Working Out the Kinks, while building confidence.

[ZAGS ATTACK BASKET]

First 3 games are a cakewalk and give a chance for all players to get their feet wet and gain confidence. Sometimes certain players may over perform against inferior competition. Its also a good time to rest your players that you are really going to have to depend on later in the year to avoid over taxing early and to have fully healthy when the games really matter (Emma Wolfram, Elle Tinkle).
Yes the blowouts are a good time to reestablish confidence in a live game. Some players that have sacrificed to play for us just one year with us need to get use to playing in live game action again like (Makenlee Williams). But let it be said that Makenlee Williams may be like another Vinnie Johnson (The Microwave) from the Detroit Pistons once she heats up everything goes in the hoop. Hey she sat out like two years she needs to knock off the rust. Good players don't loose their skills they get better with the more games they play.
Stafford, Michigan, Northwestern will be a good test to see how our team plays against good competition. The next two games will help the coach decide who playing best for given situations. Great defense with a great offense cannot be beat. Hopefully this year the coach will do better playing the hot hands, and not taking the players out when they are cranking on all cylinders when the game is close.
We got the best roster I have seen in years, but we are going to need all of them and unlike previous years I see no token players. All can be key cogs in the ZAGS season this year.
Cudos to coach for getting all players good minutes on the first blowout, hope this continues the next 2 games. Go ZAGS!!!!!

[sylean]

good thoughts.......I like your "no token players" which is exactly descriptive of this team...I'm probably alone on this but I never really liked having token "fan favorite"

and like you, I hope the coach(s) use this talented wisely, but not be too quick to pull players that are doing well....

Mak did not have a great first game but she looked good in the scrimmage. I 'll give her a pass the first game or two since she has not played in a real game for close to two years. but when she comes on, I think she offers a lot and possibly a starting position....

we have the luxury to rest Emma as she needs....

fun weekend coming up...

[ZagDad84]

Thanks for your comments ZAB:

In general, I agree with most of your comments. Since we only have an exhibition and a couple of games before we begin our big contests, LF may platoon groups of players so they can get familiar playing with the same group of players in order to speed up the familiarization process. This weekend then it is Stanford, Michigan and Florida State. There is no time to rest the next couple of weeks.

We got the best roster I have seen in years, but we are going to need all of them and unlike previous years I see no token players. All can be key cogs in the ZAGS season this year.

I do take exception to the comment of "token" players you made above. Anybody who is given a D-1 scholarship is not a "token" player. They played well enough in HS and AAU that someone thought enough of them to give them a highly prized D-1 scholarship. They may not develop into a starting or role player, they may not get a chance with a new coaching staff (Kacie), or they may be unlucky enough to have to play behind a Sunny, Shelby or Emma W. (Chelsea Waters) and not get on the floor sufficiently to develop. This does not mean they are "token" players. They are highly prized members of a D-1 basketball team.

Walk-On players are also not "token" players as they provide valuable practice partners, put in the same work as the scholarship players and still have to pay their way to school. They are on the court for the pure enjoyment of the game. There is nothing "token" about them.

I do agree that this year we appear to have a much more balanced roster than we have had in recent years, so the drop off from the starters to the bench players should be much less than in recent years.

ZagDad

[ZAGS ATTACK BASKET]

Elle Tinkle way to start out the game today. Good to see Emma Wolfram back on the court. Rice and Templeton are both offensive machines. Really surprised so far by Chandler Smith she is looking good. Good Team victory again. One negative need to work on turnovers as we had 22 which won't cut it against good teams. Good to see all the girls on the court again tonight, good job by the coach of getting everyone involved.

Really rooting for Makenlee Williams light it up one game. Keep plugging away at it Makenlee you will get their. GO ZAGS!!!!

[sylean]

yup....plugging for Mak too....I want her to have a fantastic and fun senior year...

and happy that everyone got to see the court yesterday...good team effort...some brilliant passing and some bad passing...this team has the capability of being very fast, quick but they all have to buy into it and play accordingly...

and Chandler has been doing great...

I have no words to talk about the Z's....Z. Rice laid a ball in the basket with her hand just about at the top of the basket....amazing...

hope people come out and fill in those seats because this is one entertaining bb team....

Go zags!]

[sylean]

I guess Mak had her breakout game today.....!!!!

[ZAGS ATTACK BASKET]

Oh YEAH Makenlee (Microwave) Williams found her groove back. Now I know on any given night we are capable of knocking off the big schools. Stanford, Michigan, Florida State, Northwestern. Zykera Rice is going to come up big this year and score bunches of points. What I like most about this years team is players themselves are passing to the hot hands what a concept, its this type of whats best for the team mentality that wins games (that could make us kickbutt this year).

Great to see 3 players with plus 5 assists. We are not one dimensional this year, we have 12 players that could score more than 10 points on any given night. And thats not all we have 5 players that could score 20 points on any given night.

As long as the players continue to be unselfish and care more about wins, team first we will go far. Good to see Emma Wolfram out their again tonight. Man we are loaded with talent Yahew!!!! Go ZAGS!!!!! Go defense!!!

Only 13 turnovers tonight, taking care of the ball matters.

Looking ahead Stanford has height also 1- 6'5", 3- 6'3", 2- 6'0". They also have great 3 point shooters.

We need Zykera Rice to continue playing big , she has hops and can out rebound those taller than her no problems. Rice has the capabilities to put up a double double every game with a high shooting percentage.

[sylean]

I'm thinking that Zee has Ogumike type talent....the question we need to ask is "does she have any younger sisters"?

[seacatfan]

I'm thinking that Zee has Ogumike type talent....the question we need to ask is "does she have any younger sisters"?

Wait, what? I think you're stretching quite a bit there.

[ZAGS ATTACK BASKET]

Keys to the Stanford game

1. Keep scoring points, feed the hot hands. No cold spells.

2. Play smothering defense.

3. Playing the big girls now, must get rebounds, who wants it the most.

4. Play with intensity the whole game.

5. Work as a team, team first.

6. Shoot 50% fg percentage as a team for whole game.

[ZagDad84]

Keys to the Stanford game

1. Keep scoring points, feed the hot hands. No cold spells.

2. Play smothering defense.

3. Playing the big girls now, must get rebounds, who wants it the most.

4. Play with intensity the whole game.

5. Work as a team, team first.

6. Shoot 50% fg percentage as a team for whole game.

If you can do all of the above and limit the turnovers, they will be in the game.

ZagDad

[ZAGS ATTACK BASKET]

Congratulations Lady ZAGS great TEAM effort in beating Stanford, you did it all tonight. David beat Goliath again, you just have to believe!!!!

Next up Michigan Wolverines won 109-41 tonight. They fell behind 6-0 then went on a 52-0 run. No you did not misread that. They shot 12 for 18 from 3 point land tonight. Obviously they have a great defense also, and lots of fire power to go with it.

Enjoy your victory tonight Lady ZAGS awesome effort. Looking forward to out next battle royale against Michigan. Then the next day against Florida State I believe they will be the toughest physical team on your schedule. Ladies you are going to need all players on deck next week, your endurance and bodies will be pushed to the limit.

That said your fans are doing somersaults on your victory tonight!!!! This should only be a taste of what could come.

More on Michigan they have height 2- 6'5, 1-6'3", 3- 6'1. However 3 out 4 top scorers on their team are guards. Michigan has great depth on bench, ten players are averaging over 10 minutes per game. Michigan is shooting 56% FG percentage as a team however 3 of the top 4 scorers are shooting higher than that. Twelve players are playing every game.

Hope we have Zykera Rice and Zhane Templeton back playing for this tournament.