By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)
TEANECK, N.J. — FDU began with its normal routine of group stretching followed by a few sprints. Following that would come a few shooting drills from inside the paint, mid-range, and beyond the arc. After meeting at halfcourt, the Knights were ready to proceed.
A month's worth of work on the court and weight room, plus individual workouts, all culminated in a 40-minute scrimmage this past Thursday. There would be four 10-minute periods with a three-person officiating crew. The assistant coaches would run the team while head coach Stephanie Gaitley sat across the court, observing and making notations in her book. The gray team, coached by Jessica Simmonds and Nickie Carter, included Bella Toomey, Kailee McDonald, Jada Elston and Rebecca Osei-Owusu. The blue team was guided by Jeremy Thompson and Ty Rozier, and had Ava Renninger, Tyler Edwards, Leah Crosby and Talia Baptiste among its group.
In a game that went to the final possession, the gray team edged the blue team, 65-64, recording an offensive efficiency of 103 in its 63 possessions. The blue team, with 65 trips down the floor, measured a 99.
Offensive efficiency is points per possession times 100, which is the magic number for this exercise, as you want to hit triple figures or better on offense while holding the opposition under that mark on the defensive end. This past season, FDU averaged 64 possessions per game, with an offensive efficiency of 103 and the defense—consistently a staple of Gaitley’s most successful teams—a superb 86, which ranked 70th nationally across Division I.
Early on, both teams cared for the ball, a good sign given that we are still in the summer. In the end, the blue team had a better showing in the turnover department, committing just eight giveaways for a 12 percent turnover rate, compared to 13 turnovers and 21 percent for the gray team.
The Knights had a strong showing with their ball control this past season, averaging only 11 turnovers per contest with a 15 percent turnover rate. That latter figure was good enough to place 24th-best nationally. Besides defense, taking care of the ball is a priority for Gaitley.
As the scrimmage was set to tip off, one of the first things Gaitley asked me what my starting five would be after observing three practices in July. My reply was that three were an easy choice—Ava Renninger at the point, Kailee McDonald at the two and Bella Toomey in a forward spot. My other choices were Tyler Edwards as possibly a third guard or small forward, and Leah Crosby in the post. Gaitley agreed with my selections, with only one player at this point doubtful to get in the starting lineup.
Observations: The numbers were discussed, now here is the eye test. During the second period, I mentioned to Gaitley, “I am certain: Kailee McDonald will be an all-NEC defensive selection.” The coach agreed.
McDonald guarded Renninger and did a great job, excelling at moving her feet and recovering when getting screened.
“When they talk about a player’s strength, a lot of times they mean upper body,” Frank Gaitley, Stephanie’s husband and a former assistant coach in his own right, said. “Kailee has extremely strong legs that help her mobility on defense.”
None of Renninger’s 15 points came easy.
“I take pride in my defense,” McDonald said following the scrimmage. “I think defense carries over to offense. Defense is more important than offense, and I think the best thing I do is play defense.”
McDonald, a sophomore, is also pretty good on the offensive end, as she knocked down four 3-pointers on the way to a 16-point outing.
Jada Elston, a 5-foot-8 junior guard, progressed admirably through July. She did a great job at the point during the scrimmage and is certain to get her share of minutes this season. Elston appeared in seven games her freshman season, then redshirted last year. Following the scrimmage, Elston said she put in a great deal of work the past year and is comfortable running the point. She iced the game with a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the free throw line in the waning seconds.
During the first practice I attended in early July, Frank Gaitley said, “watch number 15.”
Number 15 is Leah Crosby a 6-foot-1 freshman. She is another player looking better each time she takes the court. In the scrimmage, she scored eight points in the first period. An inside presence, Crosby finished with 18 points. The Plainfield, New Jersey native, who played at Garden State power St. Thomas Aquinas, was also effective on the defensive end, but the most admirable trait in Crosby’s game is her resilience. Each of the FDU coaches remarked how she can turn the ball over or miss a close shot, yet never sulk. She just gets back and concentrates on the next possession.
Gaitley agreed that with Teneisia Brown—an excellent low-post presence last season—now at Providence, the five spot may be filled by committee. Following summer workouts and the scrimmage, it appears Crosby could very well lead that committee.
Bella Toomey, a junior forward, scored early, then was relatively quiet. In the final period, she scored six crucial points to help her team to victory. That is a sign of a good veteran player, responding when you are needed most in crunch time. Osei-Owusu, a 5-foot-11 junior, is a good rebounder who could be a factor up front. She rebounds well and the staff is working with her on her inside game. Reese Downey, a 5-foot-6 freshman guard and frequent early arrival getting up extra shots before practice, impressed with her outside touch. Gaitley feels she will get minutes and can be an effective zone buster, given her shooting range. Interestingly, Downey and Gaitley have seen each other from the opposite side of the bench.
“I first saw her when we played Ocean City on their senior night,” Downey said of playing against Gaitley in high school. Downey wound up the all-time leading scorer at Absegami High School in South Jersey, while Gaitley coached at Ocean City High School a year prior to taking over at FDU. Gaitley reached out to Downey not long after arriving at FDU. Downey had a few other schools interested, but was pleased with the prospect of joining Gaitley and the Knights.
Downey is getting acclimated to Division I life, and admits that in the college game, players are bigger and faster than high school.
“Just getting used to the speed of the game is the biggest adjustment,” she said.
A few final thoughts: Gaitley admits this will be a different team than last year’s NEC championship outfit. The coach is intrigued by what she sees and the possibilities. She is also in agreement that this group will get better each day. In other words, the team you see in February will be different from the one taking the floor in November.
After just one month, actually a lot sooner, the Knights have built a chemistry. They are a group that plays well together and enjoys each other’s company off the floor. That last point goes a long way toward building a winner. McDonald summed it up best, saying, “I think we are very cohesive. As a team, I think we are very friendly with each other. We had a lot of new faces and didn’t know each other at first, but we bonded very fast and that is carrying over to the court.”
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