Cody Basketball Teams Ready for Regional Tournament
Written by Cole Havens on March 4, 2020
THE CODY BASKETBALL TEAMS HAVE EACH CONCLUDED THE REGULAR SEASON PORTION OF THEIR SCHEDULE AND UP NEXT IS A TRIP TO EVANSTON FOR THE 4A WEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT.
WE’LL START TODAY’S PIECE WITH A LOOK AT THE BRONCS. THE BRONCS FINISHED THE REGULAR SEASON WITH A 7-12 OVERALL RECORD, 3-3 QUADRANT RECORD AND ENTER THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AS THE 3 SEED OUT OF THE 4A NORTHWEST QUADRANT.. THE BRONCS EARNED A MUCH NEEDED WIN OVER RIVERTON LAST SATURDAY AND WILL LOOK TO CARRY THAT MOMENTUM INTO THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT. HEAD COACH OF THE BRONCS JAKE KRAFT TALKS ABOUT THE FOCUS AT PRACTICE ON A SHORT WEEK.
YEAH, YOU KNOW IT COMES DOWN TO EXECUTION, WE RUN OUR SETS OR WE RUN SPECIFIC THINGS FROM THE BASE LINE OR THE SIDELINE. THAT’S KIND OF WHAT THESE TWO DAYS ARE FOR, IS TO GO THROUGH THOSE TYPE OF THINGS MENTALLY FOR US. WE’RE GIVING UP 60 A GAME AND FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS POSTSEASON WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE UNDER THAT MARK. JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF POINTS THAT WE GIVE UP TO BE IN EVERY BALL GAME AND HOPEFULLY FINISH IT AT THE FREE THROW LINE.”
DEFENSE, ALL SEASON HAS BEEN THE NUMBER 1 PRIORITY FOR THE BRONCS SUCCESS AND COACH KRAFT ADDS WHAT THE NEXT STEP THIS TEAM NEEDS TO TAKE HEADING INTO THE PLAYOFFS.
“WELL, WE JUST NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED WITH THE BASKETBALL. TAKE BETTER SHOTS. GRIND OUT POSSESSIONS OFFENSIVELY AND WHEN WE CAN RUN I GUESS WE CAN RUN. I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE KIDS SLOWING THE BALL DOWN ALL THE TIME. WE WANT TO TRANSITION WHEN POSSIBLE. DEFENSIVELY, MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE DOING OUR ASSIGNMENT CORRECTLY. LIKE WHAT WE’VE DONE BEFORE, WE’LL MIX-AND-MATCH OUR ZONES AND TRAP. SEE WHAT’S MOST EFFECTIVE THAT NIGHT.”
AND COACH KRAFT ADDS WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR THE CODY BRONCS TO COME AWAY AT THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AS ONE OF THE FOUR BEST TEAMS.
“HIGH FREE THROW PERCENTAGE. THOSE ARE THE TEAMS THAT WIN LATE. GOOD SENIOR LEADERSHIP ARE THE TEAMS THAT WIN IN POSTSEASON. IF WE’RE ABLE TO DO THOSE TWO THINGS I THINK WE’RE IN EVERY BALL GAME.”
AS FOR THE CODY FILLIES, THEY ENTER THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT ON A FOUR GAME LOSING STREAK AND WILL BE THE 4 SEED OUT OF THE NORTHWEST 4A QUADRANT. THE FILLIES FINISHED THE REGULAR SEASON WITH A 7-12 OVERALL RECORD, 0-6 IN LEAGUE PLAY. THEIR LAST WIN CAME AGAINST JACKSON BACK ON FEBRUARY 8TH. HEAD COACH CHRIS WAGNER ON THE TEAMS MINDSET GOING INTO THE TOURNAMENT.
“I THINK, THEY’RE FEELING ENERGETIC ABOUT IT. WE CAN PUT THE REGULAR SEASON BEHIND US AND ALL THE FRUSTRATIONS THERE. I MEAN ITS REALLY JUST A NEW SEASON RIGHT NOW, SO RECORDS DON’T MATTER. YOU KNOW HOPEFULLY YOU SEE SOME IMPROVED CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU CAN JUST KIND OF MOVE FROM ALL THOSE FRUSTRATIONS IN THE PAST.”
IT’S BEEN DOCUMENTED ALL SEASON, THIS IS A YOUNG TEAM WITH MINIMAL TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE COACH WAGNER ON WHAT HE’S LOOKING FOR OUT OF THE GROUP ALL WEEKEND.
“I KIND OF GO BACK TO JUST THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE SEASON, LIKE I JUST WANT TO SEE PEOPLE THAT JUST COMPETE ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THAT’S REALLY ALL WE CAN ASK. OUR OFFENSE AND OUR DEFENSE, YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT GOING TO ADD MUCH ANYTHING ELSE NEW. SO IT’S JUST SEEING WHO’S WILLING TO JUST FIGHT THROUGH EVERYTHING AND JUST BATTLE FOR EVERY POSSESSION.”
AND IF THE FILLIES ARE TO FIND SUCCESS AND ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS IT MUST BE DONE AS ONE COHESIVE UNIT.
“ITS GOT TO BE THE ULTIMATE TEAM EFFORT NOW. SO I TELL THEM TO APPROACH EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW DON’T TAKE ANY TIME WITH YOUR TEAMMATES FOR GRANTED, LIKE REALLY ENJOY THIS WEEK, THE PRACTICES, THE TRAVEL TIME. YOU KNOW HOPEFULLY YOU SEE A LITTLE SPARK WITH THE CHEMISTRY JUST FROM TEAMS KIND OF REALLY GETTING INTO BEING THERE FOR EACH OTHER.”
THE CODY BRONCS AND FILLIES BASKETBALL TEAMS WILL BE COMPETING AT THE 4A WEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT ALL WEEKEND LONG. JOIN ME FOR THE CALL OF EVERY CODY BASKETBALL GAME AT THE REGIONAL TOURNAMENT ON KODI AM 1400 AND 96.7FM. STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK FOR UPDATES AND RESULTS.
IN MORE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ACTION THE POWELL, THERMOPOLIS AND WORLAND BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAMS ARE TAKING PART IN THE 3A NORTHWEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT OVER IN LYMAN ALL WEEKEND LONG.
