The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Shoregals keep growing, focus on postseason
A young Avon Lake squad is out of the running for the SWC title, but coach Dave Zvara has the Shoregals focused on improving and making noise in the postseason. Plus, the Top of the Crop.
The growth of a team can be measured by so much more than final scores and stats.
Take, for example, the play of Avon Lake this sea- son. Out of the hunt for the Southwestern Conference title with five games left, the Shoregals still have plenty to play for.
On a team primed with youth and a defense first mentality, Avon Lake has turned its attention on how to get better down the stretch with a mind for a fresh start once the big dance comes.
“Today a couple of girls asked me about the tournament draw and the seeding and what’s going on, so they are also interested, which is good to hear,” coach Dave Zvara said. “I know they are thinking to look beyond and try to move on in the tournament.”
In a season that has flown by and seen a lot of growth, Zvara said he knows his team will be ready for the challenge once their time comes. Seeing the growth firsthand, Zvara said he has been impressed with how this group has matured around a young core and pushed teams to the brink in almost every game.
“I think each girl is gaining more confidence in themselves and in their game,” Zvara said. “Some of these girls didn’t start last year, but they got a lot of playing time, so this year they are trying to be starters, which is totally different. So now I think a lot of
these kids have developed confidence in themselves.”
Seeing the most growth on defense, Zvara said his team’s bread and butter is to get stops to help jumpstart the offense. Not only that, but defense is the area the Shoregals practice best.
“I think our half-court offense is pretty good, but I think a better offense is our defense right now,” Zvara said.
“The girls have bought into what we are trying to
do on defense. They work hard at it. They work hard at practice and in drills and I’ve been using this quote all year, an old quote from Bobby Knight: ‘Practice wins you games.’ And right now we have real good practices so far.”
One player Zvara said he can count on in practice and in games is sophomore Arianna Negron, who has already made a lasting impression on the team in just her second year with the program.
“She sparks the team,” Zvara said. “She’s one of those girls that never comes off the floor. She goes hard the whole time. I mean she’s our leading scorer, leader in rebounds, our leading stealer. For a sophomore s,he’s done a fantastic job and I’m excited she’s only a sophomore.”
But things weren’t always that easy for Negron. Working hard to fit in with upperclassman, Negron had to find her fit within the team first and grow to the player she has become.
“I feel like, since I’m one of the younger ones on the team, I felt I couldn’t do as much as the older girls,” Negron said.
“But as the season has gone on and closer to the end, I feel like I can take the ball more to the hoop. I can handle the ball more without anyone judging. I feel more trusted.”
Facing three games left with rivals Avon, Amherst and Westlake, Zvara said it will be important to see his team do the little things like passing and finishing plays in order to see them be ready for the tournament.
“This tournament is going to be a heck of a tournament and win or lose before then, there’s some things we can take away before then on what we could have done better and keep improving on the little things we’ve done well right now.”