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Brentsville girls shift focus to defense for 08-09 season
“Rebuilding year” can be an ugly phrase in sports.
What that generally means at the high school level is a team had a lot of upperclassman either graduate or leave for whatever reasons and now a coaching staff is forced to start from scratch.
For the Brentsville District girls varsity basketball team though, “rebuilding” goes even deeper.
Not only did the Tigers lose to graduation perhaps their best BDHS basketball player ever in Kimmy Hopkins – she was named Region II player of the year last year and Northwesten District MVP during her last two seasons – but they are also down another first-team all-district star in Aly Jacobson and the district coach of the year Eugene Baltimore.
On top of that, Paige Knowlton was the Tigers’ only starting senior in their opening-day loss to Highland, meaning that Brentsville is young too.
None of these facts have escaped new head coach Robert Weaver. The 50-year-old who last coached varsity at Emanuel Christian School in Manassas takes over the reigns of a team that won the Northwestern District regular and post-season titles last year en route to an appearance in the state tournament.
Fortunately for the Tiger faithful, some crucial elements from the Tigers’ championship season are returning, including point-guard Keyla Baltimore and shooting guard Chelsie Tooke.
Both juniors are being groomed to be offensive threats. Baltimore, who earned a spot on the all-district second team last season, “had Aly and Kimmy to bail her out” last season, said Weaver. “Now, she’s learning a different role of being a leader on the team.”
She made a name for herself as a sophomore by earning second-team, all-district honors and could usually be counted on to be among the team’s top scorers after her senior all-star teammates.
“I know I can help carry my team this year. It’s a bigger load on my back because I’m usually the person who can set things up,” said Baltimore. “This year, I have to score more and help make my teammates better and stuff like that.”
While opposing teams would set up their defensive strategies around containing the three all-district Tigers players during the 2007-08 campaign, Tooke would often find herself wide open.
Her ability to drain 3-pointers – she hit three during the Tigers’ 52-51 regional semi-finals win against Freedom (South Riding) – has caused Weaver to call her one of the best natural shooters he’s ever seen.
However, her role is more amplified now.
“Tooke… can’t just rely on her 3-point shot,” said Weaver. “Now, she’s having to learn to attack the basket instead of just” shooting from the perimeter.
In order for Brentsville to have any shot at repeating as even tournament champions as John Handley, James Wood and Millbrook are all well-positioned to make runs for the regular season district crown, Weaver said his team must maximize its opportunities in the paint.
Because the squad lacks anyone who is taller than 6-feet, Weaver is forcing the team to become more defensive-minded. If they can create turnovers and limit mistakes of their own, then the Tigers 3-2 setup has a chance to work.
“We’re a very small team, so, therefore, the way we’re going to win games is pushing the ball up the floor,” said Baltimore.
That will take not only discipline, but toughness.
Insert the senior Knowlton, who’s in charge of teaching her team a lesson in aggression.
“She’s a no-nonsense player,” said Weaver. He added that her mindset is, “Put me on the floor, I’m going to play and I’m going to do the dirty work for you.
“And when you have a player like that, you don’t have to worry about (that) much.”
So far, the coach is working with Baltimore, Tooke, Knowlton in his starting line-up along with returning players Emily Johnson and Kelsey Taylor. Ali Jacobson’s sophomore sister Kelly has so far started the season as Weaver’s go-to person off the bench along with Canadian transfer Stephanie Pratapas.
Baltimore said she’s been quite impressed by the sophomore Taylor, who saw limited action in her rookie season.
“To me, she’s improved so much. She has worked really hard and she will be one of our main focuses this year on the post and wing,” said the point guard.
So while Weaver acknowledges the youth of Brentsville, he also expects that by tournament-time, they should be a real threat within the district. He shares the philosophy of his coaching friend from Woodbridge High School, George Washington, Jr.: “I don’t care what I do in December. It’s what I do in January and February.”
“I really think we’re going to do a lot better than a lot of teams expect us to this year,” added Baltimore.
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