6 Games in 15 Days

Well here we go.  This is a great time of the year.  We have played 5 conference games, and in 15 days we will be at 11.  We play Wartburg tomorrow and then play 3 games next week.  It will get interesting real quick.  Not much time for practice, so your discipline and belief in your system is crucial at this time of the year.

The Simpson game was a great game.  If it is any indication of how this league could go this year, realize this.  This is Simpson’s best team in the last 3 years, and they are 0-5 in the conference.  They will win some games real soon.  To be honest with you, I am still not sure how we won the game.  It felt like we got taken to the wood shed out back and were getting beat all game.  But somehow, to our guys credit, we made some big plays down the stretch.  We were down 71-62 with 5 minutes to play and won 15-2 to finish.  Nate Parker, Kevin Osborn, and Troy Ticknor, made some big plays late in a lot of different ways to help get this game.  Kevin passed it great and led after getting stitches early in the 2^nd half.  Parker made a couple of big baskets and came up with a couple of big rebounds, and Troy made a couple of baskets also.  But overall, a great team win, and sometimes, you have to eek one out when you least expect it.  I thought Simpson played a very nice game, and their seniors were real solid. 

There was also lots of blood in the game.  Doug Bissen and Kevin Osborn both got stitches during the game.  And if you were there, the center for Simpson got a nasty cut on top of his eye.  Our trainer, James Day, felt he needed at least 35 stitches and got a concussion.  The puddle of blood on the floor when he got up was terrifying. 

Wartburg is next.  Wartburg is the conference pick to win the league, and they have a great team.  They really have a lot of offensive firepower, and play real good defense also.  They have excellent balance, and without a doubt will be a tough game.  We must be at the top of our game, to hang in there, but we will give it all we got.  What I like about this group I am coaching right now, is that they are not scared.  They are a pretty relaxed group and they play hard.  We have not always played the greatest, but we compete and we are not scared.  I love that.  This is just a great group of guys. 

Our JV team is really having a fine year also.  Joe Bohan and Kyle Hooks have really played well.  The whole team has played well, but those two have bright futures on the varsity floor real soon.  The JV team is 8-2, with their only two losses to Briar Cliff.  They lost to Briar Cliff last night 96-93. 

I am not sure when I will get back to you, with all these games coming up, but will try to stay in touch.  In the next 15 days, I have no off days except Sundays.  If we don’t have a game, my kids have one every other night.  I love my life.  You would be proud though, I have not missed a morning workout this month, so I am staying in shape.  If we could only get rid of all this snow.  I had told Simpson’s coach by email to bring his boots and shovel for the trip.  He told me, he hadn’t seen this much snow in a long, long time.  Northwest Iowa has been hit hard, and we need some 40 degree weather.

Go Beavers!!!

Coach VH