After winning their first game of the season against Southern Henlopen Conference opponent Smyrna, the Indian River Lady Indians varsity basketball team dropped its next two games. The team had simply been out-rebounded and out-hustled in transition.
Lady Indians head coach Summer Chorman indicated that her team was out-rebounded approximately 2:1 in their 64-31 loss to Nandua on Dec. 12, partly because the Lady Warriors “had two very effective forwards” but also because “of a lack of technique.” So, the next day she had her girls hustling through drills during an hour-long practice to correct their mistakes.
The Lady Indians had shortened practice to make way for the varsity wrestling match against Dover but the emphasis never eased off rebounding.
Boxing out, gathering rebounds at their highest point, following up with shots in the paint and getting open shots with players in position to rebound were drilled for 50 minutes with the promise of more in a Dec. 14 practice leading up to their Dec. 15 game at Woodbridge.
“It’s kind of hard to hit home that quickly, but they’ll get more tomorrow,” Chorman said of the drills.
Despite falling to 1-2 thus far in the season, Chorman said that this team is far improved over last year’s team and has more players who can shoot the outside shot. The problem is that if they miss the shot then they are often out of position to get a rebound.
So, after completing individual rebounding drills, Chorman ran her players through live play with the emphasis on working the ball for the best shot — possibly an outside shot — and getting into position to get the offensive rebound.
“This year we have a high percentage of girls that can and aren’t afraid to shoot the outside shot. But the problem has been that out outside shot often leaves us out of position to rebound effectively,” Chorman said.
Chorman listed Kiarra Graves, Charne Rayne, Marnisha Mitchell, Takia Lewis and freshman Lizzy Handy all as capable of having outside range.
Mitchell had 15 points, including three three-pointers, in the loss to Lake Forest on Dec. 8.
“We’ve been improving every game, even though last night’s game wasn’t a good indicator,” Chorman said of the Nandua loss. “And, hopefully, against Woodbridge we’ll have a little better luck.”
The Lady Indians’ Dec. 15 game against Woodbridge will complete a four-game road trip before they get an opportunity to play in front of the home crowd against Milford on Dec. 19.
“The Nandua game was a hard game to lose because it was an hour and half ride back,” Chorman said.
“The girls haven’t experienced a home game yet. But, hopefully, it will give everyone an energy boost,” Chorman concluded.