Bobcats claw their way through camp

SPOKANE - The Superior girl’s summer basketball team went on the road this past week and received instruction from a storied basketball program a few states away.

The team attended the Gonzaga Basketball Camp in Spokane, WA and were afforded the opportunity to train with players and coaches and then to play teams from all over the region. Coach Jeff Schultz said the regimen consisted of clinics and games everyday.

He said the rigorous pace of the day’s activities left the girls a little tired in the mornings but in the afternoons, he said his team shined.

“It was a lot of basketball,” Schultz said. “The girls were getting up at 9 a.m. and we were finishing up the day somewhere between 9 or 11 at night. Those morning games we lost every time. I think they just weren’t awake. It might’ve had something to do with not going to sleep until late the night before.”

Schultz said while the team only won five games out of nine, the point was to learn from the program. He said the team benefitted greatly from the expert tutelage from Gonzaga personnel.

“I think it went really well,” Schultz said. “Everybody got a lot of playing time. It was a tournament of attrition. Offensively early we were struggling. But then we got it going. Defensively we were pressing a lot so I was very excited about that.”

The coach said the team hadn’t played together for a while but after a few games they started to regain their step. Schultz said the team began to mesh and started to execute effectively on the court.

“The girls know where they need to be and believe in it,” Schultz said. “We are a hard press to beat. All sides have to be on the same page. I think after some time the girls gained a lot of confidence.”

The confidence, according to their coach, came from one specific aspect of the clinic portion of the camp and it didn’t come on the court. Schultz said inspirational encouragement came from one of the staff members who tried to impress upon the girls the need for hard work especially if they want to play at the next level.

“There were clinics for offense and defense but the one I thought hit home the most with our girls were the motivational ones,” Schultz said. “They would tell the girls about playing for Gonzaga and the real theme was you can have dreams, you can do anything you want to do but you can’t accomplish anything without doing the work. There’s a lot of girls that want to play college ball but you have to put in the work. I think that inspired them a lot.”

Schultz said the team enjoyed the camp and improved their skill set in the process. He said by the end of the camp, the team was exhausted. The coach said several players had stand out performances.

“Everybody played really well,” Schultz said. “But Danielle Ewoniuk really hustled and inspired the other girls on the court. She was making great plays. Her sister, Nadiea Ewoniuk was also a difference maker for us. She was non-stop hustle. She’s a really smart player.”

Schultz said other outstanding performances came from Marissa Koke and Jordan Mueller along with Hannah Hollenback and Celeine Parkin. The upcoming schedule for the Superior Lady Bobcats includes a home game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Mullan and another home game against a to be determined team on Thursday at 7 p.m.