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January 22, 2014
Terrebonne High School boys’ basketball coach Derek Szush got just about the best compliment any coach could receive two Fridays ago following his team’s road game with South Lafourche.
The coach received words of approval from fans and parents associated with the opposing team.
The Tigers lost the game 53-49 – another in a long line of tough, closely contested losses that have plagued Terrebonne throughout their current 5-15 season (0-4 in district).
But in the defeat, the Tigers never lacked effort – intensity that caused members of the Tarpons’ faithful to give Szush a few kind words as he left the floor.
Sure, he would have preferred a win. But to be given praise from a foreign set of eyes shows the coach that his feisty team is headed in the right direction heading toward the future.
“Yeah, we’re going to play hard,” Szush said when asked about Terrebonne’s effort. “And I really like that. This team has always been this way. We had a few hiccups early, but really after our home tournament here in early December, they’ve taken it upon themselves to play hard. We like that. That’s what we love to see.
“If you play that way – the right way – for a long enough period of time, your program’s record will speak for itself.”
Turnovers have been the biggest factor prohibiting the Tigers’ efforts in 2013-14.
When facing pressure defense, Terrebonne’s young, unseasoned guards have had problems protecting the ball and keeping possession.
With sloppy passing and inconsistent playmaking, opponents have sometimes had a field day recording steals against the Tigers.
Because of those steals, Terrebonne opponents have also been able to consistently log easy baskets through fast break layups.
In a Wednesday night home setback against Destrehan, transition points were one of the major storylines in the game.
“It’s been that way,” Szush said. “All season long, the turnovers have been a significant issue for us. We work on it every day, and it’s getting a little bit better. We know we’re going to find our rhythm. We know we’re going to eventually hit a stride.”
One of the reasons why the Tigers have struggled is a lack of continuity within its lineup.
Contributing players Alden Wesley and Reggie Theriot missed the beginning portion of the season and regained athletic eligibility in January.
With them in the lineup, Terrebonne has more scoring thunder. It also has added depth in terms of the number of players that Szush can turn to for reliable minutes.
Their returns have also enabled the Tigers to better use one of their biggest strengths – athleticism. Szush said no matter who is playing for Terrebonne, the team needs to create better floor spacing and have a better sense of where players are on the floor.
Once that happens, he believes the team’s turnover issues will fade and the Tigers will be able to greatly increase their offensive output.
“How do we beat the turnover bug? How can we do that?” Szush asked himself while formulating an answer. “We’ve got to take care of the ball, while turning and getting our head up when we run in transition. We have to do that, because we have some athletes who can make some plays getting up and down the floor. We don’t do a consistent enough job of looking up the floor when we’re pushing the ball. And that’s a shame, because we have guys open everywhere. Right now, we’re just not doing a good enough job of hitting them.”
But with all of the tough losses and turnovers, Szush said two things have him excited going forward.
The first is district play and the excitement that comes with the “new season”.
The Terrebonne coach said he always loves Bayou District play because of the great parity within the local league.
Szush added that this time of the season is special, because there are no more secrets – everyone has seen everyone else play multiple times. The team to win each game is the one that plays the best on a given day.
“District play is district play,” Szush said. “There’s no type of advanced scouting – we all pretty much have a handle for what everyone else does. There’s not really any surprises or secrets. It’s all about how we adjust and about who plays the best on a given night. We like that. We play in a great district – one that we’re excited to be a part of.”
That unquestioned effort, also makes the coach smile.
No matter what the scoreboard may say, Terrebonne fights to the end – something not many teams below .500 can say for itself.
Szush said he loves the effort because it shows that his players are still buying into his message. He also enjoys it because he believes it’s a sign that the future is headed down the right path.
“We never quit,” he said. “We have five guys on the floor at all times who are going to battle you. And if one of those five guys isn’t ready for that challenge, then we will put someone else in from the bench to accept that challenge. We’re going to play hard here. We might not win ‘em all. But we’re going to play hard.
“I love that we don’t quit.”
Terrebonne High School guard Alden Wesley makes a push to the basket during a game two weeks ago against Destrehan High School. Wesley is one of a couple Tigers’ players who have just returned to the lineup after missing the first half of the season. His arrival, combined with Terrebonne’s continued hustle, have coach Derek Szush optimistic about the rest of the season
