Katie Gearlds, Lasha Petree & Jayla Smith Talk 2-0 Start & Upcoming Games
- Their biggest goal is to win games and protect Mackey Arena. To get where they want to go they have to win games at home.
- The team is looking to grow as a team and find their identity on both ends of the floor. Gearlds said they aren’t close to where they want to go.
- Gearlds wants to be winning games because of their defense. That is where the biggest growth needs to happen.
- In a two hour practice, they will work on defense for about an hour and a half. She said the offense will continue to improve throughout the season with the players they have.
- The biggest thing they need to work on is sitting down in a stance and guarding the basketball. Gearlds said they have been getting beat 1 on 1 this season.
- They will continue to switch 1-3 or 1-4 depending on the makeup of their opponent.
- The locker room is in a much better place than last year and the Cancun Challenge coming up will help bring the team even closer together.
- The Cancun trip gives them a chance to see where they stand, Gearlds referenced that they learned a lot about their team on the Florida trip last season.
- She aims to keep opponents in the 60’s and the offense will take care of business on that end.
- The biggest thing the team is working on is staying together and fighting through tough times in games.
- There is a difference in how this group is in the locker room compared to last season. Smith feels that they are closer and eluded to some rough moments in 2021.
- She named Cassidy Hardin, Madison Layden and Jeanae Terry as leaders on the team. She also said that it has taken all of them to improve this area of the team.
- She attributes some of the improvements in here game to the work she put in this summer both in the gym and mentally.
- Watching film has benefited her in defensive rotations and adjusting to a new system under Katie Gearlds.
- They have been focusing on themselves and what they need to do to get better as a whole.
- Some areas she points to as places to improve are defensive rotations, finishing plays and getting to 50/50 balls more often.
- She has felt an improvement in the areas they need to work on as the season has gone on.