With Thanksgiving (and Black Friday!) now past, we begin to set our sights toward Christmas. It's hard to believe that our regular season is already a quarter of the way done. By Christmas, it will be halfway over. That means we have five games in the next three weeks - a slow stretch when considering we will play ten games in January alone. So, what will the next few weeks bring us? Tough competition and a variety of playing styles, that's for sure. And, oh yes, they are all on the road...
First, a very difficult game at South Side. It's a loud place to play - weird acoustics - and South is determined each year to make us look as bad as possible. It annoys them when we actually win, like we did two years ago at their place. They got their revenge last year, beating us soundly. Our passing and catching was unbelievably bad. If we play that way this year, it will be another long night. They will press and attack all over the floor with great athleticism.
Saturday, we are at Wawasee. They have a terrific individual player named Knafel. After that, they lack experience and depth. They will play their trademark 3-2 defense everywhere. They press in it, drop back into it, and play it on out-of-bounds plays. It's what they do and we'll need to be able to find the seams and convert when we get the chance. It's our last scheduled game with them as they have indicated that they would like to look elsewhere for a game. That's disappointing, but not unprecedented. Since we've had some success the past few years, more and more teams are coming up with reasons to not play us. Whatever.
Next, we will continue our odyssey as we make the half-hour drive to Huntington. That's a new pickup on our schedule (thanks to Fremont dropping us...see above) and one we're excited about playing. They are an extremely physical team and are tough at home. They will try to beat us up and beat us down, so we'll need to be strong physically and mentally. I scouted them last week against Homestead and they had their opponents in complete disarray due to their style of play. It won't be easy, but that's the only way to get better!
After that, we coast into the break with weekend games with Bethany Christian and Blackhawk Christian. Bethany always plays us tough up there in Waterford Mills, so we need to guard against a letdown. They play a decent schedule, so they won't be intimidated just because it's Canterbury. Blackhawk is rebuilding with a new coach and a vastly different lineup. That game will be part of a boy-girl doubleheader, so that should be fun. They are our closest rivals. I hope we play well and head to the holiday break healthy and with some good performances under our belts. I'll talk a little bit more about each of these games moving forward.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A new experience
Playing this past Saturday in the Snider Classic, we got to face two local 4A teams in a single day. We always hope that we get a chance to play two games in one day later in February at the regional level of the state tournament. The event at Snider was a good chance to play some stiff competition and to measure where we are as individuals and as a team.
The morning win against Northrop was solid. The 67-49 final was a reflection of our play in the second half. After a fairly even opening half, we steadily distanced ourselves from Northrop. We employed a good game plan at the defensive end and felt good about the quality win. In the afternoon game, things didn't go as well against a Top 20 Snider team. Once again, our game plan was solid, as evidenced by the meager six points scored by their all-star post player Akilah Sims. Unfortunately, we didn't count on the career game from Western Michigan-bound Meredith Shipman. She hit nine three-pointers on her way to a 43-point day. And once we adjusted defensively in attempt to slow her down, the inside opened up for Sims and she exploded for 24 second-half points. Collectively, the two scored 73 of their team's 83 points. We scored 74 in what I felt was a pretty good offensive effort.
Could we have done some things differently? Yes. Was I second-guessed by some people for our defensive approach? Yes. If we played Snider again would we pursue a different strategy? Yes.
If we played exactly the same game today, would Snider have a player score 43? Probably not. If we could hold an all-star post player to six points in a half, would I be pleased? Absolutely. Is hindsight always 20-20? Of course it is.
We're still learning about each other and what we are capable of achieving. This group of girls has only played four games together. Everyone has grand ideas, but we still haven't been able to get everyone on the same page. Over time, and through a certain amount of adversity, we will craft a team that has the opportunity to be successful over the long haul. Until then, it's a patient process that we want to pursue, one that gives us our best chance to win and win regularly and win at the highest levels. We won't get a chance at Snider until next year, but when we do, we will be much more organized and prepared and ready to return the favor.
The morning win against Northrop was solid. The 67-49 final was a reflection of our play in the second half. After a fairly even opening half, we steadily distanced ourselves from Northrop. We employed a good game plan at the defensive end and felt good about the quality win. In the afternoon game, things didn't go as well against a Top 20 Snider team. Once again, our game plan was solid, as evidenced by the meager six points scored by their all-star post player Akilah Sims. Unfortunately, we didn't count on the career game from Western Michigan-bound Meredith Shipman. She hit nine three-pointers on her way to a 43-point day. And once we adjusted defensively in attempt to slow her down, the inside opened up for Sims and she exploded for 24 second-half points. Collectively, the two scored 73 of their team's 83 points. We scored 74 in what I felt was a pretty good offensive effort.
Could we have done some things differently? Yes. Was I second-guessed by some people for our defensive approach? Yes. If we played Snider again would we pursue a different strategy? Yes.
If we played exactly the same game today, would Snider have a player score 43? Probably not. If we could hold an all-star post player to six points in a half, would I be pleased? Absolutely. Is hindsight always 20-20? Of course it is.
We're still learning about each other and what we are capable of achieving. This group of girls has only played four games together. Everyone has grand ideas, but we still haven't been able to get everyone on the same page. Over time, and through a certain amount of adversity, we will craft a team that has the opportunity to be successful over the long haul. Until then, it's a patient process that we want to pursue, one that gives us our best chance to win and win regularly and win at the highest levels. We won't get a chance at Snider until next year, but when we do, we will be much more organized and prepared and ready to return the favor.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Progress? Well, maybe...
Convincing win last night against Woodlan. They won their opener against Bellmont, so we were a little wary, but were more concerned about doing our stuff well. Offensively, we did some good things. I was a little surprised they played us man-to-man the entire night. We could have exploited some matchups all night long, but I wanted us to continue to work on our continuity offense. It paid some dividends - we shot 56% for the night, compared to 29% the other night against Wayne. We relied less on the 3-point shot, yet made more of them. Free throws shooting was abysmal and that's something we need to get rectified. But enough about offense.
Our defense - the focus of the entire game - was subpar. We experimented with a few different schemes, but except for a nice stretch in the second part of the third quarter, there weren't many bright spots at the defensive end. We'll try to figure out what we did well during that sequence and build on it. For the most part, we didn't cover well, didn't trap well, didn't get many tips or deflections, or generate much offense from our defense. If we are going to be any good, that's something that must happen. I'll be studying tape this afternoon to see who was getting the job done and who was reluctant to participate. With a series of SAC powerhouses looming on the horizon, we better get it figured out pretty soon.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Our defense - the focus of the entire game - was subpar. We experimented with a few different schemes, but except for a nice stretch in the second part of the third quarter, there weren't many bright spots at the defensive end. We'll try to figure out what we did well during that sequence and build on it. For the most part, we didn't cover well, didn't trap well, didn't get many tips or deflections, or generate much offense from our defense. If we are going to be any good, that's something that must happen. I'll be studying tape this afternoon to see who was getting the job done and who was reluctant to participate. With a series of SAC powerhouses looming on the horizon, we better get it figured out pretty soon.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Identity
It's not who we are; it's what we do and how we do it.
I've got a group of kids who are very talented basketball players. Sometime, in the future, they will develop into a very good basketball team. My job is to figure out which buttons to push, which combinations to arrange, and which tactical and strategic approaches to employ. However, before any of those things can happen, our team must develop an identity.
The coaches are teaching and the players are learning. Skills are developing and bonds among teammates are emerging. Expectations are being stated and goals are being established. But we still seek that glue that will hold us together and make us stronger. It's like we know where we want to go, but haven't quite decided the best route to get there. Given time, the fog will clear and our path will present itself.
All very philosophical, I know, but there's a lot of that in coaching. We learn to embrace the things that work and discard the ones that don't. No two teams are the same - no two seasons are the same. Every year, it's an adventure as you try to figure out what is going to give your team its best chances for success. None of that can happen though until the team establishes its own unique identity. That's where we are right now, but we're working on it every day.
I'll let you know how it goes...
I've got a group of kids who are very talented basketball players. Sometime, in the future, they will develop into a very good basketball team. My job is to figure out which buttons to push, which combinations to arrange, and which tactical and strategic approaches to employ. However, before any of those things can happen, our team must develop an identity.
The coaches are teaching and the players are learning. Skills are developing and bonds among teammates are emerging. Expectations are being stated and goals are being established. But we still seek that glue that will hold us together and make us stronger. It's like we know where we want to go, but haven't quite decided the best route to get there. Given time, the fog will clear and our path will present itself.
All very philosophical, I know, but there's a lot of that in coaching. We learn to embrace the things that work and discard the ones that don't. No two teams are the same - no two seasons are the same. Every year, it's an adventure as you try to figure out what is going to give your team its best chances for success. None of that can happen though until the team establishes its own unique identity. That's where we are right now, but we're working on it every day.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
A winning start
I knew we would have our hands full in our opener last night with Wayne. They have some talented players, speed, size, and good veteran coaching. I figured the game would be fast-paced (we like that) with both teams making runs at the other. I did not think either team would be able to run away and hide, for a couple reasons. First, I thought that the matchups would not favor one team over the other. I was concerned about their big girl in the middle and we had to adjust all night long to take her away as their number one option. On the other hand, Wayne loves to press teams and they didn't even try last night because we have ballhandlers -- good to great -- at every position. Mix in the uncertainty of opening night basketball, and you have all the right conditions for a back and forth contest.
I was very pleased with our effort. We outrebounded a bigger team (44-37), had fewer turnovers (13 to 25), and shot several more free throws (23 to 5). All of these statistics support the notion that we outworked our opponent in several measurable areas. The one thing we did not do was shoot the ball well, particularly from three-point range. 3-28 is a nightmare, yet we were able to overcome it with tenacious offensive rebounding and second chance points. We have some very good shooters and I don't believe I am being overconfident when I say we will have much better shooting nights as the season progresses.
The most important part of the evening was that we found a way to win. In the preliminary game, our JV kids really sucked it up and held on against a physically aggressive opponent. I was very proud of their performance. Likewise, in the varsity game, we did what we needed to do to manufacture a win when a loss was certainly possible. Down the stretch, we made some adjustments and the kids made some plays and that was the difference. Even though we are young - just one senior - these girls are veteran ballplayers and they are going to get the job done. We have some stiff competition coming up in the next few weeks. I am anxious to see how we will improve and what sorts of accomplishments these girls can have.
I'll let you know how it goes...
I was very pleased with our effort. We outrebounded a bigger team (44-37), had fewer turnovers (13 to 25), and shot several more free throws (23 to 5). All of these statistics support the notion that we outworked our opponent in several measurable areas. The one thing we did not do was shoot the ball well, particularly from three-point range. 3-28 is a nightmare, yet we were able to overcome it with tenacious offensive rebounding and second chance points. We have some very good shooters and I don't believe I am being overconfident when I say we will have much better shooting nights as the season progresses.
The most important part of the evening was that we found a way to win. In the preliminary game, our JV kids really sucked it up and held on against a physically aggressive opponent. I was very proud of their performance. Likewise, in the varsity game, we did what we needed to do to manufacture a win when a loss was certainly possible. Down the stretch, we made some adjustments and the kids made some plays and that was the difference. Even though we are young - just one senior - these girls are veteran ballplayers and they are going to get the job done. We have some stiff competition coming up in the next few weeks. I am anxious to see how we will improve and what sorts of accomplishments these girls can have.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Friday, November 11, 2011
Misunderstanding
If anyone asks one of our players today if they are ready to play, the answer will almost certainly be "Yes!" Unfortunately, that's the wrong answer, or at least an answer out of context. Yes, I'm sure the girls are excited about playing. No, they are not ready. There's no way. From Day One of official practice, we have a limited number of sessions to do work on one or more of the following things: conditioning, ballhandling, passing and catching, shooting, rebounding, defensive work, footwork, installing offenses, installing defenses, transition game, out-of-bounds plays, presses, press breakers, and all the teaching that goes along with it.
To make it even more interesting, for one full week (of the three weeks we've been practicing), our leading scorer from last season has been touring college campuses around the Northeast with her junior class. So, we haven't been able to put anything new in this week. She gets back this afternoon and we play our opener tomorrow against Wayne. So...that might help you understand why I don't get too excited about the opening weeks of the season. We know what we're up against and we set a goal to get better every night through the season so we can be at our peak when the tournament rolls around. Winning and losing have much less significant ramifications in November than they do in February.
Of course, we're going to try to win, and I think we will win. But we're almost doing it with a handicap and that means we aren't going to be as sharp and prepared as one would like. Still, it's a great opportunity to find a way to win and trust me, finding ways to scratch out wins is an art and a necessary element to playing championship basketball. That's what we intend to do tomorrow and every time we take the floor -- find a way!
I'll let you know how it goes...
To make it even more interesting, for one full week (of the three weeks we've been practicing), our leading scorer from last season has been touring college campuses around the Northeast with her junior class. So, we haven't been able to put anything new in this week. She gets back this afternoon and we play our opener tomorrow against Wayne. So...that might help you understand why I don't get too excited about the opening weeks of the season. We know what we're up against and we set a goal to get better every night through the season so we can be at our peak when the tournament rolls around. Winning and losing have much less significant ramifications in November than they do in February.
Of course, we're going to try to win, and I think we will win. But we're almost doing it with a handicap and that means we aren't going to be as sharp and prepared as one would like. Still, it's a great opportunity to find a way to win and trust me, finding ways to scratch out wins is an art and a necessary element to playing championship basketball. That's what we intend to do tomorrow and every time we take the floor -- find a way!
I'll let you know how it goes...
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Jamboree
It sounds like so much fun, doesn't it? A Jamboree!! What are we talking about...a Boy Scout event? Maybe the Country Bear Jamboree at Disney? My grandpa always got the biggest kick out of that show. No, tonight's jamboree is none of the above, but it is going to be a fun time. It's our first action against players from other schools, specifically Columbia City and Huntington. We will play one quarter against each of them for a total of 16 minutes of action. There will be referees and we'll keep score, but it's not a real game, more of a glorified practice. As such, we will only plan to play seven players, sport the practice jerseys instead of our real uniforms, and won't be too excited either way by the results. We won't even have a full squad as our leading scorer from last season is on a class-sponsored college visitation. So, it will be more of a whetting of the appetite for the games that are to come.
We only have a minimum number of offensive and defensive schemes in place, so this will be more of an opportunity to go run around and break the monotony that invariably emerges from practicing against the same people at the same time in the same place for several days. No matter whether we "win" or "lose" or even tie (yes, that has happened in these scrimmage events), we hope to see the things that we are doing well and the ones that will require more attention when we get back into the gym tomorrow night. The Wayne game is looming Saturday - I hope we look like we know what is going on tonight.
I'll let you know how it goes...
We only have a minimum number of offensive and defensive schemes in place, so this will be more of an opportunity to go run around and break the monotony that invariably emerges from practicing against the same people at the same time in the same place for several days. No matter whether we "win" or "lose" or even tie (yes, that has happened in these scrimmage events), we hope to see the things that we are doing well and the ones that will require more attention when we get back into the gym tomorrow night. The Wayne game is looming Saturday - I hope we look like we know what is going on tonight.
I'll let you know how it goes...
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Homework
Earlier this week, I gave my basketball team a homework assignment. Not that they don't already have enough to do with Canterbury's challenging curriculum, but I wanted them to do some reading and thinking about how the game is played best.
The article I had them read is by former Duke star and current ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. He actually put words on paper a couple years ago and I've had this article since it first appeared on the ESPN website. The gist of the article is how to be a "tough" basketball player. It's not about the boastful, posturing, puffed-out-chest facade of toughness, but the essential skills, mindset, and grit that make a player better, both as an individual and as a teammate. Bilas details 33 different actions or characteristics of a "tough" player. It's an excellent article and provides food for thought for players and coaches alike.
I had each of my players identify - honestly - any of the 33 they felt that they demonstrated regularly. I asked them to select the three that they thought were most important. Finally, I encouraged them to pick three that they wanted to add to their games this season. I will collect and analyze the work and report back to them about the responses they generated. It should be interesting to see where each of them lands and where we see ourselves as a team. It will also give each of us an opportunity to improve our expectations and performances as individuals and as a group.
I went into this season with a personal goal to do more teaching. We have a very young squad with a lot of potential. So far, I think we have done a good job. My staff is excellent - instructors all - so I believe we will make great progress over the course of a long season, helping the girls understand and appreciate how to play the game better than they do right now. This homework assignment - it won't be the only one I give this year - is a good starting point.
The article I had them read is by former Duke star and current ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. He actually put words on paper a couple years ago and I've had this article since it first appeared on the ESPN website. The gist of the article is how to be a "tough" basketball player. It's not about the boastful, posturing, puffed-out-chest facade of toughness, but the essential skills, mindset, and grit that make a player better, both as an individual and as a teammate. Bilas details 33 different actions or characteristics of a "tough" player. It's an excellent article and provides food for thought for players and coaches alike.
I had each of my players identify - honestly - any of the 33 they felt that they demonstrated regularly. I asked them to select the three that they thought were most important. Finally, I encouraged them to pick three that they wanted to add to their games this season. I will collect and analyze the work and report back to them about the responses they generated. It should be interesting to see where each of them lands and where we see ourselves as a team. It will also give each of us an opportunity to improve our expectations and performances as individuals and as a group.
I went into this season with a personal goal to do more teaching. We have a very young squad with a lot of potential. So far, I think we have done a good job. My staff is excellent - instructors all - so I believe we will make great progress over the course of a long season, helping the girls understand and appreciate how to play the game better than they do right now. This homework assignment - it won't be the only one I give this year - is a good starting point.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Less is more
I have this phone that does everything but mow my lawn. It has internet, a camera, an alarm clock, over 500 of my favorite songs, a scanner, an e-book library, a calculator, a camcorder, GPS, FM radio, pictures, and access to every kind of social networking known to man. Oh right, I can also call people and they can call me. That's really all I need, but anymore, any gadget you buy seems to have 40 other gadgets included. Heck, I don't even know how to use most of them!
I have long been a proponent of the "less is more" philosophy. Until recently, I didn't consider why I believed it. It just made sense to me. Upon further review, I think it resonates with me because I appreciate simplicity. Life does not need to be complicated to be good. I think sometimes the newest innovations are little more than unnecessarily complex mechanisms used to accomplish (formerly) simple tasks.
Segue to basketball. I've got notebooks and binders and playbooks with hundreds of different offenses and sets and schemes. You can count the stuff we'll put in this year on two hands. It's consistent with my philosophy. We could install a bunch of stuff and run most of it poorly OR put in a few things and do them really well. It's like the familiar coaching maxim from John Wooden - "Don't confuse activity with accomplishment." I scouted an opponent a couple years ago and watched them run through 12 different plays against man-to-man defense. The final score was in the 40s, including an agonizingly bad overtime session. You can have all the complexity in the world, but if you can't pass and catch what difference does it make? Do the ordinary things extraordinarily well and you will be successful.
Did you hear that, Microsoft??
I have long been a proponent of the "less is more" philosophy. Until recently, I didn't consider why I believed it. It just made sense to me. Upon further review, I think it resonates with me because I appreciate simplicity. Life does not need to be complicated to be good. I think sometimes the newest innovations are little more than unnecessarily complex mechanisms used to accomplish (formerly) simple tasks.
Segue to basketball. I've got notebooks and binders and playbooks with hundreds of different offenses and sets and schemes. You can count the stuff we'll put in this year on two hands. It's consistent with my philosophy. We could install a bunch of stuff and run most of it poorly OR put in a few things and do them really well. It's like the familiar coaching maxim from John Wooden - "Don't confuse activity with accomplishment." I scouted an opponent a couple years ago and watched them run through 12 different plays against man-to-man defense. The final score was in the 40s, including an agonizingly bad overtime session. You can have all the complexity in the world, but if you can't pass and catch what difference does it make? Do the ordinary things extraordinarily well and you will be successful.
Did you hear that, Microsoft??
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