GL vs MP2

Well I just got home from GL’s game against MP2. The good news was that before our game, NF was playing MP in 4A. MP is HP’s 4A opponent tomorrow so I got some scouting time in.

Before the game I decided to go with “hockey subs” for the first half. I figured that MP2 shouldn’t be as good as us and so I wanted to make sure that all of my players got some quality playing time. I decided I was going to sell it to the team as the idea that we didn’t play all that intensely last weekend and so this would give them the chance to be intense for 2-3 minutes. I wanted to see all out ball for the time.

The first quarter went well with our team scoring numerous transition baskets. However, we were fouling like crazy. In the second quarter we didn’t do well responding to their press at all, turning it over numerous times which lead to a lot of easy baskets. After being up virtually the entire first quarter we entered half time down by 1.

At half time I talked about how in MP couldn’t keep up with us and so that the second they got the rebound or the ball they should be thinking about getting it up court. It was the 3rd quarter that made all the difference. They couldn’t sink a shot nor could they ever seem to setup on defense before we’d gotten back. They only scored 1 in the quarter but that was due more to misses than our being good. Our 14 points, however, was not luck. I felt real good entering the 4th up now 29-17.

I gave lots of playing time to Cameron, Tom, Andrew, and Jack M who’d gotten less playing time than they deserve in other games. David only saw about 1 and half minutes in the 4th yet still managed to score 4 points. They made a nice little mini-comeback in the last minute of the game, narrowing our lead from 10-7, but even then I had one of my weakest 5 out there.

All in all a good solid victory. In fact it’s our game all season where I felt like we were in control, except for the second quarter. And I think a big part of that was the hockey subs. In the 3rd when we made our run, we were fresh and ready to go. They, however, had exhausted themselves with their press in the second. If I’d wanted we could have won a lot more, but like I said I gave lots of playing time to players who hadn’t played as much.

This was the sort of solid victory I wanted, and expected, heading into tomorrow’s must-win against LV.

MP2 Playoff Game

We were feeling good. The team was supremely confident, already asking about the championship. I reminded them we had a very tough, but winnable, game in front of us. I had a brainstorm driving home the day before. We needed more action at point guard when Jack M wasn’t going to be in. I had decided not to start Jack because he had missed the day before (for understandable reasons but still felt I should give the nod to a kid who’d been there). This meant I needed a starting point guard. My brainstorm was simple: I would start Scott at point. There was no reason to believe that he couldn’t do an excellent job.

So when Scott gets there I pull him aside and tell him that I need him to take one for the team and for him to play point. He tells me that he can’t do it. I tell him I’m not going to force him to do it and explain why I think he would be good. He still thinks he can’t. I apply a little more pressure but he stands firm that he can’t do it.

A big plus to this plan is that I wanted to have Dante, Lucas, and Scott all on the floor at the same time. I decide that I still want this threesome on the floor and so I put in Jack P as point, Noah or Gordie (can’t remember) in at the other guard, Lucas at wing, Dante at center and Scott at power forward.

Defensively, I tell Jack that he is to guard the kid the team has nicknamed “temper”. That he is not to worry about playing help defense but is instead not to leave his man. I am pretty confident if we take away him out of the game we’ll be in a far stronger position.

The early part of the game goes well for us. They come out in a zone clearly designed to take away inside shots. But that turns out not to be a problem as we are hot from the outside. Dante gets several open shots and he makes them scoring 6 points quickly for us. We have less luck as we try to force it into Scott inside.

While this cools down it does force them to guard us outside. We continue our patient ways. We are doing a nice half court offense, but I would prefer to be running more.

Overall the game goes well for us until the end of the third quarter. We had been up by 4 when they go on a run even taking a brief lead before we tie it back up to end the quarter. My speech at the end of the quarter is that we just saw the best that they had to offer. This turns out not to be entirely true. I have a good group of five out there, having made sure Tom, Gordie, and Noah all had played at least a quarter, but they still extend their lead. We have, however, taken their best guard out of the game as he just can’t stop crying so that’s something in our favor. The kid really hadn’t done anything wrong, but instead just seems to have cracked under the pressure. It was a shame to see.

Anyhow MP2 does manage to come out and take a lead of four. I call a time out with about 2 minutes to go. I explain we simply need two good possessions to tie the game. And bam we come out of the time out, score quickly, get the ball back after some good defense, and score again. Game is tied. A little seesawing and we then take the lead. We basically trade baskets for the rest of the game and we come out with a win.

These poor kids were crying. It was kind of sad really. They had played a great game, but we managed to squeak out the win. And we deserved it. While the game was close, I felt like we were not only the better team in general but had played better that day. We shook hands and were now on our way to the championship.

Tourney Report: Game 1 vs. HP (A Team)

The day of the tournament was finally here. I get to the facility nice and early. I have two games to chose from watching, with HP playing in one and MP2 in the other (I had originally thought it would be MP1 in this tourney, but evidentially not). I decided to watch the HP game and while I did so I decided to keep stats myself, just to see how hard/easy it is to do. One of the parents there and I started talking. HP was playing this team called Karzen, which turns out to be their coach’s name. The team I was watching, in the B conference, were really mostly 3rd graders, with their connection being attendance at a tennis facility in a nearby suburb. I later learned that this was their first game, which you would never know. However, while I was watching HP has handling them easily.

Right on time, my team started to arrive. The HP team had already arrived much earlier (why do kids need to be 45 minutes early to a game at their own facility?) and we established that I was to be the home team. This caused some consternation from the HP team, as they figured since they were at home they’d be home, but it was agreed we’d wear our home jerseys as it was scheduled.

As I’m sitting there, who should arrive, but Michael. Michael, for those of you who didn’t read my dynasty, and I had a long meeting at the end of the baseball season. The baseball season had not been particularly well run and I had written a long letter with very constructive suggestions for the future. Michael was the boss, at the time, of the person who ran the baseball league. We talked for a moment, with him being surprised o see me, as he knew I wasn’t an HP coach, but I explained I was coaching Glencoe. Then, in a moment which is VERY unlike me, I said “And we’re going to win your tournament.” Did I really believe this? Not so much, but the words came flowing out of my mouth.

We finally get to game time. It is clear from the start that this will be a good game. We get off to a quick 2-0 lead before falling behind. I somehow messed up my sub sheet and so I end up winging it. The game is fairly low scoring in the first 6-8 minutes, remembering that we’re playing two 20 minute halves with a running clock which only stops in the final two minutes of a half or for a time-out. The game opens up a bit after that and HP pulls ahead, by as many as 4 or 5. However, right before half we narrow the gap and on a late shot we actually pull ahead by a point.

At half time, I remind them that we can be a great second half team. I feel confident that this game is one we can win. They’re a good team, but we do tend to do better in the second half. We go out there and it’s neck and neck for a while. Just as we look to be pulling ahead, we hit a brick wall and HP comes roaring back. Highland Park pulls up by 5. Despite our best efforts we end up losing by 3. It was a disappointing loss to be sure, since this was a team we could have beaten.

We were not the happiest team in the world after this loss. And there was a fair amount of anxiety over the fact that our next opponent was the JCC. It was hard to think that we wouldn’t start of the tourney 0-2.

Luckily we had a little over an hour to kill before our game. I took in a game between HP and MP2. HP, despite having a comfortable lead going into the second half of their first game, ended up losing the game in OT. HP never bounces back and gets destroyed by MP2. It was a bit of awful sportsmanship as the final score was something like 51-19 and unlike some of our lopsided victories, MP2 played all out the whole game, though they did have their reserves in the game for most of the second half. It really made me mad to see them so needlessly run up the score.

The game on the court we were to play on finally ended and we started to warm-up against our foes, JCC.

Sorry for the slowness of this update. I hope to have the JCC update tomorrow. I do promise to be caught up before our next game on Sunday (no practice Friday).

Spartans vs. MP2

Well yesterday was going to be where the rubber met the road. We were going to face MP2. Their park district facility was HUGE and was very nice. We were playing on one of their gyms. When I got there some kids soccer team was finishing their practice. They were supposed to be done by 11:30, but didn’t end up finishing until 11:50, which was fine. The first thing we did once we got the court was to run through our inbounds place, with no defense, once with everybody (so in two groups). They ran the play well so that was good.

As we did our lay-up lines I realized just what awful form we have while shooting lay-ups. It’s no surprise we can’t make them in a game when we can’t really shoot them. And thinking back on it, I realized that we never did spend time on them in practice. I think it’s going to be layup boot camp this week at practice. Our poor layups continued in the game with Dante missing three easy layups and Jack M missing many an easy layup. In fact Jack M took 9 shots during the game and made ZERO of them.

MP2 is a big team compared to us. In fact their center is HUGE for a 4th grader. With Dante not starting I worry about his ability to just absolutely dominate us. Fortunately, he turns out to be a bit of an oaf and is pretty much a non-factor while in the game.

The game begins. I decided to give Lucas the start so we had a starting lineup of Lucas at 5, Scott at the 4, Jack P at 3, David at 2, Jack M at 1. As is usual we get off to a slow start. We also have trouble matching up. This would be a problem that would plague us throughout the game. I think that one of the reasons for this is that the numbers on the front of their jerseys were small and on the shoulder. This made it harder when I told some players to switch, which I did more than in other games, and when they subbed as such. It wasn’t a huge problem, but it was certainly an issue.

Anyhow, right off the bat it becomes clear from their first possession that they have a PG, #3, who is UNBELIEVABLY fast. He is also short. In fact he might have been shorter than all of the players on our team, and let’s not forget we’re a short team. After that first possession, which resulted in a lay-up, I quickly assign David to guard him. Our first possession down, we, without running our zone breaker, quickly destroy their 2-3. Unfortunately, we take 3 good, open, shots, and fail to convert any of them before they get a rebound.

At first, it looks like we’re going to be in real trouble. They have guys who can make outside shots. They have this killer point guard. They run a good play, with a couple of variations. However, as the first quarter goes on we slowly pull ahead. And there is one reason for it: David. When I told my dad after our last game that he was our best player, my Dad was somewhat dumb founded. And I don’t blame him. In the NF2 game David didn’t really do much of anything. This game, however, he just took over. Besides shutting down #3, he also created numerous fast break opportunities. He ended the game with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals in 22 minutes of play.

When the second quarter starts David is exhausted and so I take him out for a breather. I assign Jack P to guard #3 and he does a nice job. Because of the speed of their team, I decide we will not try and press them at all. They do come out with a press. We struggle at first with it, almost to the point where I was going to call a time-out, but then things start to click for us and we are able to break it. Also, I’m proud that we forced them to switch to man to man during this quarter as we’d been getting so many good shots against their zone.

When the half comes we are comfortably ahead, by about 7, but the intensity of a game would suggest a much closer score (remembering that 7 is a lot of points for 4th graders). At half I diagram the play that they have been running. The play is quite simply a series of picks. Something must have clicked because in the 3rd quarter we held them to only 2 points. It was our best defensive effort of the season. We go up by about 14. Their best shooter, #12, was clearly frustrated by our defense. So frustrated he started crying. Why the coaches kept a player in the game who was crying is beyond me. Sub out the kid, let him compose himself and then send him back out on the court. His frustration almost caused an injury when he stupidly crashed into Brian chasing a ball at the end of the 3rd quarter.

When the 4th quarter comes we are on the verge of being able to dominate the game. I send out a slightly weaker unit to start the 4th quarter. However, their press, which was pretty good in the second, is now very good. It also doesn’t help that we can’t make any of our lay-ups. The momentum seems to be swinging back in their favor. However, we are able to reassert ourselves and though it gets to with-in 9 that is as close as it gets. We end the game with a solid victory. I wish I could tell you the final score, but I forgot that since it was an away game our book wasn’t being used and I needed to write down the final score. We won by about 11.

Overall, it was a good performance. The final score, whatever it may be, does not indicate how close a game it felt. Gordie’s step dad said as much as we left the gym, so I clearly was not the only person who felt that way. However, the fact that we won by as we did, against what is clearly one of the better teams in the conference, does give me concern that our cockiness will only become more of a problem. I also feel a little bad for MP2. They just lost two games in a row, both by good margins, and so they are going to be sitting at 1-2 despite being one of the best teams in the conference.

Taking a look at our players:

Brian – He played very well. Well enough to most likely earn a start in our next game. He found good shots, made a good percentage of them. He also played pretty good defense.

Dante – Dante had an off game. He was a non-presence. He played 19.5 minutes and only had 2 rebounds. Now granted he was playing against some big guys, but against NF2 he was rebounding against a kid bigger than him and he still came up with the boards.

David – As discussed above he was our game MVP. It’s been nice how we’ve had a different player be our MVP for each game, without it even being forced. I’d really like each of the players to be named game MVP at least once during the course of the season, though clearly, as in baseball, some of them are going to be more stretches than others. David will likely sit a lot against NF, our next opponent, as a way of making sure other kids get their chances.

Gordie – Gordie only saw 6 minutes of playing time. I do feel bad as I knew he hadn’t played a whole bunch but I thought he’d played more than that. I think I’m going to start him as well in our next game as a sort of “make-up”.

Jack M – Jack M kept finding good shots, as discussed, he just couldn’t make them. In fact at the end of the game, he kept getting fouled and actually went to the free throw line 10 times. He shot 4 of 10 from the line, which given his size and age, is a pretty good performance. These refs didn’t call lane violations so Jack got lucky there as he had quite a few of them.

Jack P – This was also not Jack’s best game. I believe I’ve mentioned before how I use something called Win Score to measure a player’s efficiency. The goal is to get above .100/minute. Jack, in the two games we’ve kept stats, has had a negative score. I feel like this doesn’t capture the good stuff he does on the court, but does temper some of my enthusiasm for him. He did limit his playing time in this game by getting into repeated foul trouble.

Lucas – Lucas played well. He was actually open quite a bit. However, many times when he was open he wasn’t ready for the ball, even if he was on the strong side. We’re going to work on remembering that feeding the ball into the post is one of our offensive rules. If Lucas continues to play well, and Dante does not, it will lead to an unexpected change of playing times.

Noah – Noah made his first basket of the season, meaning all of our players have now scored, which is nice. He looked particularly lost in breaking the press, which considering we haven’t really practiced breaking the press isn’t his fault.

Scott – Had a solid performance again. It’s great that he can guard guys so much bigger than he. I thought he’d played a lot and was surprised to see he had “only” played about 18 minutes (I’d have thought it was in the 20s).

Tom – In the 3rd and 4th quarter he was WIDE open repeatedly and Jack M and Brian just didn’t get the ball to him. It was frustrating for me, and no doubt frustrating for Tom.

So this game left little doubt that we’re a good team. I am going to be emailing Emily shortly letting her know we wish to play in the A bracket of the HP tourney. It is exciting and nerve wracking to think that the biggest challenge we have right now is over confidence.

Looking Back and Ahead

As I setup this blog it was interesting to see how my impressions have stayed the same or changed since the tryouts.

For instance, I successfully nailed Brian (who I had spelled Bryan) as a kid with a bit of an attitude after the first tryouts. So far this seems accurate. I also predicted I would need to use Tom as a guard/forward simultaneously and this too has proven correct, however I proved to be overly pessimistic about how successful this would be . I thought more highly of Noah during tryouts than I do now. I also foresaw some of the problems with Gordie that have cropped up (as I’d completely forgotten how borderline he was in making the team). Fortunately, I made the right call there as Gordie has not really been a problem even if there have been problems (if that makes any sense).

I so foresaw the idea we’d only have 7 players at some game. Of course I thought it would be in February. Does that mean in February we’re going to end up with 5 or 6? Please let that not be true.

I had an opinion of Jack M that more closely resembles how I feel he plays during games than how he practices. Seems like he’s a kid who really needs stress to play as well as he can.

I did not work on zone busting as early as I had originally planned to.

I completely conflated Gordie and Noah in my mind at the time, though reading back on it I was able to put the right name to the right kid.

I haven’t done as good of a job of reinforcing some of the skills we did that first week through-out the season. Working on the proper grip, for instance, or doing the jumps, or wrist flexes, are all activities I should do for 30 seconds here or there. That’s one reason for the scavenger hunt, which was a successful solution to this problem.

I also now know the results of all of the weekend’s games. First, HP won two games on Sunday, including one against a team that had won the previous week. I thought they were a fairly good team, and they showed it, as playing two games on one day is not an easy feat. MP1 defeated MP2. MP2 is our next opponent and has scored more points then our previous two opponents. I really anticipate it should be a good game. If we can win that by a decisive margin of victory I am going to start to believe we have something special. In particular, I’m looking forward to seeing how our defense does. It was “easy” to defend against NF2 and HP, neither of whom have shown that they score points (HP won its game 19-18 and 19-13, while NF2 had only scored 8 points the previous game). If we can limit MP2’s points, as they have scored 40 and 24 in their first two games, I will grow very encouraged about our prospects.