Your future, our focus
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
powelltribune.photoshelter.com
Coming up against a team that is bigger, faster and pushes the pace can look like a difficult time, but the Trapper women’s basketball team is hoping a recent scrimmage against the Trapper men’s redshirts will benefit the team in the long run.
“It was important for the girls to get up and down the court and play against a different pace,” Trapper women’s coach Lauren Davis said following the Oct. 21 game.
The Northwest College women played four 10-minute periods, as they looked to discover what adjustments they will need to make moving into the regular season which begins in 10 days.
Low practice numbers due to injuries as well as three athletes participating in other sports has limited NWC’s full scrimmages throughout the preseason.
The Trappers have also had limited competition against other teams, with their only other preseason scrimmages happening the first weekend of October in Colorado.
Facing the Trapper men last week, the women struggled early on to deal with the size and speed of the redshirts, but they were able to progressively find open shooters throughout the contest and begin to knock more shots and answer the intensity from the men’s squad.
“I would rather have our girls playing against people that are faster and stronger because it gets them prepared in all aspects,” Davis said.
The coach is hoping the girls learned what passes they’re able to make as well as how to find open shots as they move towards their first regular season game — against Region IX South opponent Western Nebraska on Monday, Nov. 8.
The team’s original opening season contest at home against Rocky Mountain JV next Saturday was canceled due to a miscommunication in scheduling.
Davis said her team currently has plans for one final scrimmage tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday, against the University of Montana in Missoula.
The coach hopes the game will go forward as she believes coming up against a four-year school before the season starts will help the mostly freshman team gain more experience.
“I love playing people better than us,” Davis said, “and I believe it will be an overall good experience for our girls to see what playing at that level looks like.”