Women’s Notebook - Coaches’ Corner #2 and other notes
By Stephen Zerdelian
Our first Coaches Corner column was published last month and covered the pre-season and early season period from a coaching perspective. This time around, the panel was asked about the current timeframe, around the holiday break. Most schools have dealt with exams and holiday travel (either as a team or individually) and have the bulk of their conference play straight ahead. (Please keep in mind that we stayed away from any pandemic-specific topics to keep it straightforward).
As a reminder, for privacy, the coaches’ names will not be revealed, although it is worth noting that none is currently employed at an East Region Division II institution.
Here are the questions and answers for this segment…
Is there any area you focus on as a staff when you do get a break (or a mini break) at this time of year?
Coach A:
During this break you may have four or five days off before a game so you can use it like a mini-camp and work on things that need improving. However, the most important thing is to get the team ready to play again and back in rhythm.
Coach B:
Ensuring that everyone involved has an opportunity to spend quality time with family, friends, etc. is important. With preseason workouts the players have not had the opportunity to do much of this in close to six months. Resting and recharging the body and mind were high priorities.
Coach C:
At our level (Division III), we get an actual break between the semesters of no basketball activity at all. We use this time to regroup mentally and physically. When the kids return to campus, we try to focus on adding in some of the things we just didn't have time to get to in the first semester such as zones, presses, special situation plays, etc.
What are some of the typical issues that seem to arise at this time of the season?
Coach A:
The big issue is does everyone make it back on time (and if late what do you do?). If there are travel issues such as a delayed flight or traffic, then that can be fine but sometimes players can be late, and you may have to have them come off the bench initially if they normally start. The other issue is if players did not play much in the first half of the season, they must work on conditioning or do rehab during the break and that can lead to possible injuries. We must balance it all off.
Coach B:
We want to make sure they get a chance to recharge but also don’t ignore their conditioning during the break. This can be a really important time to refresh while also trying to focus in on the forthcoming games. Some of this is the old rest vs. rust topic but since it’s been a long haul since the preseason, rest is the most important thing.
Coach C:
Making sure the kids get enough rest but also coming back in enough shape to be ready to start second semester.
Do you prefer time off for your players at this time of the season, and if so, what would be the ideal amount of time off?
Coach A:
Yes, a few days off can be beneficial. Four or five complete days off is the ideal break
Coach B:
Absolutely! Getting away from the the gym and off your feet for three or four days always seemed to feel right.
Coach C:
I like the time off for the team and I think ten days would be ideal.
Is there a specific re-assessment of the team regarding pre/early season goals or do you address that only when required?
Coach A:
Definitely. Adjustments can be made in team goals based on how you fared in your non-conference schedule.
Coach B:
We wouldn’t have a specific discussion on this topic. We usually stayed consistent with our goals, and they would be discussed many times throughout the basketball year.
Coach C:
Typically, we take stock of where we are at this point and compare it to where they wanted to be. We then ask the kids to reevaluate regarding both themselves individual and the team. If they are not where they want to be, we ask them why and then how they can get there.
-------------------------------
With all the schedule alterations (postponements and cancellations), the master schedule on this site is mostly just a guidepost at this point. In trying to get it updated the realization dawned that it will never be perfect. It has been updated today (at least as much as is known), so if you wish to use it, please do. However, if you’re looking day-to-day, I would recommend the scoreboard drop-down, since that will reflect actual changes as they are being made by the teams.
--------------------------------
Not a ton of games have been played recently but there have been a few since the schedule resumed… Kudos to Pace, who not only became the first team in the region into double digit wins (11-1) but are second in games played with 12 (Holy Family has played thirteen). The Setters prevailed in back-to-back games over the weekend, beating the College of Staten Island on Friday (75-52) before consolidating the top spot in the Northeast-10 Southwest Division with a 67-49 decision over Southern Connecticut. Lauren Schetter (50 points in the two contests) continues to sparkle for Pace, leading the way as they used well-timed runs to pull away in each game. A 15-0 second period burst helped them open a 46-28 halftime lead over CSI while a 17-5 surge in the third frame gave Pace the lead for keeps against SCSU. Banking wins without having a back-log of postponed contests will do Carrie Seymour’s team no harm as the calendar flips.
Post resumed play with a couple of good wins, going to AIC and pulling out a 72-68 decision and then hammering Holy Family (91-54) to keep their CACC record unblemished. Kyla Ramseur popped in 26 points (as a starter!) and Tai Pagan racked up a double-double (13 points, 12 boards) to spark the Eagles to the win at AIC. Post dominated the glass in that one (50-32), leading to 15 more shots (69-54 FGA) in a game marred by dreadful foul shooting (24-49 combined at the line). The Eagles kept the good times rolling against HFU, making 14-33 from three-point land and winning all four periods, negating a great game from Tiger Jenn Kokolus (25 points and 13 rebounds) in the process.
The last two winless teams in the region tipped off on December 30, when Nyack handed Queens an 87-77 setback to nail down their first victory. Carly Bolivar (27 points), Sarah Wilson (20 points, 10 assists) and Amani Levitan (20 points) all played well for the Warriors, who shot better than QC (51%-43% FG) and made eleven triples, neutralizing the Knights board dominance (52-27)… Two NE10 games played since the break resulted in wins for Saint Anselm and Le Moyne. The Hawks rode a 19-point, 11-board effort from Gabby Turco to turn back St. Michael’s, 67-44, while the Dolphins picked up a 71-61 win at AIC thanks to solid work from Emma Brinker (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Lytoya Baker (19 points)… Bentley, with games against Holy Family, Molloy, Sciences and Daemen all postponed in recent weeks, found a foe in nearby Division III MIT last week. The Falcons won the quickly arranged contest, 72-59, the rubber match in their series – the teams split in the 1975-’76 and 1976-’77 seasons but haven’t crossed paths since. There is a common link between the teams, though, as MIT head coach Lucia Robinson-Griggs played at Bentley, graduating in 2007.