Sports Preview: Griffon Basketball

By Online Editor

November 12, 2009 No Comments

Youthful women’s team looking to improve

After a disappointing 6-21 record last season, the women’s basketball team is hard at work to erase those memories during the 2009-10 season.
The Griffons struggled during the 2008-09 season which can be partly attributed to the lack of returning and familiar players. This season, 11 players return as opposed to only four returning players last year.

Of these returning 11, none are seniors. However, the Griffons have five juniors that head coach Lynn Plett is looking toward to help lead this year’s squad.

“I don’t think not having any seniors this year will affect us as much as in years past because we have some juniors that have been in our program for two years now,” Coach Plett said.

Another key returning player for Western this year is the reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year in Jessica Koch. Koch will be an integral part of the Griffons’ success this season and will be looked to as a leader.

11 players alone is not going to help the Griffons have a winning season. First, they will have to work on several things to help improve as a team.
Rebounding is one key thing that will have to improve if the team wants to achieve their goals of finishing in the top of the MIAA.

“We gave opposing teams too many offensive rebounds and just flat out got out rebounded in several games,” Plett said.

Griffon fans may notice the same team this year but a very different attitude. The team’s up-tempo style of play will be a major factor in the team’s rise to the top of the conference. Coach Plett’s style of play has always been a face paced style, but this year they feel that they have the right players in the mix to effectively run this offense.

“His style has always been to push it, to get the rebound and push the ball as fast as possible up the court,” Koch said.

The Griffons finished 5-15 in conference play last year and are looking to move to the top of the MIAA this season. The conference looks to be competitive again and the Griffs will need to take care of business against the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Emporia State and Washburn, who all swept the Griffons in conference play last year.

Under Coach Plett, the Griffons have never beaten any of these teams and the junior leaders of the team are looking to at least split with these teams to capture their first wins against them and to help improve their conference standings.

As for the rest of the schedule, the challenge for Western begins right away. The team will travel to Drury University in Springfield for a short two game set against Michigan Tech, who Coach Plett coached against in his career at Lewis University, and against Drury.

It looks to be a promising year for the Griffons, as they have gained valuable experience the past few years with playing younger players. The positive for Western is that now those players are going to have more confidence when they hit the court this season.

Koch returns as leader for Western

Missouri Western sophomore forward Jessica Koch’s tale is one of two players. On the court, she is as serious as can be, even to the point of pessimism at times. Off the court, she can only be described as enthusiastic, hyper and just a bit goofy.

“Jess is the most dedicated person on our team and, her work ethic and passion for the game inspires us to work harder,” junior teammate Lauren Nolke said. “She wants it so bad, and she’s so competitive that it rubs off on us. Off the court, she’s just goofy: she’s never serious off the court but as soon as she’s on the court, she’s a completely different person.”

Despite her pessimism at times on the court, she does have hope for this season.
“We’re trying to make this year different from the last,” Koch said.

With that goal in mind, Koch practices every day, even on days when practice is not held. She has definite ideas about her own performance and how to improve it.

“The up tempo offense definitely plays to my strengths, the whole team is actually quick; we fit well into the system,” Koch said. “I condition by going hard at practice every day and that conditions you for the game and running the court as much as we do. My strengths are driving to the basket or penetrating and kicking to the open person for a jump shot.”

Koch also admitted to a few areas where she wants to improve.

“My weaknesses are probably finishing lay ups,” Koch said. “The drill I do the most though is free throws. Free throws are immensely important and that is something we all should work on every day.”

Head coach Lynn Plett was proud of how well Koch plays and the lengths she takes to improve by herself. Plett pretty much sums up Koch’s work ethic and practice habits in one quote.

“Jessica is always one of the hardest workers in practice no matter what we’re doing and even when she works out on her own, she tries to practice at 100 percent,” Plett said. “That’s always a good habit to have because it’s more realistic to how you play in a game. She has been really a leader in that category which pays dividends for an individual to become even better. Even though she’s had success in the past, she’s focused on improving and getting better in all aspects of the game.”

Koch, despite having a great season last year, playing and starting in all 27 games, averaging 30.5 minutes per contest, and leading the team in six categories including steals with 79, assists with 100, free throws attempted with 127, free throws made with 90, points with 323 total, and points per game with 12.0, is still working incessantly to improve her play and, by association, the team’s.

“Jessica is an awesome player, and she’s the player we look to in tough positions to make something happen,” Nolke said. “She is the leader with no doubt in my mind.”
The first non-exhibition home game will be against the Emporia State Hornets at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Men’s basketball ready for success

With five new recruits, five seniors and nine returning players, the MWSU Men’s basketball team plans to take this season to many new heights beginning Nov. 4 with the Griffons first exhibition game.

Head coach Tom Smith has already set a few goals for the team. Smith feels that once these goals are met, the team will be in a great position for the season overall.

“We need to get better defensively,” Smith said. “We really need to shoot the ball better. We finished on a high note this year. Our kids are a lot more confident now. The number one goal is to be in the top four in the conference. Our second goal is to get back to the tournament.”

This tournament is none other than the MIAA championship tournament held at the end of season for the top four conference teams. Though last season the Griffons made it to the tournament, they lost the championship to Central in double overtime with a score of 86-84. Central had also beaten the Western team three times last season and currently resides as number one in the MIAA standings. However, this upset has overall sparked the Griffons to come out on top and dominate on big teams. Senior Guard Marcus Rhodes terms Central as the number one team to beat this season.

“[Central Missouri] beat us three times last year and that’s the team we are targeting,” said Rhodes.

Rhodes also feels that there is a lot more to prove and a lot more opportunities for the team this year. The team has the opportunity to show that they are even better than last year.

“[Last year] we could have done a lot more,” Rhodes said. “We’ve got so much more to prove. Now we know what it takes to get back to [the tournament].”

The team is also expecting big performances from two of its new recruits: Justin Taylor and Mike DeWalt. With the loss of three predominant players last year that included Leonard Parker, Lonnell Johnson and Ken Goodwin, Smith expects big performances from these recruits as they will both be playing as guards.

However, with two new guards assumed to become dominant characters for the team, one can only wonder how team chemistry will work and whether these young men will come together and truly play as one equipped team. Senior forward Marcus Jones responds to team chemistry concerns with his view of humility that the team can carry with them throughout every game.

“Team chemistry is great but could be a lot better,” Jones said. “We are trying to click early. Every player has a role. As a senior, I want to keep everybody humble and together.”

Along with humility, confidence will also be a big factor for the Griffons. Senior Forward James Bush feels very confident in the team as he feels that defense, speed and intelligence will be the main factors that will lead the team to victory.

“As of now, we are off to a great start,” Bush said. “We’ve got a lot of guys coming back. It should be a great season.”

With a few new players, numerous returning players and a confident, humble team, the MWSU basketball team can hopefully take this season to new heights and obtain some glorious victories. The Griffons’ first home game will be on Dec. 5 against Emporia. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.

Thuston to be a key player for Men’s team

In basketball, like all sports, there are two types of players. First, there are the players who come to practice and work hard for the team and score points at games. And then there’s the type who wake up thinking about basketball, thinking about the next time they get to stand on a gym floor with their team, crowd cheering, representing their school and self. Dominique Thuston, a junior on the team this year, falls in the latter category.

Thuston decided to come to Missouri Western after junior college so he could stay close to his family and be near the courts he’s played on his whole life.

“That’s what’s the most important to me, being close to my family,” Thuston said.

As a competitive player who takes pride in defending Griffon territory, teammates of Thuston feel like his confidence and skill bring a positive aspect to the court. Marcus Rhodes, a senior on the team, has grown accustomed to playing side by side with Thuston.

“The best thing about him is that you can count on him on and off the court,” Rhodes said. “He really proved himself to me and the team last year. He’s going to make a great leader, and next year, he will be the face of the team.”

Last year, Thuston proved to be an asset to the team when he started 28 out of 29 games. His large amount of rebounds (157) and impressive free throw percentage (.758) proved to teammates and coaches that more good things were to come from the hard working forward from St. Joseph.

This year, Thuston has high hopes for the team.

“We’ll be better than last year if we keep working hard like we have been,” Thuston said.

Coach Tom Smith is proud of the talent Thuston has exhibited and has faith that this season is going to be no different. “We are working on his leadership ability,” Smith said. “But he is a great young man who has worked through a lot of hardships in his life, I enjoy coaching Dom.”

Thuston is not looking forward to ending his days on the court.

“Basketball is the best thing I have going in my life,” Thuston said.

For the team and Thuston, winning is the number one goal.

“Besides winning, I just want to work hard and be the best I can for the team,” Thuston said.

With the leadership that’s already being shown, along with the hard work the team is putting in, this Griffon basketball team will once again show everyone that the team is comprised of talented men who know what it takes to get what they want: a winning season.