We ARE improving

Both Summer teams played the same 7th grade National Sting AAU team. The Sting team draws top players from around the Metrowest. They travel the east coast playing in tournaments and have done so year round for two years.

BOTH Destroyers teams played well in spurts against them. Our kids, only used to only facing man to man,  struggled playing against a zone.

Our defense has improved nicely from last week to this week. We will get better and better each game. The girls seem to be catching on to full court man to man defense. In the second game our defense cause the coach to use up most of her time outs.

We moved the ball well and stuck to our offensive principles and spacing. Getting the ball in to the basket was a challenge for both Destroyer teams. I must work harder on getting our girls to attack. They still will pass the ball out of the attack zone when open.

Our lack of scoring prowess is the reason I am bringing in a shooting coach, Paul Hoover, on July 26. If you have not already signed up your basketball player, do so ASAP. The clinic is limited to 36 players. There are only 3 or 4 spots still open. To reserve a spot, email me directly.

I had one parent complain tonight about his daughter's lack of playing time. I told him that I don't expect much to change. My goal is to get players in as equally as I can. One team has 15 players. The other has 17. With 14 minute halves, there isn't much playing time to go around.

And if we are behind by 20 or more - as we have been in every game so far - the mercy rule kicks in and the clock doesn't stop. Which means the game is over even quicker. Tonight I talked to the league rep about ignoring the mercy rule in the future so that we can get more players in at the end of the game. Upcoming vacations also will help somewhat.

Friday night scrimmages were started to increase the opportunities for playing time. Last Friday 13 players out of 35 showed up and played an average of 90 minutes each. You could see the difference in those players' defense from last week's game to this one.

Another upcoming opportunity for minutes and touches on the ball is the 3 on 3 tournament Aug 3 and 4. So far I have enough players signed up to have two teams of 4. If your player is worried about a lack of playing time or touches on the ball, I recommend this tournament.