Between the Lines
1/6/2012 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
This Week: Big East play resumed, but with too many turnovers. The Orange Women began 2012 with 27 of them in a 55-44 loss at Rutgers Tuesday.
“Played really tough,” said Q. “The kids really competed. Just that one stretch where we just couldn't turn the corner. We had a few costly turnovers and we have to take care of the ball. You can't play in the Big East and not take care of the ball.”
The Orange were down 11 one possession into the second half and rallied to twice tie the game. Then the turnovers struck. Considering the final score it's no surprise that the margin of points off giveaways was 13.
“We lost by 11. 27 turnovers, you keep that to our number which is 15 or less you probably win the basketball game. That's 12 less possessions than we expect to have.”
The good news is that few if any future opponents will apply pressure as relentless as Rutgers full court 55 man to man defense. 14 games remain in the always rough and tumble Big East.
Tales from the Road(Short Hills, NJ Hilton Edition): Unless of course you know where else to find that many basketball players in one place(no basketball courts allowed). On top of the Orange, also staying there this week was the Notre Dame women's team for its game against Seton Hall and the Indiana Pacers for their meeting with the Nets.
The Orange will be staying there again prior to their meeting with the Pirates later this month. Incidentally the Nets play Oklahoma City the same day. Perhaps a sighting of two time NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant is in store.
Higgo's Hero: Robert Paschall. Better known as Apache, make that only known as Apache, died Tuesday afternoon of cardiac arrest at only 38 years old. I'm sure most Syracuse fans right now are saying, who's that? While Apache neither played for nor went to SU, he influenced the lives of many who did. A mammoth on the girls basketball high school and AAU scene in New York City, he coached among other former and current Cuse women's players: Nicole Michael, Erica Morrow, Tasha Harris, Vionca Murray, Shakeya Leary and La'Shay Taft.
“It was heartbreaking,” Quentin Hillsman said only hours after the news arrived Tuesday. “He's one of my best friends in this world. When you have someone like that, take basketball out of the equation, someone who you've spent personal time with and known for so long. I've known him since I was a high school coach and actually even before we were coaching I knew him as a just a friend. Put basketball aside from that, when you lose a dear friend, someone you've known for so many years, it really hurts.”
Heart issues, a stroke, and cancer all plagued Apache in the last year of his life, but always his focus was on his players. I can't say I knew the man, but know many that did, and it seems his lasting legacy will be the sheer volume of girls whose lives he helped improve through basketball. The numbers he led to get a college education and travel the world that otherwise would not have had that opportunity are impossible to quantify, but surely would be staggering.
Apache was a man who wore both success and controversy about as comfortably as Q does a custom designed suit, so it somehow seems fitting that the desire of all to honor a fallen friend and rival has not gone smoothly. But whenever Nazareth High does continue its season, incoming Syracuse recruits Brianna Butler and Taylor Ford will attempt to deliver the school a second consecutive New York State Class AA Federation title, this time in memory of their coach Apache.
Next Broadcast: Two Big East games to speak of this week. Saturday the ladies take the court at the Petersen Events Center to meet Pittsburgh at 2:00. Give it a listen on ESPN 97.7 while you're heading to the Dome for the top ranked men's revenge matchup with Marquette. Then Wednesday the team is back at home for a mid week meeting with St. John's at 7:00. ESPN 97.7 and Orange All Access will take care of you, but the game looks even better in person at the Dome.
Until then as always I'm only 140 characters or less away @BrianHigginsSU.
“Played really tough,” said Q. “The kids really competed. Just that one stretch where we just couldn't turn the corner. We had a few costly turnovers and we have to take care of the ball. You can't play in the Big East and not take care of the ball.”
The Orange were down 11 one possession into the second half and rallied to twice tie the game. Then the turnovers struck. Considering the final score it's no surprise that the margin of points off giveaways was 13.
“We lost by 11. 27 turnovers, you keep that to our number which is 15 or less you probably win the basketball game. That's 12 less possessions than we expect to have.”
The good news is that few if any future opponents will apply pressure as relentless as Rutgers full court 55 man to man defense. 14 games remain in the always rough and tumble Big East.
Tales from the Road(Short Hills, NJ Hilton Edition): Unless of course you know where else to find that many basketball players in one place(no basketball courts allowed). On top of the Orange, also staying there this week was the Notre Dame women's team for its game against Seton Hall and the Indiana Pacers for their meeting with the Nets.
The Orange will be staying there again prior to their meeting with the Pirates later this month. Incidentally the Nets play Oklahoma City the same day. Perhaps a sighting of two time NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant is in store.
Higgo's Hero: Robert Paschall. Better known as Apache, make that only known as Apache, died Tuesday afternoon of cardiac arrest at only 38 years old. I'm sure most Syracuse fans right now are saying, who's that? While Apache neither played for nor went to SU, he influenced the lives of many who did. A mammoth on the girls basketball high school and AAU scene in New York City, he coached among other former and current Cuse women's players: Nicole Michael, Erica Morrow, Tasha Harris, Vionca Murray, Shakeya Leary and La'Shay Taft.
“It was heartbreaking,” Quentin Hillsman said only hours after the news arrived Tuesday. “He's one of my best friends in this world. When you have someone like that, take basketball out of the equation, someone who you've spent personal time with and known for so long. I've known him since I was a high school coach and actually even before we were coaching I knew him as a just a friend. Put basketball aside from that, when you lose a dear friend, someone you've known for so many years, it really hurts.”
Heart issues, a stroke, and cancer all plagued Apache in the last year of his life, but always his focus was on his players. I can't say I knew the man, but know many that did, and it seems his lasting legacy will be the sheer volume of girls whose lives he helped improve through basketball. The numbers he led to get a college education and travel the world that otherwise would not have had that opportunity are impossible to quantify, but surely would be staggering.
Apache was a man who wore both success and controversy about as comfortably as Q does a custom designed suit, so it somehow seems fitting that the desire of all to honor a fallen friend and rival has not gone smoothly. But whenever Nazareth High does continue its season, incoming Syracuse recruits Brianna Butler and Taylor Ford will attempt to deliver the school a second consecutive New York State Class AA Federation title, this time in memory of their coach Apache.
Next Broadcast: Two Big East games to speak of this week. Saturday the ladies take the court at the Petersen Events Center to meet Pittsburgh at 2:00. Give it a listen on ESPN 97.7 while you're heading to the Dome for the top ranked men's revenge matchup with Marquette. Then Wednesday the team is back at home for a mid week meeting with St. John's at 7:00. ESPN 97.7 and Orange All Access will take care of you, but the game looks even better in person at the Dome.
Until then as always I'm only 140 characters or less away @BrianHigginsSU.
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