Mob

Well the draft was yesterday and we came out pretty good I think being we did not have any frozen players. We just went in blind having looked at about half the players and not knowing any of them. It is really hard to tell who has that intangible quality of being a player they all look good in practice But can you hit the shot in a game when it counts that is what MOB is all about putting these young men in a situation where their are referees and a clock and other players their same speed and see if you can perform. Pick up games and playing around the house never gets you prepared for real game atmosphere. People in the stands. Even if it is just your mother and father. Brother and sister and friends. Now to the particulars we have one player 6'6 real strong we have two 6'4 and two 6'3 then we have two point guards who are 5'5 and 5'3 then three brothers that we don't know how tall they are or how they play they where no shows at the draft. You take one you get all three. that is the way it works.. So I don't know if we can run and gun and play transition basketball or will we have to slow down and go to a half court game. It just depends on how much talent we have and will they run or are they lazy. It won't take long to see who will go and who won't .............    

Its not Over

As of last week I thought basketball season was over until June when Summer's AAU team would start up and play the Caprock tournaments here in Lubbock maybe a hoop 10 one in Amarillo. But the coach and player and parents decided to take a bigger loop this year. And play some other cities and tournaments. On one hand this is a good thing and on the other it is not. One way is you are always creating that sense of this is a big game and a big tournament and you have to win. Pressure the only way to play under the gun is put it in between your eyes and cock the hammer. That said!!!!! Sports or games are suppose to be fun and if every game is life or death you will finally get to that point you don't care anymore pull the trigger I quit... This is the problem I see school ball here is a pressure cooker. Every girls wants to play for a top ten ranked school . And all these girls play AAU to keep there skills up during the Summer and to have fun that is right basketball is a game and you are suppose to play it for fun. That is the only way you can perform and get better at any thing is relax and have fun who cares if you win or lose did you make some 3's some reverse layups some spin moves some behind the back passes some steals in to fast breaks make plays be a player that is whats important. That is how you get better not by playing every game as a must win. Sure you have to have that but not every game it gets tedious and the players don't play their best they become stifled under the false pressure. It is a constant battle you tell them it's just a game go out and have fun and play your game and the other people are saying this is a big game this team is real good and we have to win. Most people fold like a cheap lawn chair under pressure so why put your kids in that position. Make AAU the fun league and the school the pressure cooker......on to something else
   I am going to coach a boys high school team this off season for MOB I am excited and looking forward to bring my mental game to some boys who my guess is are trying to get their skill level up to make their high school teams and I am going to do everything I know to get these boys off the winning mentality and on to being players. Get in the now and perform because it is fun and they are good at it. Their is only two reasons to play a game it's fun and you are good at it. They don't pay you to play they don't whip or beat you if you don't  play no you play because you want to. And if you are not good at a game you don't play it. And it's not fun So you are good at it and it is fun that is why you are here. Now we can go to work.. Get these boys skill level up so they can make the team at school........




              

Basketball Season Over

Well it's over another great year of basketball for the Shallowater Middle School all in all it was a stellar performance for both teams the 7th and 8th. The 7th went undefeated I think they were 18 and zero what a outstanding record but it wasn't all easy they had some stiff competition from Frenship and Cooper. These teams pushed them to the limit and they were able to answer the call and find away to win. The secret to the success of this teams is this they are a team they play together better than any bunch of girls I have ever seen at this age. They just get it.. Its a team game no ball hogs needed.... Now for the players. The number one suspect is Morgan Bennett An all around ball handler and shooter who runs the team from the point guard position she can push the ball about as good as anyone anywhere. #2 is Brandy Goulette is a pure shooter she has a effortless two handed release and is a solid ball handler. #3 Kandice Pope this girl comes off the bench and handles the ball and is a shooter to boot a starter on any other team. #4 Kelyn Morris strong down low a lot of rebounds and an excellent free throw shooter. #5 Kristen McDonald this girl is the most improved player on the team a post player who makes a lot of points and rebounds. #6 Kaley Shotts another post player who is getting her legs under her and is making a big difference around the basket every game. #7 I think her name is Taylor Tentens she is another point guard  who comes off the bench and you don't lose a step with her on the court she is fast a ball handler and a shooter another girl who would be a starter on any other team.# 8 Abbey Goodwyn  yet another post player and a good one and a girl who would be a starter on any other team. #9 Kaylee Jackson unfortunately she was hurt in a motorcycle accident at the first of the season and was unable to play. She is a very good basketball player that is why she is on this team.
   Now for the 8th graders. They were 14 and 4 and had a really good season. So here are the players #1 is Kelsey Smith she is the offensive power of the team an all around player with post player size and point guard ball handling skills can take it to the basket or shoot from outside. #2 Summer Pearson is a true power forward takes the ball to the basket and shoots from outside and is the best defensive play on the team..#3Hannah Almsted is another post player with guard skills can shoot from outside or take it to the hoop. #4Shelby Johnston is a true post player tall strong her moves under and around the basket get better and better every year if she gets big enough she mite be able to play at the next level.. #5 Carli McCravy is a great point guard she is fast a good ball handler a shooter can attack the basket with moves. needs to break down the other team and pass more.#6 Allyssa Johnson is a guard who comes off the bench and is fast and a good shooter and you don't lose anything with her on the court. She will do her job.  #7 Tatum Cagle is another guard who comes off the bench and plays some good hard minutes and usually puts some points on the board she is a good shooter. #8 Kelsey Bigham is a post player who is finally getting her feet under her and is becoming a player she needs more playing time..#9 Maci Sparkman is a guard who is very fast and plays some real tough defense and has a instinct for releasing to the basket for the fast break she need more playing time. #10 Macy McLellan here is another guard who needs playing time. That is the only way to use your skills is to play enough to be able to relax .  If you can't relax you can't use your skills.....
    Now here is the problem the 8th grade B-team has a lot of really good players and next year where are they going to play we don't have a freshman b-team yet.. Well I would just like to say Brenley Irvin is a really good basketball player. And so is Katelynn Parra, Ariah Robertson , Sheree Satterwhite, Alicia Sims, Hannah Ayers I know I have forgot some players but this is just my opinion.... So take it with a grain of salt...


                   

Browntown Game

Last night I went to a basketball game at Brownfield it was no different than any other game this year the fact it was the last game was not a factor. The fact our girls have never lost to them that was not a factor. The fact they are a poor ethnic school on the decline in a dieing town with little opportunity. Those are all facts but they have no bearing on the game between young girls... Wrong these are all contributing factor as to what happened last night. A bit of history two years ago our girls won the National Little Dribbler Championship
and beat you got it Brownfield. Now our girls have keep growing being mostly caucasian and Brownfield are mostly Hispanic and have stopped growing they are all going to be 5 foot to 5' 5' and our girls are tall 5'5 to 6'foot. So the teams are not even competitive any more our girls are to big to fast and are better athletes  better basketball players. So here we are watching this blowout 20 to 10 first half and our girls have missed a ton of shots it could have been 40 to 10 easily. Now the referees were a short Hispanic man about 5'foot tall and a Hispanic woman about the same. Now you could tell the woman had never refereed a game before and the man was making calls all over the court. I her zone and his. That in itself is wrong.  It is unprofessional and unheard of in the ranks of officiating. That is disrespectful to your partner calling the game. So we have a crew that is out of balance. Now  to add insult to injury the man starts calling a home town game. That is right everybody has seen it when a official starts to make to many calls and to many for the home team. This is part of the game but he was just blatant he was out of control. The problem was no matter how much cheating he did it was not going to change the out come of the game. The big dog kills the little dog every time.No matter how much you try and fix the fight. Now for the economic impact after the game we were going to go out to eat there in Browntown. But after such a sorry game we drove all the way back to Lubbock to eat. We are not going to spend any money in Brownfield and next year we are not even going to the game there if they play there we are not going to contribute any money to that town. After the game when they were shaking hands one of there players when told she played a good game she: replied KISS MY ASS when our coach told her not to talk like that she told her to shut up you can't tell me what to do. It is really sad to hear 8 grade girls talk like that. But it is a product of the town where there is no opportunity people can get really trashy and it rubs off on there children. The only thing they have is to live through their children and when they lose they take it hard. So they try and cheat. With their little hometown referees. That is what happens when you have to play little dieing towns here in west texas. Just my opinion..........