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We started the game slow, having a hard time even getting shots off. So I elected to take a hand in the scoring. I started with a drive trying to break down their zone. I took a pretty good bump so threw up a shot. They gave me continuation and I sunk both free throws. It was our first 2 points of the game...and we were down something like 9-2. The next possession I got the ball left of the free throw circle outside the 3 line, drove to the lower foul circle and dropped that one in. This time I got clobbered on the shot but no call. Oh well, 4 quick points. Next possession I established post position but we went the other way with the ball. That was fine...they were playing a zone and when the center defender moved to defend Christina's shot that gave me good rebounding position which I used to grab the offensive board and score. A couple possessions later I drove the left side again for the pull-up jumper. By the time I went out of the game the first time we had 8 points...and were down 19-8. We struggled to score all game long. I only took 5 more shots the rest of the game, 2 of them off offensive rebounds. I ended with 14 points for the day. So offensively I had a nice game. Defensively we were average, giving up 65. We give up between 62 and 66 points almost every game. We struggled to score again, only dropping in 46.

Somehow we have to get that figured out. This team was playing a 2-3 zone. To me, that is perfect to get post position against. Have one person in the high post, have the 2 low post players set cross-screens for each other and wheel your shooters to the corners. Now you have flooded the zone and they can either defend your post or your shooter...not both. But we did not have people setting the backscreens so that was never established. Nor did we pinpoint what was working and go to it. All day I was able to penetrate the zone almost at will. This was particularly available from the foul line extended left outside the three line. It gave them a bad angle to defend. From there I was able to creat good looks for JC, Christina and Ashley. For some reason after the first 15 minutes or so nobody passed the ball to me in that position.

And that gets to the heart of the problem. We are a talented team...but not a good team. I have a good post-up game that should do a number on most teams we have played this year. I think twice in 8 games I have gotten an entry pass when I had position. I can break down the defense with penetration but never get the ball in a good place to do that. Which is fine IF we are scoring in other ways.

Both Ashley and Christina have the height and moves to be forces in the post game. We seldom get them the ball in those positions. Kyle C is a very, very capable rebounder and good hustle guy. But we don't help him with box-outs so he and I have to both box-out AND get the rebound. He has more height, strength, and agility than i do...but I have slightly better positioning and box-out skills. We do okay on the boards but if we are not both in there then the boards turn into a disaster zone.

JC is a good hustle guy with a decent mid-range shot but we seldom get him the ball when he is open.

I set a lot of screens...but they seldom get used or if they do it is only to move around the perimeter instead of breaking towards the basket.

We could score a LOT of points by posting up Ashley, Christina, and myself or by penetrate and kick moves. We do neither. We regularly ignore the hot scorer and fail to run again plays that got us easy looks the prior time. That has to change if we are going to become the sum of our parts. If we ever do we will win a lot of games. If we don't...well, we will spend a lot more time looking up from the wrong end of a 20 point blow-out. Teamwork beats talent. We have the talent...just not the teamwork.