The Armada senior girls hoops squad are almost running on all cylinders except one — consistency, head coach Greg Freethy said.
The Alberni District Secondary School senior girls basketball team went 1–4 at the Lambrick Park Santa Slam last weekend in Victoria.
The event was another chance to play stellar competition and the Armada found just that in the teams they played.
The team lost to Lambrick 70–56 in its opener, and it was a game in which Freethy observed an inconsistency he wants to correct.
“The first half was brutal and we were down 36–13 and we won the second half even though we lost the game,” Freethy said. “We hit those stretches where we don’t look good and I want them to develop consistency.”
The Armada beat A.R. MacNeill from Richmond 81–33, but lost to St. Michaels 53–40 and Mount Doug 77–57.
Against St. Michaels, the Armada was down by three points at the start of the fourth quarter when St. Mikes went on a 12–2 run to finish the game. “We were right there then we lost it,” Freethy said. “I’d like to have that game back.”
In the tilt against Mount Doug, the Armada did their best to contain a Rams’ point guard who was the team’s offensive cog.
But Rams’ player Julia Murray, who the Armada saw when they beat the Rams earlier this season, came out of nowhere to score 34 points.
The Armada lost Leah Hudson and Paige Hansen to injury so four Grade 11 players got the call to put in work.
“They made some mistakes but they’re learning and they did alright,” Freethy said.
The pre-season has given the Armada a chance to play stiffer competition, establish offensive and defensive schemes and get a better sense of who they are, Freethy said.
“We know where we want to improve to get better.”
The team is practicing over Christmas, where Freethy will be drilling putting the ball into the post and defending a double team on offense.
“Our record is 7–5 so far but we’re learning from our mistakes,” Freethy said.
The team’s first league game is in January.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com