The women’s basketball team has had a hard time finding their footing this season. The team went 6-20 overall and 1-9 in conference play and ended on a nine game losing streak. These difficulties have continued as the team regressed since last season.
The Hawks struggled across the board. They shot 28.8% from the field, 22.8% from the three point line and averaged 49.8 points a game as a team. They also struggled to keep teams from scoring as opponents averaged 69.1 points per game.
Changes need to be made both offensively and defensively. The team had a hard time finding a winning formula throughout the season and couldn’t get into a rhythm on either end of the floor. Coaching, play on the floor and the tough competition from the Coast-North conference all played a factor in this season’s lack of success.
One of the struggles the team had was that they allowed opponents to attack the basket at will. Teams were able to go to the hoop and either score or create for others without any resistance. At times, the Hawks were unable to make the right rotations defensively and would sometimes get lost off the ball.
The Hawks also lacked size inside to compete with taller, more athletic players. The tallest player on the team was listed at 5’10 which caused some problems on defense, specifically rebounding. The team gave up an average rebound margin of -14.3 every night.
Mid-game adjustments were also a problem throughout the season. The team was not able to make the adjustments needed whenever a team made a run. In a loss against Ohlone on January 31st, the team was competing hard for a majority of the game up until they gave up a big run in the last few minutes which led to the loss.
Oftentimes, the team would be out of the game by halftime. The game plan going into halftime wouldn’t change and adjustments wouldn’t be made to bring the team back in the game. Some of the blame could go on the players, but coaching also played a big role into why the team continually dropped games.
From an offensive standpoint, the team relied heavily on one scorer. Freshman Bianca Camello averaged 23.4 points a game, nearly half the team’s points every night. Without help from her other teammates, the Hawks were one-dimensional for almost the entire season.
Camello also averaged almost four assists per game meaning that almost every offensive action was initiated by her. The team did not have another creator on the offensive end to be another threat that defenses had to worry about.
During their nine game losing streak, the average point differential between the Hawks and their opponents was 34.2. The team was not only not in the game, but they were getting blown out in almost every one of those contests.
Through the struggles the team had, there were some bright spots that they could build on for next year. The team chemistry on the team was solid throughout the season as the players loved playing with each other despite losing many games.
“The team is like a family. It’s definitely the closest team I’ve been a part of,” said Camello.
The players developed a close relationship throughout the season, and losing didn’t seem to break their relationship. After games, players would often sit together to watch the men’s team play which showed the camaraderie between teammates.
The team has a lot to look forward to for next year. Camello will be back along with four other freshmen who are hungry to capture more wins. Coaching and mid-game adjustments need to be fixed in order for the team to compete in a tough conference.
The Hawks should take this season as a learning experience. As tough as this season was, there are a lot of things the team should look to work on in the offseason to improve for next year. If the mistakes from this season are addressed, the Hawks could be on a winning track next season.
Nathan Canilao is the sports editor of The Express. Follow him @nathancanilao.
