The Smileys, Longhurst, Teegarden and Wiseman are all due praise for their efforts this year. The thing this team has going against them is the coach. She doesn't play her bench and therefore they have no floor experience when the first string in not playing well. She started the year playing everyone, and when things got a little tough she stopped utilizing the rest of the team. Father Ryan will never have a good girls team unless the coach starts playing her bench and gives them some court time. What has happened this year, just like every other year, is that those players that come off the bench are pulled out of the game if they make one mistake on the floor. They are too afraid of making a mistake to play ball. The girls go out on the floor scared to death that they'll be pulled if they do anything wrong, that they don't play their game. Why keep them on the team if they get absolutely no floor time, even when the team is up 20-25 points. Of course, if she does substitute the people on the bench it's usually all of them together so they look horrible together. I have always admired Pat Summitt -- she runs them in and out to give all of them experience. This team has no depth whatsoever. We have the talent, but they are not given the opportunity. And, no, I don't have a daughter that plays.
