Surprise milestone for Cardinals' Trumm
Alexandria coaches kept their senior guard's upcoming 1,000th point a secret until she surpassed the mark.By: Eric Morken, Alexandria Echo Press
- Senior captains
- Trumm, Kohler
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Lauren Trumm had no idea the milestone she was chasing heading into Saturday night’s game against Brainerd.
The look on her face as teammates surrounded her early in the first half made that crystal clear. Trumm scored like she has so many times in her career – finishing a fastbreak with a lay-in. This time, the field goal carried a little extra meaning as she passed the 1,000-point mark in her career in a game that Alexandria went on to win 64-30.
The referees stopped play as the student section erupted with signs that read “1,000” and teammates Cara Wood and Whitney Gesell met her with huge smiles near the three-point line. At that point, Trumm began to realize the significance of this particular lay-up.
“You think about how maybe it’s getting close,” she said. “But no, I had no idea. It was a rush. That was so fun. Half of those points are from my teammates, so it’s really like an accomplishment for all of us.”
That is exactly the sentiment Wendy Kohler thought Trumm would offer. The long-time head coach preaches a team-first concept every season. That philosophy is easier to sell when your best player epitomizes that style of play.
“The thing about Lauren is just how unassuming she is,” Kohler said. “She’s a friend to everybody. Lauren doesn’t care about scoring points; she just wants to win. She would be the first one to credit her teammates. For her 1,000 points, Cara Wood probably got 500 assists. Lauren understands that, and that’s what makes her so special.”
Trumm has racked up almost all of her points in the last year and a half. She scored 158 as a sophomore before averaging 16.4 points per game last year. She has taken her game to another level as a senior, averaging 23.3 points and six steals a game at the top of Alexandria’s 1-3-1 press.
Saturday night was a classic example of what she brings to the table. Trumm had six steals and was the catalyst in Alexandria blowing open what was a close game throughout the first 22 minutes. The Warriors’ zone caused the Cardinals some problems in the first half as they held on to a 10-point lead at the break.
Brainerd cut it to six early in the second before Alexandria went on a 37-7 run. The Cardinals’ full-court pressure caused the Warriors fits and allowed Alexandria to get out on the break.
That’s where Trumm is at her best. She had 10 points at the half but finished with 28. Gesell chipped in eight points, while Amanda Christianson and Kalli Bowser had seven each.
“I think that we were a ton more conditioned than them,” Trumm said. “We have prepared for this. Yeah, we came out rough the first half, but we still knew we were ahead. We just needed to lock it in a little bit, finish some things and make sure we got our free throws in.”
Trumm knows better than anyone the benefits of being able to outlast her opponents. Her ability to get behind the defense every night stems in large part to her determination. Opposing teams know what she wants to do but still can’t do much to stop it.
“Lauren’s a powerful athlete,” Kohler said. “She can go from zero to 100 in no time flat. She just has that desire, and she doesn’t quit. She never gives up on anything. She has that sixth sense that when her teammates get a tip, she knows it and she’s gone. Many defenses think she releases, but she doesn’t. She just has that sixth sense and understands the game.”
That’s why it seemed so fitting that her 1,000th point came after she beat the opposing team down the court. The look on Trumm’s face went from confusion to joy after realizing what that bucket meant. The latter of those expressions was still on her face long after the final buzzer rang.
“It means a lot,” she said. “It’s just a huge accomplishment. It’s like a dream. How many people can say that this has happened?”
GAME STATISTICS
BRAINERD 15 15 – 30
ALEXANDRIA 25 39 – 64
ALEXANDRIA – Trumm – 28 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals; Gesell – 8 points, 4 rebounds; Christianson – 7 points; Kalli Bowser – 7 points; Karly Betterman – 4 points; Amanda Gould – 4 points; Wood – 3 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals; Dani Strater – 2 points; Alyssa Fredericks – 1 point; Jess Syvrud – 4 rebounds
Follow #AlexMN @EchoPress Sports Reporter Eric Morken on Twitter at @echo_sports.
Tags: alexandria sports, sports, cardinal, girls, basketball
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