The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer The Creighton Kodiaks are off to a strong start to the basketball season after competing in two tournaments and playing a few home games. The Kodiaks Senior A girls team made their way to Foam Lake earlier this month to participate in the first tournament of the year. Competing against three other top provincial teams, the Kodiaks were in a tough division. Though they didn't win any of their games, the they improved with each game. Coach Ryan Trumbley says he was happy with the effort. "We competed well," he said. Losing by 35 in an early game, the Kodiaks managed to only be 10 points behind in their final game. Happy Competing against some of the top teams in the province, Trumbley says he's happy with the performance. "It was nice competing against those top teams early in December," said Trumbley. "When we went down and played against teams on our own level, it was just that much easier for us," he said, referring to a recent tournament in Birch Hills. The team competed hard in Birch Hills and took second place in the finals. Playing teams on their level, the Kodiaks won two games and lost in the finals by 10 points. With eight teams in the tournament, the Kodiaks were confident in their skills. "Overall, it was a really good weekend," said Trumbley. Making it to the finals was a big deal for the Kodiaks as they were unable to do so last year until the Conferences in March. "For the girls to get that success early on, I thought that was key for them," said Trumbley. In a typical season, the Kodiaks would only play maybe four games before the Christmas break. This season, they have eight games under their belts. Along with the out-of-town tournaments, the team has suited up to take on the Hapnot Kweens twice. The teams split the games. Trumbley says having played eight games already, his team is on step above. Eight games doesn't seem like much, he said, "but in the basketball world, it is." Through the two tournaments, the Kodiaks were missing a few players, including their starting point guard. A team with missing players requires the rest of the team to step up and fill the voids. "It's only going to make us stronger down the road," said Trumbley, noting that it's also a great opportunity for the younger players on the team. The Kodiaks are on Christmas break, but the coach says there will be a few chances for players to get into the gym, if they want. Heading back to practice on January 5, the team won't have much time to prepare for their next tournament. The team will be hosting that coming weekend, January 7-8. For the upcoming tournament, Trumbley says the team will take those few practices and work on pressing Ð as it's not something they have done a lot of this year. "We want to work on that," the coach said. "It was a major weapon for us last year. We haven't really had a chance to work on it yet." The Kodiaks will be working on new elements each weekend to improve their overall game.
