Shooting an issue for Parkers Chapel's girls
Parkers Chapel's basketball season ended two weeks ago with the Lady Trojans' 44-33 loss to Horatio in the 2A South Regional Tournament.
Coach Justin Welch's team failed to reach the state tournament after a 22-9 season.
Parkers Chapel's issue down the stretch was offense, specifically, perimeter shooting. The Lady Trojans were just 0-for-3 from 3-point range against Horatio while the Lady Lions hit 10-of-28 from beyond the arc.
A day after the loss, Welch said it was painfully obvious what the off-season focus should be for his returning players.
“I've told the girls, basketball shooters are developed in the spring and summer. That's where you get your shots,” Welch said. “You've got to shoot thousands and thousands of them and be ready for that moment. That is what's going to have to happen if we want this program to take the next step. We're going to have to have young girls that are willing to put in that time in the backyard or in the gym during the summertime, during the spring and stuff like that.”
Down the stretch of the season, opposing teams packed the paint around Parkers Chapel's post players and dared the team to shoot from the outside. That would appear to be the standard scouting report for each opponent going into next season.
The Lady Trojans advanced to state in two of the last three seasons, losing in the first round both trips. Welch said for the program to grow from pretty good to elite, players will have to take it upon themselves to become better shooters.
“I'm hoping … I don't know … to tell you the truth, I'm not very confident,” he said. “I think I've got some younger ones that are willing to do it. But this group was the same then and they get cars and boyfriends, jobs. Next thing you know, basketball is the last
thing they're worried about.
“I can't remember the last time I saw a girl stay after and shoot extra after practice, other than right after I just got through saying something. They might stay five minutes after just because they feel like they have to. Now, I do have a couple that will come up throughout the day and put up some shots. It's paying off for them but we're just not there, yet. But, it's not every single one of them.”
With no seniors, the Lady Trojans will bring back the entire group, including freshmen off an undefeated junior high team.
The coach said there's an opportunity for someone to earn playing time by developing into a shooter over the summer. If a girl can shoot and play defense, he said she's going to play.
“We're going to have more numbers. That's what I was telling them tonight. I said look around the room, all of you are going to be back. Competition starts tomorrow,” he said of the postgame locker room talk. “They're going to have to learn to compete with each other. That's the tricky thing - competing without taking it personally. A good basketball team, they compete on the court and then they're good teammates afterward. That's what I have to develop, a healthy competition on this team. That's what's going to take place, which ones are willing to put in the time to work and compete for those spots. There's no seniority in this program. Seniority doesn't exist. You don't just get things because you're older. It's earned in practice. It's earned out there on the court.”