ECI Peterson 16s learned Team D
ECI Select Peterson played 34 games this spring and summer and the end result was growth in learning how to play team basketball. This was a collection of talent from all around the state and their end result as growth…
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Continue ReadingECI Select Peterson played 34 games this spring and summer and the end result was growth in learning how to play team basketball. This was a collection of talent from all around the state and their end result as growth together.
A key moment for the team was in St. Cloud in late June/early July when they defeated Crossfire Watnemo and the Wisconsin Playmakers in back to back games.
“The greatest moment on the floor was the Great Plains Alliance tournament in St. Cloud,” Coach Ryan Peterson told PHD. “We really came together as a team and gutted out some close wins. The team showed resilience and our leaders really stepped up.”
Select Peterson had WF Sheyenne teammates Zach Westphal and Kemal Hajric as well as Josh Brjlall (South) and Kaleb Christmann (Shanley) from the Fargo area combining with Bismarck area talents Tyler Hauglie (Century) and Jonas Mitzel (Shiloh Christian), and then Hunter Burchill from Valley City, Trevor Savelkoul from the Northwestern border area (MLS-Mohall HS), and Andy Rintala (Cavalier HS) from the Northeastern corner of the state.
When you have guys from four spread out regions of the state it’s tough to get together for any type of practice sessions especially during the school year. But ECI’s club did come together as a team despite the challenges.
“We saw our team come together and play as a team throughout the year,” said Peterson. “Without any practices it is tough for some players to not be selfish, but our team came together and played well together late in the summer.”
Team defense is something that not all high school players have a great knowledge of. Unfortunately many high schools don’t have coaches at the younger levels who can A) stress the importance of it, B) who fully understand team defense, and/or C) have the ability to discipline the team to do it.
Getting kids to buy into play team defense with consistent effort is tough. Especially without practice time. But by the end of the year Coach Peterson was excited about the way the team learned the game and played defense consistently.
“Our team improved their knowledge of playing as a team defensively,” said Peterson. “Most of our players were not experienced with our style of play defensively and it was good for them to go out of their comfort zone and be forced to learn a new defensive style.”
And that style of man to man defense stressing a consistent work rate will help all nine of the ECI Select Peterson players when they work to try and be a part of their varsity teams this fall as juniors.