The team has resumed practicing some weeks ago now after the summer break. Is everything going according to plan?
I would say so, yes. We're practicing five times a week now, but not all the players have arrived yet. Marie Hoogstraten is still with the national team. Anouk Biesters, who also is a national team player, has had knee surgery this summer and will be out until at least January. And our two foreign players, Molly McDowell and Kati Harty, will not arrive until September 14th. So we combine with the second unit at practice. Most of the players kept themselves in good shape during the summer, so that's positive.
Are you happy with the roster?
Yes, I am pretty happy with the roster. The important thing is we didn't make too many changes, so we can keep on building on what we achieved last year. The atmosphere in the team is great. We made some additions to our staff, with assistant coaches Johan Kaal and Jesse Korf. Rene Wormhoudt is still our trainer and condition coach and I am very happy with his contribution. He's one of the best condition coaches in the Netherlands. He will be assisted by Frank van Deursen, who does all the condition-monitoring, using the latest equipment and software. And Marcus Torenstra will keep working with the ladies in the fitness room, building up their strength.
How about the players?
I believe we have a great team. With Molly McDowell we have an experienced and smart point guard. She's the team's leader, our Captain. With new foreign players you always have to wait and see, but I'm convinced Kati Harty will make a great addition to the team, being able to play at shooting guard as well as at the point guard position. With her and Molly we have a back court as good as any team's. Ilana Vergunst and Belinda Bos are veteran guards and I expect them to play smart and solid defense and offensively to be a threat from long distance as well as by driving to the basket. Marie Hoogstraten is entering her second season with us and I think she will do an even better job than last season. She can play at both forward positions. Karen Heinen is the newcomer, she will play at the 4-position. She plays hard on both ends, doing a lot of the little things which can help a team win games. Jasmijn Overbeeke was hampered by a foot injury last season, but she had surgery this summer and she's in great shape now. I expect a lot of her; I think she's one of the top power forwards in the nation. Nadine Boesaart plays at center. She's a veteran who masters all the post moves and also has range, but she has to become more productive. At center we also have Mara Hessling, who's coming off her rookie year. She has a great mentality, she's a good natural rebounder, but when it comes to her basic skills there's still room for improvement. We will work with her on that. Marloes Soffner and Eline Vink are our rookies. I expect them to work hard and learn as much as possible. And we also have Marijn Nijendorff, who will play for the second unit, as she has a busy job and won't be able to attend practice always. But she's one of the best 3-point shooters in the nation. In case of injuries and when we have important games I will place her on the roster of the first unit.
Any tactical changes you plan to make?
No, we stick with the same, simple philosophy. Our game is based on our defense. We always play hard, outwork our opponents and we won't allow easy scores and offensive rebounds. Offensively we take it from there. Our offensive plays are designed to utilize every individual player's strong points. I think you might see us play some more full court press defense than last season.
What do you expect of the season?
As always I expect us to take the championship. If we don't, I will be extremely disappointed, like I was last season. I always set our goals high; you will never hear me say we settle for a second place. Our fans expect a lot from us, we can't disappoint them. We are one of the top four teams for years now. I expect to be the competition to be interesting. Most teams gained strength; some signed some really good American players. So I very much look forward to the month of October.
Saturday the ProBuild Lions are scheduled to play a pre-season game vs Lely Amsterdam in the city of Heerenveen.
The Lions are not at full strength yet. Molly McDowell and Kati Harty are expected to arrive next week, while Marie Hoogstraten just finished a tour with the Dutch national team with a game vs Sweden, resulting in a promotion of the Dutch to the European A-league.
Today ProBuild Lions announced the signing of 5-6 American guard Kati Harty. With the landing of Harty, coach Laki Lakner fills the only remaining open spot in the Lions' roster.
Last four seasons Kati Harty spent with the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. The Green Bay Phoenix dominated the Horizon League during the last decade, winning 10-out-of-11 League Championships, each time earning a berth into the 64-team NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. In the NCAA tournament of 2009, however, the Phoenix were eliminated in the first round by LSU, spoiling a team-high 17 point-effort from their starting point guard Kati Harty.
In her last season with Green Bay, Harty averaged 9.6 ppg, along with 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals.
Coach Lakner said Molly McDowell will remain the Lions' starting point guard and that he plans to start Kati Harty at shooting guard. During some stretches in the game she will relieve McDowell at the point.
Harty is a highly accurate shooter from long distance, hitting 43% of her 3-point-attempts last season. "I don't have a problem playing at the 2-spot," she said. "Actually I played shooting guard in my first two years at Green Bay. I am very anxious to go overseas and play professional basketball in Europe."
Coach Laki Lakner said he was excited to add Harty to his team. "I had a long talk with her over the phone and she made a good impression. She's the kind of competitor I like to have on my team. She can help us in a number of ways, like with her outside shooting and her being able to do some point guard-duty also."
Kati Harty and Molly McDowell are expected to arrive in the Netherlands around mid-September.
Trough her agent Jeana Hoffman informed ProBuild Lions to have second thoughts about playing in the Netherlands for another year, after postponing the signing of her contract for more than a week. The Lions have decided to move on and to continue their search for an American shooting guard.
ProBuild Lions Land Jeana Hoffman
Author: Henk Wals
Picture: Tine Sierink
Date: July 13, 2009
The management of ProBuild Lions announced the signing of shooting guard Jeana Hoffman. The 5-8 native from Mitchell, South Dakota, will team up with fellow American and point guard Molly McDowell to form the Lions' starting backcourt next season.
Hoffman, a former standout on The University of South Dakota women's basketball team, will return to the Netherlands for her second season. Last year she played at Wereldtickets Leiderdorp, where she averaged 21 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Despite Hoffman's outstanding numbers Wereldtickets finished with a 7-20 losing record and did not make the play-offs.
Contrary to Wereldtickets, ProBuild Lions is a regular championship contender, who made it to the semi finals of the play-offs for the last five consecutive years, having added two championships and three Dutch Cup tournament wins to their record in the last decade.
Head Coach Laki Lakner of ProBuild Lions said Hoffman made an impression on him last year, giving his team a hard time to guard her. Looking for a combo guard who could replace sharp-shooter Chelsey Warburton, who decided not to return, Hoffman seemed the logical choice to Coach Lakner. "What we were looking for was an excellent shooter, who also can play the point guard position if necessary. Chelsey did a great job last season, and I am convinced Jeana can fill her shoes. With Jeana and Molly we will have a back court as good as any teams'. I am looking forward to work with her."
Jeanna Hoffman guards Chelsey Warburton
ProBuild Lions signs Karen Heinen
Author: Henk Wals
Picture: Henk Wals
Video: Johan Kaal
Date: Juli 1, 2009
Today the ProBuild Lions' management announced the signing of Dutch veteran Karen Heinen, a 6-2 forward who played for Lely Amsterdam during the last three seasons.
Heinen started her career in her native town Bunschoten, where she was part of an extremely talented legendary junior team, along with Gerda Heinen (no family), Belinda Bos and Sharon Bos (no family either).
When the team fell apart in 2004 Belinda Bos, Sharon Bos and Gerda Heinen joined forces in Landsmeer with the Lions, but Karen Heinen moved to Den Helder, where she became member of a championship team that season.
She stayed there for two seasons before signing with Lely.
Karen Heinen averaged 9,3 ppg and 4,4 rebounds in her career at the highest level.
Coach Laki Laki Lakner said he thinks Karen Heinen will be a valuable addition to his team. "We can use a little more front court strength", he said. "Especially without Anouk Biesters sidelined until at least January. Karen is a veteran player who knows the game. I am very happy with her decision to sign with ProBuild."
Molly McDowell will be the Lions the Lions' starting point guard for another season. Saturday the ProBuild Lions' management announced the signing of McDowell, who averaged 13.8 ppg last season. McDowell said she was exited to return to Amsterdam for another year.
The Lions made only some minor changes in their roster. Apart from Kris Biesters and Lotte Nijenhuis, who both announced they will not return, all players signed up for another season. Gerda Heinen, who gave birth to a daughter in June, is expected to resume practicing in September.
Coach Laki Lakner said he was happy to have McDowell back on the roster and that he expects to be able to announce the signing of a second American player shortly. Also the Lions expect to sign a veteran Dutch player within a few days.
The ProBuild Lions fought back from a 16-point deficit Thursday night but came up short to Woonbron DAS 55-59 in Landsmeer, losing the series 2-3.
The Lions lost all three of their home games.
Chelsey Warburton posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Molly McDowell scored 17 to lead the Lions in scoring.
No other Lions reached double figures.
Reggie Maddox scored 24 points for DAS and Theresa LeCuyer added 17.
Like the first four games in the series, the game was decided in the first period. And like the first two home games, the Lions did not start sharp enough.
Irene Sloof and Reggie Maddox both hit two 3-pointers to take DAS to a 2-18 lead. After the quarter ProBuild looked at an 8-21 deficit.
However, ProBuild managed to stage a quick comeback in the second period. Nadine Boesaart immediately drained a 3-pointer to spark an 18-5 run, which was capped by Marie Hoogstraten, 26-26.
At halftime ProBuild trailed 30-32.
Reggie Maddox made it 34-41with her third 3-pointer. Meanwhile the Lions missed too many layups and committed too many turnovers, but managed to stay in the game by playing tight defense.
Jasmijn Overbeeke scored to cut the deficit to 38-41, but Maddox made it 38-43 at the end of the third period.
DAS stretched the margin to 38-46 in the fourth period, but Nadine Boesaart hit a lucky 3-pointer, which bounced off the rim and went in. Next Molly McDowell had a steal and a layup to make it 43-46.
A few moments later McDowell fed Jasmijn Overbeeke for a layup, 50-52, and converted two free throws to make it even after being fouled in the next offense.
After Corine Manuputty split a pair of free throws for DAS, Reggie Maddox had a driving layup to put DAS up 52-55 with 1.29 minutes remaining.
Chelsey Warburton missed a 3-point-attempt, but Belinda Bos made one of two free throws, 53-55, before Reggie Maddox was fouled on the other side of the court with 27 seconds to go. Maddox made no mistake, 53-57.
After a shot attempt by Jasmijn Overbeeke was rejected, Irene Sloof was fouled on DAS' next offense and secured the game and series from the line, 53-59. Chelsey Warburton's basket in the last seconds was just for the record.
Molly McDowell posted a double-double, with 10 points and 10 rebounds, Chelsey Warburton added 17 points and 9 rebounds and Jasmijn Overbeeke contributed 16 points as the ProBuild Lions beat Woonbron DAS 50-66 on Tuesday to even the semifinals at two games apiece.
Thursday, all the Lions have to do to reach the finals is posting a win at home for the first time in the series.
In the other semis HLB Accountants and AutoCAD Amazone surprisingly also split the series with two wins apiece.
Coach Laki Lakner said tonight he was proud of his team. "I did not have to say much in the locker room before the game. Everybody realized what was at stake and was ready for the fight. And by now the girls exactly know how DAS plays and all the do's and don'ts. And we did exactly what we needed to do to win the game: playing solid defense and grabbing defensive rebounds. We started focused and showed a great fighting spirit. If we can keep this level of concentration up, we have a good chance to advance to the finals on Thursday."
Offensively both teams had a slow start. Chelsey Warburton scored 0-2 in the third minute, followed by a basket of Jasmijn Overbeeke, who was everywhere on the court and posted three consecutive steals in the first minutes.
It took DAS until the 5th minute to score. Tahnee Vogelsang split a pair of free throws to make it 1-4 before ProBuild posted a 3-12 run, behind a 3-pointer from Jasmijn Overbeeke and 5 points by Ilana Vergunst.
By the end of the period ProBuild led 4-16.
DAS managed to cut the margin to 16-22 in the second, but the Lions did not allow them to come any closer than that. Chelsey Warburton nailed a trey in the buzzer to make it 20-29 at halftime.
Reggie Maddox started the third period with a basket, but Jasmijn drove the baseline to answer, 22-32. Irene Sloof and Reggie Maddox made it 26-32 before Molly McDowell drained a 3-pointer and Maddox cut the deficit to 28-35 with her third basket of the period.
A jumper by Chelsey Warburton and the second 3-pointer of Molly McDowell sparked a 0-11 Lions run, which was capped by Marie Hoogstraten, who made it 28-46.
It was the decisive stretch of the game.
The third period was closed with ProBuild leading 33-51.
The last quarter was more or less a formality. The Lions did not allow DAS to come any closer. In the 8th minute Chelsey Warburton made a lay-up to give ProBuild its biggest lead in the game, 42-65.
After that coach Lakner called all of his starters to the bench and the reserves cruised to a 50-66 win.
Thursday it's do or die again in game 5. For what it's worth in this series, the Lions have home advantage then. Game starts at 8:30 PM CET.
Spoiling Chelsey Warburton's season-high 34 points and 13 rebounds, ProBuild Lions took the game to overtime, but eventually lost by 1 point, 83-84.
The Lions now look a 2-1 deficit in the series and need a win on Tuesday to avoid elimination.
Molly McDowell scored 23 points and Marie Hoogstraten added 16, as the rest of the team collectively totaled not more than 10 points.
Like the first game, the Lions dug themselves an early hole. This time, they managed to climb out, but not until the fourth quarter, when Chelsey Warburton hit three of her six 3-pointers.
Coach Laki Lakner found it hard to hide his disappointment after the game. "Like the first game, our start was not good enough. And this time we also did not rebound well, allowing DAS too many second and third chances. That was what killed us."
"We did a good job fighting ourselves back in the fourth period and had a chance to win in the last seconds and also in overtime, but I guess we were not very lucky today."
The Lions looked at a 18-26 deficit after the first period and trailed 25-37 with two minutes to go before halftime. Chelsey Warburton drilled a 3-pointer and Marie Hoogstraten scored to cut the margin to 30-37 before Molly McDowell nailed a buzzer beating trey from mid court to make it 33-37.
After the third period DAS had rebuilt an 11-point cushion, but ProBuild clawed within 65-70 when Marie Hoogstraten drained a rainbow from behind the arc in the 8th minute. Theresa LeCuyer, who scored 27 points for DAS, converted two free throws, but Molly McDowell made it 67-72 after grabbing an offensive rebound.
Marie Hoogstraten scored 69-72 before Molly McDowell fed Chelsey Warburton for her third 3-pointer in the quarter to even the game with 26 seconds remaining.
In the last seconds Ilana Vergunst had a chance to win the game, sprinting to the other side after Molly McDowell grabbed a rebound and threw a long quarterback pass, but could not get the ball under control.
Overtime.
In the mean time Jasmijn Overbeeke and Belinda Bos had been fouled out, followed by Marie Hoogstraten in the second minute of OT.
Irene Sloof made it 76-80 for DAS but Chelsey Warburton hit her 6th 3-pointer to make it 79-80 before Nadine Boesaart displayed a beautiful post-move to put ProBuild up 81-80.
After Corine Manuputty split a pair of free throws, 81-81, Molly McDowell hit a turn-around jumper, making it 83-81 before Manuputty evened the score, 83-83.
After a missed 3-point-attempt by Chelsey Warburton with 10 seconds remaining, Reggie Maddox dribbled the ball and bumped into Nadine Boesaart at mid court as the buzzer sounded. Arguably referee Mike Neuhuys judged that as a foul from Boesaart, sending Maddox to the free throw line.
Maddox missed the first, but hit the second, pulling out a valuable win for Woonbron DAS.
Desperate to avoid a 2-0 deficit, the ProBuild Lions took back their home advantage by beating DAS 59-75 on their home court in Delft.
Marie Hoogstraten led the Lions with 16 points. Chelsey Warburton and Jasmijn Overbeeke both contributed 15 and Molly McDowell added 11.
Warburton shot 1-out-of-10 from behind the 3-point-line, but compensated for a mediocre shooting night by grabbing 9 rebounds, putting up 6 steals and blocking one shot.
McDowell was 2-out-of 11 from the floor until the 7th minute of the last period, but then secured the win by hitting three straight shots before leaving the game with what looked like a sprained ankle.
After the game physiotherapist Angelique Hartog said it appeared to be just a mild sprain and McDowell probably will be able to play on Saturday.
Coach Laki Lakner said he did not sleep well after Tuesday's loss. "I stayed up and watched the game video three times. It was not our best game, but on the other hand I have to say DAS shot an usually high percentage, more than 50% and 8-out-of-14 3-pointers. In a way that was a comforting thought. A shooting night like that is hard to repeat."
"Tonight we did a very good job. Our concentration level was high and we stuck to our assignments. We won by 16 points even though we did not shoot extremely well", Lakner said.
With Woonbron DAS Reggie Maddox had 17 points and Theresa LeCuyer added 14.
The Lions shot 37.8% from the floor and 30% from the 3-point line.
Molly McDowell made the first basket and hit two free throws to put up ProBuild 0-4, but Theresa LeCuyer answered with 6 straight points to give Woonbron DAS its first and last lead. Marie Hoogstraten, Jasmijn Overbeeke and Chelsey Warburton all scored to make it 6-10.
With one minute to go in the period it was 20-23 before Ilana Vergunst and Nadine Boesaart both hit 3-pointers, giving the Lions a 20-29 advantage.
ProBuild started the second quarter with a 22-29 lead before Marie Hoogstraten hit one of her typical rainbow 3-pointers to put up the Lions 22-32. That margin was still more or less in tact at intermission, 34-43.
LeCuyer and Maddox combined to cut Woonbron's deficit to 5 points, 42-47, but McDowell and Warburton both scored to extend the cushion to 42-51. With a few seconds remaining in the third period Maddox hit a buzzer beating 3-pointer from the corner, 50-57.
DAS gave it one more try in the 4th period. Theresa LeCuyer made it 54-61 before Irene Sloof had a lay-up and a bonus free throw to bring DAS within 57-61.
Jasmijn Overbeeke ensured DAS would get no closer, making a driving lay-up before Chelsey Warburton made it 57-65.
Next it was Molly McDowell who sealed the win, hitting three consecutive jumpers for a 57-71 edge with one minute to go.
Usually, after a home game the Lions' anthem Vandaag is Rood ("Today is Red") by Marco Borsato, a Dutch singer, is played.
Tonight it was Daniel Powters' Bad Day.
It nicely summed up the Lions' game.
Hitting just 5-out-of-28 3-pointers ProBuild obviously suffered from a cold shooting night. Chelsey Warburton was 1-out-of-8, but still managed to score 19 points in the game. Molly McDowell and Marie Hoogstraten both had 11 points and Ilana Vergunst chipped in with 10.
Former Lion Theresa LeCuyer led Woonbron DAS with 23 points, while Reggie Maddox had 14 and Corine Manuputty 11.
Coach Laki Lakner credited DAS for the win. "Woonbron DAS was the better team tonight. They played smart, rebounded well and hit their shots against a high percentage. We have to do a much better job against them in the rest of the series, if we want to advance to the Finals."
"We collectively had a bad day, that's right," Lakner said. "We gave the game away in the first period. That was when we came to trail by 13 points and we never recovered. DAS is a veteran team, they do not give their leads away easily."
The Lions had one good minute: the first one. Belinda Bos stole the ball, went coast to coast and finished with a lay-up. Jasmijn Overbeeke made it 4-0 in the next offense.
Woonbron DAS answered with a 0-17 run.
With hindsight, that was when the game was decided. The Lions never got over the 13-points-deficit, no matter what they tried. Molly McDowell stopped the run with a 3-pointer, but Theresa LeCuyer nailed a trey to make it 7-20 at the end of the period.
In the second quarter ProBuild cut the margin to four points, 21-25, but by halftime DAS had restored their cushion to 13 points, 25-38. After the break Coach Laki Lakner ordered his team into a zone-press, but with little result. At the end of the third period the deficit was still 13 points, 37-50.
Behind a series of scores from Chelsey Warburton the Lions fought themselves back in the 4th, cutting the margin to 53-59. Theresa LeCuyer converted two free throws to make it 53-61, but Marie Hoogstraten answered, 55-61. Next Molly McDowell put up a steal and fed Chelsey Warburton, but her shot was blocked and Reggie Maddox drained a 3-pointer for DAS, 55-64.
That was it. Molly McDowell, Theresa LeCuyer and Ilana Vergunst exchanged 3-pointers, 61-70, but with 60 seconds remaining there was no alternative for the Lions then to accept their loss.
The semi finals of the playoffs start next Tuesday. ProBuild Lions will face Woonbron DAS, who eliminated Lely Amsterdam in the first round. DAS posted a lopsided 70-45 win in the third game after dropping the second to Lely.
In the second round ProBuild and DAS will battle each other in a best-of-five series, as will HLB Accountants Den Helder and AutoCAD Amazone do in the other Semis. Amazone surprisingly eliminated Perik Jumpers 2-0 in the first round.
Braakman Financiële dienstverlening
Ruud en Marjan Nassette
Hans Larooi
Vincent Post
mevr Roele
Inge Schaft
Tine Sierink en
Henk Wals
Hans van Veen
mevr de Vries
Anneke Wals en
Ferdinand v. Veen
