Dominique Doseck has learned a lot about the game of basketball in a year. The pace is different for her and so are the expectations as she gets ready to start her second year with the Bobcats.
“I’m super excited. (The season) is all I can talk about,” Doseck said of getting the season started. “(I’m excited) just to get back on the floor with the team and back in the games. It’s going to be a great time.”
A year ago, she was the first or second player off the bench. Her role was to come in and take the occasional shot or drive the lane.
“She has more of the same role to make shots,” Quiera Lampkins said. “I think that’s what coach wants her to do, I want her to do that.”
Last year, she was hesitant to shoot the ball and was more passive when handling the ball.
This year, her role, though not fully cemented yet, is to take any open shot she gets. Lampkins said Doseck has worked on her confidence this year in taking the open shot.
This year, Lampkins and coach Bob Boldon are all relying on Doseck to take the shot if it’s there.
“She passed up a lot of shots,” Boldon said. “She worked on her game to become a better shooter. (Last Wednesday’s practice), she made 19 3’s in a row, so I think putting that work in helps with your confidence to do it in the game.”
With one less prolific shooter on the team (Kiyanna Black) this year, Boldon is going to have to look to other players to fill in, and Doseck is one of them.
Lampkins also wants Doseck to use her strength to get to the basket.
“Now I think she realizes she can use her body to take it to the basket,” Lampkins said. “She’s really strong, so she should be able to take people to the basket, she has been doing that a lot in practice.”
In addition to her playing ability, Boldon said Doseck also brings a mental aspect to the game that help sets her apart from some of the others on the team.
“She’s got a great understanding of the game,” Boldon said. “She knows who’s supposed to be where and knows where all five players are supposed to be.”
With the starting lineup not fully set, Doseck could be potentially fighting for a starting spot.
So she doesn’t seem too phased at the fact that she has a chance to start. For her, she just wants to practice hard and play hard when Boldon puts her in the game.
“You have to go to practice and work hard no matter what,” Doseck said.
