Sports Update
The second season: North girls post strong record before district
By Richard C. White, rwhite@starlocalnews.com
With their non-district schedule now behind them, the McKinney North girls basketball team enters its district schedule with a 12-3 record and a No. 8 state ranking.
"It's definitely important to get off to a good start," said Michael Oldham, North head coach. "We break our season into three seasons; the pre-district season, the district, and then the playoffs."
Oldham is pleased with his team's strong play, especially compared to where they were at this same point last season heading into district.
"Last year I think we were 7-7 at this time," he said. "Last year I feel we left several games on the table, but this year I feel we left maybe one game on the table out of our three losses. I'm very pleased with this year, but still know we have a lot of things we need to work on if we want to reach our goals."
The Lady Bulldogs have the weekend off before they play at Sherman Tuesday night in their District 13-4A opener. North is currently the favorite to win the district.
"I told them 12-3 is great, but once we start district we're back to 0-0 like everybody else," Oldham said. "I know Sherman is definitely going to pull out all the stops to try and knock us off in that first game. I preach that to our kids every day, that they have a bullseye on their back and will be lots of people's biggest game of the year for them. We can't take anybody lightly."
Guards Alexis Mason, Jocelyn Scott, and forwards Chanterria Jackson, Amy Kleynhans and Mikaehla Connor have led the team to their strong first half record as the Lady Bulldogs usual starting lineup.
"The whole group, I couldn't be more proud of them," Oldham said.
Oldham is also pleased with the contributing performance he's received from his bench, particularly from senior Viona Vraniqi, junior Ali Michalak and freshman Mikayla Foy.
"Our bench has been coming through strong lately," he said. "We've had a lot of really good and consistent performances from them and that feels good going into district."
Although the Lady Bulldogs are 12-3, their non-district schedule has hardly been a walk in the park as they've played several other state-ranked teams this season.
"I'm pleased that we've been able to keep our focus, especially since we haven't had the easiest schedule," Oldham said. "We've seen a lot of different types of teams. We've been pressed, we've been zoned for a whole game, we've played people with great guards, others with great posts, and the fact that we've been able to handle all those situations for the most part has been a blessing."
Given their consistent deep playoff runs, Oldham has high standards for his program.
"I see my job as building a dream for these kids and then putting them through the practices it takes to achieve that dream," he said. "I know my kids have a crazy passion for this game and I just try to keep throwing fuel on it. We do have high standards and my kids have high standards for themselves. They expect more out of themselves than even I expect. That's definitely a good thing to have."
Even a 12-3 team, though, struggles at times. In November there was a brief stretch where North went 2-2, with the last half occurring during the MISD Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs have since won their last five straight.
"We didn't play very well in the MISD Tournament, which I guess is a good thing that you can go 4-1 and say you didn't play well," Oldham said. "Our shots didn't fall well in that tournament at all."
After losing their tournament opener to Frisco Liberty, North went on to win the tournament's consolation bracket with four straight victories against Lake Highlands, Prosper, Newman Smith and John Paul II. North would also beat Naaman Forest days later in their final game before district.
"We preach that the offense isn't always going to be there, but your defense can always be there and it has been in these last five games," Oldham said. "We've played strong defensively, rebounding the ball real well."
Given their near constant play, Oldham is grateful to have the weekend off.
"The week off is going to be good," he said. "I think we played six games in the last six days. We've played some really good competition, so the break is going to be good for us. We have to make sure that we don't lose our edge going into the Sherman game. They're pretty good themselves, so we can't take them lightly at all."
Oldham knows their district opener won't be an easy win, given the similarities between the two teams.
"I think it's going to be a battle of wills since we both play a lot alike," he said. "Athletically they're going to match us step-for-step as far as speed and athleticism goes. We're a little bigger than them at certain positions. We expect them to press up for most of the game. That's their style."
While the dominant record and the state ranking are nice, what Oldham is most appreciative of is the team-first character he said his players have displayed since the start.
"I'm pleased with where the girls are as a team and as a unit and how they've been working together," he said. "As far as chemistry, this is one of the best groups I've had."
"It's definitely important to get off to a good start," said Michael Oldham, North head coach. "We break our season into three seasons; the pre-district season, the district, and then the playoffs."
Oldham is pleased with his team's strong play, especially compared to where they were at this same point last season heading into district.
"Last year I think we were 7-7 at this time," he said. "Last year I feel we left several games on the table, but this year I feel we left maybe one game on the table out of our three losses. I'm very pleased with this year, but still know we have a lot of things we need to work on if we want to reach our goals."
The Lady Bulldogs have the weekend off before they play at Sherman Tuesday night in their District 13-4A opener. North is currently the favorite to win the district.
"I told them 12-3 is great, but once we start district we're back to 0-0 like everybody else," Oldham said. "I know Sherman is definitely going to pull out all the stops to try and knock us off in that first game. I preach that to our kids every day, that they have a bullseye on their back and will be lots of people's biggest game of the year for them. We can't take anybody lightly."
Guards Alexis Mason, Jocelyn Scott, and forwards Chanterria Jackson, Amy Kleynhans and Mikaehla Connor have led the team to their strong first half record as the Lady Bulldogs usual starting lineup.
"The whole group, I couldn't be more proud of them," Oldham said.
Oldham is also pleased with the contributing performance he's received from his bench, particularly from senior Viona Vraniqi, junior Ali Michalak and freshman Mikayla Foy.
"Our bench has been coming through strong lately," he said. "We've had a lot of really good and consistent performances from them and that feels good going into district."
Although the Lady Bulldogs are 12-3, their non-district schedule has hardly been a walk in the park as they've played several other state-ranked teams this season.
"I'm pleased that we've been able to keep our focus, especially since we haven't had the easiest schedule," Oldham said. "We've seen a lot of different types of teams. We've been pressed, we've been zoned for a whole game, we've played people with great guards, others with great posts, and the fact that we've been able to handle all those situations for the most part has been a blessing."
Given their consistent deep playoff runs, Oldham has high standards for his program.
"I see my job as building a dream for these kids and then putting them through the practices it takes to achieve that dream," he said. "I know my kids have a crazy passion for this game and I just try to keep throwing fuel on it. We do have high standards and my kids have high standards for themselves. They expect more out of themselves than even I expect. That's definitely a good thing to have."
Even a 12-3 team, though, struggles at times. In November there was a brief stretch where North went 2-2, with the last half occurring during the MISD Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs have since won their last five straight.
"We didn't play very well in the MISD Tournament, which I guess is a good thing that you can go 4-1 and say you didn't play well," Oldham said. "Our shots didn't fall well in that tournament at all."
After losing their tournament opener to Frisco Liberty, North went on to win the tournament's consolation bracket with four straight victories against Lake Highlands, Prosper, Newman Smith and John Paul II. North would also beat Naaman Forest days later in their final game before district.
"We preach that the offense isn't always going to be there, but your defense can always be there and it has been in these last five games," Oldham said. "We've played strong defensively, rebounding the ball real well."
Given their near constant play, Oldham is grateful to have the weekend off.
"The week off is going to be good," he said. "I think we played six games in the last six days. We've played some really good competition, so the break is going to be good for us. We have to make sure that we don't lose our edge going into the Sherman game. They're pretty good themselves, so we can't take them lightly at all."
Oldham knows their district opener won't be an easy win, given the similarities between the two teams.
"I think it's going to be a battle of wills since we both play a lot alike," he said. "Athletically they're going to match us step-for-step as far as speed and athleticism goes. We're a little bigger than them at certain positions. We expect them to press up for most of the game. That's their style."
While the dominant record and the state ranking are nice, what Oldham is most appreciative of is the team-first character he said his players have displayed since the start.
"I'm pleased with where the girls are as a team and as a unit and how they've been working together," he said. "As far as chemistry, this is one of the best groups I've had."
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