Bronc Basketball Saddled Up for New Year
Written by Cole Havens on January 7, 2020
WITH THE CODY BASKETBALL TEAMS RETURNING TO ACTION TOMORROW I’LL BE TAKING A LOOK AT BOTH TEAMS, FROM WHAT THEY WORKED ON OVER THE BREAK TO HOW THEY’RE PREPARING GOING FORWARD.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE CODY BRONCS. IT’S BEEN AN UPHILL CLIMB FOR THE CODY BOYS BASKETBALL PROGRAM, THUS FAR, AS THEY ARE STILL IN SEARCH OF THEIR FIRST WIN THIS SEASON. BOTH COACHES AND PLAYERS KNOW IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER. EARLY THIS WEEK I CAUGHT UP WITH HEAD COACH JAKE KRAFT AND HE TOUCHES ON WHAT THE TEAMS MINDSET AND FOCUS OVER THE BREAK.
“YOU KNOW REGARDLESS OF OUR RECORD I KNOW THAT WE’RE HUNGRY AND WE HAVE LOTS OF KIDS THAT WANT TO PROVE THEMSELVES AND GET INTO THAT VARSITY LINE-UP. THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO GET SHOTS UP AND TRY TO STAY A LITTLE BIT FRESH BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, RUN-AND-GUN THEM. SEE WHAT KIND OF PHYSICAL SHAPE THEY’RE IN AFTER THE BREAK.”
THE BRONCS HIT THE FLOOR RUNNING LATE LAST WEEK AS THEY GET SET FOR THREE GAMES OVER THE NEXT FIVE DAYS. COACH KRAFT ON THE EMPHASIS AT PRACTICE WITH THREE GAMES ON THE HORIZON.
“OTHER THAN OUR BASIC DEFENSIVE DRILLS WHICH WE’LL HIT HARD ALL THE WAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE’RE LOOKING AT SECONDARY PACKAGES ON DEFENSE. POSSIBLE EITHER TRAPS OR ZONE LOOKS, YOU KNOW, TO POSSIBLY IMPLEMENT IF WE GET INTO FOUL TROUBLE OR IF WE WANT JUST ANOTHER WRINKLE COMING OUT OF TIME-OUTS OR DEAD BALLS. ON THE OFFENSIVE END I THINK WE JUST WANT TO CLEAN UP OUR PASSING AND TAKING CARE OF THE BASKETBALL WHETHER THAT’S IN THE FULL-COURT OR HALF-COURT. I THINK THE KIDS JUST NEED TO GET BACK INTO THE SPEED AND TIMING OF THINGS.”
BALANCE IS ONE THING THE BRONCS HAVE BEEN STRIVING FOR MORE THIS YEAR. BEFORE THE BREAK DUNCAN RADAKOVICH SHOWED HE CAN BE A FORCE ON THE INSIDE. LOOK FOR MORE OF THAT GOING FORWARD.
“HE’S A DIFFERENCE-MAKER IF HE CAN SCORE INSIDE BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DOUBLE HIM OR YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR DEFENSE TO PROTECT THE INSIDE THE PAINT WHERE DUNCAN IS. SO IF WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT MORE CONSISTENTLY, IF DUNCAN CAN DO THAT AND OTHERS, YOU KNOW THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR KIDS OUTSIDE ON THE PERIMETER TO EITHER DRIVE OR SHOOT. SO THAT BALANCE IS WHAT WE’RE HOPING FOR IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON.”
AND IN THREE OF THEIR FOUR GAMES THIS SEASON THE BRONCS HAVE HAD AT LEAST THREE GUYS SCORE IN DOUBLE FIGURES BUT COACH KRAFT IS STILL LOOKING FOR FOR OFFENSIVE HELP AND POINTS TO TWO PLAYERS WHO COULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE GOING FORWARD.
“CODY PHILLIPS AND JACKSON DAVIS. IF THOSE GUYS CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CONFIDENT WITH THEIR SHOT, THAT PROVIDES MORE OFFENSE FOR US. WE’RE CONSISTENTLY THREE OR FOUR KIDS IN DOUBLE FIGURES, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD, BUT I THINK WE CAN ADD ANOTHER THREE KIDS WHO CAN GET 6 OR 8 A GAME AND PUT US OVER THE TOP. THOSE KIDS FROM THE OUTSIDE, I THINK WILL DEFINITELY HELP US IF THEY COULD GAIN SOME CONFIDENCE AND GET A FEW SHOTS TO DROP.”
THE CODY BASKETBALL TEAMS WILL HIT THE FLOOR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2020
TOMORROW/TONIGHT/TUESDAY WHEN THEY WELCOME WORLAND INTO THE SWEITZER GYM. GIRLS TIP-OFF AT 5:30 WITH THE BOYS TO FOLLOW AT 7PM. YOU CAN CATCH BOTH GAMES ON KODI AM 1400 AND 96.7FM.
