5 Key Questions: Triad vs Greenville
In a low scoring hard fought game Greenville held off Triad 35-30. This was probably exactly what Triad Coach Mike Arbuthnot wanted to see, except for losing, and exactly what Greenville Coach Kolin Dothager did not want to see. With…
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Continue ReadingIn a low scoring hard fought game Greenville held off Triad 35-30. This was probably exactly what Triad Coach Mike Arbuthnot wanted to see, except for losing, and exactly what Greenville Coach Kolin Dothager did not want to see. With Triad coming into the season with a new coach and a mostly inexperienced roster, most fans were likely wondering what to expect from the Lady Knights. Here are a few key questions and observations from what we saw opening night for each team.
First, what zone defense was Triad playing and did Caoch Arb just dream up a defense one night and then draw it up on his night stand? Whatever it was brings us to, was that a one night poor performance or will Greenville struggle from the outside this year? Rylee Pickett has been a proven outside shooter and should be able to get back to her normal form. Natalie Iberg was able to hit one from behind the arc as was Hannah Simpson. It will certainly be a common strategy for most teams to try to bottle up the middle and make Greenville beat you from the outside.A team that can score better than Triad would have put Greenville in a tough situation if they cannot make more shots.
Second, where will Triad get their points from each night? Greenville played their zone as has been the norm for them and Triad struggled to score. The Lady Knights had 10 points at half but did get 10 points in the 3rd and 4th quarters to end up at 30. They picked up some steals that led to wide open lay ups in the 3rd quarter, but there is still much work to do in the half court. Alyssa Powell led them in scoring with 9. She has good quickness and strength as a 3/4, but shooting is not her strong point yet. Alyssa was 3/10 from the free throw line which limited their scoring. Avery Bohnenstiehl had 6 points in the second half. All of her chances were generated from the defense as stated previously. Sami Hartoin did hit a 3-point shot, which was the only one for the team. The Lady Knights will have to figure out how to put points on the board if they are going to win games, especially in the MVC.
Third, how do you stop Megan Hallemann? The 6’4 senior from Greenville had 2 players from Triad with her at all times. She had to fight to get any chance to get the ball. Triad held her to one field goal. However, she was 9/10 from the free throw line. You cannot foul her and at 6’4 and long arms it is hard to stop the lob pass. Triad had a good scheme and limited Megan, but she was not stopped. For Triad Alyssa Powell, Ella Manso and Anja Mills worked very hard to limit her chances. If you put two people on her all night and she still gets 11, how do you stop her without a 6’4 girl on your team to guard her?
Fourth, what should we expect from Alyssa Powell? At 5’10 this 2022 forward has a ton of upside. She is quick, strong and can jump. Alyssa has many hours of work to be done to improve her shot. She has a bit of a one-handed shot that seems to move in her hand once the guide hand comes off the ball. It is not consistent in the release as sometimes the hand is twisting as she releases the shot and sometimes it flicks straight toward the basket as it should. She has the body of a power 3 at the small college level. If she can get in the gym and improve her basketball skill the upside is exciting. She has everything that you would want “nature” to provide her, now it is all effort and attitude that will determine her altitude.
Fifth, how far can Greenville go? The first game of the year is not the barometer for the rest of the year. In the case of Greenville it did just reinforce what we knew coming into the season. They will need Rylee Picket to score consistently. We also know that Coach Dothager will need someone else to put points on the board each night. That may not always be the same person. Between Iberg, Simpson, Danielle Brand, Abby Sussenbach and Gwyn Mitchell, someone will have to step up and take pressure off Hallemann/Pickett to carry the load.If they can establish the scoring they can advance to play in a Sectional tourney they will host and have a shot to follow Hillsboro from conference champ to Redbird Arena.They will play good defense and stay in games but will need that scoring punch from other players come February unless Hallemann can score 25-30 per game by herself.
I enjoy watching games like this. A chess match between an experienced Coach like Mike Arbuthnot and a good team/coach like Greenville. At this point the Lady Knights are not as talented as the Lady Comets but strategy and execution always come into play. It gave them a chance but they could not take advantage of that chance. I am excited to watch each team progress throughout the year.