UCLA's Cori Close on game planning
UCLA Women's Basketball Head Coach Cori Close discusses game planning. (via Hoops 360)
Video Transcript
When you're game planning, how much comfort do you find in thinking to yourself, "We've got six foot seven Lauren Betts, and you don't?"
Over and over and over again.
She covers a multitude of sins, we always say.
And honestly, sometimes I tell our other players, like, "You guys are really lucky that Lauren's covering for us."
Sometimes I've really challenged our guards, "Don't make Lauren do that.
That's not fair.
Don't make Lauren have to rotate as much as we are.
Take more pride in your individual defense."
But it is remarkable how many ways she helps us get stops, and I just- she's a unicorn on the defensive end.
I mean, she is so quick laterally, she's light on her feet, she's got long arms, she d- she has a high basketball IQ, so she anticipates instead of reacts.
She defends without fouling.
I mean, you know, just think about all those things that just rolled off my tongue.
She's a generational player, and I'll probably never coach a player exactly like her again.
