As high school basketball enters the homestretch of the regular season, Doherty boasts two of the top Class 5A programs in the state. The No. 7 boys (16-3) figure to make a deep postseason run, as do the No. 5 girls (19-1).
Denver Post preps editor Kyle Newman caught up with Lady Spartans head coach Patrick McKiernan to discuss the team’s lone loss, lessons learned from last season, and chances of winning state this year.
:What did your team take away from your lone loss, an overtime setback to Pueblo South on Jan. 3?
:We have to play aggressively but without fouling. In that game, they shot 55 free throws. We want to get out after them but we have to be smart about it, and I think since that game, we’ve done a much better job of that. Five girls fouled out that game, and since then we’ve only had one because we’re doing a better job moving our feet, keeping our hands off them and with help-side D.
Q: You’ve had big Colorado Springs Metro League wins over a talented Pine Creek team, including one in overtime on Jan. 10 and another one on Feb. 2. What enabled your girls to pull that off?
:It was all about not panicking. In both games, we were down at one point, and it was just a matter of sticking it out. We didn’t do anything unusual, we played good defense and we kept plugging away on offense. The other big part of those wins was we kept them off the foul line, and we did a good job of attacking the basket and not settling for jumpers.
:Seniors Aubriana Noti (14.5 points per game) and Kalani Poloa (14.3) lead you in scoring, but you have an array of younger players contributing such as junior Mykiaa Minniss and sophomore Brionna McBride. What can you say about your team’s depth?
:At one time, we had five scorers averaging in double figures, and I think that’s been a big part of our success. If you look at overall team stats, we’re way up there in the state. We lead 5A in double-doubles and rebounding, and we’re right up there in assists, scoring and steals. But as a team, we don’t have any individual scorers in the top 25 in 5A, and that really says something about the way we play and the way we share the ball.
:What was learned from last season’s second-round playoff exit to Ralston Valley, and how is that experience being applied to this year?
:It hurt us in that game because our point guard went out early in the third, and even when she went out, we made a run and got within nine. But in that game we settled for outside shots and didn’t keep working the ball inside. You can’t go into anyone’s gym and expect to shoot the ball well in the playoffs, so we’ve got to keep pushing the ball inside during those close games this season.
:Obviously most of the ranked teams in 5A are from the Denver metro area, so do you feel like your team is somewhat overlooked because you’re in Colorado Springs?
:We played in the Grandview fall league, so I think we got a good look at some of those top schools like Grandview, Chaparral and Arapahoe. Of course it’s fall league, but it gives you a good gauge on things and I think people know what we’re capable of and how good we are.
:What’s the ultimate goal for this team this year?
:I know we’re a top-eight team, so if we can get into the Great 8 at the Denver Coliseum, you just never know what can happen. I fully expect to be there in the Final Four and hopefully in the championship game, I really do.
