"We're playing more of a slowdown offense," DeForest said. "Our goal is to score 60 (points per game). We're learning to play a half-court game."
It's a system that the players say they believe will work well for them.
"I think it's better," Ploskonka said. "I love it because it works. It's very smart, very logical."
From the very first Garrard possession in its first game last week, it was clear that the Lions, who averaged 64 points per game last season, were taking a measured approach to finding good shots.
"The biggest thing is creating shots for teammates and showing patience on offense," DeForest said.
And it doesn't matter where those shots come from. In DeForest's debut, a 63-39 win over Monticello on Tuesday, Garrard took 26 shots from outside the 3-point line and 27 shots from inside the arc.
And as the Lions move deeper into their schedule, DeForest said when the offense works as practiced, it should allow them to stay in games against tougher opponents - with one downside.
"It lets anybody play with you for a while but I think we can play with anybody," he said.
New system easy to learn
The players think so, too, and they said it has been an easy system to learn. Senior forward Jordan Phillips, who began practicing less than two weeks ago, said it has even been easy for him and others who came out after football season.
"I came in thinking it would be a lot harder, but it's not," Phillips said.
Ploskonka said practices have even been enjoyable, in part because he said DeForest is making every drill a competition.
"They've been the funnest practices I've ever had in my life," he said.
DeForest said Garrard's older players have been quick to buy into the system, and he said that was a plus in preseason practices.
"We've had good leadership from our juniors and our seniors. They've bought into (it) immediately, and what they've really done is teach it to our other guys," he said.
"It doesn't take just one or two kids. I want everybody on our team to be leaders."
Ploskonka, who averaged 11.2 points and 3.7 assists last year, said the veterans realize how important their role is.
"I realize that we have influence on other people," he said. "We understand Coach is doing the right thing, and we're going to win if we stand by him."
