Triton Hopes Improvement Pays Off
January 29, 2018 at 6:29 p.m.
By Mark [email protected]
The Lady Trojans enter this week’s 1A Oregon-Davis Sectional battle-tested, having played in seven games decided by six or fewer points.
A hallmark of Triton’s teams over recent seasons is to peak at tournament time.
“The goal each and every year is to show improvement from the beginning of the season to the end and to be playing your best at the end,” Heckaman said. “We have grown a lot as the season has progressed.”
Senior Hannah Wanemacher led the team in scoring most of the year, averaging around 11 points a game. But over the last third of the season much of the burden of scoring, and the defenses designed to key on her, has been relieved by teammates stepping up. Whytnie Miller, Nichole Sechrist, Charlotte Morris and others have pitched in on both ends of the floor.
“The biggest thing that has clicked for us is our defense,” Heckaman said. “We have done a much better job on rotations and angles and allowing our defense to assist our offense.
“And we’ve had more girls stepping up and looking to score. That aggressiveness on both ends has led to us being a more well-balanced team.”
In order to peak at the right time, players have to learn and take on the responsibility that comes with each individual role on the team.
“A big part of improving and getting better is having a group that is willing to accept what they can do for the team. These girls have done an outstanding job understanding what it is they can do to help the team,” the coach said. “Everyone has been stepping up and doing their job when they are given the opportunity. They’re playing unselfish and are playing together and encouraging each other.”
Success in the postseason is often found in ball security, and that’s no different for Triton. Usually when the Lady Trojans have lost this season, there’s been a lot of mistakes converted into points on the opponents’ end of the floor.
“The biggest thing for us as a team is not turning the ball over. Live ball turnovers turn into easy points and we want to make sure that whoever we play has to work hard for each point,” said Heckaman. “They need to earn each point, not have us gift them points with turnovers.”
Record-wise the field at the Oregon-Davis Sectional doesn’t look especially strong. Heckaman cautioned against reading too much into wins and losses.
“I think from a casual fan’s standpoint it doesn’t look like a great sectional. There are no gaudy records to show,” he said.
“The great thing about our sectional is that we have 1A teams that play some of the most difficult 1A schedules in the state. Playing a tough schedule may result in less wins overall but hopefully has helped us to be better prepared for the tournament.
“This years sectional field does seem more wide open but Oregon-Davis will still be the favorite. It's at their place, and since 2007 they have only lost one 1A sectional. In order for us to have a chance at cutting down the nets we have to be locked in on the defensive end and we have to take care of the ball. If we limit our turnovers I believe we will give ourselves a good shot at winning.”
Triton drew a first-round bye and will play in the second semifinal Friday against either LaCrosse or the host Lady Bobcats around 7 p.m. Eastern time. The title tilt is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday.
Latest News
E-Editions
The Lady Trojans enter this week’s 1A Oregon-Davis Sectional battle-tested, having played in seven games decided by six or fewer points.
A hallmark of Triton’s teams over recent seasons is to peak at tournament time.
“The goal each and every year is to show improvement from the beginning of the season to the end and to be playing your best at the end,” Heckaman said. “We have grown a lot as the season has progressed.”
Senior Hannah Wanemacher led the team in scoring most of the year, averaging around 11 points a game. But over the last third of the season much of the burden of scoring, and the defenses designed to key on her, has been relieved by teammates stepping up. Whytnie Miller, Nichole Sechrist, Charlotte Morris and others have pitched in on both ends of the floor.
“The biggest thing that has clicked for us is our defense,” Heckaman said. “We have done a much better job on rotations and angles and allowing our defense to assist our offense.
“And we’ve had more girls stepping up and looking to score. That aggressiveness on both ends has led to us being a more well-balanced team.”
In order to peak at the right time, players have to learn and take on the responsibility that comes with each individual role on the team.
“A big part of improving and getting better is having a group that is willing to accept what they can do for the team. These girls have done an outstanding job understanding what it is they can do to help the team,” the coach said. “Everyone has been stepping up and doing their job when they are given the opportunity. They’re playing unselfish and are playing together and encouraging each other.”
Success in the postseason is often found in ball security, and that’s no different for Triton. Usually when the Lady Trojans have lost this season, there’s been a lot of mistakes converted into points on the opponents’ end of the floor.
“The biggest thing for us as a team is not turning the ball over. Live ball turnovers turn into easy points and we want to make sure that whoever we play has to work hard for each point,” said Heckaman. “They need to earn each point, not have us gift them points with turnovers.”
Record-wise the field at the Oregon-Davis Sectional doesn’t look especially strong. Heckaman cautioned against reading too much into wins and losses.
“I think from a casual fan’s standpoint it doesn’t look like a great sectional. There are no gaudy records to show,” he said.
“The great thing about our sectional is that we have 1A teams that play some of the most difficult 1A schedules in the state. Playing a tough schedule may result in less wins overall but hopefully has helped us to be better prepared for the tournament.
“This years sectional field does seem more wide open but Oregon-Davis will still be the favorite. It's at their place, and since 2007 they have only lost one 1A sectional. In order for us to have a chance at cutting down the nets we have to be locked in on the defensive end and we have to take care of the ball. If we limit our turnovers I believe we will give ourselves a good shot at winning.”
Triton drew a first-round bye and will play in the second semifinal Friday against either LaCrosse or the host Lady Bobcats around 7 p.m. Eastern time. The title tilt is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092