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Coach Gail Goestenkors Quotes From Weekly ACC Teleconference
12/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Duke coach Gail Goestenkors and the rest of the ACC women's basketball coaches held their weekly teleconference Monday. Coach G answers questions about Lindsey Harding, Abby Waner, how the team is dealing with finals week and more.
Opening Statement
“We're in the midst of finals right now, so we've got about a two-week break from when we played our last game to when we play our next game. It's a good time for us to get back to basics and work on some of the little things that we were not doing well. We've been playing good basketball, but not great basketball by any means. We've got a long way to go in that respect, but I have seen some good things from my young players, and I feel like things are just starting to kind of shake themselves out a little bit as far as playing time and chemistry on the floor ? who plays well together in which situations. I think our pre-conference has been good to allow me to play a lot of different combinations, a lot of players and figure out who fits best where. I think we're still forming our identity amongst the players and as a team. I feel good about where we are, but we have a long way to go and a lot of room for growth, so we will continue to improve. We're not playing our best basketball by any means.”
On where team needs to improve
“We're not taking care of the basketball. We've had too many turnovers in our last several games. In the TCU game, we had 17 turnovers in the first half, which I think may be kind of a record. I'm not quite sure. But I guess we're just very lax with the basketball. We're trying to push the ball more, transition more, but we're doing it at all costs right now, and sometimes we're not making good decisions in transition. I think our defense is sometimes very good and sometimes there is much lacking. Texas shot 56 percent in the first half when we played at their place. They pretty much got any shot they wanted and got open shots, and I just didn't fell like we contested. I guess specifically it relates to our defense and taking care of the basketball. Those are my two primary concerns right now.”
On Abby Waner
“I think Abby is doing a great job. She is a freshman, so she is going to have ups and downs, but she is very aggressive with the basketball. She is one of our most aggressive defensive players as well. She is still learning on that end of the court, which it takes most freshmen a little while to adapt defensively. But she is doing a great job I think, getting better every day. She is one of our best passers. She's a risk taker, which sometimes I love because she pushes the limits, and she is always looking for that open space to make the pass or make the drive or hit the shot. But she is still learning when to take a risk or when we little need a little more poise and patience.”
On what team still needs from Waner
“I think we are just going to need her to remain confident and continue to be aggressive on both ends of the floor. Fortunately she is surrounded by a lot of experienced players that can help her through tough times and really help set the tone and help her understand what is expected and what is needed in every situation. I just want her to remain confident and continue to have her attack mindset on both ends on the floor because I think that is her greatest gift.”
On having Lindsey Harding back
“It feels great. She is so much ?me' on the floor. She is my coach on the floor. She knows exactly what I want, when I want it, how I want it, and she just took a lot of stress and pressure off of me, so it feels really nice. She has really grown in every way possible over the last year, as a player and as a person, and I have a lot of respect for Lindsey and for all that she has been through. I think she is one of the best point guards in the country. You know, people have kind of forgotten about her outside the ACC, I think, over the last year, and I don't think it will take long before everyone realizes what a great player she is. It is not just offensively. Her defense is outstanding as well. She is a very complete player now.”
On Harding growing during the year she sat out
“I think she learned a lot sitting over there. It got to the point, I think, towards the end of the year last year when there is a media timeout and we, as coaches, meet for a few moments before I address the team. I could see her in there already talking to the team. She looked like a coach already on the floor because she prepped the team for me when I was going to go in and talk to them. It was really nice to see her growth as a leader as well. She became much more of a leader through sitting out, which is good for us.”
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