Martin Luther College Basketball Preview

Q and A with Coach Pfeifer

Q:  After three consecutive third place finishes in conference, is this team ready to take the next step? 

A:  In early season practices, it appears that we are making a concerted effort to improve our competitiveness.  The practices have been spirited.  With so many players returning, they seem ready to bring it to the next gear.  We are ready, but it appears that many in the conference are ready as well.

Q:  Does the team sense that, with everyone returning, this could be their year? 

A:  Yes, they do.  The six seniors really feel it.  I think they want to go out on as good of a season as possible.  Last year at the end of the season we kind of fell apart.  We went 0-2 in the last conference weekend, so instead of finishing 9-3 in conference, it was 7-5.  That was a big loss for us.  Also, we couldn’t get by St. Scholastica, who has now beaten us in six consecutive games.  But we have a chance this year to put that all behind us.

Q:  Who will be the Knights stiffest competition this year? 

A:  Northland and St. Scholastica are the first two teams that come to mind.  Northland has won the conference championship five years running and they are returning four starters.  St. Scholastica has had our number as of late and they are a team to look out for.  These two present the biggest competition, but everyone will be tough this year.  If you don’t come to play, you’re going to get beat.

Q:  How tough is the schedule? 

A:  We always build ourselves a tough schedule.  We do not have any sure-fire victories just because we show up, that’s for sure.  Early on we play Ripon and Buena Vista and both of those teams made nationals last year in NCAA play.

Q:  How is Emma Babinec’s knee holding up so far? 

A:  She is battling through lingering tendonitis, but so far she has been looking really good.  It’s going to be a nagging injury the entire season, but she is playing at the top of her game right now.  Taking the fall season off has probably helped her.  She continues to improve and is fun to watch.

Q:  Is Angie Unke one of the new key additions to the team? 

A:  We’ve been very pleased with her hard work.  She’s very coachable and always competes in every practice.  Her height is something she can work to her advantage and she’ll be given the opportunity to use it.

Q:  With the added team depth, who has stood out in practices so far? 

A:  Sarah Seelow has shown a lot of athleticism so far.  We think she can play either at the three or four spot, which gives us some flexibility.  With her, we could play a three post lineup.  Another bright spot early on has been Liz Olson.  She has done a very good job in practice.  She is a good shooter and an excellent ball-handler.  She has a good sense of the game, both offensively and defensively.

Q:  What are your concerns coming into this season? 

A: I want us to keep the good chemistry that we’ve had in the past.  One of the important keys to a good team is good chemistry.  If everyone is willing to contribute to the team in whatever way is presented, we will be in great shape.  With such great depth, it will be difficult to get everyone the playing time that they might deserve.  You can only stretch the minutes so much, which is why we will need the team to accept their roles and buy into the ‘what’s good for the team’ concept.

Q:  How tough is the early season-ending loss of freshman Elizabeth Babinec? 

A:  It’s a big loss.  She was looking really good at the point position.  She would have added tremendous depth at an important position.  We will be fine, but it would have been nice to have her with us this year.  She will be having ACL surgery soon and we are looking forward to having her with us next year.

Q:  What are you looking forward to the most concerning this season? 

A:  I enjoy being with this group.  It is a lot of fun working with them on a daily basis.  They enjoy the challenges that practice brings and I’m excited to see how they apply it on the court.