Sean C. Morgan
Coach Steve Brown is emphasizing training in fundamentals and game situations and conditioning to help the varsity girls basketball team win games.
Coming off a two-win season last year, the Huskies are starting with a new coach – their fifth in four years.
Brown, who has been at Sweet Home High School as athletic director for two years, is drilling the girls to help them automate their response to game situations, he said. The team spends time daily on fundamentals. The players are dribbling, and they’re practicing form shooting and wall shooting, both of which have been weaknesses in the past.
Returning players with significant varsity experience are seniors Harlee Brendle and Haley Kent and juniors Jordan Miller and Caitlyn Gillespie.
They are joined by senior Molly Dadey, who has varsity experience; seniors Courtney Kent and Katie Virtue, who return after two years off from basketball; seniors Andrea Marsh and Amanda Hubbard; and juniors India Porter and Jessica Stockman.
Working the post position will be Miller, Brendle and Porter. Stockman also may play post, Brown said. “Although Haley Kent always thinks she’s a post player.”
Guards include Gillespie, Courtney Kent, Marsh and Virtue, who will probably play point, although that role will switch around, Brown said. Everyone will need to handle the ball well and be able to play post.
The team will run a motion offense, featuring a lot of cutting, picks and rolls and gives and gos, Brown said. “I want to get the ball inside or short to mid jumpers.”
To get there will take repetitive training in the fundamentals so the players are prepared for game situations, Brown said. Every day, the girls practice dribbling with both hands and with two balls. They’re jumping rope, and they’re shooting. Then they spend time working on individual position play.
His goal is to do a few things and do them well, he said. He wants to see the number of turnovers cut substantially, with the girls protecting the ball, dribbling without looking at the ball, staying open and rebounding.
“I’m excited,” Brown said. “After every practice I’m always a little more excited. We’re not going to be really big, but I’m hoping we’re going to be like flies – people are going to be swatting us away because we’re so aggressive. I’m just looking to start improving. Preseason is preseason. I’m looking at league. The league will be tough.”
Sisters and Cottage Grove will be strong, Brown predicts. The Lions always have some big girls, and Sweet Home already saw that in volleyball, in which they faced Cottage Grove in a season-ending play-in game.
Brown thinks the Huskies can compete in the tough league, he said.
“It just depends on if our girls begin to believe in themselves and work as a unit.”
“It’s going to be tough at the start,” Brown said. The pre-league schedule is tough, with teams such as Redmond and Ridgeview back-to-back to start the season.
Defensively, the Huskies will play pressure man-to-man, Brown said. They will play aggressively and run a half-court press.
“I think with the Kents and Virtue, they can hassle the heck out of people,” Brown said. “I’m hoping that we wear people down.”
Things are coming along well, and the Huskies will be in shape to do it, he said. “If you’re going to pressure the ball and have good defense, you have to be in shape.”
Being tired is when mistakes happen, Brown said.
The Kent twins and Virtue are very athletic, Brown said, and that’s big. Two of them didn’t play last year, but they’ll be fine.
“Virtue hasn’t lost a step,” Brown said. “Courtney too.”
Brendle will be tough inside, especially as she learns to use her size, Brown said. Miller is another athlete, and she’s tall.
“She’s a starter physically and skill-wise,” Brown said. “She’s one of the best, skill-wise.”
Brown expects a lot of Gillespie handing the ball around on offense and playing a tough defense.
Dadey is quick and could be a great defender, Brown said.
Porter and Stockman will be great motivators, fit in well and will get playing time, Brown said.
“It seems they’re a pretty good group of girls that support each other,” Brown said. Players are focused on the team, as opposed to worrying about playing time.
“The bottom line is we want to win,” Brown said. “The kids want to win. We win together, it’s better rather than individuals.”
Brown said he has enjoyed hanging out with this team in his first year coaching them. Change is hard, but he hopes to convince them the changes are good for the team.
“I’m here for Sweet Home, the school, them,” Brown said. “I love Sweet Home, and I want people to respect us not only for the way we treat them but for our sports teams.”
The JV includes junior Phoebe Olsen; sophomores Kaitlynn Autry, Josie Knight and Kayla Bennett; and freshmen Carissa Burge, Jasmine Johnston, Amanda King, Kaylee Lewis, and Melaney Wilson.
There were not enough girls out for basketball to form a JV 2 or freshman team.
Brown is assisted by Donna Miller. Josh Marvin is coaching JV.