“Birds” Improve To 4-0

Last weekend we hosted a veteran Thompson Rivers team that featured CIS All Canadian post Diane Schuetze and dynamic Vancouver based guard Jen Ju.

On Friday night the ‘Birds had a dominating fourth quarter fuelled by three consecutive 3’s by Cass Knievel to outscore the visitors 28-15 and go on to win by a score of 75-71.

Hoping to learn from the game and come out stronger the second night, we continued to have difficulty controlling their offense and getting consecutive stops.

Fortunately for us we did enough particularly in the last 1:12 in the game to take the lead and win by 2.

Our ability to buckle down and get it done with the game on the line in back to back games was special. At this point in the season, and with a youthful team there is much to improve on in all facets of the game.

Our offensive flow and team game needs to improve and will, as players become more comfortable with our style of play and each player’s individual strengths and limitations.

The immediate concern is our defensive discipline and mindset. In the past UBC has been known and respected for tenacious, stingy individual and team defense.

Although somewhat of a cliché that defense wins championships, I am a firm believer in this and that our defense has played an immense role in our high standing in the CIS and our National Championships in 2004, 2006 and 2008.

It also helped us reach the CIS Final last season where we faced an even tougher defensive squad.

We are working to re-establish what has always been the backbone of UBC Basketball. We strive to disrupt the offense and take individuals away from their personal preferences.

We also want to create offense from our defense by creating turn over’s and rebounds to fuel our transition game.

This weekend we host the Fraser Valley Cascades. They are a team that is coming of age with a core group of players that have played together for years.

They were eliminated from the post season the past two years in the CIS Regional tournament but during that time, they have gained invaluable experience.

Currently they boast the #2 spot in the CIS Top Ten Coaches Poll.

Their starting line-up is well balanced with all five players averaging ten to twelve points per game. With a returning core of players and good experience behind them, they have started the season without missing a beat and are further ahead in their development as a team than most.

They are an undersized team that attacks hard in the full court and off the dribble.

We will have to have a much stronger defensive effort this weekend to eliminate transition hoops, contain their penetration and defend against the 3.