Hello out there! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. The current weather down here in southern Virginia makes it hard to believe, but December is right around the corner and the season is getting into full swing. It's been extremely busy for us over here at CNU men's basketball, with the team having played six games in twelve days over the past two weeks.
Along with a few setbacks, we have had some real successes over this time, currently standing with a 4-2 overall record. After losing a heartbreaker at the buzzer to Randolph-Macon to open the season, the guys bounced back with two good road wins over Mary Washington and York (NY) College. Mary Washington then squeaked out some revenge by taking us down in our home opener by four points, but the squad responded again this past weekend with our two best performances of this young season.
Every basketball season is a process, a journey. From November to the end of the season in March, the collection of individuals on a team mostly stays the same. However, how those team members develop as basketball players, and how those individuals play together as a team will change dramatically over this time. Every team goes through this. The teams that have the most success are the ones that stay together, have continuous improvement, and make the greatest strides throughout the course of the long season.
Most of this transformation comes from hard work and team building both on and off the court. Constant repetitions in practice, many hours spent watching game films, and countless time together as a team all contribute to a group of young men growing closer as teammates and becoming a cohesive unit on the floor.
Obviously, being only six games into the season we still have a ways to go in this development. However, there have been encouraging signs so far, mostly notable in the ways we've shared the ball, rebounded, and defended in our recent home wins over Wesley and Washington & Lee. We are certainly not there yet, and the key is to keep building on these incremental improvements without regressing. No team that will be playing in the NCAA tournament come March is playing it's best basketball right now. The best teams are out there learning from each game and getting better everyday.
From a coaching perspective, we have played enough games now to get a good sense of where we stand in terms of strengths and weaknesses. The job of the coaching staff right now is to continue to develop the team's offensive and defensive identities and tighten up the areas in which we are not as sharp.
It appears to us that we will be at our best this year when we are constantly getting out on the fast break and attacking on the offensive end – moving the ball while relying on each other's spacing and cutting to create quality shots. Defensively, we are a team that has the ability to make things difficult for opponents in the halfcourt by placing intense pressure on ballhandlers while preventing teams from scoring in the paint either off of drives or in the low post. If we can consistently accomplish these things, we should be tough to contend with most nights.
Although as coaches we are charging full speed ahead with games (scouting reports, game plans, etc.), the other aspects of the job just can't be put on hold. It is essential that the players finish the semester very strong in the classroom, which is why after this Thursday's contest we will take a break from games until after finals are over. Recruiting is another never-ending aspect of coaching at this level. High school seasons are starting throughout the state, and so the whole staff will be hitting the road on select nights during the upcoming month.
We close out our hectic early-season schedule with a great challenge Thursday evening at the Freeman Center. St. Mary's College in Maryland is perennially a top flight Division III program, having reached the Elite Eight last season. Thursday's game will be a test for us to see just how much we have improved in the few weeks since the season started.
So put down the lights and the jingle bells, and let the tree sit untouched in minimalistic splendor. The statues of Santa and Rudolph will be fine in the shed for one more day. Instead, come on out and help get the Freeman Center rocking in our last home game before the holidays! See you there.
