Possessions key for inexperienced Bryant

The biggest key for the Bryant Lady Hornets this season will be controlling each possession, both offensively and defensively, head coach Brad Matthews said. “I think our kids are working hard to value each possession,” he said. “It sounds cliche, but play each possession one at a time. Those are the things that are true in any sport at any level. “Those are the things that our kids are learning. I think we have seen a lot of growth in those areas. “We are looking forward to the season, and we are excited about what we’ve got.” Last year, Bryant won just three games and return just two starters in senior Kelly Williams and junior Kalia Walker. “We struggled offensively. We struggled to score, to be blunt,” Matthews said. “We had a group of really good kids, but it was just one of those years where we really struggled to score. “Our league is a no mercy league. It was a tough year. We had really good kids, but offensively, we just struggled.” Now Bryant has just five upperclassmen. “We have a ton of sophomores,” the coach said. “Since last March, we have started to work. “We went to some team camps during the summer and made some progress there. Our kids have been really working hard since school started.” Matthews said that with young kids, it is a day-to-day event. “We have some talent, and we are excited about the talent that we have,” Matthews said. “When you are young and inexperienced, that lends itself to some mental mistakes and mental breakdowns. “We saw that in the summer.” Depth at the guard position will be one of the biggest strengths for the Lady Hornets this season. “That will allow us to do some things offensively and defensively,” Matthews said. Other than inexperience, Matthews said, weaknesses for this year’s team include a lack of size and depth at the post. “Our depth at the post is something we are going to have to work on,” he said. “And we have to stay out of foul trouble. That is something we definitely need to work on.” Bryant’s tallest players are sophomore Mekeycia Baker at 5-9 and junior Robyn Gordon at 6-0. “We have three kids that are over 5-8,” Matthews said. “I think we have some real dominant post kids in our league. “So that is something we will have to try to develop and build upon as the season unfolds.” Bryant will open the season Nov. 4 in a jamboree. Matthews stressed the importance of his young team valuing each possession as the season nears. “I think the ability to play each possession and value possessions will be key by the time the season starts — to execute possession by possession and not take any possessions off,” he said.

“I think when you are young, those are the things you tend to fall back to.” He said the Lady Hornets need to play each possession with intensity and purpose. “Sometimes, when you are young, you fall back into a comfort level,” Matthews said. “There is a comfort level that you tend to fall back to that just doesn’t work in the league we play.” He said that as the Lady Hornets “go through today’s practice and tomorrow’s practice, the ability to hold intensity in what we are doing. That’s what we are trying to accomplish.” Bryant will host cross-town rival Benton on Dec. 12 in the annual Saline County Shootout. Last season, the Lady Hornets lost 41-28. “We anticipate [Benton] to be very good,” Matthews said. “They have just about everybody back. “They were young last year, so now they are more experienced. Coach [Jerry] Chumley does a great job.”