GEELONG Venom star recruit Shyla Heal said discipline would be a main focus for the group as she prepared for her home debut this Sunday, December 7 at the Geelong Arena.<\/p>\n
The Venom have dropped their past two matches in overtime thrillers, with costly lapses late in the game undoing otherwise impressive performances.<\/p>\n
They now have a chance to bounce back in a weekend double-header that will see them play Bendigo in Ballarat before returning home to face the UC Capitals.<\/p>\n
Heal told this newspaper that routine and sticking to the game plan had been a focal point at training during the week.<\/p>\n
“As a team, we just haven’t been disciplined, that’s our whole thing that we’ve been talking about at training.<\/p>\n
“We haven’t been sticking to scout, we haven’t been offensively getting through our sets and when it comes down to the wire, we’ve just been making silly decisions.<\/p>\n
“For us right now, it’s all about being disciplined so when we’re in that situation next time, hopefully we can follow through and get the win.”<\/p>\n
Heal is personally enjoying being back on the court after returning from a knee injury in late November.<\/p>\n
“It had been five and a half months that I had been on the sidelines,” she said.<\/p>\n
“So it was nice just to finally get out there and feel a part of the team and play with the girls, play under Chris, so that part was nice.”<\/p>\n
In her first two matches back, the 24-year-old had 16 and 15 points on restricted minutes and shot 19\/19 from the free throw line.<\/p>\n
Yet she admitted that she won’t feel back at her best for at least another month.<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t say I have my groove back, it’s going to take me a little bit,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I’m a player that’s very skills-based and needs a lot of reps, so it’s going to take me another three, four weeks until I’m actually feeling like I have a bit more groove again.<\/p>\n
“I’m still doing a lot of strength work in the gym, trying to get my explosiveness back, but that’s also going to take time, so not quite yet.”<\/p>\n
Ahead of her home debut for the Venom, Heal expressed her excitement and made her priority clear \u2013 winning.<\/p>\n
“I feel like we had so many home games at the start of the season and sitting on the sidelines watching it and seeing the fans kind of made me a bit jealous, so now I’m really excited to finally get in there and play in front of everyone,” she said.<\/p>\n
“But hopefully, and the main thing is, that we can get a win for the fans.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GEELONG Venom star recruit Shyla Heal said discipline would be a main focus for the group as she prepared for her home debut this Sunday, December 7 at the Geelong Arena. The Venom have dropped their past two matches in overtime thrillers, with costly lapses late in the game undoing otherwise impressive performances. They now […]<\/p>\n