Bay State Games Game 3

Yesterday at 10 am we played the South-shore based Mass Ducks. They had two all 5th grade going in to 6th grade teams entered in the tournament out of their programs 8 teams in the correct age groups.

We faced the better of the two. This was their National 5th grade team who have played together YEAR-ROUND for two years. They practice twice a week during the school year and sometimes daily during the summer to prepare for important tournaments. They have players for all over the south shore and one whose parents drive 50 miles one way from RI. They have played more than 35 tournament games this year since March 2013 and will be playing in a national invitational tournament in Chicago this coming weekend.

This team beat the SNH Saints, who we played in our second game (and WE were competitive with), by over 20 points yesterday. They also went home with the Bay State Games gold.

The score board read 11 to 50.

I was proud of our girls for playing with heart and fighting to the end. We collected 18 rebounds, and  4 blocks. A player who has not attempted a shot in the tournament had 5 attempts. Four of the 10 who dressed for the game scored. We had 42 attempts and made 5 baskets from the floor.

It was a short game. We were so far behind at the end of the first half that the clock did not stop at all in the second, not even when the ball ended up way off court and took a while to retrieve.

My take away from the weekend is that we need much more work on our full court, helping, gap defending, man defense. The girls fall in to their TBA/CYO defensive training. My goal is to develop their defensive basics without allowing easy points. We will still get beat, most likely even often, but I am teaching the kids how to play correctly for the future.

Once they gain skill in shooting, ball handling and passing, making the easier shots and playing hard nose basic man defense, I will add a jump and run pressure defense and a 2/3 match up zone.

Ideally I like to have everyone score in most games, with 4 or 5 players per game reaching double figures and to limit the other team to one shot at the basket on each possession.

The teams we faced this weekend were a steeper mountain than any we have faced so far by either team in summer league. The summer league teams are for the most part, a steeper climb than we will face in the MetroWest Travel League.

This weekend we have climbed two steps toward the summit. We've years to reach the top.

Robin