(2022) - PF Lilly Meister to IUWBB

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

I transferred my initial post on Meister from the IUWBB recruiting thread to start her own thread.  

Lilly Meister, 6-2 W, John Marshall HS (Rochester, MN), has announced her commitment to Indiana, their first 2022 commit.  

Stats and awards at:  http://www.minnesotafury.com/girls/profile.php?player=1252

https://www.postbulletin.com/sports/basketball/6584078-Meisters-game-offers-keep-growing

https://www.hudl.com/team/v2/38056/Girls-Varsity-Basketball

Trivia:  John Marshall HS is where IU target Matthew Hurt played his HS ball.

[mamasa 15,247]

Both parents and a brother who play ball- nice!

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

From Hoosier Sports Report -

The Indiana women’s basketball team picked up its first commitment in the class of 2022 on Monday from Lilly Meister, a 6-foot-2 forward from Rochester, Minnesota.

Meister is ranked as the fifth- or sixth-best player in the state of Minnesota, depending on the site, and is listed as No. 55 nationally by prepgirlshoops.com. She averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds as a sophomore for Rochester John Marshall, shooting 39 percent from 3 in the process, and has scored over 1,000 career points after starting her varsity career as an eighth-grader.

The Hoosiers were one of several Big Ten teams to offer Meister, who chose Indiana over Wisconsin, Illinois and Kansas State. She also had a Minnesota offer, but the Gophers recently picked up several commitments at her position.

Meister comes from an athletic family, as her parents both played basketball at South Dakota State, while her older brother is a freshman on the men’s team at Minnesota-Duluth.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,152]

#55.  Seems like a good one. Good stats and height.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

After the start of her season was delayed due to COVID-19, her opening game was set for Thursday the 14th and it got canceled because of winter storm Malcolm.  Finally she got to play last night but Mankato East defeated John Marshall 62 - 56 despite Meister scoring 35 points which from the limited box score only included 1 made 3.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

You can watch Meister's first game of the season at:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwxOAl0-JK0ujDJ9-MLI8rw   Don't know if they regularly stream the girl's games or not.  Advance to the 40:00 minute mark to get to the start of the varsity game.   If you watch, Meister is #52 in the dark uniform.  Also note, they play 18 minute halves.

Her full stat line from the comfort of my recliner was 35 points on 12-21 on 2s; 1-4 on 3s (one a 3/4 court heave at the end of the game); 6-9 FT; 7 reb; 2 asst; 5 stls; 6 blks; 4 TO.   2 of her TO's were stepping on the baseline when driving to the bucket.  There aren't any sophomore year stats for her on MaxPreps but as a freshman she averaged 16ppg and 10rpg.

Keep in mind I have zero qualifications to judge high school talent so FWIW:

• There's only one other girl on her team who really demonstrated any particular skill level.  Katie Hurt who is quite possibly a sister to former IU target Matthew Hurt.
• Meister's righthanded but demonstrated the ability to use her left around the basket.
• She really hasn't learned that she needs to leave her feet.  She's 6'2" and until reaching high school probably always much taller than her opponents and didn't have to jump to get rebounds.  Although she had 6 blocks in this game, several were just standing in place while much smaller girls tried to shoot over her outstretched hands.  Obviously that won't work in college.
• She allowed herself to get pushed around and off her spot.  Her primary defender was just as tall and bodied Meister throughout the game even though she still scored 35 points.
• Players have to wear masks even when on the court.  It was obvious that hers bothered her a great deal as from the opening tipoff she constantly kept using a hand to pull it away from her face.   

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall defeated Rochester Century 70 - 51.  Meister with 24 pts. on 8-12 FG; 0-1 on 3s; 8-10 FT; 11 reb; 2 asst; 3 stl; 2 blk; 1 TO.  She does have a mid-range jump shot and does not score all of her points on layups and putbacks.

 

Next game is Saturday at 6:15 ET on the road at Owatonna HS.  Reportedly the game will be streamed at:

https://www.owatonnalive.com/girls-basketball

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall defeated Owatonna 67-52.  Meister 27 pts.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall (3-1) over Albert Lea (0-4) 56 - 46.  Meister 24 pts.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall junior center Lilly Meister leads southeastern Minnesota girls basketball scorers at 28.6 points per game.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

A tale of two halves as John Marshall was beaten by Mankato West 52 - 32.  It was a 28-24 Mankato lead at halftime.  John Marshall went scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the second half (18 min. halves) and by that time the score was 42-24 and the game was effectively over.

Meister with 17 pts. on 8-15 FG; 1-3 FT; 13 reb; 1 blk.  She was extremely active in the first half getting off 12 shots and hitting 7 along with getting 9 rebounds.  In the second half, she took only 3 shots and grabbed 4 rebounds.  John Marshall is not a particularly good team and in the second half Mankato double teamed Meister and forced JM to take 3-pointers and I'm not sure I've ever seen a team airball so many.   When they did try to get the ball inside to Meister they either threw it over her head, at her ankles or to an opposing player.  By her body language Meister was clearly frustrated.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall beaten by Red Wing 75-64 but not because of a lack of effort from Meister.  She finished with 38 pts. hitting 16-27 FG; 1-3 on 3s; 5-5 FT; 12 reb; 2 asst; 2 stls; 2 blks.  She demonstrated she can go left or right for a jump shot and she can use her left hand to score.  Also showed a nice Euro step.  

She doesn't have a strong supporting cast.  JM played a 2-3 zone in the first half and gave up at least 8 3-pointers because they couldn't rotate and left shooters wide open.  They switched to person-to-person in the second half and then gave up layups because the JM girls skipped down the court while the RW girls were running down the court.  On the offensive side, the JM girls can't keep the ball moving.  They catch and hold or catch and take a dribble before doing anything with it and they miss a lot of opportunities to get it inside to Meister and then settle for a 3-point attempt which they're not particularly good at.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall hosts Rochester Mayo tonight at 8:30 ET and game can be watched via the John Marshall YouTube site.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwxOAl0-JK0ujDJ9-MLI8rw

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall lost to Rochester Mayo (7-0) 53-47.  Meister (6'2") 19 pts. on 7-18 FG; 1-6 on 3s; 4-7 FT; 8 reb; 1 asst; 1 stl; 2 blk; 1 TO.  Her counterpart on Mayo is a 6'3" senior committed to Drake U. and is a more polished player finishing with 25 pts. and 12 reb.  

Meister is a junior so has one more high school season and possibly some kind of summer AAU or other form of organized ball to work on her game.  She's got to become more physical and learn she has to jump.  As it stands now, she'll be a freshman for Mackenzie Holmes' senior season so we won't have to rely on Meister for major contributions the first time she steps on the floor at SSAH.

It would also help her if she was surrounded by better teammates.  Right now, it's Meister, Katie Hurt and a bunch of girls running aimlessly around.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall (4-4) cruised to a 67-35 win over Faribault (0-8).  Meister with 28 pts.

[mamasa 15,247]

Feel like she's going to be a solid player for us, can't wait!

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

Through 8 games, Meister averaging 25.9ppg

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

Meister must feel like Red Klotz.  John Marshall might as well play 2 on 5 because it only has 2 girls that can actually play the game.  Last night, JM (4-5) was defeated by Red Wing (5-2) 55-19.   Meister scored 12 of JM's 19 points on 5-17 FG; 0-4 on 3s; 2-2 FT; 6 reb; 1 asst; 3 stls; 4 TOs.

She was double and triple teamed every time she got the ball.  Meanwhile I don't think I've ever seen any team put up so many airballs including layups!  One girl actually had a breakaway and proceeded to shoot the ball on the underside of the rim.   Playing on such a poor team, it's really difficult to gauge just what her potential may be.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall over Century 46-36 in a horrid shooting night for Meister.  She finished with 13 pts; 10 reb; 3 asst; 2 stl; 1 blk; 0 TO.  On her 2-point attempts she was only 6-19 with the vast majority all being attempted within 6' of the bucket.  She was 0-1 on 3s; and 1-2 on FT.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,288]

John Marshall easily defeated 50-35 by Owatonna.  Rough night for Meister with 10 pts. on 2-8 FG; 5-5 FT; 6 reb; 1 asst; 2 stl; 0 blk; 4 TO.  Picked up her 4th foul and sat with 9:30 left in the 2nd half and JM trailing by 10.  A minute later, JM trailed by 15 and coach had no alternative but to put her back in.  Somehow, she avoided fouling out.