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Fewer Turnovers Key For Wiregrass

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By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 6, 2008

Gulf and Wiregrass Ranch were the last two Pasco County undefeated teams until the two met Friday night.

Earlier in the week, Mitchell suffered its first loss in a district game at Sickles.

For Wiregrass Ranch coach Greg Finkel, the evolution of his team was quite simple: A little bit better defense and slight improvement in taking care of the ball, and - presto! - instant good team.

"We try to limit our turnovers to 12-15 a game," Finkel said. "And even that is too much."

Thus far his girls are beating their goal, averaging just more than 10 turnovers a game.

But to try to take further advantage of fewer turnovers, Finkel is using a stout defense that is causing his opponents to turn the ball over far more frequently. Foes are averaging nearly 20 turnovers a game.

If his team can average 10 fewer turnovers from last year while forcing 10 more turnovers, that leads to 20 extra offensive possessions.

If his girls can convert those 20 extra possessions, that's a 40-point swing.

"That's huge," Finkel said.

Defense is also the good word at Gulf. Buccaneers coach Mike Quarto points to his defense for the strong start.

"Defensively, we're doing a good job," Quarto said.

Like at Wiregrass Ranch, Quarto can tell the defense is playing strong by how well, or not so well, the opponents are taking care of the basketball.

"We're causing a lot of turnovers because of the pressure we're putting on the ball. The turnovers are giving us additional possessions offensively."

But Quarto explained, as did Finkel, that a good defensive stand often results in a positive offensive possession. The team is so energized from a good defensive play that the adrenaline carries over offensively.

"Definitely a good defensive stand is going to carry over offensively," Quarto said. "When we get a turnover, the kids really work to find the open shot."

Finkel suggested the cliche "defense wins ballgames" is not just for football.

"You look at any level and good defensive teams will win a lot of ballgames," Finkel said.

LOSE AS A TEAM: When Mitchell dropped its first game of the season on the road Wednesday, a 55-44 Class 6A-District 7 game to Sickles, it was largely due to the play of Sickles budding star Amber Henson.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore went crazy in the second half, rallying Sickles from a 25-21 halftime deficit to turn into a one-woman gang, grabbing rebounds, blocking shots, dishing off assists and scoring underneath when needed.

When it was suggested to Mitchell coach Jake Tavo that his team just ran into a buzz saw of a very good ballplayer, he would have nothing of it. He quickly dismissed Henson's stellar play as the reason Mitchell lost.

"It was being outworked, that's all that was," Tavo said of the loss. "It was five girls outworking five girls."

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