Stacey White deflected a pass. Taren O'Brien started a fast break and hit a streaking Katie Donovan with a perfect bounce pass for a layup. Jaci McCormack missed a long three-pointer, but teammate Michelle Harakas kept the rebound alive. It deflected back to McCormack who nailed the three this time. Veteran players, a new coach, loyal fans and lots of fun on a Sunday afternoon for Illinois State basketball.
Nearly 200 fans came out for the first public practice by new head coach Robin Pingeton's Redbirds, who showed off a new, fast-paced style featuring fast breaks, aggressive defense and an open offensive look with four players around the perimeter.
The Redbird players heartily approve. According to Beth Huston--one of 12 returning players--the style has worked recently in the Missouri Valley Conference.
"It's a style that has had success in our league at places like (2003 co-champions) Creighton and Indiana State," said Huston, whose team debuts against outside competition against Truman State at 2 p.m. Nov. 9. "Not that we're trying to be just like them, but we feel that, with our depth, we can wear teams down."
Donovan actually got a head start on her Redbird teammates playing Pingeton's style when she led the Canadian Young Women's Team (formerly known as 'junior national') in a world-wide tournament in August in South Korea.
"It's the same system I played in this summer," said Donovan. "We pushed the ball and it's comfortable for me."
Pingeton thinks its a style that's a winner with everybody.
"That aggressive style is something my staff and I are comfortable teaching," said Pingeton. "Players enjoy playing it and fans enjoy watching."
Pingeton's planned three-hour public session went less than two hours, but that was because she'd worked her 15 players particularly hard the previous day ... and things went well on Sunday.
"We put them through a hard practice yesterday," said Pingeton, who, with her players, took questions from the crowd at the workout's end. "I'm so proud of these players; they are willing to pay the price and they have been doing well both on the court and in the classroom. I feel blessed to have these players with this work ethic."
But Sunday's public workout was mostly about style and showing it off for the fans. For Harakas, a junior, it's the first time she has played in a single-post set and she loves it.
"It definitely emphasizes the strengths of our team," said Harakas. "We'll be quicker and be more active."
Most of all, Harakas believes it will work.
"The game is fun," said Harakas. "I can honestly say all of us (players) believes we are going to do well. We will enjoy playing. The fans will enjoy watching. It will be exciting."
