Rebounds prove key for Gaels

     By Sonya Padgett
     View staff writer
      For Bishop Gorman girls' basketball coach Sheryl Krmpotich, rebounding is key to winning games, a philosophy she's tried to impress upon her team throughout the season.
      During a recent practice in the school's main gym, the players wore blue T-shirts with a slogan on the back -- "No Rebounds, No Rings." Krmpotich has the team wear the shirts as a reminder that small things in a game -- a rebound, a steal, a turnover -- can mean the difference between winning and losing.
      "It's the little things that matter," she said as she watched her team run through a rebounding drill. "If you don't rebound, you don't win games."
      Not pleased with what she was seeing, Krmpotich stopped the action on the floor to give instruction to the players.
      "Ladies, it's about timing," Krmpotich said. "Rebounding is timing. It's being able to jump when the ball comes down. Please get your timing right."
      As of press time, the Gaels were 14-7 overall and 4-0 in the Southwest region of the Sunset Division, with all of their losses coming to visiting teams during tournaments.
      Krmpotich said she doesn't mind those losses, because the team played tough opponents and gained valuable experience.
      "We're doing OK. We're a young team with ups and downs," Krmpotich said. "Obviously, we're not where we want to be, but they're getting there."
      Krmpotich said when the team is playing its best ball, it can compete with any team in the valley. And the Gaels play their best when the game is up-tempo and they're scoring points in transition. Krmpotich said increasing defensive intensity will make scoring easier.
      "My philosophy is your best offense is your best defense," Krmpotich said. "We don't have the concept (of man-to-man defense) down by far."
      Forward Alicia Bauchman, a senior, agrees with her coach.
      "We are really fast, but sometimes we don't use it to our advantage," said Bauchman, a Green Valley resident whom Krmpotich called the most improved player from last year, when the team finished 29-5. "We need to use our diversity."
      Bishop Gorman has been fairly dominant this season, averaging 62 points a game and giving up 50.
      Forward Liz Cansdale is the team's leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points and more than eight rebounds.
      But Krmpotich said point guard Tiffney Touton is the "glue that holds us together." Touton, a northwest area resident, recently signed to play basketball for the University of Texas, El Paso.
      "We've come together a lot and we're really starting to blend. It's turning out great," Touton said.
      Despite her team's strong showing last season, Krmpotich said she doesn't feel any pressure to repeat that success.
      "We're going to take it game by game. I think when you start looking ahead, you miss the little details," Krmpotich said.
      One team she thinks will give the Gaels a tough time is Silverado; the two teams were scheduled to play Tuesday.
      "It's going to be a battle of post (players) and guards," Krmpotich said. "They have good post players and we have good guards. It'll be a great game."
      While she's confident in her team's abilities, Krmpotich isn't about to let her team overlook any opponent.
      "Any team can be beaten at any time. That's the way we look at every game," she said. "I'm very pleased with where we're at but I'm not satisfied. I don't think a coach should ever be satisfied. My philosophy is we play to the best of our ability."