Tag: Claudia Brassard

WNBL18: Q & A with Townsville Fire coach Claudia Brassard

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Chasing a return to the grand final series after a semi-final exit last year, Townsville Fire have compiled a 9-5 record and have only lost to Sydney (once), Perth (twice) and Dandenong (twice).  


Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.

Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.

With the evergreen Suzy Batkovic again in MVP contention and the returning Cayla George helping out with both points and rebounds galore, the Fire are in second place as the league approaches its final leg. They have clamped down on sides in defence and have crashed the boards, leading the league in total rebounds. At their best, they have been brutal, walloping Adelaide by 42 and putting together a faultless 3-0 record against pre-season favourites Melbourne, Here, coach Claudia Brassard reflects on a mainly successful campaign to date, touches on the Fire’s deep rotation and sees room for improvement in her veteran squad.

It’s been something of an up and down season for Townsville, but is it fair to say that the Fire’s best has been as good as anyone’s?

Yeah, it’s definitely been a year where it’s hard not to be a bit up and down with the league being how it is. We have to travel the most, more than Perth even, the season goes 13 weeks and we’re on the road 10 of those. So, it’s been that little bit harder this year to be consistent week to week.

That leads into the next question. How have you dealt with the condensed schedule this year? Have you been tempted to use the second unit a bit more?

We prepared for it as best as we could, we’ve got some of the older players now, but we recruited for that and we definitely wanted to go ten deep. Other teams can get a bit weary. If you look at Sydney, they tend to play Katie-Rae (Ebzery) 38 minutes plus and at Dandenong, they are playing Steph (Blicavs) 38 minutes plus. Hopefully we can have a bit more depth and take advantage of that.

One thing Townsville are doing well is defence, conceding less than 70 points per game. But do you think there is even more improvement to come on that end?

Yeah, we would like to think so. But one thing that we’ve talked about is our defensive rebounding and we agreed that we need to do better there.

Perth Lynx are probably the team that have given you the most trouble this year. Do you see them as the main contenders at this point?

Yeah, I think so. They’ve been very tough. Nobody has really worked them out, have they? I think they’ve won nine in a row now and they’ve been very dangerous and obviously they have those very dominant guards.

Townsville were only seventh in fast break points last year, but are up to second this year and are also first in points from turnovers. Was this something that you specifically worked on?

It wasn’t something that we initially looked at, but I think that’s come about from how we put our roster together. We can defend and be really physical and put pressure on teams and we can go ten deep. We wanted to have that depth.

How have the two imports (Laurin Mincy and Sydney Wiese) done in terms of adjusting to the league and how it is officiated?

Their attitude has been great and they’ve fitted in really well, they’re definitely digging into some Australiana now. They’ve been great, in terms of attitude and working hard and buying in, so we’ve been really happy with them actually.

Townsville are only 7th this year in 3 point percentage. Is it a matter of not getting open looks or are the shots just not falling?

We certainly struggled at the beginning of the season with hitting those shots. At first, we just weren’t hitting them but we went back and looked at the videos and we felt that we did get good looks, but they just weren’t going down. Now, they are, thankfully. Hopefully that continues and that percentage can improve.

With some teams having fallen out of the finals race is there a danger of complacency when you come up against them?

Yeah, I think so. Both of those teams, Bendigo and Canberra, they actually have very solid starting fives. They’ve just had some unlucky things go against them and that’s why they’ve ended up on the bottom of the ladder. We spoke about that today, making sure we show up hungry and motivated every game –  otherwise, they will get ya. We’re coming up against Bendigo this weekend and we have to think about Adelaide first, we won’t get to train before we get to Bendigo.

But Bendigo is a bit of a danger game, they will have been sitting at home for five days waiting for us and we have to make sure that we are mentally ready and that we can adapt to their different style.

Zitina Aokuso has got fairly limited game time, but how have you see her growth?

She’s been great. The league’s getting bigger and teams have been trying to get players to combat Suzy (Batkovic). Certainly, that’s a big part of Zitina’s role – defending Suzy at training, bodying up on her and trying to beat up on her, she’s certainly done that. It’s been tough for her getting minutes with our roster, but she’s definitely learned a lot from our bigs. It’s been a pretty big learning curve for her, she only came to basketball late, but she’s taken it in stride.

How has the team found the return to television with Fox?

Look, I think it’s great for the sport. It’s great for the Townsville fans, they really love watching us on TV when we go on the road. So, I think it’s been good and hopefully it continues.


Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.

Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.

WNBL18: JCU Townsville Fire Preview

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At the WNBL18 season launch, reigning MVP Suzy Batkovic avoided a cookie cutter response when asked who the team to beat was. Her response was simple – “us”.

Fire have cause for such bold confidence; in a shortened competition where coherency and continuity will be at a premium, no other squad has played so much winning basketball together.

Batkovic and the returning Cayla George are perennial all-WNBL team candidates, while Murray, Cocks and Wilson are seasoned pros and proven finals performers. Sydney Wiese should be one of the best shooters in the competition.

Proven winners

The last time Batkovic and George played together, they were the both amongst the league’s elite scorers, rebounders and shot blockers. Oh yeah, and the Fire swept to a 2-0 grand final series win.

The Fire should be the best rebounding team in the league and their size, physicality and nous in the paint will likely again be their strong suit. Teams will get few cheap points against lineups featuring Bakovic and George, who both played huge minutes in their championship campaigns.

Darcee Garbin comes off a monster campaign at the University games, where she showed a fair bit of craft around the rim and opponents often looked helpless trying to keep her off the boards. With a few years of senior competition under her belt, she is likely to take a step forward in WNBL 18.


Suzy Batkovic's forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.Suzy Batkovic's forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.

Suzy Batkovic’s forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.

Newcomers

Lauren Mincy, a former WNBA draftee who led Maryland to two final four appearances, joins the team after a couple of years in Israel. It’s hard to find much intel on her time there, but her numbers with Ramat Hasharon in the 2015/16 season were solid and the team like her athleticism and see her as a genuine two-way shooting guard.

Last year the team ranked only sixth in three-point shooting percentage and import guard Natasha Cloud struggled from long range at times. This part of their game is likely to get a major boost via Sydney Wiese, who was an explosive scorer and consistently shot above 40% from three in a hugely successful college career.  Known as ‘The Headband’, Wiese can create her own shot and will likely feast on open shots created by Batkovic and George being double teamed. Wilson, Murray and Cocks are also gifted passes who can get her a lot of looks.

Injection of youth

Zitina Aokuso joins the team from the AIS as a raw but hyper-athletic talent. She will be one of the most explosive jumpers in the competition straight away and it will be interesting to see whether the Fire ease her into the rotation or give her minutes from the start.

Also joining the team from the SEABL is guard Marena Whittle. She shot three-pointers at 21.9% in that competition, but found ways to get inside and score and consistently got buckets over a four-year college career at North Dakota State. She is an athlete who can also chip in with some rebounds and will inherit Tegan Cunningham’s ‘best tattoos in the league’ mantle.

Guards

Townsville tried a number of point guards last year with Kelly Wilson injured, but are likely to have more stability there for this season. One of the league’s great competitors

Mikaela Donnelly will add some depth; she led the QBL in assists and represented Australia at junior level. She has been on the fire’s radar for a while and knows how to run an offence.

Development players

Miela Goodchild, a shooting guard or small forward, was a star of the U17s Oceania championship, ranking as the most efficient player in the tournament as Australia coasted to a series of lopsided wins. Haylee Andrews also returns after a good QBL season where she was a double-digit scorer and has been likened to a young Tess Madgen by coach Claudia Brassard.


Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.

Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.

Off-season form:

Suzy Batkovic: 29.5 ppg, 45.2 FG% [Waratah league]

Micaela Cocks: 11.3 ppg for NZ [Asia Cup]

Mikaela Donnelly: 10.7 ppg, 39.8 FG% [QBL]

Darcee Garbin: 23.47 ppg (3rd in league), 10.24 rebounds (7th in league) [QBL] 16.8 ppg and 11.8 rpg at University games. 30 points in gold medal game.

Cayla George: 97.5 Offensive rating, 98.7 defensive rating [WNBA]

Laurin Mincy: 4.8 ppg, 3.0 apg [Israel D1]

Mia Murray: 15.29 ppg [QBL]

Marena Whittle: 16.5 ppg, 41.9 FG%, 8.1 rpg [SEABL]

Sydney Wiese: 94.4 Off. Rating, 94.2 def. rating, 40% 3-pt FG% [WNBA]

Kelly Wilson: 13.1 ppg, 7.1 assists per game (1st in league) [SEABL]

(Note: Statistics accurate as of 10/9/17)

 

Predictions:

MVP – Suzy Batkovic

Defensive Player of the Year – Suzy Batkovic

Rookie – Zitina Aokuso

WNBL: Coach Claudia Brassard talks Townsville Fire’s title defence.

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When Suzy Batkovic bid an emotional farewell to Townsville’s 2016/17 campaign, it marked the end of an era of lofty success and the first time in four years the Fire hadn’t progressed to the grand final. It was a season which swung from brilliant to frustrating several times, perhaps peaking and plateauing in the same game, a thrilling overtime win against Sydney which also saw Kelly Wilson sidelined with a costly ankle injury.

Again, the central figure in the Fire’s campaign was the three-time Olympian Batkovic, who terrorised opponents inside the key, powering and finessing her way to a record fifth league MVP win. Batkovic finished second in points per game (20.92), second in rebounds per game (10.85) and sixth in total blocks (30).

Claudia Brassard, who moved into the head coach role this season after previously playing for the club and serving as assistant coach during the back to back championships, says that the intangibles Batkovic brought to the table were just as important. “Her captaincy and leadership skills are something she works on constantly”.

Indeed, Batkovic’s forthright leadership style was something that gave the team a real identity. “If you want someone to have your back, you could not have someone better than Suzy. If she thinks something isn’t right, or one of her teammates is missing out on something, she’ll go straight to the source”.

Brassard suggests Batkovic, a great teacher and mentor, was particularly beneficial for young power forward Darcee Garbin, who was a shining light against Sydney as the team went down to the white-hot Flames side in the semi-finals. “(Darcee) is a really good, promising player” Brassard says. “She would normally come off the bench and get us a couple of boards right away. But her greatest asset is her personality. She has a great work ethic and she wants to learn”.


Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.

Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.

Players from last year’s championship side like Micaela Cocks, Batkovic and Garbin were joined by livewire point guard Kelly Wilson, though the Fire’s prized acquisition was dogged by injury at the start of the season and later missed games with an ankle fracture. “I think she’d say it was the most frustrating season she’s had” Brassard says. “I think we’ll see a much better Kelly Wilson next year”.

Instead of playing in the SEABL competition during the off-season like she normally does, Wilson plans to sit it out, but Brassard suggests that the high-energy guard, who was regularly doing extra work in the gym and video room, will be doing anything but enjoying some rest and relaxation. “She won’t be sitting on her bum, she’ll be keeping very active in some way”.


Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found "sitting on her bum"Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found "sitting on her bum"

Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found “sitting on her bum”

While WNBA player Natasha Cloud and Kiwi international Micaela Cocks looked set to give the Fire flexibility and valuable injury cover at the one when Wilson was injured, Brassard says the point guard logjam was both a blessing and a curse. “Honestly it’s something we struggled with throughout the season, that question of ‘who is the point guard?’ We would have liked some more stability there, but that’s the hand we were dealt”.

Elsewhere, the team’s strength was inside the paint, where they collected a league-leading 36.8 rebounds a game, again led by Suzy Batkovic, the competition’s most prolific defensive rebounder. The Fire also ranked high on assists, with Cloud, Wilson, Batkovic and Murray all recording plenty of dimes. As Brassard explains, the team’s ball movement  flowed from the defensive attention Batkovic drew in the low post.


A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.

A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.

“Suzy was always seeing double and triple teams and I think we did a reasonable job of finding the outside shooters from that”. Yet the team’s unselfishness had a downside at times. “Sometimes that (approach) was to our detriment, there were times when we could have been a bit more selfish”.

In particular, coaching staff encouraged sweet-shooting forward Kayla Standish to look for her own shot. “We’ve been working with her on not fading away, on going inside” Brassard says. Standish still led the squad in true shooting percentage and added range to her game, connecting on 19 threes after only making six the previous season.


Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.

Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.

Another willing passer, Mia Murray, had a nice season as a canny second-option scorer and good decision maker, while star junior guard Haylee Andrews joined the team as a development player. Brassard had previously coached Andrews in youth teams and has high hopes for the youngster. “I see her as a Tess Madgen type, with those really strong legs, she can get into the key and finish over bigger players”.

Currently in the midst of recruiting and retaining players, the Fire are aware that like every WNBL team, they have to compete with the lure of bigger money on offer in Europe. They’re confident, however, that the environment they have created and the support from the community will be powerful incentives to entice players to sign up for another tilt at the title. “I’m proud of the culture we’ve built here” Brassard says.