Running game a high-risk, high-reward proposition
By Matt PetersenSports Editor, The VOICE
Fans are entertained by it. Players love running it.
But is it worth it?
Despite mixed results, both the GCC men and women's basketball coaches seem to think so.
Women's coach Tom Sutherland claims the cause for his team's recent slump isn't their porous defense, but that they're not running enough.
"You don't get conservative in the press, not in this system. In fact, you need to start playing faster and harder and gamble more."
The idea is that his team's full-court trapping will be a dangling carrot for opponents looking to break them down, tempting them to rush and make mistakes.
The first four games of the season, that worked. In their last two games, however, they've been exposed.
"These two last teams we've played, they've done their homework," Sutherland admitted. "They've come at us physically, full-court, and they've slowed us down."
It's the same dichotomy that allowed former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni and his running game to run right out of Arizona. Teams that slow the pace, don't panic and get physical usually break down the running team.
The men's team is going through the same process, experiencing success while grappling with defensive flaws.
In their three regional games through last Wednesday, Glendale surrendered large leads in the second half.
While they recovered to win two of the three, it's a troubling trend for a would-be contender.
The response?
"When we have to get stops, we get stops," coach Dave Hodges said.
Center Lance Fite echoed the philosphy of Sutherland.
"We're not as fast-paced as we need to be. We're running good in spurts right now."
In other words, the plan is to outrun their defensive shortcomings better than the Suns did.
