Tartans drop decision to Pennington
By: Justin Feil
Tony Bowman was worried how his Stuart County Day basketball team would start against Pennington on Tuesday.
The Tartans had struggled early against a taller Purnell team before winning, 56-47, Monday but Bowman was sure that they couldn’t afford a slow start against Pennington the next day.
"We did what we had to to win in the fourth quarter," Bowman said of the Purnell win. "We can’t come from behind against Pennington Prep. It’s a lot harder when we don’t have as much depth as they do.
"I’m looking to play hard and move the ball quickly. We have to have good discipline and make shots. If we play disciplined, we’ll get good shots."
Bowman got his wish on one hand with a capable start. Stuart trailed the Red Raiders by just four points, but Pennington pulled away in the second quarter and Stuart never closed the gap in a 43-30 loss Tuesday. Yet there were still positives to take from the performance of the Tartans, who fell to 6-5 this season.
"We came to play," said Stuart’s Kathryn Kitts, "we just didn’t find our shots. Pennington is actually smaller than Purnell. But they have a few more people who play year-round.
"We were better this year than last year. We did better against them. This year, we’re flowing better. We have a faster team. We’re smaller but faster."
It caused problems for Purnell as Kitts raced her way to 30 of Stuart’s 56 points. Pennington, however, matched up better with Stuart’s speed. Kitts still had 10 points, while Caitlin Spratt led the Tartans with 11 points as they never caught up with Pennington. Still, the Tartans are feeling more positive about their start in the New Year than they did about last year’s return from a long winter break.
"This year, we had a few practices," Kitts said. "And we had more games. That’s helped. Scheduling has made a big difference."
It’s been a little different for Kitts as well. She is in her third year in the starting lineup, and this year she’s taken on an even bigger role than in past seasons when she’s been just the leading scorer as well as a leader in defensive steals.
"I’m a captain," Kitts said. "In terms of team leadership, I’m trying to take the team to the next level. I’m co-captain with Adie Sullivan. That role has changed for me. Scoring, it’s the same. Kelly Bruvick does that too and so does Caitlin."
Kitts’ scoring is vital to Stuart’s success, even if she downplays it. The Tartans nearly needed every one of her 30 points against Purnell, but she was quick to deflect credit.
"It was a good night," she said. "Once in a while you get lucky. Thirty is a lot. Hopefully I can get my scoring up there more. If that’s what the team wants me to do, and what the coach wants me to do, I’ll do it."
The Tartans needed it against Purnell to climb out of a hole they dug in the first quarter. Stuart would rather start faster than have to rely on a player for a huge offensive output.
"We started down in the first quarter and we had to make it up," Kitts said. "We had to get it together. They had a few big girls. The important thing is we pulled the game out and were able to get the scoring going."
The trick for the Tartans, who were scheduled to play Lawrence on Thursday, is to ensure that the scoring is there every game, and that it’s balanced. Bowman is hoping that Kitts won’t be alone in picking up her scoring.
"She shouldn’t have to get 30 points," Bowman said. "She just hustled. Every loose ball, she was on the floor. She went to the floor. She went to the basket. She just did everything. Sometimes we ended up watching."
It’s natural as inexperienced players to look to a leader, particularly in the case of the Tartans, who don’t have many three- and four-year veterans. Sullivan is the lone senior, and even she hasn’t played as varied a role as Kitts has. Kitts have proven she can play any number of spots for the Tartans. That hasn’t changed.
"I’m the second oldest on the team," Kitts said. "I’m still all over the place. I could be anywhere from the wing to inside. But it’s not just me. Everyone is moving around."
Stuart’s returning players have shown progress in the offensive and defensive systems of Bowman, its second-year coach. The change was noticeable from the beginning of the season and has continued with the Tartans’ progress.
"We’re a lot better at this point than last year," Bowman said, explaining, "Knowing plays. Running plays. Not getting frustrated as much. Believing in the system. They’re listening and hearing."
"It was much easier to come back," Kitts said. "We had him the year before. We know he expects a lot. We were really able to pick up where we left off. It’s been great."
And Kitts expects that it will get better as the younger Stuart players gain more experience both with Bowman’s systems and with facing the tough teams like Pennington. Tuesday was another learning experience on what it takes to win, regardless of an opponent’s size or make-up.
"If our team steps out on the court, and we’re intense and psyched, we’re going to win," Kitts said. "We’re fast. We can win. We don’t have to worry about other teams. Our results will come."
"With a couple changes, we’ll become a better team," Bowman said. "It’s just making daily changes to adjust our progress."
There’s been plenty of progress since last season, and if that continues steadily, it should give Tony Bowman and the Stuart basketball team less to worry about going into the state Prep B tournament.