ARGYLE - Shot selection is important for every basketball team, but it's an even bigger issue when a team's leading scorer and rebounder is sidelined.
That's the quandary in which the Argyle boys basketball team finds itself these days.
"We just have a tough time making decisions," Orioles coach Brandon Bakken said. "We're still struggling even this far into the season to find what that good shot is."
That was the message Bakken stressed with his players Monday night following a 59-41 loss to Highland in a Six Rivers crossover game.
The Orioles (3-13) have played without sophomore Christopher Severson, and his 13 points and seven rebounds per game, for most of January. They've lost seven straight, and Monday was the first time in that stretch that Argyle broke the 40-point barrier.
"We needed to find new ways to score," said sophomore guard Alec Treuthardt, who led the Orioles with 11 points. "We had to install different things, and it's been hard to score.
"It seems like we're trying to go too fast and we give up way too many offensive rebounds."
The Orioles struggled in the rebounding department on Monday, but Bakken said the bigger issue is the pressure their quick shots put on them defensively. Argyle shot 33 percent (17 of 51) from the field.
"We give teams a lot of extra possessions because we shoot the ball awfully quick," Bakken said. "I generally think (opponents) get 15 to 20 more possessions every game than normal teams because we shoot the ball so quick. Poor decisions on the offensive end is eventually going to catch up with you. We have a pretty thin bench (eight players total). In the fourth quarter, you can tell our legs are dragging."
That appeared to be the case against Highland (7-8), which never trailed in the game but didn't put the Orioles away until late.
Sophomore Trey Waage's jumper to open the fourth quarter pulled Argyle within 42-33. But Highland outscored the Orioles 10-1 over the next five minutes to open a 52-34 cushion with 2 minutes, 54 seconds left. Nic Pierick and Andrew Wolfe scored 14 points apiece to lead the Cardinals.
Treuthardt said the Orioles hear Bakken's message about shot selection, but struggle to adhere to it.
"It's been harder to score without Christopher so we feel more stress to shoot the ball," he said. "We definitely could take better shots. We need to slow the game down and play our game."
The good news for Argyle is that Severson, who is sidelined by a foot issue, expects to return to the lineup as early as next week.
With a healthy Severson, Treuthardt likes the Orioles' chances to make things more difficult on Six Rivers West opponents down the stretch.
"I never lose confidence in the team," Treuthardt said. "Normally, we're a second half-of-the-conference team."
That's the quandary in which the Argyle boys basketball team finds itself these days.
"We just have a tough time making decisions," Orioles coach Brandon Bakken said. "We're still struggling even this far into the season to find what that good shot is."
That was the message Bakken stressed with his players Monday night following a 59-41 loss to Highland in a Six Rivers crossover game.
The Orioles (3-13) have played without sophomore Christopher Severson, and his 13 points and seven rebounds per game, for most of January. They've lost seven straight, and Monday was the first time in that stretch that Argyle broke the 40-point barrier.
"We needed to find new ways to score," said sophomore guard Alec Treuthardt, who led the Orioles with 11 points. "We had to install different things, and it's been hard to score.
"It seems like we're trying to go too fast and we give up way too many offensive rebounds."
The Orioles struggled in the rebounding department on Monday, but Bakken said the bigger issue is the pressure their quick shots put on them defensively. Argyle shot 33 percent (17 of 51) from the field.
"We give teams a lot of extra possessions because we shoot the ball awfully quick," Bakken said. "I generally think (opponents) get 15 to 20 more possessions every game than normal teams because we shoot the ball so quick. Poor decisions on the offensive end is eventually going to catch up with you. We have a pretty thin bench (eight players total). In the fourth quarter, you can tell our legs are dragging."
That appeared to be the case against Highland (7-8), which never trailed in the game but didn't put the Orioles away until late.
Sophomore Trey Waage's jumper to open the fourth quarter pulled Argyle within 42-33. But Highland outscored the Orioles 10-1 over the next five minutes to open a 52-34 cushion with 2 minutes, 54 seconds left. Nic Pierick and Andrew Wolfe scored 14 points apiece to lead the Cardinals.
Treuthardt said the Orioles hear Bakken's message about shot selection, but struggle to adhere to it.
"It's been harder to score without Christopher so we feel more stress to shoot the ball," he said. "We definitely could take better shots. We need to slow the game down and play our game."
The good news for Argyle is that Severson, who is sidelined by a foot issue, expects to return to the lineup as early as next week.
With a healthy Severson, Treuthardt likes the Orioles' chances to make things more difficult on Six Rivers West opponents down the stretch.
"I never lose confidence in the team," Treuthardt said. "Normally, we're a second half-of-the-conference team."
