Friday night the Lady Apaches played from an execution standpoint, our best game of the year in route to a 59-36 victory over Goliad. We shot 54% from the field with a perfect blend of halfcourt execution and transition baskets. Along the way, we had three of our players, Tammashay Jefferson, Delicia Johnson, and Bianca Esqueda pull down double digit rebounds. It was a satisfying victory and the perfect game to get us ready to play hopefully our two best games of the season next week as we take on District leading (and still undefeated) Cuero Gobblers and the team we are currently tied with for the second seed in the playoffs - the Yoakum Bulldogs.
Below is a short video highlight film of our impressive performance against Goliad. Missing is the first 4 offensive baskets all coming off the same play early in the game. Our video camera wasn't working and it took half a quarter before we could locate another one for the game.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
200 WINS
This past Friday night, I attained my 200th varsity head coaching win. As I realized the milestone on the way home from the game, my mind started drifting back to some of those victories and all of my varsity teams that I have had the joy of coaching. In many ways, I wish that representatives from each of those teams could have been on hand to enjoy the moment with me. However, I didn't even enjoy the moment as it was several hours later that I realized that milestone had been achieved.
As I sat on the bus on the way home from the game, listening to 80's music from my ipod, it seemed like a very appropriate time to reflect on those teams that led the way to my 200 wins.
There were far too many great victories, great teams, and great people I have coached in that time to talk about each one in the course of a blog. But you guys and girls who have played for me through the years are greatly appreciated, loved, and even missed. I would love nothing more than to spend one more evening, in a gym, with each team that helped me achieve the 200 wins. Thank you. Hopefully, the next 100 wins will come in the next 4-5 years. If it doesn't, I can still remember fondly the first 200 wins.
But now it is on to the next!!! We have the second half of district and a march to the playoffs ahead of us. Go Lady Apaches.
As I sat on the bus on the way home from the game, listening to 80's music from my ipod, it seemed like a very appropriate time to reflect on those teams that led the way to my 200 wins.
There were far too many great victories, great teams, and great people I have coached in that time to talk about each one in the course of a blog. But you guys and girls who have played for me through the years are greatly appreciated, loved, and even missed. I would love nothing more than to spend one more evening, in a gym, with each team that helped me achieve the 200 wins. Thank you. Hopefully, the next 100 wins will come in the next 4-5 years. If it doesn't, I can still remember fondly the first 200 wins.
But now it is on to the next!!! We have the second half of district and a march to the playoffs ahead of us. Go Lady Apaches.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Back on the WInning Track
After losing two district games in a row and in danger of falling behind in the playoff race, we beat Palacios to finish the first round of district in third place, but having an excellent chance of moving up in the standings over the next few weeks.
The game against Palacios was not an impressive dominating feat as we played much of the game with little emotion and fire. Granted, it was the quietest gym we have played in all year (and that says a lot considering we've not heard just a whole lot of cheering and noise in our games - other than our biggest fan Bobby Pakebusch's famous "fired up" yell). But we played well enough to win and at this point in a season, that is what we needed.
The game against Palacios was not an impressive dominating feat as we played much of the game with little emotion and fire. Granted, it was the quietest gym we have played in all year (and that says a lot considering we've not heard just a whole lot of cheering and noise in our games - other than our biggest fan Bobby Pakebusch's famous "fired up" yell). But we played well enough to win and at this point in a season, that is what we needed.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Faculty Honored in Heart-Breaking Loss
Prior to our home game against Cuero, each of the varsity girls basketball players had chosen a special teacher to be honored at the game. Their chosen teacher would be introduced with them at the beginning of the game. I heard many comments from teachers the next day how special they felt to have been chosen to walk with one of the girls basketball players. It had never been done at Gonzales before and it is now a new tradition.
The actual game was one for the ages, but ended in a heartbreaking loss. At stake was first place in the district. After leading for the first 30 minutes of the game, the Lady Apaches fell behind by 5 points with under a minute to go. However, we never gave up, battled back, and Tammashay Jefferson hit a shot with 6 seconds to play to give the Lady Apaches a one point lead. But the celebration was short-lived as Cuero hit a well-defended shot at the buzzer to win the game
The actual game was one for the ages, but ended in a heartbreaking loss. At stake was first place in the district. After leading for the first 30 minutes of the game, the Lady Apaches fell behind by 5 points with under a minute to go. However, we never gave up, battled back, and Tammashay Jefferson hit a shot with 6 seconds to play to give the Lady Apaches a one point lead. But the celebration was short-lived as Cuero hit a well-defended shot at the buzzer to win the game
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
An Almost Must Game For Us Tonight
We have not yet reached the halfway point in district play, but still our game tonight against Cuero is in one of those big, almost a must, game. Win it tonight and we will most likely be in a three way tie for first place. Lose it and we could drop all the way down to fourth and give Cuero a full two game lead in district.
Tonight will likely tell a lot about the makeup of our team. After exploding out of the district starting blocks 2-0 with two runaway victories, we hit the proverbial wall last Friday night against Yoakum. It is not so much that we lost the game that is troublesome, but it is how we lost it. Honestly, we were right there in the game for the entire game, trailing by 5 points with three and half minutes to play. But the looks in our eyes and the effort on the court was one of defeat. I even had to try to get them up for the game at halftime when they were looking defeated and upset that they had blown this game. We were down only six at that point. But for some reason, in their hearts, they already believed they had lost that game.
Now the big question is how will we come out tonight. Is this team able to put aside our poor performance on Friday night and step up to the plate tonight ready to hit a home run? It is quite frankly the biggest game we have played this year. I am just not sure yet how we will come out.
Tonight will likely tell a lot about the makeup of our team. After exploding out of the district starting blocks 2-0 with two runaway victories, we hit the proverbial wall last Friday night against Yoakum. It is not so much that we lost the game that is troublesome, but it is how we lost it. Honestly, we were right there in the game for the entire game, trailing by 5 points with three and half minutes to play. But the looks in our eyes and the effort on the court was one of defeat. I even had to try to get them up for the game at halftime when they were looking defeated and upset that they had blown this game. We were down only six at that point. But for some reason, in their hearts, they already believed they had lost that game.
Now the big question is how will we come out tonight. Is this team able to put aside our poor performance on Friday night and step up to the plate tonight ready to hit a home run? It is quite frankly the biggest game we have played this year. I am just not sure yet how we will come out.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Two Games, Two Wins
We are now about one week into our District schedule and we are sitting at 2-0 in district, tied with Cuero for the early district lead. I can't say enough at how well we are starting to come together as a team. Earlier in the year, it was a struggle for my girls to not only understand the system, but even understand that we needed a system.
But in the first two games of the District Season, we have shown up and sent a message to the rest of the District that the Gonzales Lady Apaches are going to be a force to be reckoned with. Last night we traveled to Goliad and led from start to finish. Along the way, we had our highest rebounding total for a game all year as we accounted for 50 rebounds in the game.
We do, however, have our two toughest district opponents coming up in the next two games. On Friday we travel to the hostile environment of Yoakum, the team picked to win the district and then on Tuesday we play host to the 2-0 (picked to be second in the district) Cuero Gobblers. If we can somehow sweep those two games, we will be sitting very nice in district play.
But in the first two games of the District Season, we have shown up and sent a message to the rest of the District that the Gonzales Lady Apaches are going to be a force to be reckoned with. Last night we traveled to Goliad and led from start to finish. Along the way, we had our highest rebounding total for a game all year as we accounted for 50 rebounds in the game.
We do, however, have our two toughest district opponents coming up in the next two games. On Friday we travel to the hostile environment of Yoakum, the team picked to win the district and then on Tuesday we play host to the 2-0 (picked to be second in the district) Cuero Gobblers. If we can somehow sweep those two games, we will be sitting very nice in district play.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Starting District on the RIght Foot
Friday night we had our first district game against the district opponent who went to the Regional Tournament last year. Our girls were fired up and ready to play. We won 61-40 in a game that probably could have been a lot worse. It was a really good way of starting the district season and will hopefully give us confidence and momentum to carry us through the rest of the district season.
Below is a youtube highligh film of the victory. Enjoy!!
Below is a youtube highligh film of the victory. Enjoy!!
Back in Action
I know it has been a long time since I have lasted posted a blog concerning our basketball program. It was difficult to stay afloat of everything after Thanksgiving as we hit the middle of tournament season and games were coming left and right.
We did manage to get second place in one of our tournaments, but in the other two, we were not as fortunate. We had our toughest stretch of the season in December and into Christmas break as we lost 7 games in a row (3 of them by 3 or less) as we played 4A and 5A schools and state ranked smaller schools.
However, as any coach knows, you play that tough schedule in hopes of toughening up a team in time for district play. As a result, I think we are now playing our best basketball of the season.
We did manage to get second place in one of our tournaments, but in the other two, we were not as fortunate. We had our toughest stretch of the season in December and into Christmas break as we lost 7 games in a row (3 of them by 3 or less) as we played 4A and 5A schools and state ranked smaller schools.
However, as any coach knows, you play that tough schedule in hopes of toughening up a team in time for district play. As a result, I think we are now playing our best basketball of the season.
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