By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
In a game with last place in the Little Kanawha Conference at stake Calhoun
will entertain Ravenswood in a battle of the Red Devils tonight.
But the Calhoun girls' team could be much better than a team playing for
last place . if only they shot a little better.
How close are the Red Devils to being a .500-plus team?
Hold your thumb and your index finger about a quarter of an inch apart and
say "this close."
The Red Devils play good defense. They make other teams work to get the ball
into position to set their offense. They rebound well.
Defense is not much of a problem.
Offensively? It's a bit of a different story.
The Red Devils handle the ball well. They break the press pretty easily and
they work the ball around for good shots. But the shots don't fall.
The Red Devils, as a team, are shooting around 30 percent from the field.
That is an abysmally low number.
Should the Red Devils raise their shooting percent five points they would
have more than one win. Should they raise their shooting percentage to about
40 percent - still a low number - they would be .500 or better.
But that is not the case as the Red Devils have lost game after game - close
games - as the ball has rolled across the rim on fell to the floor . or has
bounced off the edge of the basket . or merely dipped in and out.
There have been so many games where a basket here or there and the Red
Devils would have posted a W instead of an L.
Tuesday night's game against Gilmer County was a perfect example of that.
Calhoun played the Titans on equal terms for most of the game but in the
second half the Titans made some shots - especially by Sarah Sivard off the
bench - while Calhoun's shooting was tepid at best.
The result? Gilmer pulled away late for the victory.
The Red Devils have all the ingredients for success.
In Dani Church the Red Devils have a very strong all-conference candidate.
She usually rebounds and scores in double figures.
Courtney McKown is about 6-foot-tall and is a presence inside. She's a good
rebound and handles the ball well. She is able to hit teammates as they cut
off the pivot, its something of a lost art.
Little Casey Westfall (her listed height of 4-11 may be stretching things a
bit) is an excellent point guard and a terror on defense. She also is a
dangerous shot if you leave her alone.
Tessa Batten starts at a forward position and the freshman may possibly be
the best athlete on the team. Next year she'll probably play point guard so
great is her versatility.
The other position - shooting guard/forward - is shared by Kara Sears (and
all-state volleyball player) and Katie Walker, who both handle their
position with aplomb.
The Red Devils have all the ingredients for success. But they must start
making their shots and if they do they will be dangerous.
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