left the building.

MVP: The warrior's starting five were suffocating tonight, hard to choose just one.

After Game Thought: In my preview (that I never got to post) I said that the only chance that the Coyotes had was if the Warriors went ice cold and Dockter caught fire from the outside as she did in the district tournament. It didn't happen on either account. The Warriors are impressive, that’s for sure but they aren't unbeatable by any means. However, I don't think that after tonight there are any teams left that can do what it takes to stop them... which would include slowing the game down and exploiting their over-playing. Someone must have come alive for the Coyotes in the second half because they scored 38 points, but probably on the warrior's 3rd string.




Advice for the teams going home:

Washburn needs shooters, in a bad way. In football the running game opens up the passing game and in basketball the outside game opens up the inside game. You can't consistently win with just one and that's what the Cardinals attempted tonight. The outlook for the Cardinals looks decent but they lose 3 big contributors that will need to be replaced, look to their current sophomores to step into more well-defined roles than what they were in this year. A second year under their current coach will also greatly improve team chemistry. Expect them back in the mix in 2 years, if not next year.

Turtle Lake needs to work on their inside game. On all accounts they should be dominating people on the inside with 3 players that are tall enough to make a big impact... they make a good show if it, but they don't do it consistently enough. Establishing a good 2 post high-low game would go a long way (however, it seems that many coaches have a hard time teaching this effectively) and would be complimented by their improving shooters that made strides this year. A huge plus, they dont lose any players to graduation this year, look for Turtle Lake to be a force next year if they improve their ball-handling.

Underwood gets hit hard by graduation; the biggest hit is the loss of Kayla Horst probably their best defensive weapon and 3 point shooter. Underclassmen will have to step up big to fill the voids. Auck, who is pushing 6’+ started to show a lot of promise near the end of the year, and will only get better with age (as is the way with tall kids), she does need to develop post moves, however. Dammen needs to have a basketball in her left hand all summer.

Sheridan County is a wild-card. They lose 4 players to graduation, but move up 7 players to Senior status all of which have potential if they are willing to work for it. Dockter probably has the most room to make an impact if she can improve her shot. They most certainly need a crash course in defense if they are going to make it back to Regionals next year.




Final Words: Okay, this was a lot of typing! Just a few words to end this out. If someone wants to continue this beyond the first round, please be my guest, I will not be available to attend the games so I won't be able to do the next two rounds.

I have a small note on the Coaching I have seen here in Region 5 this year. I am glad to see that the age of shouting and yelling coaches is slowly dwindling down. All too often in the past decade have I witnessed coaches that have no qualms about shouting down their players when they are on the court or in the huddle. I read somewhere on here that someone thinks that this is because kids these days are too soft and can't take that kind of coach, but the truth is that kind of coaching is completely ineffectual and counter-productive. Morgan Wootten, the most successful high school basketball coach in history, believed screaming at your players from the bench and in the huddles only humiliates and embarrasses them and it has no place in coaching... and he's completely right. I seriously hope that this type of behavior from coaches continues to come to a close, especially in places where we don't see it (ie. in the locker room).

Finally, I am about sick of these "sportsmanship rules" that they are pushing harder and harder every year. Did anyone read the 'code of conduct' on the back of the program? It’s as if a group sat down and said, "Okay, how would basketball be in magical fuzzy feel-good world?". It’s just absurd that they are trying to do away with any sort of spontaneous display of emotion on all fronts. Allow me to write a revised version that isn't so preachy -- Rule 1: Respect all players, fans, coaches and officials. -- The end. That's all that needs to be said. That's Real Sportsmanship right there. Put it in big letters... BOLD it if you have to. I just saved all you big shots at the NDHSAA a whole lot of time.


Thank you for your time if you read this whole thing. If you enjoyed the breakdown, please let me know, I may do one for the boys Region 5 if I am able.

[bigpoppakdog]

EXCELLENT reporting. Gave opinion, but was supported very well by observations. I am not sure ANYBODY would have had the first round predicted correctly. Standing Rock, yes. Grant County maybe, as they were tougher than most thought. I've seen them play and dominate some games. So, I wouldn't classify that game as a "shocker", but maybe a little surprising.

3 refs. You see that during tourny play.

Sportsmanship rules: I agree. Games are like going to the library now. I miss the "start the bus" chants and others like that.

[underdog]

Unfortunately I was unable to make it to the games. You gave an excellent, unbiased analogy of all the games. My hat's off. If you can find the time, it would'nt hurt my feelings any to get more updates from ya.

Thanks.

[Region5SportsFan]

Region5sportsfan...nice analogy...one correction in the tl-m vs. new salem game...yes, tl-m fouled with the game tied, 10 sec or so left in the game,(it seemed intentionally...can't figure that one out) and put new salem on the line...however, new salem had a foul to give...tl-m did not go to the line at the end of the game...it was a good move by new salem to force another out of bounds play with 2.6 seconds left...props to the lady holsteins for hitting free throws down the stretch.

You are completely right on that one. Sorry had all these close games running together in my head, I will make the appropriate correction to the game summary with thanks to you.

The cardinals shot very poorly tonight. But it wasnt the reluctance to shoot from outside that cost them the game. It was shooting from the outside when they had a 3 point lead with less then a minute to go in the game. If they would of held on to the ball the wildcats would have had to foul and the game could have been put on ice. Also losing beckman really hurt the cardinals overall attack. It is almost impossible for any team to lose one of their best players and stay in rhythm.

Down they stretch the Cardinals just turned the ball over too much in the second half. I still stand by what looked like their reluctance to shoot when they were open (you could hear their frustrated crowd yell "shoot!" when their shooters were open, which to be honest is never really helpful to the players). They were shooting (and missing) in the first half and then some of them just seemed to stop, its just what seems to be a natural reaction for most girls (who I find to be more team oriented than boys... feel free to flame me here) and its a very hard situation for coaches to deal with because you have to convince them to keep shooting even when they aren't on that night. Also I agree, Beckman was missed big on the boards and the dribble drive they may have been able to adjust if they would have had time to practice without her, but in the world of illness that's almost never the case.

I don't have an exact recollection from the moment you speak of when the Cardinals were up by 3, but you may be referencing a shot from the middle of the lane that missed with a minute and some on the clock. The last minute was filled with trading baskets and the one point lead. With all their turnovers last night, I don't think that they could have run a stall with any effectiveness anyway. But you're right, it was a forced shot and in those situations you should strive for wide open layups only.

All the 3 officials stuff

After talking to several of the officials, I get the feeling that they wish all the games were 3-official games because and I'm quoting here: "It would be easier on us." And you know what? I can't disagree with that, they had a hard job... but when they only do 3 official games what...? 4 maybe 5 times a year, I don't think that the chemistry is there. All too much I only saw one official raise their arm for a foul when the one that was in better position did not. I think its just a problem between the 2 and 3 official transition.

[Hunterlaf]

i think that standing rock wins the whole region!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rocketsphotoguy]

Region5SportsFan, I commend you on a very thorough commentary on the first round of the Region 5 Tournament. You obviously have watched a lot of basketball in your time, and your recollection of fine details/situations from the games (from memory, even!) is outstanding. I don't know anything about Region 5 teams beyond the fact that NR-S spanked Sheridan County in the first game of the year, but your reporting style paints a clear and accurate picture of the Region 5 girls' basketball scene. You should definitely consider being a sportswriter.

Oh, and bigpoppakdog... You would be thrilled to know that the "Start the bus!" chant is still alive and well. It could be heard as the final tenths of a second ticked away in the District 7 girls' championship game between NR-S and Carrington. Pretty much par for the course in that rivalry.

[Region5SportsFan]

In a change of plans, I WILL be at the Region 5 tournament games tonight and will be doing a similar report afterward. I made the mistake of making plans with a woman the day after her payday... I still have a lot to learn it would seem.


About chanting, I had the chance to sit behind a student section at one point in yesterday's contest and got to hear a discussion about what chants they were and weren't allowed to do. At one point, they decided against the famous 'Airball' chant because they didn't want to get in trouble. Another rejected chant included the 'Dribble Dribble Pass' chant. Basically anything directed at the other team is out of the question it would seem. Very disappointing as IMHO the atmosphere isn't the same without both sides chanting at the top of their lungs... speaking as a former player from way back, those game atmospheres were invigorating to say the least. I understand the need to keep vulgarity out of the crowd section (and everyone can recognize that well defined line), but this extreme I don't understand. I don't believe 'Start the Bus' would be allowed here.

[usedtowearajock]

Region5SportsFan,

Thanks for your post! Your view of the games played is right on. It's nice to read unbiased accurate information once in awhile.

Thanks!

[bigpoppakdog]

In a change of plans, I WILL be at the Region 5 tournament games tonight and will be doing a similar report afterward. I made the mistake of making plans with a woman the day after her payday... I still have a lot to learn it would seem.


About chanting, I had the chance to sit behind a student section at one point in yesterday's contest and got to hear a discussion about what chants they were and weren't allowed to do. At one point, they decided against the famous 'Airball' chant because they didn't want to get in trouble. Another rejected chant included the 'Dribble Dribble Pass' chant. Basically anything directed at the other team is out of the question it would seem. Very disappointing as IMHO the atmosphere isn't the same without both sides chanting at the top of their lungs... speaking as a former player from way back, those game atmospheres were invigorating to say the least. I understand the need to keep vulgarity out of the crowd section (and everyone can recognize that well defined line), but this extreme I don't understand. I don't believe 'Start the Bus' would be allowed here.

I agree 100%. We should get together with others and write a letter we can all agree with and sign it and send it to the papers as well as the NDHSAA. A big problem I have is that your own homecourt is now a neutral site. In my day(as well as yours from the way it sounds) you went to some other gym you expect to have to deal with chants, whistles etc. Now days the gyms are "dead" and really very few rivalries anymore.

[rock83]

I think the mastermind is a little harsh on underwood. If you are a pressing team why would you take it off at the end of the game. Why run back and play defense. If you have the lead why not press them so it takes time off the clock. You dont have to foul or let them get by you when you press. If you can play half court defense without fouling, you can in the full court and take time off the clock as well. Basketball has changed since your grandmother played and you dont have to sit in the lane and hope they miss. It didnt work out for underwood that doesnt make it wrong.

I don't think it was such a big comeback by Grant County as much as bad coaching or a lack of. Look what had transpired, up 15 to 4 after the first. Line up change which killed the rhythm and momentum.
23 to 18 at the half. Two of their starters, Longtin and Horst who is their biggest asset sitting on the bench in the fourth, while Dammen ( at least 12 turn-overs ) is still out there. "Wake up somebody"
My best player would be out there the whole game. Underwood up by 6 points with a little over a minute to play and the coach has them playing the press. "Give me a break". Any team could have come back with that kind of defense!!
You get back, play defense, take time off the clock and make the other team foul you. Even my Grandmother knows that. No picks or screens on the Underwood side to free up Horst for an open look at the hoop with 6 seconds left in the game. What a shame that was to have no pre plan drawn up for those kind of situations. We've scouted Underwood before. They have a lot of talent that got wasted. To bad Horst wasn't playing on our team where her talent would have been put to good use. What a Defense, Three point talented player. She would have been our triple threat.

[bigpoppakdog]

leave it to you rock to call out another persons opinions. Just like you did mine on my credibility on Standing Rock being 20 points better than everybody else. So far, your credibility has been correct, what 0% so far. My opinions are generally correct, because they are formed from non-biased observations. Occasionally wrong, but overall pretty dang accurate. Coaching a problem in Underwood? Would say no. I think every coach who loses a close game sits at home thinking about how they would have done things differently. A close loss brings out "ref's fault" and "coaches fault" excuses. Easier than blaming the "kids" for not getting it done.

#6 seed in the district playing for a Region Championship is quite a story. Do they have enough firepower to win? Anything is possible. Standing Rock beat them by 50 a month ago, 4 a week ago, so anything is possible. They are going to have to play a slow methodical boring game and hope the high powered duo are off. If the Rock get's going early it's going to be tough because New Salem doesn't have the offensive fire power to keep up. How they handle the Rocks pressure will be their biggest key. Turnover problems and it will lights out. If they handle the press and are patient on offense that might lead to a frustrated Standing Rock team who will become too impatient to know what to do.


***Beach lost, so their goes my credibility. My 2nd prediction gone wrong in 3 years. Hopefully Hazen loses so I won't have lost my 3rd prediction(although I really hope they beat Trinity). Then I might as well throw in the towel and let the newbies take over.

[Region5SportsFan]

Comeon guys, lets not resort to bickering and snipping. There is enough of that in the other Region 5 thread. I'm going to address some responses on here first and then write up tonight's results.

I don't think it was such a big comeback by Grant County as much as bad coaching or a lack of. Look what had transpired, up 15 to 4 after the first. Line up change which killed the rhythm and momentum.
23 to 18 at the half. Two of their starters, Longtin and Horst who is their biggest asset sitting on the bench in the fourth, while Dammen ( at least 12 turn-overs ) is still out there. "Wake up somebody"
My best player would be out there the whole game. Underwood up by 6 points with a little over a minute to play and the coach has them playing the press. "Give me a break". Any team could have come back with that kind of defense!!
You get back, play defense, take time off the clock and make the other team foul you. Even my Grandmother knows that. No picks or screens on the Underwood side to free up Horst for an open look at the hoop with 6 seconds left in the game. What a shame that was to have no pre plan drawn up for those kind of situations. We've scouted Underwood before. They have a lot of talent that got wasted. To bad Horst wasn't playing on our team where her talent would have been put to good use. What a Defense, Three point talented player. She would have been our triple threat.

I have to respectfully disagree with the 'lack of coaching' remark, I actually find the Comet's head coach Cottingham to be a capable coach (not exceptional by any means, but capable). Its not realistic to expect any player to be always out on the floor, if you push players too hard or you don't get them their rest, they'll start losing a step and become sloppy. Horst was the hardest working player on that team, its not a surprise that she would be sitting out for a few mins at the beginning or the middle of the 4th.

I still stand by my thinking that it was the backside help, not the defensive set itself that failed the Comets down the stretch, if run correctly, I believe that their defense would have been effective. Nature of the game, defensive breakdowns. And its not that they weren't going to attempt to run down the clock (as far as I know), but the Coyotes threw on a trap (great call, by the way) and it led to quick Comet turnovers. Overall, I still believe the Coyotes orchestrated a great comeback with some great passing and post work.

Why run back and play defense. If you have the lead why not press them so it takes time off the clock. You dont have to foul or let them get by you when you press. If you can play half court defense without fouling, you can in the full court and take time off the clock as well.

I believe that the idea is that pressing at the end of the game (when ahead) is an attempt to take advantage of a team that is rushing to make up points and catch them in a sloppy pass. Pressing speeds the other team up, so it probably didn't take as much time off the clock as not pressing would have. Honestly, pressing is not the call I would have made, but I can understand it. Its a coaching decision, which would have looked great had it worked. It didn't and Coach Cottingham gets the guff because of it... just the way it goes.

Coaching a problem in Underwood? Would say no. I think every coach who loses a close game sits at home thinking about how they would have done things differently. A close loss brings out "ref's fault" and "coaches fault" excuses. Easier than blaming the "kids" for not getting it done.

I agree, the anatomy of a loss is never as simple as 'the refs' or 'the coach' or even 'that player'. Truth is, blame never rests solely on one shoulder. But one of the hallmarks of great coaching is a 'the buck stops here' policy. "Its not her fault, I could have taught her better." or "Its my fault, I should have showed her that." These type of coaches receive the respect and loyalty of their players.

[Region5SportsFan]

(Note: Again, not a professional and I’m writing this from memory only. Please forgive errors.)

Some great games tonight in the Region 5 Semis, aka the district 9 tournament redux.

I'm posting these officiating comments at the top, because I'm a firm believer that bad officials are never a good excuse for the final score. That being said, these officials are some of the most forgiving officials when it comes to traveling violations that I have ever seen, forget some of the extra steps on the drive, but the extra pivot and the pre-dribble feet shift move from the top of the key absolutely need to be called every time. I almost wish Coach Knight was here to throw a few chairs. A certain ref tonight also looked like he was about ready for bed, very disappointing.

Onward!




SEMI-FINAL GAME 1
(2)New Salem Lady Holsteins 44 OT
def
(4)Center-Stanton Wildcats 43

The Wildcats came out with the goal of making people believe that their win against the Cardinals wasn't a fluke. The Henke girls (sisters?) took command of the Wildcats right away scoring 4 of their first 6 baskets. The Holsteins also came out strong thanks to the offensive ability of Kautzman. The Wildcats were playing lock down defense on Toepke which forced other people on the Holsteins to step up their game. It was a very back and forth affair for the most part, thanks in large part down the stretch to Spanky Clayton (love the name) the Wildcat's freshman who has some crazy skills and kept Center-Stanton just a tick ahead of the Holsteins in the second half despite some poor shooting by her teammates.
The difference maker, however, was none other than Megan Toepke from the free-throw line. She turned in what I believe was a flawless night from the charity stripe while Center struggled from the same line. After missing their chance to break the tie, Center put up a good defensive stand which sent it into overtime. Again, the wildcats came out strong but they continued to struggle from the free throw line. A few trading of baskets and someone on the Holsteins ( sorry, I don't recall who exactly, maybe Schroeder) hit 1 of her 2 free throws which resulted in Center needing to traverse the entire court in 1.6 seconds. 3... count them... 3 time-outs later, the pass from Henke was intercepted... end of game.

MVP: Lauren Kautzman, stepped up when she was needed and hit some very key baskets to keep the Holsteins afloat.

After game thought: I was very very impressed with the Wildcat defense (especially on Toepke), I was less impressed, however, by their offense down the stretch... too many missed layups cost them dearly. The Holsteins took full advantage of their free throws when the Wildcats missed the ones that would have prevented the need for overtime. The New Salem role players also stepped up big in this game.
Yes, yes, I know I said I keep ref calls out of these sections for a reason, but the call at the end of the game had me baffled. When Henke threw her pass, it was caught by a Holstein who immediately (I'm talking like a split moment after catching it) stepped out of bounds. There should still have been time on the clock for another attempt, but either the official in the area didn't care or wasn't watching closely enough to make the right call.



SEMI-FINAL GAME 2
(1)Standing Rock Warriors 54
def
(3)Grant County Coyotes 36

Lets keep this short: it was all Warriors for the first quarter but they started to play some sloppy basketball in the second which allowed the Coyotes' Abbey Gifford to launch up some shots and close the gap. Standing Rock's inside game asserted itself with some strong post play which maintained the status quo at about 12 give or take a few points for much of the second half. By the time Iverson found her rhythm in the 4th, Long had taken back control of the game and put the lead beyond the reach of the Coyotes.

MVP: Shauna Long, no contest.

After game thought: If it hasn't of been for the first and last five minutes of the game, the Coyotes would have been a contender. I have to give it to Standing Rock's coach, she prepared her team for exactly what she saw the night before...and as a result, Iverson had a hard time getting any looks on the inside. The Coyotes lost track of Long just too many times after keeping a very good eye on her in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
Long got a bit too cocky after going up big in the first and started to show-boat some passes right over her teammates heads, which let Grant County come back to within 8. That kind of play won't go over well in the State Tournament, assuming they win on Thursday.
A small note about Grant County's Ashley Bentz, an 8th grade starter. This kid has all-state point guard written into her future. Her decision making with the ball and her dribbling skills are advanced well beyond her years. However, her shooting and driving ability are very weak in comparison. Once these traits come along in the future, she is going to be very very dangerous.



All teams coming back Thursday, no going home advice for teams still playing.


Final Words: 4 out of the 6 games played in this tournament were decided on the free throw line. In every case, the loser was the team that wasn't making their free-throws. I know that coaches spend a lot of time on this in practice, but maybe its time to spend a little more on it next year. A wide open shot from right in front of the hoop, there is no excuse for shooting less than 60% at the very least.

On a personal note, I would like to thank those of you who had a positive response to my first post. The high school basketball season has been the highlight of my years for nearly a decade. When the seasons came together, I made the decision to concentrate on the girls basketball season more than the boys because I like the team dynamic of the girls game more than the individual dynamic of the boys game. Not that I don't catch the boys games when I am able, because I most certainly do... I just know a lot less about all the various boys teams in the end.

That's all for tonight. Whats the deal with the state tournament being up in Grand Forks this year? The NDHSAA must be counting pretty hard on the UND students coming through the gate, because the attendance of the casual fans from most regions is going to be down down down.

[cometdad]

Have to agree that our weekside help on the defensive end just wasn't there. On the offensive end our shooting percentages were terrible (FG: 18 of 44 = 41% and FT: 7 of 21 = 33%). Missed free throws were definately a killer. I say congrats to coach Cottingham - losing out in the first round is tough but a 19 - 3 season says she's doing a lot right.

[bigpoppakdog]

Great year for Underwood. I would agree. Funny things can happen during tourney time. I would say this year is one of the most unusual though. New Salem played absolutely the worst basketball you could have imagined for about 2 months. They lost by an avg. of almost 35 points a game for a while. Now they are playing to go to state. Remarkable, unbelievable etc....

[rock83]

Lets not take our self to seriously. Most of these teams, district 10, you have seen maybe once before the region, so lets not say you are using a lot of knowledge. District 10 had some bad luck going into the region, which made you look like an expert. You should go to the horseraces and hope the other horses get hurt or sick. just kidding.
Why dont we go back to 2 officials, the officiating in the region has not been anything special. Alot of daydreaming going on. We get a guy from minot. Why? Not enough officials in the bismarck/ mandan area. If he was great he would be reffing a tourney up there.
Also, a press doesnt have to speed up the other team it can be used to slow a team down and take time off the clock, just dont try and steal the ball, control the ball.

leave it to you rock to call out another persons opinions. Just like you did mine on my credibility on Standing Rock being 20 points better than everybody else. So far, your credibility has been correct, what 0% so far. My opinions are generally correct, because they are formed from non-biased observations. Occasionally wrong, but overall pretty dang accurate. Coaching a problem in Underwood? Would say no. I think every coach who loses a close game sits at home thinking about how they would have done things differently. A close loss brings out "ref's fault" and "coaches fault" excuses. Easier than blaming the "kids" for not getting it done.

#6 seed in the district playing for a Region Championship is quite a story. Do they have enough firepower to win? Anything is possible. Standing Rock beat them by 50 a month ago, 4 a week ago, so anything is possible. They are going to have to play a slow methodical boring game and hope the high powered duo are off. If the Rock get's going early it's going to be tough because New Salem doesn't have the offensive fire power to keep up. How they handle the Rocks pressure will be their biggest key. Turnover problems and it will lights out. If they handle the press and are patient on offense that might lead to a frustrated Standing Rock team who will become too impatient to know what to do.


***Beach lost, so their goes my credibility. My 2nd prediction gone wrong in 3 years. Hopefully Hazen loses so I won't have lost my 3rd prediction(although I really hope they beat Trinity). Then I might as well throw in the towel and let the newbies take over.

[bigpoppakdog]

The two officials deal I think can be a negative impact. Especially when you match up officials that have never worked together before. I think 3 officials for girls bb might not be needed compared to the faster paced boy's game.

My prediction about the rock came from observations. Doesn't take an expert to compare talent levels. Rock has more talent. Again, you and your other district supporters continued to argue how good your teams were(they were, good records) and when one beat the other it was due to "refs" and now you were swept out of the region play it was about "refs" and injuries and illness etc... No need for any more excuses, it's old. At least cometdad took it in stride. I don't take these forums very seriously at all either. It's fun to debate things, like we did. But, when one person predicts something correctly(especially months ago..not a bandwagon predictor) you would acknowledge it a little.

New Salem can't press anybody, and the Rock doesn't press to slow a team down. Nobody in the region that out runs them. The Rock will press to cause turnovers and easy baskets and get this into a 60 or 70 point area. A score that new salem cannot get to. If the score is in the 40's or very low 50's new salem will be right there.

[rock83]

I am not sure what you saying. You think three officials are better for girls. Is that because the pace is slower and one of them might fall asleep? I really think that two official crews are just fine for girls. With boys that are much more athletic three man crew might work better. But realistically not needed in girls. Its away for the ndhsaa and officials organization to give more work to more officials. not needed. This regional i have seen the officials daydreaming during the game instead of being focused on the game. I think that is because they know they have the other two there.
I do enjoy reading your post its interesting getting a district 9 point of view. Its nice to see the last few years district 9 win a few games in the region.

The two officials deal I think can be a negative impact. Especially when you match up officials that have never worked together before. I think 3 officials for girls bb might not be needed compared to the faster paced boy's game.

My prediction about the rock came from observations. Doesn't take an expert to compare talent levels. Rock has more talent. Again, you and your other district supporters continued to argue how good your teams were(they were, good records) and when one beat the other it was due to "refs" and now you were swept out of the region play it was about "refs" and injuries and illness etc... No need for any more excuses, it's old. At least cometdad took it in stride. I don't take these forums very seriously at all either. It's fun to debate things, like we did. But, when one person predicts something correctly(especially months ago..not a bandwagon predictor) you would acknowledge it a little.

New Salem can't press anybody, and the Rock doesn't press to slow a team down. Nobody in the region that out runs them. The Rock will press to cause turnovers and easy baskets and get this into a 60 or 70 point area. A score that new salem cannot get to. If the score is in the 40's or very low 50's new salem will be right there.

[bigpoppakdog]

I don't think girls need 3 -refs. Game is not fast enough to need the extra official. Boy's on the other hand I think benefit from a 3 man crew.

Also, I think its fun to argue a little. Just like I think its fun to have one side of the gym cheering against the other side like it use to be. Now days that's missing. When its over its over. Have to move on to the region 5 boy's thread. That will be an interesting tournament also.

[NDSportsFan]

It's posting like this that keeps this forum online. Lots of thought, great insight, and intelligent discussions.

[wildboy]

i think that standing rock wins the whole region!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to the Standing Rock in the title game tonight.