After challenging season, women’s basketball focuses on better future

By Alexz Elmore | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Through a tough season, the women’s basketball team found their strengths and is now focused on building for the new season ahead.

The 2011 season was tough for the girls of the Flagler women’s basketball team.

The team did what they could, but injuries played a major role in their downfall this season.

“Due to injuries it was very difficult for us to change our defense as we needed, with so many players unable to play,” head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery said.

Assistant coach Joe Harding agrees.

“During our best game, at the end of the season, we simply ran out of legs,” he said.

Many of the injured players were disappointed because they were unable to participate and help the team advance.

“I was really upset, because I couldn’t do the one thing I love,” Ebonee Bell said.

All of the issues of the season created positives and brought to light the needed improvements for the up-and-coming season.

As a result of the injuries, many of the freshmen players spent more time on the court. This will help their confidence next season.

“Nothing came easy, but in the last few weeks on the season everyone had their moments and really played a part in holding the team together,” Lang-Montgomery said.

“This has helped us find our identity,” Harding said.

The coaches see that improvement needs to be made in some areas like conditioning, shot percentage and rebounding.

“We need to work on things to create a consistent scoring offense,” Lang-Montgomery said.

With the knowledge they have gained and the improvements that are being made, the team embraces a new attitude and new level of commitment that will help them achieve a winning season.

“My goal for the coming 2012 season is to take all that we have and will gain, and make it to the Peach Belt, which would be the first time since I’ve been coaching,” Lang-Montgomery said.