Exira-EHK looking forward to rematch with Ar-We-Va Saturday
By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Jan. 23, 2014
ELK HORN – For most of the season, Exira-EHK coach Tom Petersen has stressed to his team on a consistent basis the merits of quality practice time.
During the past two or three weeks, the Spartans have made strides in how they go about things between games, he admits. Just not enough to make the veteran coach comfortable.
“We need to play like we are capable of, and apply what we are learning in practice,” he said this week. “I do like the direction we are going, but like I’ve said, we need to get better at practicing.”
Coach Petersen points to the sluggish start, and lethargic effort early on at Charter Oak-Ute Tuesday. Out of the gate, turnovers continued to plague the team early before the clouds lifted in the second half and the Spartans prevailed 56-36. Rachel Smith led the team with 16 points.
The Spartans turned the ball over 25 times, but forced 35 takeaways to finish in the plus margin in that aspect, and EEHK led by as much as 23 points in the second half.
“You can always control the defense and the rebounding,” coach Petersen says. “Defense, for the most part I was happy, but when you turn the ball over 25 times, you are bound to struggle.”
The victory marks the fourth straight for Exira-EHK, whom improves to 11-4 on the season.
As the schedule progresses, Smith continues to carry a target on her back, but coach Petersen is calling for more balanced scoring from his team that now rotates to play eight deep.
After Tuesday, he praised the effort he got certain non-starters, including senior Taylor Paulsen and sophomore Maggie Rasmussen, which gave the team a spark at CO-U.
Moreover, an adjustment to the starting five in which senior guard Sydney Parker has been plugged in has added another dimension as well.
“The difference maker for us right now has been Sydney Parker,” coach Petersen says. “That’s a gal that was averaging three points a game, and after we made some adjustments at the Christmas Break, that really lit a fire under her. Over the past four games, she’s averaging 14 points-per-game, and we need her to do that from here on out.”
Parker now runs the point interchangeably with Smith.
“Syd has picked up her game, and we need to have that. We need more balanced scoring.”
Up next for the Spartans is a shot at No. 9-ranked Ar-We-Va, who handed EEHK one of its four losses. Back on Dec. 13, the Lady Rockets danced past the Spartans 62-39 on perhaps the Spartans’ worst offensive effort to date.
EEHK hit just 12-of-66, including 1-of-18 from beyond the arc.
That loss serves better as a lesson than a motivator, as fourth-place EEHK readies to face first-place Ar-We-Va.
“It’s a great opportunity to see where we’re at and to play a great team,” coach Petersen says. “I think our girls are going to be up to the challenge.”
Chief amongst the bullet points for the Spartans Saturday is the need to limit mistakes and cap Ar-We-Va’s second-chance opportunities. And, of course shoot a better rate than the 18 percent the Spartans put up in the first meeting.
It’s the next step in the race to finish strong.
“Like anyone else, you want to be playing your best basketball headed into tournament time,” coach Petersen says.
“In the second half of the season, we are 6-2, and I want to see our girls continue to improve.”
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