44
it's so nice to have a guy like Frank who can step
to get a rebound and control it. There are just so
out and shoot the 3 and make bigger guys come out
many sequences that go into getting a stop defenwith him on the ball screen," Gasser said.
sively and that's why it's hard to be a good defensive
When Kaminsky is not in the game, freshman
team.
Nigel Hayes can force the defense to respect a dif"Anybody can guard for one possession. But
ferent facet of the Wisconsin offense and a different
guarding consistently for 40 minutes is tough. They
skillset. "Guys like Nigel,"
always say, 'Good O beats
said Gasser, "can roll to the
good D.' Sometimes you're
"IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL OF A
hoop strongly and finish
doing the right thing, you're
SUDDEN WE'RE A TERRIBLE TEAM," doing exactly what the game
down low, and that's hard to
guard."
plan is calling for, but playGASSER SAID. "WE KNOW WE'RE A
The trick is getting coners are going to make shots,
PRETTY GOOD TEAM. WE JUST HAVE they're going to make plays."
secutive stops, especially
with the rules emphasis on
The solution may not be
TO STAY CONFIDENT. WE JUST HAVE
no hand-checks and fewer
simple. But the response is.
TO STAY THE COURSE."
charges. "You can't play as
"You move on to the next
physical on the perimeter,"
possession and you stay
Gasser said. "And if it's 50/50 on the block/charge,
confident," said Gasser, who had the same perspecit's going to be a block, so you have to make sure
tive during and after the long winning streak to
you're there early, really early.
open the season. "You flip the page and move on to
"And when you finally do get a stop," he continthe next one." How so? "By staying focused and enued, "you've still got to clean up the glass, you've got
ergized," he said, win or lose.
//
VARSITY January 23, 2014
