Sparta Basketball - Let's Talk

[pinkpanther]

I have got a good thread started over on the boys' board. I want to do he same here on the girls'. I would like to get some good serious discussion going about Sparta's girls' team. Here goes.

 

I saw the Upperman game. I was very impressed with Hickok. She's a good player; a very good point guard. Lewis is the best on the team. Sunday is improved, and Hacker is strong. I don't mean to take anything away from the rest of the team. These are just the girls who stood out to me. I could tell the team is very deep. Why doesn't Agee get to play? She didn't play at all against Upperman and I was told the same was true against Crossville. What's going on? I question Hess's substitution patterns, but I guess he knows what he's doing. I think he kept Sunday down for way too long in the first half. He also kept Lewis in too long in the 3rd which allowed her to pick up her 4th foul. She missed the equivilent of one full quarter in the second half. She's too good of a player to be on the bench.

 

I'm not too familiar with the girls' team. Is the 6-0 record for real? Are they that good? I hope they are.

[warriorettemom]

yes the 6-0 record is right. this team is really coming on strong. I agree the hickock is a wonderful point and hacker is a very strong player that will show us a lot in the future. She's only a sophomore. Agee isn't playing because she really needs to work on her game. Don't get me wrong if she works hard she will be a threat maybe next year but she is not her brother! What about Brittney King. I think she could hold her own one on one against Sunday. She is stronger. The depth in this team is big. And we have some upcoming freshman that will show us something too. What about the Cookeville game next week...any thoughts?

[benchcoach]

If our girls don't start playing better,we won't beat any good teams.We are barely beating average teams.Our defense is playing good.Our offense is pitiful right now.We have got to get the offense in gear.Our best players have got to be on the floor more.Hacker and King have got to see more playing time.The girls have a chance to be something special.Nobody is pulling for them harder than me!!Coach Hess has to get this team going,the talent is there.

[fullcourt]

I agree that Sparta's girls have the potential to be a very good team. They play great defense but do have to get better offensively. They have some girls who can score some points so they need to play a more uptempo offense and get some of those players more looks at the baskets. For instance, Anderson only took a couple of shots against Upperman. The offense he ran in the past several years suited the teams he had then. The girls he has now can score some points. They need to be doing that. Sparta had Upperman on the ropes early as they were getting the ball up and down the floor and then he pulled Lewis out of the game. He also started slowing things up. Pink Panther, I agree with you that he needs to leave his best players in the game and let them play and get in a rhythm instead of sitting them down so much. The teams they have played up until now were not teams they play twice a year normally excpet for Crossville. Now we start getting into those district teams and Livingston who know the Warriorette offense as well as the Sparta players do which causes them to struggle to put points on the board. Change things up a little. Be a different team than the past. There are a bunch of players out there that can put points on the board. I am afraid that 37 points will not be enough to beat Cookeville Tuesday night. Taylor and Reed have been scoring that much combined so far. This bunch of Warriorettes has the ability to beat Cookeville and every one else in the district if given the opportunity.

[Edited by fullcourt on 12-7-02 4:42P]

[pinkpanther]

Sparta does play good half-court defense. I was very impressed with their tenacity. Offense is always behind defense at this point in the season. Good defense will cover that for a while. I do agree that they will have to score more that 37 points eventually. Defense won't carry them all season. I, personally, would start King instead of Farley. I can understand why Hess would want to give the start to a senior, but King can give the team more points. She would also give more size when combined with Sunday. I also think Hacker will see more time as the season goes on. That is going to add some points.

 

Let me ask this question. What did anybody think about the refs in the girls' game? They stunk in the boys' game. Someone over on an Upperman/Sparta boys thread said the refs were just as bad in the girls' game. I don't think so. Was I just blinded by a win? Let me know what you think.

[BBFAN43]

Coach hess knows what he is doing and the starters he has is the best players......he pulled lewis out to give her a rest on her ankle. She hurt it tuesday night against crossville and it's still hurt.

[fastereddie]

The girls are as good (if not better) than their 6-0 record. Hickock is a very good player, and fast enough to stay with any guard in the state. However, the best player on that team is Natalee Anderson. She proved how she can score by putting up 27 in a game earlier, and more importantly she can effect the outcome of a game as much as anyone and not score. Lewis I think is great though. She has really increased her offensive play by improving her ball handling and adding a very good mid range game. Also has become a factor on the glass and on the defensive end. Farley is just fine I think. She has become a little passive on shooting the ball and needs to get back to looking to score. I don't see how you get more height with King in the line up with Sunday instead of Farley. I think King is a great player and I love watching her play but I mean she is no taller than Farley and like I said Farley can get it done and done well. The depth is definantley there which is great. Hacker will get more and more time as she continues to play like she has been and game situations call for her more also. She has to keep improving her floor game though, her ability is great and it often takes over but she is young and it shows some too. Coach Hess is doing things right I think, only time will tell though. He has changed the offense and defense from the past years. He still runs some of his old stuff but with a lot of new looks especially defensivley. He's cut the girls loose to play uptempo a lot now. They are capable of putting up a lot of points. The biggest problem I see is that they tend to play down against weaker teams and up against better teams. You expect a team to have a lot of problems early in the season though, and you expect a team to need to improve also. I mean you can't expect a team to be at a championship level at the beginning of the season. You won't to be improving as the year goes along and playing your best as the tournament comes around. This team can play with anybody and are capable of going a long way if they play like they can.

[pinkpanther]

Please don't confuse "size" with "height." I didn't say King would add height. She is a bigger girl and adds more of a physical presence. She also moves better and shoots better.

[fastereddie]

I see your point now with King bringing more overrall size. She would bring more of a physical presence to the paint, like she does off the bench. I don't see how you think she moves better and shoots better. King moves smooth but is not quick by any means and she is very capable of knocking down the open shot, but I wouldn't think she is any more capable than Brittany Farley. For years that was all Farley could do was shoot, now she brings more of a total package to the game and that is why she is starting. I think another reason king comes off the bench cause Hess wants her to bring that physical presence to the paint, but with that comes foul trouble in a lot of games (depending on how they are called). I don't think Hess goes wrong with starting either one of these girls though. Both of them are great basketball players and both of them are going to see starter minutes really. When the game comes down to crunch time he will play whoever is playing best that day.

[slamjam]

Bench Coach - What do you think of white county girls now?

I think they are a really good team. They showed everyone that they can play just as good agianst harder teams. They came in 3rd overall this past weekend. Sunday and Lewis made the all tournament team. They beat Farragutt for the third place title. Great job Warriorettes!!!

[benchcoach]

White Co. girls have the talent to play any team. The girls

have never had a bigger fan than me.Goo luck to the girls!!!

[pinkpanther]

benchcoach...No one could ever doubt your support for the girls. It's obvious that you support them 150%. Hess is another story. I know I give you a hard time about him, but you are entitled to your own opinion and I respect it. I'm not saying that I'll stop giving you a hard time, but I just wanted you to know that.