Big school vs. small school

It was two-for-Tuesday for yours truly as I caught two girls basketball games in two locations. I watched El Dorado dispatch Little Rock Hall 56-40 in the Simmons First Oil Belt Classic. Then, I headed over to Parkers Chapel to see the Lady Trojans fall for the first time this season to Nevada County 39-35.
PC's game was close all the way throughout. El Dorado's victory was a lot more competitive than the final score might indicate. The Lady Wildcats led by three with less than two minutes remaining in the third before going on a 14-2 run.
The point of this blog, however, is about the difference between the two games.
El Dorado and Hall are typical big-school programs. Both teams put athletic girls on the court. The pace is fast and, a lot of times, out of control.
Parkers Chapel and Nevada are typical smaller-school programs. They aren't nearly as athletic and deep as the big schools. The pace is a lot slower and more deliberate.
I strongly prefer the smaller school style. Could El Dorado and Hall beat both PC and Nevada? Maybe. Maybe not.
But, the style of play is a lot more fun to watch. I like basketball and, with the more deliberate pace, you get to see the girls actually doing basketball stuff. They run plays, set screens, go backdoor.
Because they're not as out of control, the players actually make most of their layups and don't kick the ball out of bounds as often.
The big schools, unfortunately, rely more on speed, size and strength and less on skill. It's a turnover fest because, number one, the man-to-man defense is more aggressive and played with bigger, stronger, faster kids and, number two, the pace is much faster than their skill level.
When players with junior high skills play at WNBA speed, it makes for ugly basketball.
Big school coaches will say the small schools need to speed up their pace. Small school coaches will say big schools are playing a less skilled brand of ball.
In a perfect world, you'd see teams with both skill and athleticism. It would be Strong and Carlisle from three years ago in the state semifinals.
That would be perfect. I witnessed perfection. Once you see it, it ain't easy settling for less.
While I doubt I'll see anything close to perfection this year, if my only choices are slow basketball or fast rat ball, I guess I'll see you at the next Smackover-Strong game.
***
Speaking of the Lady Trojans, their first loss wasn't a bad one. The Lady Bluejays made the plays down the stretch to win. PC didn't give it away. Nevada took it.
Any coach can live with that.
PC's 7-1 start still has Coach Mark Young pleased as punch. The Lady Trojans haven't played any heavyweights but the nonconference season has been competitive with wins over Norphlet twice along with Stephens and Strong.
I often criticize Young for not playing tougher teams to get his squad ready for the postseason. But, with what he lost from last year, I can't really complain about his first eight games.
More importantly, he believes his team has benefitted from the competitive schedule.
“Every nonconference game we played this year has been this type of game and this type of atmosphere,” said Young. “That’s what we’ve lacked in nonconference games in the past, having to go out there and play like heck every night to win a ball game. For us to be 7-1 right now, I’m just really proud of our team and the way they’ve competed. I think they’re real gamers.”