We got just what we expected from New Haven last night. They are an experienced bunch and they came in with a 9-3 record. They play an unorthodox style that mixes aggressive attacks on the basket with in-your-face defense that's just physical enough to keep other teams off balance. We really had trouble finding our rhythm (again!) and while it seemed like we should be gradually easing away from them as the first half wore on, the exact opposite happened. We went into halftime behind 30-26 and wondering why we couldn't get anything going.
Despite the fresh start in the second half, we ended up falling further behind. We trailed by as many as nine points a couple different times in the third quarter and some visible frustration began to set in. Just that quickly, we went on a mini-run and had a chance to tie it up. New Haven scored a couple more times and it was back to six. Then we went on another little push and finally caught them. Once that happened, we exploded, rapidly moving our newfound lead into double digits. New Haven was physically spent and we had no trouble managing the lead from that point forward. The final score was 72-60. We scored 46 points in the second half alone, but gave up way too many in doing that.
I was pleased to win two of the three first games back from Christmas. Given the long layoff and the strength of our competition, that seemed like a fair goal. the only real disappointment came in the form of Concordia's win 59-53 over Elmhurst last night. I have trouble understanding why Elmhurst is so inconsistent, but they played awfully well against us! That loss still gnaws at the girls a little bit, but we gained some things from the experience and we'll use those lessons as we move forward through the season.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A tale of two polls
The latest state rankings are out and they paint an unusual picture. The coaches' poll places us a step down this week at #3, behind Vincennes Rivet and Barr-Reeve. We started the season at #1, fell to #2 after losing to Mooresville (currently the 2nd-ranked team in all classes), then slipped again this week after losing at Elmhurst (the reigning 3A state champions).
Contrast that decline to our move upward to #30 in the entire state in the objective Sagarin computer rankings. That is our highest appearance ever in that particular ratings system. We are ranked above all schools in both 1A and 2A. We've played the strongest schedule of any 1A team and are 2-2 against teams ranked in the top 64. The two teams above us in the coaches poll haven't even played a team in the top 64, much less beaten two of them. So, we continue to trust our schedule and chuckle quietly about the relative lack of respect we receive from the 1A coaches on the weekly poll.
The past two years we were ranked #9 and #7 coming into the tournament and carried home that big hunk of trophy from the state championship game. That's our goal again and it doesn't really matter if we're even ranked at all. We'll let the others continue to pad their records by beating up on inferior competition while we try to identify and address our weaknesses as we go toe to toe with some of the really good teams in the state.
Contrast that decline to our move upward to #30 in the entire state in the objective Sagarin computer rankings. That is our highest appearance ever in that particular ratings system. We are ranked above all schools in both 1A and 2A. We've played the strongest schedule of any 1A team and are 2-2 against teams ranked in the top 64. The two teams above us in the coaches poll haven't even played a team in the top 64, much less beaten two of them. So, we continue to trust our schedule and chuckle quietly about the relative lack of respect we receive from the 1A coaches on the weekly poll.
The past two years we were ranked #9 and #7 coming into the tournament and carried home that big hunk of trophy from the state championship game. That's our goal again and it doesn't really matter if we're even ranked at all. We'll let the others continue to pad their records by beating up on inferior competition while we try to identify and address our weaknesses as we go toe to toe with some of the really good teams in the state.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Back on track
After a tough loss against a very good Elmhurst team, we wanted to get back to our winning ways. The problem was that our next opponent was Concordia. They were sitting at 10-2 for the season and ranked #22 in the Sagarin computer rankings. That's even above Elmhurst's #27 rank. We knew it would be a battle of styles; they are patient and fundamentally sound. They are very willing to win the low-scoring game. They play great team defense, maybe the best we'll see all year, and only yield 35 points a game.
On the other hand, we wanted to push the tempo and make them run with us for 32 minutes. Our calculus would be that by the fourth quarter, we would have sapped their energy and the pace of the game would favor our style. We were able to accomplish that goal and, in the end, it played out just as we had hoped. We stretched a four-point halftime lead to six at the end of the third. Forced to shoot the three-point shot against our zone, Concordia was unable to find the mark. Nor were they able to get back in transition as we heated up our running game. The final score was 58-44. Even though we weren't able to match our season offensive average, only one other team has scored more points against Concordia in a game this year.
Tabitha showed signs of finding her form, scoring 28 points to go with 12 rebounds. This performance was in spite of some suspect offensive foul calls, three in all, that were whistled against her. Bailey chipped in with nine, mostly from her favorite baseline shots. Becky found her range a bit offensively as well with 8. We limited IU-bound point guard Andrea Newbauer to 12 points, most of those hard-earned. It was a great team effort on the road against a very good team.
We have now avenged three of our four losses from last year (South Side, Wawasee, Concordia), and we didn't play the fourth team (Carmel) this season. The kids are beginning to really pull it together and our teaching is being done at a higher level - we still discuss Xs and Os, but we're also focusing on reading the game, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of opponents, and individual skill work that fits into the larger team concept. We've only played half of our regular season games now - I am very excited about the growth that is still possible in the second half of the season!
On the other hand, we wanted to push the tempo and make them run with us for 32 minutes. Our calculus would be that by the fourth quarter, we would have sapped their energy and the pace of the game would favor our style. We were able to accomplish that goal and, in the end, it played out just as we had hoped. We stretched a four-point halftime lead to six at the end of the third. Forced to shoot the three-point shot against our zone, Concordia was unable to find the mark. Nor were they able to get back in transition as we heated up our running game. The final score was 58-44. Even though we weren't able to match our season offensive average, only one other team has scored more points against Concordia in a game this year.
Tabitha showed signs of finding her form, scoring 28 points to go with 12 rebounds. This performance was in spite of some suspect offensive foul calls, three in all, that were whistled against her. Bailey chipped in with nine, mostly from her favorite baseline shots. Becky found her range a bit offensively as well with 8. We limited IU-bound point guard Andrea Newbauer to 12 points, most of those hard-earned. It was a great team effort on the road against a very good team.
We have now avenged three of our four losses from last year (South Side, Wawasee, Concordia), and we didn't play the fourth team (Carmel) this season. The kids are beginning to really pull it together and our teaching is being done at a higher level - we still discuss Xs and Os, but we're also focusing on reading the game, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of opponents, and individual skill work that fits into the larger team concept. We've only played half of our regular season games now - I am very excited about the growth that is still possible in the second half of the season!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Elmhurst 68 Canterbury 56
We just couldn't get it done tonight at Elmhurst. They shot it very well in the first half, despite a pretty decent defensive effort. We made them work hard each possession, but too often they got the shot they wanted from the shooter they wanted. We ran the floor well in transition, but didn't have a lot to show for it as we trailed 39-29 at half.
We came out in the second half intent on playing the same style, but with better results. Instead, we suffered through a painfully bad shooting quarter and the game really got away from us. Warriors to the end though, the kids battled back in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to nine, but were never able to get any closer.
Aside from the nice stretch of play in the fourth quarter, we were out of sync for much of the night and weren't able to find a good rhythm. There were lots of good things to consider though. I thought we attacked the basket very well most of the night. We outrebounded them 37-29. We shot more free throws 23-13. We were fairly effective against their full-court pressure.
I also know that we will not see another team like Elmhurst the rest of the year. With a lightning-quick point guard who has verbally committed to Wisconsin and a 6'2" post who is headed to Purdue, they beat us with sheer star power. I know we have some solid teams ahead on the schedule, but I can't see anyone playing us tougher than Elmhurst did tonight.
We will get back on the horse and start getting ready for Concordia Saturday afternoon. Their style will be quite different from Elmhurst, but they also have a D1 point guard, Andrea Newbauer, who is headed to Indiana. They guard you like crazy and we'll be hard-pressed to score the way we like to score. Hopefully, we can get back on the winning track and start setting our sights on the rest of the teams on our schedule.
We came out in the second half intent on playing the same style, but with better results. Instead, we suffered through a painfully bad shooting quarter and the game really got away from us. Warriors to the end though, the kids battled back in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to nine, but were never able to get any closer.
Aside from the nice stretch of play in the fourth quarter, we were out of sync for much of the night and weren't able to find a good rhythm. There were lots of good things to consider though. I thought we attacked the basket very well most of the night. We outrebounded them 37-29. We shot more free throws 23-13. We were fairly effective against their full-court pressure.
I also know that we will not see another team like Elmhurst the rest of the year. With a lightning-quick point guard who has verbally committed to Wisconsin and a 6'2" post who is headed to Purdue, they beat us with sheer star power. I know we have some solid teams ahead on the schedule, but I can't see anyone playing us tougher than Elmhurst did tonight.
We will get back on the horse and start getting ready for Concordia Saturday afternoon. Their style will be quite different from Elmhurst, but they also have a D1 point guard, Andrea Newbauer, who is headed to Indiana. They guard you like crazy and we'll be hard-pressed to score the way we like to score. Hopefully, we can get back on the winning track and start setting our sights on the rest of the teams on our schedule.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmas break
As we roll into the last days of 2009, our record sits at a very respectable 7-1. Following our impressive win over sectional rival Blackhawk Christian Friday night, we are counting our blessings and looking forward to some exciting challenges in January. But first, a brief recap of the Blackhawk game...
Leading 13-12 early in the second quarter, we were showing the effects of a short week of practice, disrupted by final exams. Blackhawk was doing some nice things offensively and we weren't able to find the mark in the first few minutes. Then we scored the next 35 points in a row.
Midway through the third quarter, when our opponents finally cracked the scoring column for the first time since the opening seconds of the second stanza, we had amassed a 48-12 lead. It's almost ridiculous to consider how dominant we were in that stretch of time. Offensively, defensively, rebounding, running in transition -- it's hard to imagine playing much better. Everyone was contributing in one way or another. I began clearing the bench late in the third quarter and we played primarily swing players in the fourth. All but one of the girls scored and, when it was over, we rolled to a 78-36 win.
At this point, we are the #9 ranked offensive unit in the state at 68 ppg. However, more pleasing to me is the fact that we have limited our last four opponents to less than 40 points. I was disappointed with our defensive organization early in the season; I feel a lot better about it now!
When we come back from Christmas, we open first with Elmhurst then a few days later we see Concordia. Those are perhaps the top two teams in the SAC. They provide different sorts of challenges. Elmhurst is very athletic, a proven winner, and will likely be poised to gain revenge for the beating we gave them last year. Concordia is a very solid team fundamentally with no weaknesses at either end of the floor. Winning either of those games will be a nice accomplishment given our relative inactivity over the next two weeks. We will be working out, but they will be playing games. There's a difference trying to stay sharp - hopefully, we can find our rhythm early and compete well against both of them.
We had the girls out last night for a Christmas party. They enjoyed the evening, eating and watching last year's state championship together. I really, really like my team. We have high hopes for the rest of the season. If we can stay healthy, I think the fun's just beginning...
Merry Christmas everyone!
Leading 13-12 early in the second quarter, we were showing the effects of a short week of practice, disrupted by final exams. Blackhawk was doing some nice things offensively and we weren't able to find the mark in the first few minutes. Then we scored the next 35 points in a row.
Midway through the third quarter, when our opponents finally cracked the scoring column for the first time since the opening seconds of the second stanza, we had amassed a 48-12 lead. It's almost ridiculous to consider how dominant we were in that stretch of time. Offensively, defensively, rebounding, running in transition -- it's hard to imagine playing much better. Everyone was contributing in one way or another. I began clearing the bench late in the third quarter and we played primarily swing players in the fourth. All but one of the girls scored and, when it was over, we rolled to a 78-36 win.
At this point, we are the #9 ranked offensive unit in the state at 68 ppg. However, more pleasing to me is the fact that we have limited our last four opponents to less than 40 points. I was disappointed with our defensive organization early in the season; I feel a lot better about it now!
When we come back from Christmas, we open first with Elmhurst then a few days later we see Concordia. Those are perhaps the top two teams in the SAC. They provide different sorts of challenges. Elmhurst is very athletic, a proven winner, and will likely be poised to gain revenge for the beating we gave them last year. Concordia is a very solid team fundamentally with no weaknesses at either end of the floor. Winning either of those games will be a nice accomplishment given our relative inactivity over the next two weeks. We will be working out, but they will be playing games. There's a difference trying to stay sharp - hopefully, we can find our rhythm early and compete well against both of them.
We had the girls out last night for a Christmas party. They enjoyed the evening, eating and watching last year's state championship together. I really, really like my team. We have high hopes for the rest of the season. If we can stay healthy, I think the fun's just beginning...
Merry Christmas everyone!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Canterbury 63 Bethany Christian 32
On the day when we moved to #29 in the Sagarin ratings - our highest ranking ever - we traveled to Waterford Mills to play our first sectional opponent of the season, Bethany Christian. We only have three 1A teams on our schedule, all schools in our sectional, and I think we were expecting for them to go a little more quietly than they did. They gave us a good battle for two quarters, but a defensive adjustment and some red-hot scoring from Becky sealed the deal in the third quarter. We coasted in from there and finished another good week of play with a record of 6-1.
We talked in practice Friday about how Bethany wanted to slow the game down, pack the box with a 2-3 zone, and try to keep us from getting up and down the floor the way we had vs. Whitko and Wawasee. True to form, they dared us to shoot the outside shot and patiently tried to execute their halfcourt offense. We hit a couple threes, but not nearly enough to shoot them out of their zone. In addition, we only had one trip to the free throw line (we've averaged nearly 30 attempts/game on the season), so our halftime talk consisted of strategies to successfully handle this type of grind-it-out style of game. We know most teams are not going to want to try to run with us, so I expect to see more of this in the future. The nice thing is, we have so many offensive weapons and you're not going to shut them all down. Today was Becky's day, as she put up a career-high 16 points. Tab and Cassie were also in double digits, Paige was a point away with 9 and Bailey would have been there if she had gotten a couple more shots to fall (or gotten a couple calls around the basket). We're the #14 team in the state in offensive average, but I've been just as pleased in recent games with our defensive prowess, holding teams in the 30s the past three nights.
We also took some stock in our season today by looking at some of our earlier opponents. Mooresville, our only loss, is ranked #15 in the country in this week's USA Today poll. South Side destroyed 2A #1 Bishop Luers last night by 20. Wawasee won two games this weekend. Whitko bounced back with a good win last night. By any measure, our body of work has been pretty good so far, and we still have lots of room for improvement. Even though a game like this one today may seem like a bit of a step back, it really just gives us a little more experience in playing different styles, an important part of our stated goals as we prepare for the post-season. At the end of the day, it was still a 31-point win, and that ain't too shabby.
The girls will take a brief hiatus now for Exam Week, something that kids at most schools will not endure, at least to the degree Canterbury students do. It takes a lot of preparation and concentration and basketball will rightly take a back seat for a few days. Then, it will be time for another sectional opponent, a rivalry game with Blackhawk Christian on Friday. At the end of a long and grueling week of testing, I hope the girls are ready to break loose on the basketball court and finish the first part of our season in style by earning their seventh win.
We talked in practice Friday about how Bethany wanted to slow the game down, pack the box with a 2-3 zone, and try to keep us from getting up and down the floor the way we had vs. Whitko and Wawasee. True to form, they dared us to shoot the outside shot and patiently tried to execute their halfcourt offense. We hit a couple threes, but not nearly enough to shoot them out of their zone. In addition, we only had one trip to the free throw line (we've averaged nearly 30 attempts/game on the season), so our halftime talk consisted of strategies to successfully handle this type of grind-it-out style of game. We know most teams are not going to want to try to run with us, so I expect to see more of this in the future. The nice thing is, we have so many offensive weapons and you're not going to shut them all down. Today was Becky's day, as she put up a career-high 16 points. Tab and Cassie were also in double digits, Paige was a point away with 9 and Bailey would have been there if she had gotten a couple more shots to fall (or gotten a couple calls around the basket). We're the #14 team in the state in offensive average, but I've been just as pleased in recent games with our defensive prowess, holding teams in the 30s the past three nights.
We also took some stock in our season today by looking at some of our earlier opponents. Mooresville, our only loss, is ranked #15 in the country in this week's USA Today poll. South Side destroyed 2A #1 Bishop Luers last night by 20. Wawasee won two games this weekend. Whitko bounced back with a good win last night. By any measure, our body of work has been pretty good so far, and we still have lots of room for improvement. Even though a game like this one today may seem like a bit of a step back, it really just gives us a little more experience in playing different styles, an important part of our stated goals as we prepare for the post-season. At the end of the day, it was still a 31-point win, and that ain't too shabby.
The girls will take a brief hiatus now for Exam Week, something that kids at most schools will not endure, at least to the degree Canterbury students do. It takes a lot of preparation and concentration and basketball will rightly take a back seat for a few days. Then, it will be time for another sectional opponent, a rivalry game with Blackhawk Christian on Friday. At the end of a long and grueling week of testing, I hope the girls are ready to break loose on the basketball court and finish the first part of our season in style by earning their seventh win.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Blessings
Yesterday, several of the girls, plus Chief and I, trekked over to Fairfield Elementary School to pack bags for the Blessings in a Backpack program. It's a very good opportunity for us to give back to the community, particularly to those in need. The program provides various food pantry items that go home with each child on Fridays. It helps supplement their nutritional needs on Saturday and Sunday, when they don't have the school lunch to depend on. Canterbury has been involved for the past two years, last year working with South Wayne Elementary School. More information about the Blessings in a Backpack program can be found here: http://blessingsinabackpack.org/
With final exams looming in the distance (next week), our focus is not as good as it could be. However, these kids are such terrific students, I can only marvel somedays with their ability to keep all the balls in the air, so to speak. We will back off after the game tomorrow and let them concentrate fully on their preparation for Exam Week. Basketball becomes a diversion - a way to let off some steam after a tough day of testing. We won't practice Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday will be optional. We'll get back to business Thursday after the last tests are written. By Friday, we'll be mentally drained, so we'll need to find a way to get ourselves prepared to play Blackhawk in our last contest before Christmas break.
With final exams looming in the distance (next week), our focus is not as good as it could be. However, these kids are such terrific students, I can only marvel somedays with their ability to keep all the balls in the air, so to speak. We will back off after the game tomorrow and let them concentrate fully on their preparation for Exam Week. Basketball becomes a diversion - a way to let off some steam after a tough day of testing. We won't practice Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday will be optional. We'll get back to business Thursday after the last tests are written. By Friday, we'll be mentally drained, so we'll need to find a way to get ourselves prepared to play Blackhawk in our last contest before Christmas break.
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