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Clovers add pieces, will look to push the pace
From its inception--actually, the reason for its inception--basketball has been a sport about movement. There have been various styles and philosophies that have become prominent throughout the 110 years or so basketball has existed, and each has its merits.
Like fashion, basketball styles are cyclical. For 2014, Cloverdale is going to the thrift shop.
"We're going to look to fast break at every opportunity we can," Cloverdale coach Pat Rady said. "This is going back to my roots, the way I used to coach. ... The kids enjoy fast-break basketball and if we can execute I think the fans will, too."
The Clovers are moving to a faster pace for a lot of reasons, Rady said. The team has more depth than it has in the past. With experience and an influx of talented new faces, CHS will have four or five players on the floor at a time who are all capable of taking the ball up the court and spacing the floor.
Plus defensive rule changes, or more accurately, a new focus on enforcing existing rules, will help open up the court.
"Basketball is supposed to be a game of free movement," Rady said. "I think the purists want to see the game back to where basketball was meant to be. ... We're not changing the game."
As with this college season, the Indiana High School Athletic Association officials have been asked this season to call more fouls on hand-checks and body-checks on cutters through the paint.
Making it easier to run doesn't make it inevitable. Getting players to break into transition, even after made baskets (which the Clovers will try to do, Rady said), takes a commitment from everyone and an understanding that there will be teams that try to stop it.
The Clovers have talked from day one about the plan, going back to the summer, and have geared their practice and preparation around fast break drills and playing a more aggressive defense that will encourage turnovers and quicker possessions.
Things that got players benched last season, just as gambling for a steal or firing a quick three in transition rather than reversing the ball, might be encouraged this year.
The Clovers return most of their top scorers, shooters and ball-handlers from last season and those who come back have improved their range and skills. It will give the team more options offensively and allow it to challenge defenses from whoever has the best look.
"If you've got more guys that can handle the ball, and more guys that can shoot the ball, then the defense is going to have to pick their poison," Rady said. "We hope that we do have a balance of shooting team. ... We're looking forward to having more depth."
In order to play this style effectively, it'll take more than just hitting open shots and getting into the right lanes. The Clovers will need to focus even more on playing the proper defense this year.
"We hope that we can cause some havoc on our defense where we can get maybe some turnovers that way," Rady said. "We're toying with some ideas that we want to do defensively. We haven't finalized all of them yet but we've got an idea that we do want to try to be a little bit more aggressive."
They'll also have to take better care of the ball. Turnovers were the biggest problem last season, Rady said. In a faster paced game, the score can get out of hand even more quickly.
Rebounding also takes on additional importance. Dragging out possessions by allowing second-chance points and easy baskets makes it tougher to leak out and fire outlet passes.
Even after allowing made baskets, the Clovers will still try to run, Rady said, but while delayed breaks can create some open looks, they're not as ideal or prevalent as true numbers advantages that can develop with steals and up-court passes ahead of the defense.
If the Clovers are successful at that style, which their personnel suggests, teams will have to adjust to them and not the other way around. There will be some matchups that still force Cloverdale into a half court offense, Rady said, and the team is preparing for that.
Junior Brantson Scott has bulked up and increased his shooting range. He can space the floor in transition, but he will also be able battle in the post in the half court when necessary.
The other four players all have size and athleticism to guard four positions. Seniors Kade Schroer, Kedrick Collet and Brandon Dorman all have experience running the point and playing against forwards.
The leading scorer on a given night could be any of six different players, depending how the defense plays.
While Rady recognizes the talent and skill in front of him, he also said the team isn't prepared to set goals. Things haven't settled enough to see what the Clovers' ceiling is. For now they're trying to improve so they know when the playoffs arrive.
"Each time you step on the court, whether it's a practice or a game, you try to get better," Rady said. "Hopefully in March you're playing the best basketball you have played all year. If we can achieve that, that's the greatest goal you can be.
"It's a long season. You're going to have some ups and downs and you've got to realize that. Those are things that we look forward to."