The RoundHouse | 10/6/2023 2:26:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop 

A Shocker throws a bad pass, and he knows coaches are watching. They watch the pass, and they watch his reaction to the mistake.
 
Did he mope and let opponents run past? Or did he sprint back on defense to lessen the harm?

"How quickly can we do the next right thing?" Wichita State basketball coach Paul Mills said. "We're going to mess up, but how quickly can we do the next right thing?"
 
That scenario is the essence of the "care factor" standings that Shocker coaches and staff chart in practice and regularly hand out on paper to their players. It is part of Mills' data-driven approach that gives information to his team and sets standards and goals.
 
"Details," said center Kenny Pohto, who often leads the standings. "Small things that add up. Coach wants to see those things count. How much do you care?"
 
Both Shocker basketball teams make their public debut with new coaches at Shocker Madness on Saturday (6 p.m.) at Koch Arena. Doors open at 5 p.m. and admission is free.
 
The list of "care factor" categories is long and ranges from sprinting the court in four seconds to taking a charge to contesting shots. Offensive rebounders need to go to the glass at least 80 percent of the time. Players charged with retreating on defense need to take immediate steps back, instead of watching the ball. It should take a cutter four seconds to go from one side of the court to the other.
 

"There's so many different ways to impact a basketball game," Mills said. "You're trying to get across to your players that something like a loose ball, there is extreme value in that. There is extreme value in sprinting the court in four seconds."
 
After each practice, Shocker coaches evaluate the video. Mills grades turnover response, loose balls and charges. Assistant coach Quincy Acy grades offensive rebounding. Assistant coach TJ Cleveland watches how quickly players get back on defense. Director of player development Iain Laymon handles defensive rebounding.
 
"It's a great addition, because it sees who really cares," Pohto said. "Who is actually out there playing their hardest and trying to impact the game?"
 
The message is the same as when a baseball dugout empties to high-five a teammate who executes a sacrifice bunt. Those plays create scoring, even if they rarely make a highlight video.
 
"These are the things that eventually can lead to runs offensively," Mills said. "These are facilitated by all these other things that we need to make you aware of."
 
Players might receive one or two points for good moves and lose points for going in the wrong direction. Any score above zero is a good day and most scores ranged in the negative in the early days of practice. Along the way, the Shockers should learn that their effort and focus contribute to team success. They should also learn coaches will trust players who rank high in care factors.
 
"When they're younger it's really hard because so much is being thrown at them," Mills said. "Day 60, it's like 'Man, there's a bigger component here. It's not just about me. There's a responsibility to these other people.'"
 
The "care factor" stats aren't solely focused on hustle and focus. Cutting from wing to corner, for example, in four seconds, helps the offense by opening space and attracting the attention of the defense.
 
"We want to play fast, so when you sprint to the corners and cut fast, it makes the game faster," Pohto said. "You can see it when we play."
 
As Pohto said, the more the Shockers care about those factors, the more it will show up when they play.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.