A temporarily short-handed Sedona Red Rock High School girls basketball team is hoping a new coach can carry the program back to full health.
Defense is what new head coach Joe Donaldson, a psychologist with the Yavapai County public schools, loves and is emphasizing in practice, along with assistant coach Frank Garcia.
“You get a lot of good things out of a strong defense,” he said. “They had all the terminology and they had all the footwork, but when the ball went up, it changed. So that’s what we’re going to emphasize.”
If defense can lead the Scorpions to a strong finish and final record above .500, it would be successful. SRRHS is looking to improve on a 14-17 overall mark and a one-point loss in the first round of the Division III state tournament Feb. 19 at San Carlos High School.
“We want to win as many games as possible,” freshman guard Liza Westervelt said. “We want to finish with a winning record.”
In the non-section schedule, at least, the Scorpions will need to do so with nine players. Sophomore Sophia Perry, a focal point of the Scorpions offense under previous head coach Jackie Strickling, will be out until at least the Yvonne Johnson Memorial Tournament on Dec. 29 with residual effects from a stress fracture in her foot.
For the full story, please see the Friday, Nov. 28, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.
