Coaches Corner with Girl’s Basketball Zach Burleson
Girl’s Basketball Coach Zach Burleson
The ReSporter: What is one of the biggest improvements you have seen since the first tip-off for this year?
Coach Burleson: “Probably our confidence. We have had a couple close calls that haven’t gone our way. And hopefully we are getting to where we can get over that and just move on to the next contest. I hope winning in Wimberley and Navarro would be deposits in the bank for when we need them down the road.”
The ReSporter: How has the Basketball IQ improved?
Coach Burleson: “We are trying to get better at what we do every day. I think we are starting to realize what it’s going to take for us to be successful down the road. Now we have to execute that.”
The ReSporter: The games during your tournaments were rough, what do you hope to achieve from those contests?
Coach Burleson: “Honestly, I only think one game was rough(Alamo Heights) The others were good, competitive games vs. larger schools. We did lose 3 in the Canyon tournament but we learned from each game. New Braunfels outlasted us, but they had to work real hard to do it. Looking at some of their other games, it doesn’t look too bad. They just got through beating Clemens. And we had many opportunities vs Sam Houston, too. Just did not capitalize. In the SAISD tournament, we lost to a good Burges team out of El Paso. But I think we gained a lot from that game. Mostly, the pace of it. It was over 20 points, but we showed ourselves something. We beat Brackenridge and lost to Burbank after about an hour rest. Hard to gauge that game, even though we only lost by 5. Now Alamo Heights was not good, but you know even the Spurs have off nights. I’d like to just chalk that one up and erase it.
Overall, it was a measuring stick for us. We have an idea of what we are capable of and what we need to continue to improve on if we want to take the next step in improving. I hope that we can look at it from that angle.”
Hillside Chiropractic says Go Hawks
The ReSporter: You mentioned that the team handled the press better in Navarro, what have you done to get that part of the game better?
Coach Burleson: “We were more patient early and made the easy pass. After that it was easier to push the ball on the pass. We have make a couple small adjustments and probably will have to make a couple more later.”
The ReSporter: What is your evaluation for your half-court offense so far this season?
Coach Burleson: “It is coming along. We are not real complex. But I feel like we can be effective out of what we are trying to do. We need to continue to rep it out to get better.”
The ReSporter: What can you tell us about the district and what is that one aspect you need to improve to come out of district play with a berth for the playoffs?
Coach Burleson: “The district is the toughest in the region. Not just coach speak. Boerne is rolling right now along with Fredericksburg. Boerne was the preseason pick to represent region 4. Fred will be daunting as well with their inside presence. Hondo has been in and out of the tabc and tgca polls and Bandera is winning and averaging over 55 points a game.”
Go Lady Hawks
The ReSporter: What are your thoughts on what the defense will need to accomplish as your district games loom?
Coach Burleson: “We need to contest shots and block out limiting teams to 1 shot per possession. This is a repeated theme, but it is crucial for us.”
The ReSporter: Your thoughts for the offense?
Coach Burleson: “We have to get better at taking care of the ball and getting quality shots.
We also need to have more shooting nights like we had vs Navarro. That would help.”
The ReSporter: Thanks Coach and have a Merry Christmas!
