A Great Blend (team)

[CATS SWOOSH]

What positions and types will make a great blend with our returning team? A true point or a 6-4 shot creating scorer ? All wishes come true and get both! Who is available?

 

[overseasbbfan1]

Babhorn will provide a much better analysis of the incoming team, and who might fit where. Obviously we have a top point guard coming in with Cassie, and Cokie is definitely an offensive threat in the post. Chassidy, Cassie and even Yvonne should all be threats from the perimeter. We will be four deep at post with Cokie, AG, Anne Marie and Nneka. A lot of options with 14 on the roster so it will probably take a while with all of the newcomers to see which combinations work, and who fits where. Kayla can't play until December so will miss the first 6 or 7 games, but I assume she can practice with the team before then; not sure what the rules are about that.

 

[BabHorn]

The Horns actually have depth at all positions, a true PG, and wings that have different strengths. Looks to be a very solid team next season.

I started looking at what and who we got coming back, who's coming in, and what they bring to the team a couple of weeks ago. Still a long way to go before I would think of posting it. I might wait until after camp to get a chance to see how the players look and, if I'm lucky, talk to some about what they are working on improving.

Hate to bring this up.

But this will be a young team. Seven sophs, four frosh to go with three seniors. Of course, there's a lot of experience coming back. So that should help offset the youth. And (crossed fingers) everyone will be healthy.

 

[overseasbbfan1]

I agree the team will be young, with 11 underclassmen. But the 7 sophs all have a year under their belt and hopefully that, cobmined with the experience of our three seniors, will provide a stable foundation. One thing I like to highlight is the fact we'll have our 11 underclassmen together for three years. It isn't uncommon to have a big signing class, but having that many recruits combined in back-to-back classes isn't something you see every day. I'm very excited to see what they can accomplish together in the years ahead.

 

[cynt]

I'm looking forward to next year. Cokie down low w/ Nneka an d Kayla playing 3 and 4; and Fussell and Anderson handling the ball. LET'S GO LONGHORNS!!! Subbing in Gayle, Tiffany, Peoples and Fontenette and the rest of the bench. I like it!!! Now that we have some true 3s and 4s I'm sooo EXCITED!!!

 

[Seattle4UT]

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[overseasbbfan1]

Can't you leave any thread alone, Seattle? The academic achievement thread you hijacked was bad enough. Can't those of us who are interested in talking about next year's team, and who fits where, have a discussion without you jumping in and making nasty, unrelated comments.

 

[DINO22]

Yea next year will be better for Texas. I look forward to which players have improved.If you dont like GG, at least say sumthing positive about the players.We all are aware of the Million Dollar salary.And we all know,if she do not produce this year.She proably will be looking for another job. Thats just how it goes.But I have faith in GG.
Hookem"

 

[BabHorn]

imo, Ashley starts along side Cokie. I don't think anyone replaces Ashley in the starting lineup. Of course, she came of the bench a bit last season, so there's that.

At any rate, it will interesting to how Coach G can mix and match these players that are so versatile.

 

[Seattle4UT]

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[ViperHorn]

The discussion has been good with some good points put forward by everyone. What isn't so good is losing sight of the fact that the goal is CHAMPIONSHIPS. (We are past pee-wee competition where just competing and having a good time is the goal.)

Next season Texas will put forward the best blend of talent that the coach feels will win. The problem is where will this "great blend" stack up against the other 9 "great blends"?

When a Texas team in any sport has no hope whatsoever of finishing any higher than 4th in any sport, issues and questions are rightfully going to come up.

 

[Seattle4UT]

Nicely put Viperhorn. No more trial and error seasons or just having fun. I'm sure there are other programs that would fit well with that mindset. Not at Texas.

 

[outlookdude]

I agree with ViperHorn that the goal is championships and that everyone has to keep that in mind. We also cannot lose track of the fact that the WBB reached a point at which it was not possible to get it back to a championship level quickly. The question is if progress is being made toward that goal, and if so is that progress adequate. I certainly reserve the right to re-evaluate after next season. But, at this point I believe the program is making significant progress toward that goal. However, I again agree that asking questions and having concerns is completely justified.

I certainly think that there is hope of finishing in the top three of the conference next season. I think anything less than fourth would be a disappointment. The top two may still be tough to crack, but if that proves to be the case it will be because the vast majority of the programs in the country are still losing to those teams at the top. Even top two is not impossible, even if it is probably too soon for this group of players. We’ll see.

This will clearly be the deepest and overall most talented group GG has had at Texas. I’m very curious to see how she handles the long bench and player rotations. Youth will almost certainly still be an issue, but not at all to the extent that we saw last year. I believe that the guards will suddenly look like much better players with a true post game.

And, Seattle….”Renaissance”? Really? You do realize that again you are only quoting yourself, don’t you??

 

[Seattle4UT]

Since you accuse me of making negative statements about the past 4 years, yes, I call it Renaissance. I am sure you are pleased with that, aren't you not?

 

[CATS SWOOSH]

All very insightful points. Championships are hard to get and very hard to repeat! We all want this for Texas Women's Basketball, but IMO a great blend has to be in place to excel to ff4 status que. If top recuit players meant automatic championships, then we might as well hand out championship trophies to the mcdonald's MVP and be done with it!? I still believe the hard and hustle scrap players will allow your top prospects to propel your team to that ff4 status. BUT the blend and sacrifice has to be present. Blend is the first step. Growing and progess was made last year. 1st step. Adhere together. 2nd step. Top prospects takes us further. LOVED the feedback

 

[Moooooo]

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[Moooooo]

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[BabHorn]

You may well be right, Mooooo, about only one od Ashley and Cokie starting. As for which one would be able to cover an opposing post that can pop out for a 3, Ashley has done and, assuming that Cokie has regained the shape she was in last summer before her injury, I think she can do it. They wouldn't be asked to cover wings. Of course, some posts would be difficult for them to cover. And Ashley started to have trouble staying out of foul trouble late in the season which is the main reason she was coming off the bench.

As for posts rebounding well, you named two: Nneka and Ronisha. Don't forget Anne Marie and Kayla. They should also provide some strong rebounding when they are in.

Still, I would really like to see a 6-3 to 6-5 agile post signing in 2012.

 

[CATS SWOOSH]

Sorry Moooooo, should have put "types of recruits" in my thoughts. Just got caught up in the blend talk. Is 6-4 to tall to be an aggressive at the 4 spot compared to a 6-2 player better becuase of speed and footwork?

 

[Moooooo]

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