7th grade mid-season review

At (3-3), the 7th grade girls have already surpassed their win total of last season (4 if you count the tournament).

With two games left in the season, they need to win two games to guarantee a playoff sport, but would need some help if they were to win only one. And we won't even fathom the possibility that will stay at 3 wins.

After a bumpy first season, which featured a coaching change three games into the season, they quickly settled down, started to focus, and most importantly understood -- little by little the nuances of the game of basketball.

Last Friday's game was a test of will power, courage and determination and the 5 girls that played passed the test. And even though they scrapped and clawed their way to victory, it was the basketball on the court that won the game.

They jumped out to a first quarter 13-0 lead and got off good shots, and most importantly, made their lay-ups and free-throws.

In the half court set, teams at this level are not the best. So the 7th graders took advantage and ran on the other team. They were quicker and more aggressive, driving to the basket and it showed.

This team, with a few tweaks, could be (6-0). They have lost half of their games, because they bit themselves in the foot. Not making free-throws and lay-ups were the key ingredients to disaster.

They converted both Friday night and won convincingly.

Mentally, they need to get it together as at times, they get discouraged and stop playing. Their ability to shake things off is not as strong as others, but that comes with more playing experience.

The key down the stretch is really simple. They need to take care of the ball -- something that was a difficulty in the second half Friday night when they were being pressed.

But one thing this team represents is our entire program as a whole. The talent is there and you just need to work at it and be patient. They have improved drastically from when they first started and if they can take that extra step, they could find themselves on another level come the end of May.