Despite Short Bench Cyclones Girls Aim For High Tempo Game
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
For returnees it’s very good news for the Central Cyclones senior girls basketball team.
Nine players from last season - including three players who are starting their third season - - are returning.
The only problem is they’ll be joined by only one new player giving the Cyclones a ten player roster two players short of the usual 12 player roster.
Central Cyclones head coach Tanya McLean (left) gives some hands on instruction
“We only have a ten player team,” Central Cyclones senior girls head coach Tanya McLean told MJ Independent after Thursday evening’s practice.
Asked about what it is like to play with a short bench or roster McLean said “we really don’t have a choice. We’re going to make the best of it and they are going to be in good shape and get lots of playing time and we are going to go hard with ten (players).”
Out of the ten players nine are returning from last year’s campaign.
Action around the hoop
Six of the returnees are seniors, three are in grade 11 and there is one new addition to the squad.
“If you consider a full bench 12 players sure (we are short two players) but we’re happy with ten (players),” McLean said.
“The chemistry is there. They know each other well. They play together well. They’re friends off of the court. It’s a good group.”
The roster this year has some recognizable names who excelled in the past.
The roster is comprised of Lucy McLean, Taylor Haavisto, Lily Gulutzan, Addison Simpson, Shaylan Constable, Brooklyn Watterson, Leiah Delizo, Mykenzie Shymko, Payton Krukoff and Ellah Flanagan.
Rebounding at the net
The main thing the team needs, with a short bench, is to remain injury free and don’t get fouled out.
It sounds good on paper but foul troubles have plagued the team in the past.
Asked what the team is going to stress this year McLean responded with one word “defence.”
She said it wasn’t about last season but something “just in general.”
“You have got to play good defence to win games so we are going to focus on that.”
Shaylan Constable (left) is one of the players the Cyclones are looking to excel
Along with hoping to keep their opponents’ scores lower on the scoreboard the plan calls for a “more intense defence.”
Despite the seeming problems of a short bench McLean likes this season’s prospects,
“I feel super hopeful for this season. We have goals to be in the city (of Moose Jaw) league final and make it to Hoopla (the provincial basketball championship tournament) again. I think we are very capable of doing both,” she said.
The Cyclones are going to rely upon players like Addie Simpson to lead the team to their goals.
“Addie is a provincial player and Addie and Ellah (Flanagan) have been playing club basketball. Plus we’ve got tons of experience. We have three players who have played since grade ten,” she said.
Breaking around the defence and driving for the hoop
“We have got tons of experience. We have got some good leaders. We have a good solid team.”
Thursday evening’s practice centered upon offence and creating opportunities by blocking out their opponent’s defenders.
“This is the hard part with only having ten. We also have many players that do other things like dance, volleyball, lacrosse so we struggle to get five or six players to a practice.”
On Thursday evening the Cyclones were able to field eight players for a large portion of the practice but two players showed up later due to other commitments.
Players who have multiple activities - especially club volleyball - has impacted not only the Cyclones. It has impacted female basketball province wide.
Practicing breaking around a defender
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge having everyone together,” she said.
Asked about the potential of calling up grade tens from the junior team it’s not being considered but still potentially on the table.
“If we need to we will but we have a pretty dedicated group when they’re there. Hopefully we’ll have no injuries and we will be OK.”
Addison Simpson sat out a portion of the senior girls volleyball season due to health problems but now has a clean bill of health.
Blocking out the defender drill
Despite going to a more defence centric model the plans are not to slow down the game but actually to speed things up.
“I think we have to run and gun and play high intensity defence and a well controlled offence. We need to execute defensively and offensively that would be the main goal.”
Another spectre the Cyclones needs to avoid are foul problems. Problems the team suffered from at key times last season.
“Absolutely (we need to stay out of foul problems) especially with a shorter bench. We are going to tournaments with eight people so injuries and no foul trouble.”
Looking for an opening to make a pass
“They (injuries and fouls) are our biggest fears this year. But that would be with any team, any year.”
Asked if she had any idea why the Cyclones were unable to field a 12 person team McLean replied it is because of many other activities they are involved in.
“There is a lot of volleyball.”
“We have girls who are leaving practice to go to volleyball or leaving volleyball to come to practice. We have dancers who are missing half a practice because they dance. We have lacrosse players that are missing tournaments because they’re in different provinces. So four (players) out of ten (players) are committed to other sports.”
“We just need to get them all to practice and get them doing all these things,” she said.
Team coaches give instructions
The Cyclones kick off their season this Saturday afternoon when they host an exhibition game versus Weyburn at 4 pm.
The game is open to all and the cost to attend is FREE.
“Anybody can come out and cheer for Central,” she joked.
The team is hoping for a large fan turnout this season and have a Facebook page team to help promote the team and provide news.
The team has a lot of good news to start this season as they have managed to secure a number of sponsorships for the team.
More on the spot instruction from one of the coaches
“We are very lucky this year. We sought out sponsorships, which is a new thing we haven’t done before, and have had some very generous donations to our team which has helped with all of the costs,” McLean said.
The sponsorships will help to keep the cost of hotel rooms and food while the Cyclones are out attending one of the six tournaments they are scheduled to participate in.
“Everything has gone up this year, hotels, food everybody knows that. This has helped with our team fees and everything.”
“The sponsorships came from some very generous businesses in Moose Jaw and individuals in Moose Jaw” came forward to help the Cyclones this season.
Grade 11 student Addison “Addie” Simpson is set to once again be a leader on this year’s team
The Cyclones kick off their City of Moose Jaw league play on Tuesday December 3rd when they travel to Lumsden to face the Lumsden Angels.
