There’s an old adage that says practice makes perfect — to the CSU women’s basketball team, it’s a routine.
The Rams have been practicing to improve the aspects of their game that fell short of perfect in the exhibition game they won last week against the Colorado School of Mines.
Ad
Although they have been stepping in the right direction, coach Ryun Williams feels their work is far from over.
“He’s a very intense coach that will get in your face when you’re doing it wrong, and that I think is helpful because it makes you get in gear when you’re not working hard,” junior forward Sam Martin said. “He makes us play our best all of the time because it’s what he expects.”
The area getting most attention from the Rams is defense.
“We have to be able to guard anybody regardless of their quickness or size, so our main focus has been our defense,” sophomore guard LaDeyah Forte said. “From where we started in the summer, we’ve come a long way with footwork and positioning.”
However, Forte’s forte isn’t defense, but more her ability to put ball in the right spot on the court.
Last season she was second both on the team in assists and in the MW in assists-to-turnover ratio as a freshman. This is the part of her game she plans to bring back to the table in every game.
“Facilitating on the court is key. I need to make sure I’m getting the ball to the right people at the right time,” Forte said. “If I’m open I’ll take my shot, but my main focus is getting my teammates the ball when they need it.”
One of her favorite targets on the team is Martin. Martin is one of the more important assets to the offensive side of the ball for CSU. She led the team with 16 points and put up a double-double in the exhibition, and expects to play at that level all year.
“Each game I’m going to do what I have to do to get our team to win,” Martin said “If that means that I have to score 16, then I’m going to score 16.”
Ad
Certainly, there are some aspects the women’s basketball team has been attending to more than others, but coach Williams has his eye on the picture as a whole, rather than its pieces.
“We’re working on the level of intensity that we need to perform with every single play,” Williams said. “We’ve had three practices since the exhibition and can see progression, but as a coach, you’ll always want it to be greater.”
Women’s Basketball Beat Reporter Quentin Sickafoose can be reached at sports@collegian.com.
