It may have taken a good part of the first eight-minute quarter, but the varsity players on the Corvallis High girls basketball team began to get into a rythym on Saturday morning.
The varsity played against the junior varsity team and two assistant coaches in a controlled scrimmage with officials. They played a full four quarters in the format of a live game, then played another extended quarter to work more on offenses and defenses.
All-in-all, it was a productive morning for the players and coaches.
But they admitted there is a loooong way to go before the first game against West Salem on Dec. 4.
"We did OK, we definately have to keep on getting better," coach Joe Williamson said. "We are making a few too many mental errors like just dropping passes in our hands, things that we can control, not like a turnover because the defense is forcing us."
Senior post Karly Laney had the same thought.
"I think we played pretty well, but we just need to execute the plays better and also our turnovers, in a real game our turnovers would be killing us," she said. "For the most part we were communicating pretty well."
It was a good opportunity to work on running the offense against a defense that doesn't always know what is going to be run, like it does in practice.
It was nice so the players could, "get out there and see how you can fit a drive in, how to fit your shot in," junior Katie Schrock said.
Schrock had a strong showing working mostly at point guard with the absence of starter Gabe Johnson, who was back East watching her brother's final football game for Yale.
"At first it was really scary for me because i've been playing the last two years as guard and now I had to go in as point guard and it's like, it's been a while," Schrock said. "
Johnson's absence was a positive and a negative.
"Yeah, I mean its good for the other girls but it's not good for our team to not have her here," Williamson said. "We'll be ready to have her back on Monday."
Said Schrock: "(It is good) for me, Z (McKenzie Redberg) and Alaina (Adams) to be able to get out there. We have to get good timing and (used to) playing other positions. Then in a game if something happens we know we can handle it without her. But it would be really nice to have her here."
Having the officials at the game was a new wrinkle from practice as well.
"In practice you don't really call things or things aren't consistent so it's good to have a ref out here especially with the new guidelines and rules that came out so we know how they're going to be called so we can learn how to play with that during season," Schrock said.
It wasn't much fun for Laney, who was whistled for four fouls in the first half, at first. She managed to play solid in the second half and was only called for one more.
"Personally, a lot of the fouls were ticky tack fouls and I played pretty much the same intensity the second half," she said. "They just didn't call them at the end."
It will be a short week of practice with the Thanksgiving break eliminating practice on Thursday and Friday.
"I feel like we're in a good spot," Schrock said.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
High expectations
Expectations are going to be high for the Corvallis High girls basketball team this season.
The Spartans placed fourth in the state a year ago and return all but two players from that team, including four starters, tww of which were first-team all-Mid-Willamette Conferece selections.
Some of the players, like the Laney twins, don't want to look at the polls or rankings because they don't want to know what others are saying.
Others don't mind seeing the rankings and expectations, like coach Joe Williamson.
No matter the philosophy, it's always fun to talk about, even if you say it isn't.
"Anybody who says they don't care is clicheing you," Williamson said this past Monday.
Williamson said he doesn't mind being ranked high or having people talk about the expectations.
"It's just more pride in where the program's at," he explains.
And maybe it has something to do with his competitive nature. Williamson wants to win, even when he says he doesn't care. Like earlier this week -- Williamson was telling his team that he didn't care if they finished 5-5 during the nonconference part of the season. It was all about building to the MWC season and earning a trip to the postseason.
Then he changed his tune a bit, saying something close to, "forget what I said, being 0-2 would kill me. I am very competitve. I don't want to lose."
Then the mentioning of a possible 28-0 record was brought up. That would mean a perfect 10-0 nonconference season that comes against a tough slate of games that includes perennial power Willamette and others,as well as a trip to Malibu, Calif., for four games after Christmas. It just might be the most competitive schedule in all of 5A this season.
Then a 14-0 MWC campaign. The Spartans went 11-3 last year in conference play last year, but those three losses came by a total of 10 points. And with the most returners this year, a perfect campaign isn't out of the question. Of course, you have to come ready to play each game.
Then there is the postseason. A first-place finish in conference means a home game against a third- or fourth-place team which has already played a game, for a trip back to the Chiles Center. On paper, the top half of the state tournament bracket looks easier than the bottom (Jefferson and Willamette are on the bottom), but there is still a whole season to play and anything can happen.
Whether they want to look at rankings and polls or not, one thing the players need to do is have th belief that they are good enough to be mentioned as possible state champions, or a team that has the capability of making a lot of noise come the postseason.
"Play like a team that is supposed to win state," Williamson has encouraged them.
A year ago, I thought a state tournament appearance was a pipe dream. I just hoped they made the playoffs. It's a good thing I wasn't playing.
There is a long way to go and Williamson and the players know it. The first two weeks are just about over and the Spartans are less than two weeks away from their first game, at home against West Salem on Dec. 4.
The Spartans placed fourth in the state a year ago and return all but two players from that team, including four starters, tww of which were first-team all-Mid-Willamette Conferece selections.
Some of the players, like the Laney twins, don't want to look at the polls or rankings because they don't want to know what others are saying.
Others don't mind seeing the rankings and expectations, like coach Joe Williamson.
No matter the philosophy, it's always fun to talk about, even if you say it isn't.
"Anybody who says they don't care is clicheing you," Williamson said this past Monday.
Williamson said he doesn't mind being ranked high or having people talk about the expectations.
"It's just more pride in where the program's at," he explains.
And maybe it has something to do with his competitive nature. Williamson wants to win, even when he says he doesn't care. Like earlier this week -- Williamson was telling his team that he didn't care if they finished 5-5 during the nonconference part of the season. It was all about building to the MWC season and earning a trip to the postseason.
Then he changed his tune a bit, saying something close to, "forget what I said, being 0-2 would kill me. I am very competitve. I don't want to lose."
Then the mentioning of a possible 28-0 record was brought up. That would mean a perfect 10-0 nonconference season that comes against a tough slate of games that includes perennial power Willamette and others,as well as a trip to Malibu, Calif., for four games after Christmas. It just might be the most competitive schedule in all of 5A this season.
Then a 14-0 MWC campaign. The Spartans went 11-3 last year in conference play last year, but those three losses came by a total of 10 points. And with the most returners this year, a perfect campaign isn't out of the question. Of course, you have to come ready to play each game.
Then there is the postseason. A first-place finish in conference means a home game against a third- or fourth-place team which has already played a game, for a trip back to the Chiles Center. On paper, the top half of the state tournament bracket looks easier than the bottom (Jefferson and Willamette are on the bottom), but there is still a whole season to play and anything can happen.
Whether they want to look at rankings and polls or not, one thing the players need to do is have th belief that they are good enough to be mentioned as possible state champions, or a team that has the capability of making a lot of noise come the postseason.
"Play like a team that is supposed to win state," Williamson has encouraged them.
A year ago, I thought a state tournament appearance was a pipe dream. I just hoped they made the playoffs. It's a good thing I wasn't playing.
There is a long way to go and Williamson and the players know it. The first two weeks are just about over and the Spartans are less than two weeks away from their first game, at home against West Salem on Dec. 4.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Back to the court
Gabe Johnson was so excited that she could barely sit still as she waited for the first day of basketball practice.
Without school on Monday, the wait until 3:30 p.m. may have seemed even longer.
But for Johnson and the rest of the girls who hope to make up the varsity team for Corvallis High in 2008-09, the time finally came.
Whle it was time to reunite with teammates and introduce themselves to some new ones, it was also a time to put the success and good times of a memorable 2007-08 season behind them.
Sure, the Spartans surprised many in the basketball world with a share of the Mid-Willamette Conference title and a fourth-place finish in the OSAA 5A state tournament.
Johnson was honored as the co-player of the year and teammate McKenzie Redberg was a first-team all-conference selection. And Alaina Adams earned second-team honors and Katie Schrock was an honorable mention.
But none of that mattered starting Monday. Last year is just that -- last year.
Head coach Joe Williamson talked to the team as practice began and let them know he felt a bit nervous as he pulled into the parking lot and headed into the gym.
"I had nerves and butterflies, and I'm the coach," he told the players before they stretched and worked on some drills.
"It's a different season for all of you," he added. "Nothing is the same. It's not the same as last year. We must earn everything."
Ah, a true statement.
Many people are predicting the Spartans to be in the top four in state. With those expectations can come more pressure to succeed.
"We all know what we can do and we can all get better at what we do and we can learn more," Johnson said. "It's going to be a different experience because it is a new season.
Putting the past in the past isn't always an easy thing to do, however.
"It's a tough thing because we know what we're not supposed to do and what we should do," Johnson admitted. "At the same time, we will do what we can and get as far as we can."
Practice, from my perspective, looked pretty good. I loved seeing how much the girls had seemed to have improved since last season. The energy level was up for most of the girls.
"Like I told you, everyone looked spunky and all happy," Johnson said. "I think a lot of people right now are confident and just getting their spot and getting back into basketball."
So how will Johnson and her teammates feel come Tuesday morning after a two-hour practice?
"Ahhh," she said, "hopefully not sore."
Even if they are a bit sore, the Spatans have time to get in game shape. The opening game isn't until Dec. 4 when they host West Salem. That's 24 more days. I know I can't wait.
Without school on Monday, the wait until 3:30 p.m. may have seemed even longer.
But for Johnson and the rest of the girls who hope to make up the varsity team for Corvallis High in 2008-09, the time finally came.
Whle it was time to reunite with teammates and introduce themselves to some new ones, it was also a time to put the success and good times of a memorable 2007-08 season behind them.
Sure, the Spartans surprised many in the basketball world with a share of the Mid-Willamette Conference title and a fourth-place finish in the OSAA 5A state tournament.
Johnson was honored as the co-player of the year and teammate McKenzie Redberg was a first-team all-conference selection. And Alaina Adams earned second-team honors and Katie Schrock was an honorable mention.
But none of that mattered starting Monday. Last year is just that -- last year.
Head coach Joe Williamson talked to the team as practice began and let them know he felt a bit nervous as he pulled into the parking lot and headed into the gym.
"I had nerves and butterflies, and I'm the coach," he told the players before they stretched and worked on some drills.
"It's a different season for all of you," he added. "Nothing is the same. It's not the same as last year. We must earn everything."
Ah, a true statement.
Many people are predicting the Spartans to be in the top four in state. With those expectations can come more pressure to succeed.
"We all know what we can do and we can all get better at what we do and we can learn more," Johnson said. "It's going to be a different experience because it is a new season.
Putting the past in the past isn't always an easy thing to do, however.
"It's a tough thing because we know what we're not supposed to do and what we should do," Johnson admitted. "At the same time, we will do what we can and get as far as we can."
Practice, from my perspective, looked pretty good. I loved seeing how much the girls had seemed to have improved since last season. The energy level was up for most of the girls.
"Like I told you, everyone looked spunky and all happy," Johnson said. "I think a lot of people right now are confident and just getting their spot and getting back into basketball."
So how will Johnson and her teammates feel come Tuesday morning after a two-hour practice?
"Ahhh," she said, "hopefully not sore."
Even if they are a bit sore, the Spatans have time to get in game shape. The opening game isn't until Dec. 4 when they host West Salem. That's 24 more days. I know I can't wait.
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