FREEDOM OF MEET CANDID TEAM MEETING HELPED SAUGUS GET SEASON ON TRACK.Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer Team meetings can be tricky. First, no team calls one when everything's going good. Typically, they're called when teams are in trouble. And chances are, someone is going to say something less than complimentary, such as Player A accusing player B of dogging it, then Player B responding to Player A to mind his own business. So it was with some trepidation trepidation /trep·i·da·tion/ (trep?i-da´shun) 1. tremor. 2. nervous anxiety and fear.trep´idant trep·i·da·tion n. 1. An involuntary trembling or quivering. that Saugus High boys' basketball captains B.J. Willkomm and Shant Bicakci called together the Centurions after they dropped their second consecutive game, a 67-54 loss to Canyon on Jan. 23. But the pressing need to get back on the same page far outweighed the concerns. Saugus came into the season with the objective of winning the Foothill League championship and advancing deep into the Southern Section Div. I-A playoffs. But after losing to Canyon, the Centurions were 0-2 in league and their foundation was on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of cracking. ``We had to do something,'' Willkomm said. So they called two team meetings. The first was for players only, and the second involved coach Jeff Hallman and his staff. Each player had the green light to speak his mind, and everyone promised there would be no hard feelings. ``If you had something to say, speak up,'' Bicakci said. ``And don't worry about how guys were going to react.'' The result has been that Saugus has not lost since, winning its last five regular-season games to finish a game behind first-place Hart of Newhall for the league title, then winning three consecutive playoff games Noun 1. playoff game - one game in the series of games constituting a playoff game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" playoff - any final competition to determine a championship to reach the Div. I-A semifinals. The Centurions (22-7) host Mission Viejo Mission Vi·e·jo A community of southern California southeast of Irvine. It is mainly residential. Population: 96,300. (24-5) at 7:30 tonight at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. . A victory puts them into the Div. I-A championship game against either Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. (21-8) or Marina of Huntington Beach Huntington Beach, city (1990 pop. 181,519), Orange co., S Calif., on the Pacific coast, across from Santa Catalina Island, in an oil-producing area; inc. 1909. It manufactures aerospace vehicles, aircraft parts, optical instruments, and heat transfer equipment. (23-7) on Saturday in Long Beach. ``We walked out of that meeting all on the same page,'' Bicakci said. ``And the key was, nobody took anything personal, not the coaches, who allowed us to speak freely, and not the players. I mean, there were some (harsh) things said, but everyone understood it wasn't personal. It was for the good of the team.'' Willkomm agreed. ``What we ultimately did was re-establish our goals,'' Willkomm said. ``We left wanting to finish strong in league and get ourselves prepared for the playoffs, and that's exactly what we've done. I mean, now we're in the semifinals, it really doesn't get any better than that.'' The key points of discussion, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Bicakci and Willkomm, were the effort required to turn the season around and the OK everyone had to speak up when they felt the need. ``We basically decided we all had to step it up a notch, whether it was in practice or in games,'' Willkomm said. ``It all starts in practice, and if you set a standard in practice, it's going to carry over into the game.'' Saugus has carried that mindset mind·set or mind-set n. 1. A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations. 2. An inclination or a habit. into the postseason, never more so than in the quarterfinals. The Centurions beat top-ranked Oxnard 56-54 in triple overtime. ``I've never been so tired in a game in my life,'' Willkomm said. ``But we decided awhile a·while adv. For a short time. Usage Note: Awhile, an adverb, is never preceded by a preposition such as for, but the two-word form a while may be preceded by a preposition. ago to leave everything we had on the floor, and that's what we've done.'' Vincent Bonsignore, (818) 713-3612 vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: B.J. Willkomm said a team meeting helped Saugus High focus on its goals and reach the Div. I-A semifinal tonight. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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