Happy boss: Flattery pleased with team play

After Thursday night?s Fairfield Trojan 74-52 stomping of Burlington Notre Dame, Trojan head coach Mick Flattery talked with The Ledger sports editor Allan Mandell. Flattery?s Trojans are currently 12-4 and ranked No. 14 in Iowa.

Coach, you stress defense so much. You had to be pleased tonight, correct?

Correct. They?ve got kids 6-feet-2. We?re a bunch of 5-8 kids. Mikaela Lunsford, Kara Jeffrey were tough. The help-side defense, whether it was Sami Fritz, Brooke McLain, Brynna Bowman ? all of them did a good job helping out.

How about Nicole Buch? What a game: 32 points total and 12 points in the first five minutes.

Yes. Her ball skills are so good. She can score in different ways. When she?s hitting the 3 that just opens up the dribble alleys. Plus, that opens up things for everyone else. Sami scored 19 tonight and Kylie Kurtz scored 15, we had balance.

This is a great win for us because Notre Dame has talent, they?ll win some games in the tournament.

Isn?t it remarkable that Sam is the leading rebounder in a game in which she?s 5-foot-8 and Notre Dame is loaded with 6-footers?

Sami has the Dennis Rodman mentality: On every shot, she has that it?s-a-miss mentality. She uses her hustle. She?s been a fabulous rebounder. She boxes out as good as any player I?ve ever coached. And her finish? She doesn?t get rid of the ball because she?s strong. She knows to chin it, elbows out, without swinging it. She does everything really well.

I?m not shocked at all with all those rebounds Sami had tonight. (Laughing) ? I?m just thankful she?s on my team.

You?ve been saying for awhile that Kara Jeffrey is turning into a special player. You put her in right away tonight.

Yes. Kara Jeffrey is really stepping up into a nice role. She is getting in early. You must earn your minutes, and she?s doing that.

I don?t care what grade Kara is in (sophomore) or what grade players are. There are no entitlements. Kara has come back from an injury. She?s getting used to the physicality, the height, the speed of the varsity game. Credit her for sticking in there and staying tough.