Creating a culture is a process. The personnel has to fit the system. That’s not a simple task when you are limited on scholarships and you’re coaching in an expensive part of the world.
Five years into her tenure at CSU Monterey Bay, head women’s basketball coach Kerri Nakamoto feels she has a system in place.
"It’s taken me a little bit of time to understand how best to recruit,’’ Nakamoto said. "You just can’t fork out full rides left and right. And you have to find the right fit for what you want and keep it in your budget.’’
While the record didn’t indicate it, Nakamoto felt the culture she has been seeking began to take shape last winter for the Otters.
And with 12 returning players back from last season, there is an understanding of what is expected as the Otters look to climb into the upper echelon of the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
"Most of us have played with each other for at least a year,’’ senior Courtney Keaton said. "We know each others’ strengths, which is a good asset for us this season.’’
The Otters have averaged just eight wins a year over the past four years. Keaton believes that’s going to change this season as the chemistry in the program is evolving.
"We’re still working towards a common goal,’’ Keaton said, "but I’ve seen growth in my four years. It’s different now. We’re on the rise. We’re gradually growing with each game.’’
It’s that desire to improve each game that Nakamoto has preached in practice. Getting a win early in the season helped validate the changes that she has installed in their offense this year.
"I think the biggest thing is we’re focusing on trying to get better each day,’’ Nakamoto said. "Things we didn’t do well in our first two games were better in our third game. You saw the results’’
Nakamoto was speaking about an impressive 84-69 win over Academy of Arts, in which four players were in double figures in the scoring column, followed up by a conference opening win.
And that’s what is different about this year’s squad. There isn’t one player an opponent can focus on to stop. Instead, Nakamoto is moving the ball around the floor, looking for that extra pass.
"There is not one player you can key on,’’ Nakamoto said. "When you have four players in double figures, I think it makes us that much more dangerous. You don’t know where it’s coming from.’’
What CSUMB lacks in size, it hopes to make up in quickness. Nakamoto changed her offense this year to a more up-tempo attack, utilizing the team’s speed and balanced scoring options.
"We decided to give them more freedom and not slow it down,’’ Nakamoto said. "We have the speed to get out and run. It’s really our strength to let them out in the open court and just play.’’
It certainly doesn’t hurt having your point guard back in senior Aubri Smith, who is averaging 18.1 points and 5.2 assists a game this year.
Smith, who arrived last winter after two years at Ventura College, struggled in recognizing systems and making adjustments on the fly in her first season with the Otters. That’s not the case this season.
"Over the course of last year she got better,’’ Nakamoto said. "She understands what I want from her as a point guard. She picks up things so much faster this year.’’
The 5-foot-2 Smith is more than a playmaker. Give her an open look on the perimeter and she can drain the 3-point shot. Come out and challenge her and she’ll penetrate and create shots for others.
"She’s a hard matchup with her quickness,’’ Nakamoto said. "She is dangerous with the ball in her hands. Aubri draws so much attention, it creates opportunities for others.’’
Benefitting from some of those passes Smith doles out is the 5-foot-11 Keaton, who is averaging 8.1 points and 11.1 rebounds a game for the Otters in the paint.
"We’ve been pushing for balance and sharing the basketball,’’ Nakamoto said.
What Nakamoto lacks is a dynamic 3-point shooter, having watched the school’s all-time leader in Seaside High grad Victoria Dorn graduate last year.
"I was watching film of one of our games last year,’’ Nakamoto said. "We miss Tori. We miss both our senior starters from last year. But we have kids that are more true scorers this year.’’
It doesn’t hurt that Nakamoto has three players back this season who are also healthy, and a fourth on the way in two weeks.
Jennifer Saelio has made a big impact during the first two weeks of the season, either coming off the bench or starting, averaging 8.1 points a game.
Emily Hardin and Jordana Price are a part of a four-guard rotation that will include Brianna Tucker once she’s cleared from a torn ACL suffered last year.
Because the Otters are so balanced, Nakamoto is still toying with the starting lineup and rotations, as evident by seven players averaging 21 plus minutes a game.
"Our starting lineup will change over the course of the season,’’ Nakamoto said. "It’s about finding the right mix. It could be matchups. I changed it last week and it gave us a jolt of energy.’’
While the idea is grab and go this year in transition, Keaton and Alexa Sperling provide a presence in the paint, and are athletic enough that neither will slow down the Otters in their up-tempo attack.
"We have to just play our game,’’ Keaton said. "It can be easy to fall into another team’s game and lose sight of what we’ve worked so hard for. If we keep our heads right, we can be in the upper tier of the conference.’’
Nakamoto understands that some players play better as starters. Others off the bench. The key is players are embracing their roles, providing the cohesiveness she craves.
"Creating culture and expectations takes time,’’ Nakamoto said. "I feel we have a group that can establish that. Our biggest strength is our balance. I think we’ll surprise people this year.’’
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