With run and gun limited, Eagles plan to have fun

Thursday, November 7, 2013
Aubrey Nichols' defense will help the Eagles get into their new motion offense. She is pictured guarding junior Olivia Arnold in practice. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

The South Putnam girls' basketball team has won consecutive county tournaments and a combined 22 games the past two seasons but after losing most of its starting lineup and the coach that led them to much of that success, the team is searching for a new identity.

New head coach Bill Merkel has been down this road before, but the challenge is a little different this time around.

"(My philosophy) used to be run, gun and have fun," Merkel said. "That was my first quote when I moved here many, many years ago ... but with these girls I don't think that's going to work."

The Eagles are athletic enough, but they have just two returning players who got significant minutes and no one has varsity experience handling the ball and getting the team into an offense.

Their strength is their size, with four players at 5-foot-9 or taller, but those girls are all being asked to do something they're not used to and expand their footprint around the perimeter.

"All girls are moving," Merkel said. "Some girls are playing some positions they probably have never played in the past. A lot of them are used to standing, stationary. We're doing a lot more movement this year."

The offense of last year worked because the Eagles had the right balance of talent to make it work--a girl in the high post reading the floor, shooters on either wing, a perimeter player to dribble-drive and a center on the block fighting for space and rebounds.

The defined roles are being flexed this year, with each girl asked to take up new spots, sometimes on one possession. A guard might post up. A center might pop out to the corner.

Rather than relying on the virtuosity of one or two scorers, the offense will depend on ball reversals and probing for a weakness in the defense.

"I like to get the ball reversed and attack from both sides of the floor," Merkel said. "Before we can do that we have to get the ball into our offense and we're struggling with that a little bit."

Senior Aubrey Nichols, a shooting guard last season who gave the Eagles a little scoring and a lot of defense, will take on a bigger role this year in offense.

South Putnam senior Amanda Barnes goes up for a layup during practice earlier in the preseason. Barnes is one of two returning seniors for the Eagles as the team attempts to defend consecutive county championships. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

Along with Amanda Barnes, the only other senior with experience on the team, Nichols is being counted on for guidance and to set an example by challenging herself and her teammates to do more than they've done before.

"We have two great leaders right there," Merkel said. "They take charge, keep me in line. ... Aubrey plays pretty decent defense but she did too much fouling. We've got to cut down on her fouls and keep her in the ballgame.

"Amanda we're moving out away from the basket somewhat to see how she gets along there."

Coming off the bench last season, Barnes was an aggressive post player who drew more fouls on the block than she threw passes.

With more experience, knowledge and hard work this year, her defense and savvy footwork is now expanding further from the basket. She'll score, but she will also help with reversals and getting the team stationed properly.

Outside of Nichols and Barnes, the lineup is far from set, which is how Merkel prefers it. Competing for positions in practice will make for competing better in close games.

"I told them it's not who starts the game, it's who finishes it," he said. "That's an old quote from way back. They've got to work hard and keep good attitudes and show improvement."

Sophomore Katie Hewitt, a tremendous athlete who lacked aggressiveness in limited minutes last season, is being counted on more this year, as are several players new to the varsity team.

Juniors Emily Dobson, Ariel Higgins, Katelyn Lady and others will be counted on to adjust from struggles at JV last year prominent roles with high varsity expectations this year.

The Eagles are a work in progress, but their size and veteran mix should give them a lot of room to improve and become increasingly competitive as the season progresses.

"We haven't matched up with what the other schools have and I know they're all loaded," Merkel said. "We'll try to be competitive and see if we can get into the fourth quarter and give us an opportunity to maybe challenge or win a ballgame."

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