Hartford's Maria Stephans was the reason the Orioles beat West Bend West 49-37 Tuesday night. She scored 22 points, made eight fields goals and four 3-pointers.
She made two 3-pointers to start the second half that practically put the game out of reach. There wasn't much of a story in the first half. Hartford comes out with a big lead and West came back in the second quarter. When Stephans hit those shots, the light bulb went off in my head. I knew those 3's were important to the game. It was icing on the cake when she kept scoring.
That was the best individual performance by an area girl basketball player that I've seen this year. As a freshman, Stephans was on my radar as a good athlete because how good of a soccer player she is. But sometimes those really fast soccer players don't turn out to be the best point guards. Usually you see the really fast players go too fast and not take the ball with them.
Stephans is the exception. Her outside shooting was the highlight, but I was most impressed with how she handled West's press. About 75 percent of the time it was her breaking it with her dribble. I don't think she turned the ball over moving past the press.
There was one move I particularly was impressed with. Stephans once again dribbled by the West press and got to the middle, like you're suppose to do. She broke a Spartans ankles with a cross over dribble near the center line and made a floater in the lane. I starred that in my notebook after the play. The play didn't matter much with the out come of the game. The two points put the score at 42-29 in favor of Hartford. It was her last field goal of the night and it was the culmination of well played game.
Stephans' final two points were on bonus free throws. Usually when a player scores 22, you would think they would have more than just two points from the free-throw line.
Stephans probably has a better chance at playing at the next level in soccer than for basketball. A 5-foot-6 point guard in college hoops in very, very rare. However, it will be fun to watch her for two more years.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Pro Bowl is a joke
I give NFL commissioner Roger Goodell some credit. He tried to make this year's Pro Bowl relevant.
Mission: Impossible.
Bring the Pro Bowl to the sight of the Super Bowl is a decent idea. Moving it to the week before the Super Bowl, is a bad idea.
First, 31 of the 87 Pro Bowlers selected have been replaced. Names like Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Steven Jackson, Brett Favre and Sidney Rice aren't playing (of the non Super Bowl players). Aaron Rodgers is the only quarterback selected to the team that will actually play. The AFC quarterbacks were Peyton Manning, Rivers and Brady. Now they are Matt Schaub (worthy of being a Pro Bowler), Vince Young and David Gerrard. Young only played a half a season. Yes, that half was good, but was not Pro Bowl worthy. Even a kicker, Nate Kaeding backed out of the game.
And, no Colts or Saints will be playing in the game. I'm not saying they would have one week after the Super Bowl, but they would have the option. Now they have to travel to Miami and stand and watch them game, besides be with their team.
No matter what the NFL does, the Pro Bowl will always be a joke. Most All-Stars games are. The MLB's is the best, but no pitchers want to participate. The Home Run Derby holds that All-Star weekend together. However, even some of the best long ball hitter don't participate because it ruins their swing. The NBA All-Star game is terrible too. There is no defense in the game and there are no big names that participate in the slam dunk competition any more (besides Dwight Howard).
Keep the Pro Bowl at the site of the Super Bowl, but keep it after the Super Bowl. That's the best the NFL can do. The Pro Bowl heads back to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012, then everything is up in the air again.
Mission: Impossible.
Bring the Pro Bowl to the sight of the Super Bowl is a decent idea. Moving it to the week before the Super Bowl, is a bad idea.
First, 31 of the 87 Pro Bowlers selected have been replaced. Names like Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Steven Jackson, Brett Favre and Sidney Rice aren't playing (of the non Super Bowl players). Aaron Rodgers is the only quarterback selected to the team that will actually play. The AFC quarterbacks were Peyton Manning, Rivers and Brady. Now they are Matt Schaub (worthy of being a Pro Bowler), Vince Young and David Gerrard. Young only played a half a season. Yes, that half was good, but was not Pro Bowl worthy. Even a kicker, Nate Kaeding backed out of the game.
And, no Colts or Saints will be playing in the game. I'm not saying they would have one week after the Super Bowl, but they would have the option. Now they have to travel to Miami and stand and watch them game, besides be with their team.
No matter what the NFL does, the Pro Bowl will always be a joke. Most All-Stars games are. The MLB's is the best, but no pitchers want to participate. The Home Run Derby holds that All-Star weekend together. However, even some of the best long ball hitter don't participate because it ruins their swing. The NBA All-Star game is terrible too. There is no defense in the game and there are no big names that participate in the slam dunk competition any more (besides Dwight Howard).
Keep the Pro Bowl at the site of the Super Bowl, but keep it after the Super Bowl. That's the best the NFL can do. The Pro Bowl heads back to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012, then everything is up in the air again.
My first swim meet
Thursday night in Hartford's natatorium was the first time I have covered a swim meet. I'm not totally oblivious to swimming. I swam club when I was in 5th and 6th grade for Express and my sister was on the high school swim team.
I've been to a couple of her meets, but last night Hartford and West Bend fans were pretty loud. That was a cool experience. The natatorium is small, can get very loud. I can't wait for the WLT Conference meet Feb. 6. Now that's going to be loud.
Hartford's Aiden Kohnhorst was by far the best in the pool. He won all four of his races. The 200-yard medley relay, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly and 400-yard freestyle relay.
He was the anchor in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team was second the entire race, until the anchor leg. Kohnhorst and Co. won by 3.09 seconds.
West Bend's 200-yard freestyle relay was pretty dominate too. Co-coaches Jim Sachse and Chris See said they have the potential to go to state. I see that potential, but Sachse said in the interview that they have to shave about 5 seconds of their time Thursday.
Five seconds is a lot. That's a little over 1 second per swimmer. I don't know if they can do it, but I am rooting for them.
I've been to a couple of her meets, but last night Hartford and West Bend fans were pretty loud. That was a cool experience. The natatorium is small, can get very loud. I can't wait for the WLT Conference meet Feb. 6. Now that's going to be loud.
Hartford's Aiden Kohnhorst was by far the best in the pool. He won all four of his races. The 200-yard medley relay, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly and 400-yard freestyle relay.
He was the anchor in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team was second the entire race, until the anchor leg. Kohnhorst and Co. won by 3.09 seconds.
West Bend's 200-yard freestyle relay was pretty dominate too. Co-coaches Jim Sachse and Chris See said they have the potential to go to state. I see that potential, but Sachse said in the interview that they have to shave about 5 seconds of their time Thursday.
Five seconds is a lot. That's a little over 1 second per swimmer. I don't know if they can do it, but I am rooting for them.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Ourada wants more passion
West Bend East coach Phil Ourada was obviously frustrated after the Suns lost to Oconomowoc 61-44 Tuesday. Before I could even ask him a question, his body language showed he was frustrated with the team.
First off, Oconomowoc was the better team. You can't teach height and Oconomowoc is a basketball school. In West Bend, it's baseball. Cooney's more skilled and their basketball IQ was more advanced.
It doesn't matter how good a team is, any given night anything can happen. When a team is not as skilled as their opponents, they need to out work and out hustle to have a shot.
I didn't see much hustle out of the Suns. I think I saw one player go to the floor for a loose ball and he did because the ball was at his feet and a Cooney player had already went to the floor to get it. The East player did not win possession.
If I was East's coach, I would do the old fashioned drill of two players underneath the hoop where the coach throws the ball between them. First one to dive on the ball, gain possession and scores wins. A coach can only go so far with hustle drills. It's up to the player to get on the floor.
There is not one player on East that is the dominant scorer or best player. They are all solid and about the same ability.
Any of the end of the bench guys listen up. If you want to gain more playing time, get physical in practice. Hustle in practice. Show passion in practice.
Ourada is itching for someone to step up and charge this team. Hustle is contagious. You see one teammate on the floor and then you start diving on the floor.
East did not play to its potential Tuesday.
First off, Oconomowoc was the better team. You can't teach height and Oconomowoc is a basketball school. In West Bend, it's baseball. Cooney's more skilled and their basketball IQ was more advanced.
It doesn't matter how good a team is, any given night anything can happen. When a team is not as skilled as their opponents, they need to out work and out hustle to have a shot.
I didn't see much hustle out of the Suns. I think I saw one player go to the floor for a loose ball and he did because the ball was at his feet and a Cooney player had already went to the floor to get it. The East player did not win possession.
If I was East's coach, I would do the old fashioned drill of two players underneath the hoop where the coach throws the ball between them. First one to dive on the ball, gain possession and scores wins. A coach can only go so far with hustle drills. It's up to the player to get on the floor.
There is not one player on East that is the dominant scorer or best player. They are all solid and about the same ability.
Any of the end of the bench guys listen up. If you want to gain more playing time, get physical in practice. Hustle in practice. Show passion in practice.
Ourada is itching for someone to step up and charge this team. Hustle is contagious. You see one teammate on the floor and then you start diving on the floor.
East did not play to its potential Tuesday.
Monday, January 25, 2010
My take on Sunday's AFC/NFC Championship games
We found out who is going to Super Bowl XLIV. It's who I thought was going to be there midway through the season: the Colts versus the Saints.
Frankly, I thought back in early December they would be playing in the ultimate Super Bowl of two undefeated teams and be a sign this decade would be much better than the last, but oh well.
Let's talk NFC first since Old Man No. 4 was in it.
Every Packer fan knew it was going to happen. Favre throws a late game interception off his back foot and lose.
Did the Saints win or did the Vikings lose?
My take is a little bit of both. A team can't turn the ball over five times and win. The two picks by Favre were his fault. I think the exchange on the hand off to Adrian Peterson is on both of them. The timing was off. Favre needs to get there and Peterson needs to keep his arms wide for Favre to put the ball in. Percy Harvin needs to hold onto the ball and the Bernard Berrian fumble was just a great play by the Saints.
Despite the fumbles, the Saints scored in every quarter. Yes, they could have played better and the Saints got out gained 475 to 257, but the Saints made enough plays to win.
The NFL's overtime rules are as worse as the BCS. How can the Vikings lose a game in overtime if they don't have the ball? It was up to the coin flip.
For those who say, "Get it done in regulation and the wouldn't had to deal with overtime." I say, some games are just bound to go into overtime. Basketball and hockey play timed periods. In baseball, both teams get to bat in each extra inning. The rule needs to be changed to first touchdown wins, or first to six points.
Football is the consummate team sport and Favre got what was coming to him when he decided he was bigger than every organization he played for. Retiring sooooo many times and coming back hurt the Packers and burned a bridge there. Playing injured to keep his streak alive with the Jets didn't get them in the playoffs last year. And you could tell he wanted to come back with the Vikings, but he waited so he could miss training camp. He plays hard. He plays with passion, but I think his ego will always make the decisions for him.
You can argue the Vikings were the better team Sunday, but I'm not convinced if they are the better team every week.
What can I say about the Colts and Peyton Manning? Manning took apart the Jets' No. 1 rated defense.
He didn't really throw in Darrelle Revis' way. He didn't have to. Manning made Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie look like Jerry Rice.
The Colts dominated most of the game. They put to rest all the nay-sayers about resting their guys. And they shut up Rex Ryan (switch is tough to do).
I don't mind a little trash talk, but Ryan needs to know when to talk and when not to. Hint: don't talk smack and say "it will be a surprise if we lose," when you play Manning at home to go to the Super Bowl. I would have been surprised if the Jets had won. They were the sexy pick because of Ryan's trash talk and how they played down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs. But it is Indianapolis that takes the trip to Miami.
Check back see my pick for who will win between the Colts and Saints. It will be after the Pro Bowl, which is another problem I will write about later this week.
Frankly, I thought back in early December they would be playing in the ultimate Super Bowl of two undefeated teams and be a sign this decade would be much better than the last, but oh well.
Let's talk NFC first since Old Man No. 4 was in it.
Every Packer fan knew it was going to happen. Favre throws a late game interception off his back foot and lose.
Did the Saints win or did the Vikings lose?
My take is a little bit of both. A team can't turn the ball over five times and win. The two picks by Favre were his fault. I think the exchange on the hand off to Adrian Peterson is on both of them. The timing was off. Favre needs to get there and Peterson needs to keep his arms wide for Favre to put the ball in. Percy Harvin needs to hold onto the ball and the Bernard Berrian fumble was just a great play by the Saints.
Despite the fumbles, the Saints scored in every quarter. Yes, they could have played better and the Saints got out gained 475 to 257, but the Saints made enough plays to win.
The NFL's overtime rules are as worse as the BCS. How can the Vikings lose a game in overtime if they don't have the ball? It was up to the coin flip.
For those who say, "Get it done in regulation and the wouldn't had to deal with overtime." I say, some games are just bound to go into overtime. Basketball and hockey play timed periods. In baseball, both teams get to bat in each extra inning. The rule needs to be changed to first touchdown wins, or first to six points.
Football is the consummate team sport and Favre got what was coming to him when he decided he was bigger than every organization he played for. Retiring sooooo many times and coming back hurt the Packers and burned a bridge there. Playing injured to keep his streak alive with the Jets didn't get them in the playoffs last year. And you could tell he wanted to come back with the Vikings, but he waited so he could miss training camp. He plays hard. He plays with passion, but I think his ego will always make the decisions for him.
You can argue the Vikings were the better team Sunday, but I'm not convinced if they are the better team every week.
What can I say about the Colts and Peyton Manning? Manning took apart the Jets' No. 1 rated defense.
He didn't really throw in Darrelle Revis' way. He didn't have to. Manning made Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie look like Jerry Rice.
The Colts dominated most of the game. They put to rest all the nay-sayers about resting their guys. And they shut up Rex Ryan (switch is tough to do).
I don't mind a little trash talk, but Ryan needs to know when to talk and when not to. Hint: don't talk smack and say "it will be a surprise if we lose," when you play Manning at home to go to the Super Bowl. I would have been surprised if the Jets had won. They were the sexy pick because of Ryan's trash talk and how they played down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs. But it is Indianapolis that takes the trip to Miami.
Check back see my pick for who will win between the Colts and Saints. It will be after the Pro Bowl, which is another problem I will write about later this week.
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