Slow start, inconsistent guard play undermining potential

Posted by admin on Dec 1, 2009 in Sports | 0 comments

With the first month of their season in the rearview mirror, the Spartan’s national title hopes are not looking bright after getting off to a disappointing 4-3 start.

This past weekend the boys were shown they aren’t quite ready to hang with the best in Canada, as No. 4 Calgary defeated TWU 87-77 Friday night. The Spartans rebounded with a convincing 80-68 win Saturday over Lethbridge, but the loss to Calgary moved the Spartans’ record to 0-2 against ranked opponents.

At Christmas break, the Spartans sit tied for third with Victoria in Canada West’s Pacific division, behind UBC (7-0) and Simon Fraser (6-1).
“We were definitely disappointed after the loss to Calgary, but at the same time we didn’t play near our potential,” says guard Calvin Westbrook. “If we come up against UBC or Calgary in the playoffs, I definitely think we have a team that can win against those teams.”

Against Calgary, sloppy play in the first quarter and an inability to crack Calgary’s zone defense ultimately doomed the Spartans. Defensively, the boys could not contain point guard Jarred Ogungdemi-Jackson, as the freshman lit up the Spartans for 18 points on 5/7 shooting while adding five steals. Calgary’s size inside did not bode well for TWU when the Dinos went into their zone, as it was able to neutralize Jacob Doerksen, and forced the Spartans to shoot from outside, where they struggled, going 7/24 from beyond the arc.

Against the less-skilled Lethbridge Saturday, the Spartans were able to go back to their bread-and-butter, feeding Doerksen the ball repeatedly. Finishing the game with 30 points on 12/25 shooting, Doerksen was helped by the play of Lance Veerhoeff, who is enjoying a breakout season. Veerhoeff had 17 points and eight rebounds Saturday, and thru the first seven games the Calgary native is averaging 11 points and six rebounds, well up from his averages last year of six points and four boards.

“I worked a lot harder this summer, so I think that’s helped,” says Veerhoeff of his strong start. Veerhoeff enlisted the help of a trainer and put on 20 pounds of muscle over the summer. “Obviously playing with Jake opens up a lot, and Coach [Allen] has shown more confidence in me, which is helping my game as well.”

The Spartans’ poor shooting at guard has been their Achilles’ heel to start the year. Though the team has for the most part protected the ball, which plagued the squad last year, its poor shooting doomed them against Calgary’s zone.

In the last three games, Scott Allen has moved Westbrook to shooting guard and put Daniel Horner at point, electing to sit Louis Hurd. Since the move, Westbrook has shot .366, while his shooting percentage was .415 with Hurd starting. Though Horner allows Westbrook to play his natural position of shooting guard, Horner is less skilled offensively than Hurd. In the three games he’s started, Horner has shot just .278 from the field. Hurd shot .363 in the four games he started.

“Danny has done really well for us, and him and Louis both give our team different looks,” says Westbrook of the situation at guard. “Both are great players and allow us to do different things.”

For the Spartans’ to go anywhere in the playoffs, they will need to get more production from their guards, especially when teams play zone in an attempt to contain Doerksen.

The Spartans begin next semester with four road games, before coming home on Jan. 22 to host Manitoba.