<p>The preseason optimism exhibited by Franklin College’s basketball coaches hasn’t subsided, and for good reason.</p><p>Both men’s and women’s squads have put themselves in position to be at or near the top of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference standings when their respective regular seasons wind down.</p><p>At 9-4 entering Wednesday night’s game at Mount St. Joseph, the Grizzly men already have more wins than they totaled in four of the previous five seasons. The enthusiasm within the women’s team is equally as noticeable as it won seven of its first 10 games and was 8-4 going into Wednesday evening.</p><p>All the same, Kerry Prather and Dana Haggenjos know improvement is a must.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery<p>“The important thing is you have to really, really stay focused on yourself,” Prather said. “The parity in this league is ridiculous, so it’s just not a very wide margin for error. Sure, you have to prepare for each team, but you really have to latch onto the part of us that has to show up every night.</p><p>“We’re not hitting on all cylinders. We’ve got some depth that I think we can leverage and are making good progress.”</p><p>In games overall, the Franklin College men lead the HCAC in field goal shooting (49 percent) and free throw accuracy (80 percent). In HCAC play, the Grizzlies also lead the way in 3-point percentage (46.8).</p><p>All five starters average in double figures, with sophomore forward Matt Krause’s 16.2 points leading the way. It’s the type of pick-your-poison balance that makes it difficult for opposing teams to defend. The Grizzlies have placed five players in double digits six times and six players once.</p><p>Prather believes his team’s success is due just as much to what it has done at the other end of the floor.</p><p>"I really like what we’ve done defensively," he said. "It’s not perfect. It’s never going to be perfect, but there’s a lot of different kind of play in this league. Back in December, when we went from Bluffton to an Earlham in a span of seven days. Completely different types of teams to defend. I was really impressed with how our guys adapted to that."</p><p>Neither Grizzlies team lacks motivation. The men have just one winning season (2012-13) in the last 10 years; the FC women are out to rebound from back-to-back losing seasons.</p><p>The women’s team fashioned its best start in four years, but is determined to be playing its best basketball in late February, not now.</p><p>"Obviously, the goal for our team is to win the conference tournament," Haggenjos said. "Honestly, we think we have the ability with the personnel we have to do that. You have to make sure injuries don’t come into play, have some luck on your side and play well.</p><p>"Talking with my coaching staff, there is so much room for this team to improve. We are not even touching the surface of what we can do."</p><p>Incorporating full-court, man-to-man pressure, the Grizzlies are first in the HCAC in offensive rebounding (15.3), steals (12.6) and points (69.9). Individually, Jenna Cowart, Taylor McDaniel and Jessica Nix are in the league’s top six in thefts.</p><p>Franklin College has the type of depth to be able to play aggressively and not worry about foul trouble.</p><p>“We have some lockdown defenders with the addition of Taylor McDaniel from the soccer team,” Haggenjos said. “(Junior guard Isabella Ratliff) is coming on defensively the way she was at the end of last year, Jenna Cowart is a lockdown defender and Taylee (Nibbs) is athletic.</p><p>“We’ve allowed our defensive pressure to be the thing that sets our team apart.”</p><p>Junior forward Bayleigh Walker leads the Grizzlies in scoring (17.1) and is tied for second in rebounds (5.8). She has scored in double figures in every game but one and was tabbed conference player of the week for the first time in her career earlier this month.</p><p>"Obviously, the goal for our team is to win the conference tournament," Haggenjos said. "Honestly, we think we have the ability with the personnel we have to do that. You have to make sure injuries don’t come into play, have some luck on your side and play well.</p><p>"I tell our coaching staff that I think we’re good because we’re young and we don’t know we’re supposed to be."</p>
