Ponies welcome Browning

Things were just a little bit different for the Havre High girls basketball team this week.

Sitting at 1-5 overall and 1-3 in league play, the Central A Blue Ponies are taking a good long look in the mirror. And in preparation for not only their next two games, but maybe even the remainder of the season, the Ponies are focusing on themselves.

Tonight the Ponies will host the conference rival Browning Indians at the Havre High gymnasium at 7 p.m. And on Saturday, the Ponies will return to action as they take to the road to face the always tough Class B Conrad Cowgirls at 5 p.m.

With the Indians being a conference opponent, they have gained more of the Ponies' concentration this week. But still, the preparations by the Blue Ponies are still all about themselves.

"We're not spending a whole lot of time breaking down game film of Browning because I think there are many things we have to do to be better," Havre High head coach Dustin Kraske said. "We actually went against what we would normally do this week, we spent the last three days working on skill areas that we need to better as a team in preparations for Browning and even the rest of our season."

With the new practice style, the Ponies have prepared for both the Indians and Cowgirls in their short week of practice.

From the Indians, the Ponies can expect the usual. Browning plays very fast offensively and loves to apply pressure on defense. HHS can expect some full court press, as well as looks from zone and man defenses.

And there wont be any surprises from Conrad either.

The Cowgirls are always a very sound squad that execute the fundamentals. They are well balanced on offense and have a solid defense. The Cowgirls normally house good shooting from outside as well as a squad that can penetrate down low and to the basket.

For the Ponies to do well this weekend, as well as the rest of the season they need to execute what they have focused on in practice.

HHS knows it needs to be more active on defense and to better execute on offense. They have to have active hands and feet and have better communication. It's been a very short week of practice, but a good one, and if the Ponies keep improving within themselves they should be able to compete this weekend.

"If we can execute what we have been working on it will benefit us against Browning," Kraske said. "But in the long run I think we will have better benefits than just against Browning. It will make us a better team as a whole."

Kassala Holdsclaw and Peyton Filius have really played well as of late, and Paighton Gilman and Jaclyn Evans continue their solid play. But it's going to take a complete team effort for the Ponies to turn the tables on the slow start the season has gotten off too.

Tonight the Ponies will host the conference rival Indians at the Havre High gymnasium at 7 p.m. And on Saturday, the Ponies will return to action as they take to the road to face the Cowgirls in Conrad.