a game against the Mott Bears. Feb. 1, 2020. (Michael Pieper/Creative Director)
By Kelvin Butler
UNIVERSITY CENTER – Halfway through the 2019-2020 season, the Delta men’s basketball team is 9-10 so far. Considering they had the toughest schedule in recent years, they knew it would be a tough road ahead of them.
Head coach Carlos McMath framed the tough competition as a measuring stick.
“If I played against the top of the top, the best of the best, and then I come out and I guard this guy,” says McMath, “then why wouldn’t I be able to guard this guy, knowing he’s not even at this guy’s level?”
That approach builds the confidence of the players and coaches. Also, it gives the players a chance to know what it takes to get better and even find another gear — which is a great thing in a competitive sport like basketball.
Feb. 1, 2020. (Michael Pieper/Creative Director)
Now, the conference part of the schedule is kicking in and it’s time for the Pioneers to get it together. Every game left on the schedule should be treated as a must-win. The team is in a good place due to all 15 players being eligible to play, which is the most ever in Delta basketball history.
“I would say, actually, our defense […] is our strongest part of our team right now,” says McMath. “That’s the way we want it to be. Offensively, you get people excited, but defense wins games and wins championships.”
McMath feels like the team is on pace to play their best basketball by mid-February to March. Right now, they haven’t played a good game for the full 40 minutes yet. Thus, they haven’t played to their max potential.
“We are executing more efficiently, more so in the half court,” says McMath. “I want us to be a little bit more efficient in transition.”
If that is the only thing they need to work on, the team has potential to do more, such as dominating phases of the game that need to be dominated. That puts them in a great position to be successful and to be one point better than everybody they play on any given night. That’s all that matters.
With all players of the men’s basketball team eligible to play, they have the talent and bodies to get on a winning streak. And with them in a position to get into the playoffs, this team has enough versatile players to make a legendary run into the postseason.
