Hopes are high for Hopi High School girls basketball
POLACCA - Ben Willey, coach for the Hopi High girls basketball team, expects the Lady Bruins to finish in the top four in conference, although he is quick to note that nobody else expects them to finish that high.
Coach Willey said Hopi High will use a fast paced offense and full court pressure defense in what he expects will wear the other teams out.
"We don't want to give them time to breathe," he said. "We call it 'rez' ball with a purpose."
Coach Willey said Hopi will attempt to wear other teams down mentally and physically as the offense and defense will put pressure on the opponents.
Coach Willey said Hopi hopes to have a lot of fast breaks, but can also shoot the three when they find the appropriate situation.
"On defense we'll use man to man, but we'll also use a 1-3-1 zone with a full court press," he said.
Coach Willey said the Lady Bruins are in good shape, but they will also go ten deep and will change their five player rotations every few minutes.
Coach Willey said rebounding can be a sticky point for the small sized Lady Bruins.
"We're kind of small, but we'll work hard. The purpose of using man-to-man defense is to keep the other team away from the basket," he said.
The six seniors on the team are Courtney Outie, Samantha Lucas, Nadia Nelson, Lisa Attakai, Marlieta Burbank and Amanda Clark. The others who should see substantial playing time are Brittany Begay, Nicole Kisto, Annaleese Nasafotie, Carrie Sakeva, Adrianna Preston and Kristy Youvella.
Basketball seems popular this year as 90 girls came out for the team but when the season starts there will be 13 on varsity, 13 on junior varsity and 15 on the freshmen team.
Coach Willey hopes to reach his personal 100-win mark this year. He comes into the season with a record of 80-46.
"If we can get that then that's right where we want to be," he said about having his eyes on a 20 win season.
Coach Willey spent the past two years coaching at Wharton High School in Texas and the previous two years at Ganado on the Navajo Nation. He also coached one year at a small school in Florida.
Willey played basketball at Valley High School in Iowa before playing football and wrestling at Buena Vista College in Stone Lake, Iowa. He earned his BA in social science from Upper Iowa University. Willey also serves as director of the alternative school at Hopi High. The Lady Bruins open the season Nov. 28 at home against Round Valley.
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