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VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 83 toughness is starting to grow every day, but now it's, 'OK, now we have another four weeks to really kind of get the proof in the pudding a little,' work on the basketball part, work together and have healthy bodies. Trying to see the big picture even though you're going day-by-day, seeing the big picture of what it will collectively look like." Q. Did you have to do things to spur the energy over the summer or did it just hap- pen? Versyp: "I think it just happened organically. They just all pulled together, had a deeper fight, really relying and making each other accountable, calling each other out, not afraid to do that, from top to bottom, which is great. I think our three seniors (April Wilson, Hayden Hamby and Tor- rie Thornton) have really done a good job of, right now in the preseason and in the summer, walking the walk and talking the talk, doing both. So when you have that respect with the captains, I think that makes a big statement and it helps." Q. You've installed a new four-out, one-in offensive system. What are the keys to its suc- cess? Versyp: "Spacing. The two-on-two game, understand the pick-and-pops, who we're trying to get the ball for. There's a lot of different options for different screening that we have to execute well and understanding the angle of the passes." Q. Are you looking, within your system, to create more favorable one-on-one match- ups? Versyp: "Yes. Favorable one-on-ones, spreading the court. Typical 4s, depending on who they are, are going to have to guard inside and outside. And trying to keep our 5s home, down on the block." Q: But you'll mix the sets you've done be- fore? Versyp: "Oh yeah, we'll totally mix in some of those things because they've always been effective in the 20- some years that I've used them, so you're not going to go change that. It's trusting the system and executing the sys- tem, no matter if it's a new offense or whether it's some other things that we're looking at. You'll always blend in those things, so you'll still see some of those things." Q. Everything works better offensively when you hit shots, obviously. How much emphasis has that been this summer? Versyp: "Yeah, improved shooting. The biggest thing we talked about is needing to get shots in, but then you have to, with 10 practices, you've got to be able to hit shots when it's live. We shot pretty well when we were overseas, and the (three-point) line is a lot further than it is there, and the depth wasn't an issue. "April and Ashley (Morrissette) shot unbelievable, and we really needed April to step up and take it to another level, and she did this summer, we just have to keep that going now. We shot some good threes. "Justine (Hall) didn't back off knocking down shots, didn't have to be threes, but we made shots live. And again it comes back to when someone's in your face and it's five-on-five, you've got to be able to knock down the shots, that's a big key. And I think conditioning and be- ing in great shape and having guards now that have a lot of experience — I still thought we were pretty young last year. You win with your guards, just because of the experience and setting the tempo defensively and I think with (Andreona) Keys and Hayden and Ashley and April definitely need to really step up." Q. From mid-range, how do you feel about this team? Versyp: "That's part of our new offense, and a lot of it is you can come off screens and knock shots down. The kids are starting to do it more and more and getting com- fortable and that's what we want. We've always wanted them to come off screens and not turn down a shot. It's been repetitive for many months, drill after drill, but now they're starting to carry it over to a game. That's going to be imperative to certain players that really do a good job with the 15- foot jump shot." Q. A lot of seasons, you've tried to run, push the tempo. Do you want to move it with this group, with the guards that you have?