The Lady Miners get a strong lesson this weekend

The Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) Lady Miners took some hard licks in their first game of the season when they faced off against the Burlington Huskies.

"We knew we were going to take our lumps," said Head Coach Jackie Jones. "And lumps we did."

The Lady Huskies beat the Lady Miners 62 to 4. The Lady Miners scored 3 points the 1st half and 1 point the 2nd half.

The next game they played against the Dubois Lady Rams went better, although the HEM team did lose.

Jones believes the team did better in that game because of a new strategy she tried.

"It is a new concept for us to be able to sub in and out," Jones said. "So it gives us the opportunity to see who is going to fill a seven or eight man varsity rotation. By giving all the girls pretty quality time today, we were able to see some things. We know we have to take care of the basketball. Our turnover numbers have to be taken care of."

She said practice will have many drills focusing on this aspect of the game. 

"As coaches, we have already talked about all the drills we are going to be doing, because it is confidence with the basketball that is lacking, to be quite honest," Jones said. "I felt some of our inexperienced girls did a pretty good job this weekend."

It was not only freshman players Jones was referring to. There is a senior on the team who has not played basketball for years.

"I look at Sara Sikes who has not played basketball since junior high and she did a better job of taking care of things today than some players who have more playing time," Jones said. "Addison Scott has not played for a while but she is doing well."

Jones said turning the ball over and making mistakes is a part of the game.

"If people expect us to be playing our best basketball right now, that is not going to happen," Jones said. "We know traditionally, that we are going to get better as the season goes on. One of the things we do is be goal oriented and at the end of each game, we find something we have to improve on, as individuals and as a team. I think it is just as important to realize what was done well and how it will be carried into the next game."

Jones said the girls are honest with themselves.

"Improvement will come if the girls are like this," Jones said. "We aren't in February shape yet and that is the nice thing about being able to have subs now. I am encouraged by how some of the younger girls are stepping up. I only have three girls that have court experience from last year. Our roster of 13 girls only has three girls of true experience."

Jones said it is her job to give game-like experience during practices.

"We can't expect to only get better as we play games," Jones said. "We have to get better in practice. A team doesn't magically improve during a match-up that happens once or twice a week. It is practice, practice, practice on how a team improves and that is exactly what this team is going to do this year."

The Lady Miners will face Burlington Lady Huskies again this Thursday on December 15 in Burlington.