Heat home for exhibition tonight: Part of finals prep
By NINO CARDENAS
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
The Laredo Heat has to prove resiliency when it re-starts the final portion of the Premier Development League on July 16.
The Heat has a crucial game against the Austin Lightning.
Head coach Eleazar "E.J." Jepsen resigned on Monday in the midst of a 1-3 skid, citing personal reasons and believing that his presence away from the sidelines was hurting the team's morale and play.
Assistant Israel Collazo was promoted to head coaching duties for the rest of the season. Three games remain.
Collazo isn't planning on changing the team's style of play, especially this deep into the season.
"It would be counterproductive to make changes, I want to give continuation to what we were doing," Collazo said Wednesday.
He expects the team to respond positively, but realizes that it might take a bit of time for the team to find its rhythm again.
"I want to change their mental aspect, the mood...show them that they have a new opportunity," Collazo said.
In preparation for the PDL playoff run, the Heat is hosting the second division Chivas de Guadalajara tonight at the Student Activity Center.
Kick off is slated for 8 p.m.
Next Saturday the Heat welcomes the special reserve team of the Tigres de Monterrey.
The exhibition games give Collazo time to take closer look at his squad.
He plans on giving all the players plenty of playing time in order to develop a rhythm with each other.
"I want to take advantage of the exhibition games and look at all the players, to see where they are. Our objective is Austin, but we are still looking to give a competitive game in the exhibitions," Collazo said.
The Heat is looking to establish more ball control.
"The team that controls the time of possession has the biggest opportunity to dictate the game," Collazo said.
Currently, the El Paso Patriots are all but a lock to win the Mid-South Division.
Meanwhile, the Heat and Lightning fight for the second place playoff spot.
In the past couple of weeks the Heat's (7-6, 21 points) stranglehold on second has weakened, allowing the Lightning to come within striking distance.
Austin (6-4-2, 20 points) takes on the Nashville Metros (3-7) Saturday, who along with the New Orleans Shell Shockers are tied for last place.
After this weekend both the Heat and Austin have played 12 of the 16 games for the season.
New Orleans recently swept the Heat in a weekend double-header to pick up two of its three wins on the year.
The match against the Lightning is going to have major playoff implications.
In the meantime the team looks to settle in with Collazo, who plans to instill the confidence that his team showed earlier in the season.
Collazo played in the last four games of the Heat's provisional season last year.
Professionally Collazo has played with the Rayados de Monterrey. He also played in the Primera A with the Tecos, Veracruz and Irapuato.
