Received a phone call from someone who has recently spoken to KW. That phone call validated something I posted earlier in the week and that is the team has not been focused for the stretch run.
Not let me make something clear. Focused and playing hard according to Willard are not the same thing. Willard feels that the team is playing hard. Playing with the effort needed to succeed. But he doesn't believe they understand the importance of playing hard and playing smart.
With so many teams playing for their tournament lives you need to do both to secure wins. And this team doesn't have a single player who is in the same role they have been in previously making the situation more difficult.
Even the two co-captains, Powell and Nzei, our two most experienced players are in different situations than in previous years.
Willard believes this experience will pay dividends down the road, but right now the question is when as the Hall cannot afford many more defeats.
In short knowing how to win, especially since so many games for the Pirates have come down to the last minute is the key. The Hall with their relatively young roster facing the pressure of the stretch run for the first time has to understand that every possession is important. On both sides of the court.
At this point the Pirates clearly don't understand that and as a result don't play that way. That's focus and until it's mastered the topsy turvy season of Pirate BB will continue.
It's something that Willard has been harping on in practice but to date we haven't seen the result. And until we do it's hard to see the team Dancing this year.
More on that later today when Chances to Dance comes out.
Not let me make something clear. Focused and playing hard according to Willard are not the same thing. Willard feels that the team is playing hard. Playing with the effort needed to succeed. But he doesn't believe they understand the importance of playing hard and playing smart.
With so many teams playing for their tournament lives you need to do both to secure wins. And this team doesn't have a single player who is in the same role they have been in previously making the situation more difficult.
Even the two co-captains, Powell and Nzei, our two most experienced players are in different situations than in previous years.
Willard believes this experience will pay dividends down the road, but right now the question is when as the Hall cannot afford many more defeats.
In short knowing how to win, especially since so many games for the Pirates have come down to the last minute is the key. The Hall with their relatively young roster facing the pressure of the stretch run for the first time has to understand that every possession is important. On both sides of the court.
At this point the Pirates clearly don't understand that and as a result don't play that way. That's focus and until it's mastered the topsy turvy season of Pirate BB will continue.
It's something that Willard has been harping on in practice but to date we haven't seen the result. And until we do it's hard to see the team Dancing this year.
More on that later today when Chances to Dance comes out.
