Was over at the Anderson Athletic Complex on the campus of St. Thomas on Thursday afternoon to catch their Thursday afternoon practice. Head Coach Ruth Sinn along with assistants Chris Dalhed and Joshua Hersch were gracious hosts as they made me feel at home.
The theme for today's practice was "Win The Day" - each drill has an opportunity to win it! After getting stretched out with the usual routines, the Tommies went right to work working on ball handling and passing drills. These may seem like normal blah affairs but in reality these small things are critically important to the overall success of the team. From a turnover standpoint, they are absolutely crucial. Dalhed mentioned to me during this session that the turnover ratio was better last season than the season before. And, make no mistake about it - the Tommies do the small things well.
Coach Sinn keeps moving things along; she has the team transition into what she calls her "toughness series" which are definitely tough. One of the drills has 3 players at a basket whereby a player has to tip the ball off the glass six times before tipping the ball in the hoop for an easy put-in. Another drill in this series is called "Mikan work" for Minneapolis Laker legend George Mikan where the players have to put the ball off the glass for a basket while under the basket; definitely tough but players such as Maggie Weiers and Taylor Young do it with ease.
Sinn also has the team do the usual offensive and defensive work as well and it's no secret that the Tommies can be absolutely suffocating with their defense. Naturally, the returning veterans look comfortable and at ease with this work while the new faces need a period of "adjustment" before they feel comfortable. "Think basketball" as Sinn likes to call it. Despite the losses of the MIAC's 3-point shooting Queen in Ali Johnson along with Carolyn Dienhart to graduation (along with Sarah Smith and Haley Loesch), this team has more than enough weapons to make another run at the conference title along with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
Outtakes - Sinn pooh-poohed the notion of the Tommies being infalliable despite running roughshod over conference opponents last year. She noted that the "peaks and valleys" the team went through last year were markedly better than the year before and she hopes to make that wavy line even smaller this season. Sinn was quick to concur to my notion that it was a travesty that GAC was left out of the NCAA Tournament this last March and that the conference has to take decisive steps that would allow more non-conference games (a MIAC/WIAC Challenge would be an EXCELLENT way to help open things up a little bit). From my perspective (and I didn't ask Sinn about this), it's difficult to say right now who the starting point guard will be although I can say that former Eastview standout Jen Dockter should get her chance somewhere down the road. Also impressive is junior Kelly Brandenburg who keeps getting better and better. The junior was probably the best 6th player in the league last year and it wouldn't surprise me at all if she starts this year. What else can you say about the dynamic junior duo of Weiers and Young? Weiers is hands down the best post player in the conference and Young the most dynamic and gifted player as well. While going through another stretch of MIAC play unblemished might be a bridge too far, they certainly have enough talent and tools to win the conference again and perhaps win the whole ball of wax as well. The Tommies do have an incredibly tough opening slate of games, however. They open up in Decatur, Illinois against MIAA powerhouse Calvin and then host school Millikin the weekend of November 16/17. Then the following Monday the Tommies host WIAC powerhouse UW-Steven Point so we'll find out a lot about this team early on.
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