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| 1/25/2009 12:04:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Effort lacking from USV boys against Vanlue
By Virginia Bandy
Ada Herald Editor
This was the most disheartening loss for the coach, and he commended Vanlue on their effort in the game, saying they were solid, but he said they are a "team that we should be able to compete against, not be beat by 40."
Coach Bollinger mentioned that he "went to man defense tonight when I usually start out with zone. Then I couldn't switch back to zone when we fell 16 points behind. We started making mistakes in the last part of the second quarter, and we couldn't get back."
The Rams were held to single digit scoring throughout the contest, with top scorer Jake Nelson only earning seven points. Rhys Rose added six for the team. Nelson and Troy Summa made the only three pointers at one each.
Scoring 20 points each for the Wildcats were Jordan Cook and Chase Kloeppel. Josh Simon added 10 markers. Three-pointers were made by Cook (2), and Taylor Chlow (1).
"We did have a good start...normally this team gets out of the gate very slow," said Coach Bollinger. "I'm still sticking with my philosophy that they are good athletes but they are not basketball savvy...they've got to work harder and they don't understand that. If they want to work, they can turn it around."
"I decided at one point in this game that I would put guys in who haven't played much and see what they do, if they want to listen," Coach Bollinger continued. "I always tell them there are no sure starters, I got two guys I pencil in every game, Troy (Summa) and Steve (LaRue). Tommy Prater played well against Temple Christian last night so I penciled him in for tonight."
Ryan Sparkman, a junior transfer from Waynesfield, got playing time in the game. Coach Bollinger said Ryan is "a work in progress, but you can't teach height. He's 6'7" and he's willing to learn. He has some skills, and he will listen to me and work with me and next year, we'll see big differences in him."
USV is still two games behind the other schools in the season due to postponements but Coach Bollinger recognizes that things have to change and attitudes in his players have to change due to some tough games ahead.
"They have to play within themselves and with a little pride. That's where a program starts," he commented. "When you're 14, 15, 16 years old like they are and you're losing, it's tough. And when you come from a place where basketball tradition is rich like in the 80s and 90s and then it falls flat on its face, how do you correct that situation? You have to put forth the effort and have a winning attitude in order to compete. There are a lot of "I's" on the team right now."
Coach Bollinger recognized the fact that he as a head coach is also partially responsible, and he says he needs to get the team to listen to him. "I have kids on this team who are dedicated but they know that they are not going to be basketball players, but I bet that they will go on, go to college, and lead a successful life. It's a learning curve for me as a coach. I've got to figure out how to handle it. We have teams coming up who are compatible with us like Ridgemont and Hardin Northern, but we also play Continental who is ranked in the state," Coach Bollinger concluded.
1 2 3 4 F
USV 9 7 4 8 28
V'lue 11 22 23 11 67
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