Tiffany Briscoe basks in the afterglow of a successful basketball camp. (Amy King photos)
Day 4. An early game. And yet the Wolves are still smiling. Well, some of them…
“I can’t say enough how proud and pleased Amy and I are with the effort, teamwork and improvement we saw in each and every player.”
Having completed an intensive four-day camp at Ocean Shores, 11 Coupeville High School girls’ basketball players headed back to Whidbey Thursday.
With them they brought some bruises, a lot of memories and two tired (but happy) coaches.
With a very young roster along for the trip — five freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors — Wolf round-ball gurus David and Amy King came away deeply satisfied with the lessons learned and progress shown.
“Everyone survived!,” David King said with a laugh. “Players came away with some scratches and bruises. Of course they dished out their share of bruises.
“There is fight and intensity with this group,” he added. “More importantly, we got a lot of court time and players came away with more confidence and better players.”
Day three was perhaps the longest day of the camp, with the Wolves playing three games, then capping things off by having Kailey Kellner participate in a three-point shooting contest that tipped off after midnight.
Before they got that far, however, Coupeville put a spin on things by starting their fab five frosh together in the night’s final game.
That put Ashlie Shank, Sarah Wright, Ema Smith, Kalia Littlejohn and Lindsey Roberts together as a unit, and the young guns jumped at the chance.
“The competitive spirit this group brings, showed when we got back to the hotel for some downtime before the game,” King said. “While I was walking through the hotel lobby there are all five freshman sitting around a table with the marker and wipe board, going over plays.”
The freshmen took it a step further, when they came up with their own defensive scheme for the game.
“I asked Amy, what defense are they planning on running? I figured they had a plan, but figured it would be nice to know from a coaches perspective,” King said. “So Amy gets Lindsey’s attention and asks, what defense are you guys running?
“She looks at Amy, smiles and keeps walking. Amy asked again. This time Lindsey has a bigger grin and chuckles, then walks away,” he added. “Both Amy and I look at each other and didn’t know what to say.
“One of the great moments from camp.”
Once the action started, the young Wolves came out on fire, running the offense crisply and flying around like wild women on defense.
Shank and Roberts knocked down shots, Smith was a terror on the boards, Wright dropped the hammer as an enforcer and Littlejohn ran the point “with so much confidence.”
Playing against a team full of players with prior high school experience, the freshmen more than held their own.
“They were communicating, laughing and having a blast out there together,” King said. “What a great sight for everyone on the bench.”
The veterans stepped up, as well, both in spirit, and later, with their play.
“The returning players were up and just as engaged as the freshman. They were encouraging and cheering them on,” King said. “When they started subbing in, they brought that same fire and fun to the court. The whole game was played this way.
“Another turning point for these players and something they will carry over to our season.”
Littlejohn, who earned the nickname Little Firecracker for her play at the camp, made a particular impression.
“A non-stop bundle of energy,” King said. “We have talked with her about leading and setting a tone for the team.
“When she is on the bench, she is encouraging others, helping them out by yelling assignments and always engaged in the game,” he added. “When on the court, the motor is always going; she is directing teammates and flying around everywhere.”
The smallest Wolf at the camp, she “laid down the law with a screen that would make a grown man shiver if he was on the receiving end.”
“The much taller and bigger player that ran into the Wall of Kalia met the court up close and personally,” King said. “The play ended up going the other way, nine of 10 players headed the other way, the tenth player still shaking off the hit she had just taken.
“The fans watching our game all let out a gasp after the screen,” he added. “I’ll take that spirit in every player; just outstanding!”
Still buzzed after a day of basketball, Kellner, with Smith, Littlejohn, Lauren Grove, Roberts and Kyla Briscoe cheering her on, joined the late night trey contest.
Having to make three of five to advance, Kellner proved to be big-time, draining her final shot to become one of just five players, out of 50, to make the finals.
While tired legs hurt her in the next round, she still finished an impressive third.
“Her cheering section was loving it. A great showing on her part.”
The Wolves wrapped up the tourney with an 8 AM game Thursday, nipping Soap Lake thanks to a late-game rally sparked by their defense.
“A great way to end a successful camp!”
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