|
Kodiaks heading to Nationals |
|
|
|
Written by Dylan Purcell
|
|
Monday, March 16 2009, 11:30 PM |
Objects in the rear view mirror of memory rarely get closer with the passage of time.
In that vein, it’s probably time Brad Karren won another national championship.
Karren, who coaches the Lethbridge College Kodiaks women’s basketball team, last won the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association title in 2004.
Seems like a long time between national titles, no?
“I’d like to win another one, I won’t lie to you,” said Karren Monday during the team’s final practice before heading to Quebec City for this year’s national Final Four.
“That last one was fun.”
The Kodiaks face Ontario champion Seneca College Friday at CEGEP De Sainte-Foy.
Karren won’t see much tape from his opponent, but he’s prepared his team all season with a variety of offences and defences. He boasts three press breaks. And he might need them.
“Makes it fun,” said Karren of the great unknown that is his competitors. “You have to be prepared and make decisions on the fly.”
Karren’s team has been ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the year and his hair’s a little more grey than the trip to Montreal in ’04. Like that team, Karren’s current unit has just one loss. Like that team, which had all-everything American guard Mickey Folsom, this one has all-everything American guard Kayla Lambert.
That’s where the similarities take a deviation, as Karren’s team goes deep this year, with a mix of guards and crashers and bangers that has proven tough to beat.
“We like to shoot, we like to rebound, we can do a little bit of everything, I think,” said second-year Kodiak Natalie Johnson. Johnson has seen an expanded role this season and has grown into it as the season progressed. She’s relied on less for points — again, that’s Lambert’s territory — but adds a defensive dimension and rebounding presence.
With six-foot-one Anne Mercer and Johnson rebounding, that lets guards Nadine Adams, Bonnie Smith and Lambert fire away.
“Yeah, that’s the drill. They shoot and we rebound,” said Johnson. “I like it, though. I think getting a rebound early gets me going. It makes me feel more confident and that helps my whole game.”
Of course, when it comes right down to it, ACAC MVP Lambert is the key.
“We run everything through her but I don’t think we’re as dependent on her as we were last year,” said Karren. “We’re doing a lot more on offence as far as getting Anne involved and Bonnie.”
But when the team really needs two points?
“We run it, it’s called ‘get out of the way,’” said Johnson. “You just give the ball to Kayla and you get the bucket.”
Lambert managed 19.33 points per game during the season, many of those on that same play.
“I don’t know if that’s the best play we run,” said Lambert. “I think we get by as a team. We’ve got a really good group of players and everyone gets involved.”
Karren said they would need them all. He’s been to the national final four three times, and won bronze twice.
“You’ve got to be good to get here but lucky to win it.
“I’ve been here with the most talented team and not the most talented team and sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. I’m hoping this year we get lucky.”
“You might not get another chance at this,” said Lambert before adding, with a smile, “We’re not getting any younger.”
Neither is the memory of that last championship.
|
