Sports

GVL/Brian B. Sevald
Womens basketball coach Janel Burgess expresses her opinion to the ref during the game last week.

Women's basketball looks to rebound against Ohio opponents

By Emanuel Johnson GVL Sports Editor
2/3/2010

Last season, the Grand Valley State University women's basketball team rode a huge 12-game winning streak before heading to Michigan Tech University.

The Huskies downed the Lakers by 11 points, and thereafter the Lakers lost five of their final nine games of the season.

The scenario draws eerie parallels to the team's current situation. Riding a seven-game winning streak, the Lakers (15-4, 11-3 GLIAC) dropped a double-overtime thriller to the Huskies before losing a sluggishly contested game to Northern Michigan University this past Saturday.

Although the situations may seem almost identical on paper, GVSU head coach Janel Burgess said she does not see it as the makings of a repeat performance.

"We're exactly identical to the situation we were last year," she said. "We're not idiots - we know that, and we've been talking about it. But our team is different from what it was last year. I think we have a better focus that allows us to come out and play hard every single game. I've seen a lot of good things out of this team that are brighter than last year."

But avoiding a slump will not be an easy task. Tonight, the Lakers host the GLIAC South division leader in the University of Findlay. Coming off of a two-win weekend, the Oilers (15-4, 10-4 GLIAC) will look to avenge a 70-58 loss at the hands of the Lakers earlier this season.

"They're another seasoned team coming in to face us," Burgess said. "They use ball screens very well and have great inside presence as well as a very strong point guard and a great wing player. We'll need to have a balanced attack and continue to make sure that we finish possessions and contesting shots."

To help ease the burden of this past weekend's outings and help it transition full focus toward Findlay, Burgess gave the team two days off before calling her players in for practice on Tuesday.

"I actually got the chance to spend some time with my family, which was really nice," said sophomore guard Emma Veach. "I did get some shots up just to try to get moving on because Findlay's a great team. The losses happened, but we've got to move on to the next game."

The break should also allow each player to step back and reassess what made the team successful, said sophomore point guard Jasmine Padin.

"It's always been about having fun for us," she said. "Of course you're going to have your game prep and practice, but anytime you hit the hardwood, it should be fun. That's what puts a good team over the top and makes them a great team. If you're not enjoying what you're doing, you won't be successful."

But to return to enjoying their time on the court, Veach said the Lakers will need to first return to the blue-collar style of play that helped build the seven-game winning streak.

"I think when we work hard and focus, fun just happens," she said. "When your team is taking care of the little things and doing the right things, it becomes a lot easier to play with energy than if you're turning the ball over every time down the court. If we just get back to those fundamentals, we'll enjoy it a lot more."

The Lakers will tip off against the Oilers at 6 p.m. before taking on Hillsdale College at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

sports@lanthorn.com

Comments: