Frustrating Loss to St. Joes 46-43

[tpenter]

More of the same today. A sterling defensive effort in the first half scuttled by the offensive ineptitude.

Nova jumped to a 7-0 lead three minutes into the game and the defense held St. Joe off the board for the first seven minutes. After the quick start we managed to score just two more baskets over the next 17 minutes to "lead" by 12-11 at the half. Just awful. We should have rolled over them and won the game by halftime.

We quickly fell behind by more than five points and were still behind by 42-31 with a little more than five minutes left when we started to wake up.
Sweeney then scored ten straight points on two drives and two three balls to singlehandedly bring them to within 44-41. Kane then got an open layup to close to 44-43 with 28 seconds left. St. Joe then was able to get the ball up court without being fouled and found a wide open layup with eight seconds left to secure the final score. After a time out, Harry called Sweeney's number again but her tightly guarded three from the top of the key hit off the front of the rim.

Sweeney was a demon the whole game, scoring 25 and ripping down nine hard earned boards, fouling out her defender. Kane was solid in bringing the ball up through the press which once again created havoc with the other guards in getting the ball up the court. Only four Nova players scored, six others shot blanks, five for 28 from long range and numerous silly turnovers killed us. At one point we had four travelling calls in five trips up the court.

Temple visits next Sunday and we will need to do more than play defense to have a shot at that one. I will have seen them all by that game and then will take a 3 or 4 game break from seeing the live games and try to recover my sanity.

 

[needatobaby]

Interesting, we have a 2 minute video on "highlights" of the game in our website. What a year to start that. We have 2-3 legitimate players. Sweeney, Kane and Roberts. Yes, I left out Kimmel, only because in the long run I don't see her as a big asset. The tape shows Sweeney on isolation plays. Just thought I would stir the pot!!

 

[whitecat]

needatobaby,

Is the group that you mentioned plus Kimmel getting the most minutes? I read that earlier there were no solid rotations. The Sweeney on isolations is an
interesting point; Harry always went to isos late in a possession when things broke down. Courtney Mix was the last player who could truly be a threat on isolations. When doubled on isos is Sweeney capable enough to hit an open shooter?

 

[tpenter]

Liad Suez was a pretty good ISO player and Laura Kurz would have been pretty good if she didn't dribble the ball up so high. Sweeney definately has potential although she doesn't seem to have the magic touch in using the backboard this year as she did last year - a lot of layups spilling off the rim.

From the guard spot Harry has used Megan Pearson on ISO situations with mixed results - she just doesn't look smooth at it. Devon Kane has been the one lately. Twice in the last four games they spread the floor and let her take the ball to the hoop for a score when the help was late in coming in. In each case, the next time down the floor they ran the same play and when the defense collapsed earlier she kicked over to the corner for a wide open three by Kimmell (she missed both times). One of those occasions was late in the WVA game and would have given us a two-point lead instead of leaving us down one. So much more frustrating that the offense actually works once in a while and then the players can't finish.

I will get a report out on the Temple game on Sunday evening and then take a break as I will not be travelling to New York for the Holiday games, nor will I make the mid-week trip to UConn in the first week of January.