Speculations for Next Year

[Run Pincher]

I don't think there's any doubt we'll take a step back at guard next year. You simply don't plug and play players like Ariel and Brooke. There's no one on the roster that can come close to being the all around player Ariel was. In fact, I can't think of a player in UT history with more versatility than Ariel. She may not have been great at anything, but she was very good at everything.

The question will be can we make up for it with a better inside game with Sedona and Charli. But they'll have to be good at shooting from the outside to avoid teams clogging the middle. Joyner certainly isn't going to draw teams out of the middle. She needs to really get serious about the game not only for Texas, but if she expects to play in the WNBA. She's only got 2 years left know.

 

[longhorn47]

Don't sleep on Jordan Hosey. She improved a lot from FR to SO

 

[Moooooo]

Interested in hearing thoughts/opinions on Jordan Hosey.

When she first verbally committed, I thought she would play the small forward position. Her 6'1 height didn't lead me to believe she would play power forward. When watching her play for Manvel in the state championship game, she seemed to be "slender". A year later when playing in the McDonald's Al-American game, she seemed very slender (as did Lashann) compared to all the other players.

Was the plan for her to play small forward at Texas? We will have gone a couple of seasons with no true SF, and Jordan is really the only one who has the ideal size (IMO) for the position. Yet, we play her inside more often than not; and, she has difficulty posting up due to her size, and her shots often get blocked by bigger/taller players.

Since her freshman season at Texas, she has been able to nail the 3-point shot. But, she hasn't taken many. She is good in transition, and seems to finish best when on the run. She's hit a few mid-ranger jumpers. Doesn't seem like she puts the ball on the floor much.

So, what prevents her from playing SF? Is it her offensive skills? On defense, all I can come up with is that she doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend well. But, I am certainly no one with coaching expertise.

 

[Moooooo]

Don't sleep on Jordan Hosey. She improved a lot from FR to SO

I just posted some thoughts on Hosey. Had read from some posters that she made strides this past offseason prior to her junior season. I saw some improvement, but not in the areas where I wanted to see improvement.

 

[Zig72]

The more I watch this team, the more I speculate on the strengths of the incoming freshmen and the current roster, I can confidently say: I know nothing.

Be happy I have zero say over the direction of this team, because I don't know where to go or even where to start.

I only know I will enjoy watching Sedona for four years, win or lose.

 

[kurupt]

The more I watch this team, the more I speculate on the strengths of the incoming freshmen and the current roster, I can confidently say: I know nothing.

Be happy I have zero say over the direction of this team, because I don't know where to go or even where to start.

I only know I will enjoy watching Sedona for four years, win or lose.

I think the team will sort of look like the teams with Imani. There will certainly be more of an emphasis on feeding the post. I think there were times this year that our guards shot the ball too much and didn’t feed Jatarie more.

 

[Moooooo]

Rick Cantu's article about next season:

https://www.hookem.com/story/texas-will-sug-suttons-show-next-season-imposing-frontcourt-real-star/

"We were a very guard-heavy team this year,” Aston said. “I’m not saying we won’t be effective at guard because I think we will be. … We’ll just have more depth at the post position.”

We will definitely have more depth in the front court (as of now):

6'4 Senior, Jatarie White
6'4 Senior, Mide Aborowa
6'4 Senior, Khaleann Caron-Goudreau
6'3 Junior, Joyner Holmes
6'3 Soph., Rellah Boothe
6'1 Senior, Jordan Hosey
6'7 Frosh., Sedona Prince
6'5 Frosh., Charli Collier

That is 8 players out of a 14 player roster who play either Center or Power Forward. Not sold on any playing the small forward spot as their natural position.

 

[JoeDallas]

8 post players essentially --- what a weird situation. I guess when we were recruiting, we weren't expecting Charli, but that still would have been 7. Hosey presents a dilemma. She can be good down low with her quickness at times, can hit nice shots from outside at times, is a good athlete, but where would she fit best? As Mooooooo suggests, I think I'd give her a shot at the 3.

 

[Dr. D]

I'm not prepared to write us off next year. We'll be very respectable. I do think that to be super competitive at the highest level, we will need somebody to surprise us at the guard position. Shug and LaShann will be good, I'm not talking about them. But as Gary Blair famously said, "You win with guards." I think that means more than two. In the modern game to win championships you have to be able to spread the floor, even if you've got tremendous talent up front. What we need is another guard who can drain the three and score in bunches. Either Patterson or Destiny, if they stay, or a newcomer. I'd settle for a quick versatile wing type who can defend against guards and also put it up...but there don't seem to be any candidates for that job. Joyner could do it physically, I think, but she lacks the shooting skill.

 

[BabHorn]

I agree with Dr. D about playing Charli and Sedona a lot. It would maddening if they get the same minutes our freshmen got this year.

Every year is different and PT for each frosh depends on need and readiness. There will be PT available for those frosh that show in practice that they are ready, especially in the post. We got only four true posts and four true guards, so PT is available for the taking.

I'm going to go a bit out there with my starting five.
PG: Sug
SG: LaShann
Wing/SF: Khaléann
PF: Joyner
C: Jatarie

I don't have a problem with the offense. I do with the execution. When run as it is supposed to, it's very good. When players just stand around, it's not so smooth.

Man to Man is going to be our bread and butter. However, I have noticed more and more zone being used. Given that we could potentially have frontcourt of 6-7, 6-4 or 6-3, & 6-5 at times, a zone might be quite a sight, especially with a very mobile Joyner or Charlie in the middle if the zone is a 2-1-2 or at the point in a 1-3-1.

I am hoping that our guards continue to work on their 3pt shooting, even though we will most likely continue to be an inside-outside team.

 

[utfannforlife]

I think our ceiling with be determined by how much Patterson and Jada improve, how ready Joanne is ready to contribute and how much Hosey can contribute at the 3 position meaning she would have to put in some serious lab work into her 3pt shooting.

If we can effectively start Sug, Lashann, Hosey, Joyner and White/Prince/Collier we will be a long athletic and highly skilled team. That lineup with suitable contributions from the bench in Patterson/Booth/Underwood/ Collier/White/Prince should be able to compete with any team in the country.

 

[brnkj]

This past season taught me to just wait and see.

 

[Moooooo]

Don't mean to sound harsh, but if we are playing Khaleann at SF for more than 7 minutes a game, we will be in trouble. She has less lateral quickness than Jordan to guard an opponent's wing player.

Perhaps Destiny or Audrey Warren can see some time onw the wing in a 3-guard offense. Neither has Ariel's size, but that's just something we will have to accept.

 

[Dr. D]

Don't mean to sound harsh, but if we are playing Khaleann at SF for more than 7 minutes a game, we will be in trouble. She has less lateral quickness than Jordan to guard an opponent's wing player.

I have to agree on Khaleann not being the answer. Ditto on Jordan Hosey, based on performance over the last three years. Plus Joyner right now has value mainly underneath the basket. A Hosey/ Higgs/ Sutton/ Joyner lineup, plus White, Collier, and Prince alternating at center, doesn't seem to me to have enough outside scoring fire power. And if we play three bigs on the floor at the same time, even if a couple of them are pretty quick, I think that would affect our running game and force us to play a lot more deliberate half-court offense much of the time. Maybe we will have to do that, and maybe that might even be a good thing, but it would sure require a major change in philosophy. Maybe we won't get it, but I still think we need to play with another high scoring guard. I think you need that capacity these days.

 

[flash34]

The reality is that there is not real good options at the 3 right now for next year. Each of the candidates......Hosey & Underwood & Boothe are the obvious candidates, have attributes that are valuable but I don’t believe they are the answer. Could a grad transfer be that answer? If not we need to play 3 guards again because our 4’s and 5’s can’t guard a good outside shooting 3. The problem is I can’t tell you which guard. They either will be unproven sophomores or incoming freshmen. I am betting it is Taylor or Warren by season’s end.

 

[BabHorn]

Khaléann may not be the final answer at SF but I will take her over Jordan and Jada although Jada would be my second choice. Jordan simply, at this point, does not have the game offensively to be effective at the 3. Someone mentioned that her 3pt shot had improved since her frosh year. Not really. She shot 20% her frosh year, did not make a 3 her soph year and was only 14.3% this past season. Jordan really seems much more comfortable at the four than on the perimeter. For both Jada and Khaléann, attention to the scouting report and defensive positioning will key to improving their ability to guard at the SF.

I was hoping that Audrey Williams would be a bit taller (5-10, 5-11) and could be a factor at the SF. She still may be even at 5-9. SF is the only position that I consider to be up for grabs were I the one to set the starting lineup for next year now. Unless one of the frosh wows the staff, I would think they will go with experience, at least initially. At this point, unless Rellah is confirmed to be available, I am not counting on her. A better in shape Rellah would be the ideal at the 3, mainly because of her ability to rebound and offensive threat.

This is the fun part of the off season, speculating.

 

[JoeDallas]

Rellah is an interesting possibility for the 3, if she is here, gets in better shape, and could hone that 3 point shot to a higher percentage. I don't see how she could help in a transition game, though. I hope she comes back, because she is still one of my favorite players.

 

[Moooooo]

I do think we need more 3-point shooting options on the floor. So, what happened in 2017-18 when Coach A had to replace senior Brianna Taylor (who had zero 3-point shooting) at the SF position? She shifted SG Ariel Atkins to that spot.

So, I could actually see SG Lashann Higgs (tallest guard, long arms) shifting over to SF just like Ariel did this past season. That could open a starting back court spot for Chasity Patterson, who has proven mid-range and long-range shooting skills. Coach A has had 2 point guards on the floor many times. The downside is that it limits our guard options off the bench.

PG/SG: Sug Sutton
SG/PG: Chasity Patterson
W/SF: Lashann Higgs
PF: Joyner Holmes
C: Jatarie White

 

[LutherIsMyDog]

I do think we need more 3-point shooting options on the floor. So, what happened in 2017-18 when Coach A had to replace senior Brianna Taylor (who had zero 3-point shooting) at the SF position? She shifted SG Ariel Atkins to that spot.

So, I could actually see SG Lashann Higgs (tallest guard, long arms) shifting over to SF just like Ariel did this past season. That could open a starting back court spot for Chasity Patterson, who has proven mid-range and long-range shooting skills. Coach A has had 2 point guards on the floor many times. The downside is that it limits our guard options off the bench.

PG/SG: Sug Sutton
SG/PG: Chasity Patterson
W/SF: Lashann Higgs
PF: Joyner Holmes
C: Jatarie White

That's my starting line-up for the beginning of the season (with ample minutes for Prince and Collier coming off the bench). Rellah and Destiny could be an added bonus.

 

[BabHorn]

PG/SG: Sug Sutton
SG/PG: Chasity Patterson
W/SF: Lashann Higgs
PF: Joyner Holmes
C: Jatarie White

That's a pretty strong offensive team and not too shabby on defense. That would be an excellent starting lineup.

 

[Dr. D]

That's a pretty strong offensive team and not too shabby on defense. That would be an excellent starting lineup.

That's a good lineup if Chasity performs. We'll wait and see. And at Tournament time we will need more fire power than Joyner Holmes has been providing. Unless Holmes shows dramatic offensive improvement, I think we will want to see Sedona or Collier in there at the end of the year. You need five scorers on the floor, and a minimum of three hot guards to get to the final four.

 

[Run Pincher]

I do think we need more 3-point shooting options on the floor. So, what happened in 2017-18 when Coach A had to replace senior Brianna Taylor (who had zero 3-point shooting) at the SF position? She shifted SG Ariel Atkins to that spot.

So, I could actually see SG Lashann Higgs (tallest guard, long arms) shifting over to SF just like Ariel did this past season. That could open a starting back court spot for Chasity Patterson, who has proven mid-range and long-range shooting skills. Coach A has had 2 point guards on the floor many times. The downside is that it limits our guard options off the bench.

PG/SG: Sug Sutton
SG/PG: Chasity Patterson
W/SF: Lashann Higgs
PF: Joyner Holmes
C: Jatarie White

I like it since it gets the most talented players on the floor, with one caveat. What do you do at point when Sug & Chasity both have to come off the floor? The 3rd best option is a starter also. No one else on the roster is even remotely a PG and I don't see that in Taylor or Warren either. Like I said earlier, losing the versatility of Ariel is really going to hurt.

If Rellah is back and gets in shape, maybe she can be good enough at the 3 for Sug and Chasity to alternate at point, at least maybe for a good portion of the game.

 

[LutherIsMyDog]

I like it since it gets the most talented players on the floor, with one caveat. What do you do at point when Sug & Chasity both have to come off the floor? The 3rd best option is a starter also. No one else on the roster is even remotely a PG and I don't see that in Taylor or Warren either. Like I said earlier, losing the versatility of Ariel is really going to hurt.

If Rellah is back and gets in shape, maybe she can be good enough at the 3 for Sug and Chasity to alternate at point, at least maybe for a good portion of the game.

Good discussion. If Destiny is here next year, can't she play the 3? If Rellah or Destiny stays in Austin, the opportunity is there for them to receive ample playing time.

 

[flash34]

We will take a significant hit defensively at guard/small forward with Atkins departure.....whether she was playing 2 or 3. McCarty was also good defensively but Atkins was a whole different level. Patterson at 2 is a real opportunity for her and coaches to help her improve. She will have to pick up her offensive help to offset defensive deficiencies. On the front court side, I think Collier brings the things that Holmes struggles with. Watching Colliers tapes, she is a natural finisher around the basket. Fluid and quick and accurate. None of the struggles that Holmes has around the basket. And has much better mid-range shooting skills. So I think defensively and offensively the front court will be significantly better. Carey may be the most important person in the program as she coaches these guards/small forwards to cherish the ball, score some, get the posts the ball AND play adequate defense. Fun.

 

[UTSUgrad]

ESPN article about Rellah -
http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/ar...he-electric-mcdonald-all-american-img-academy

Teaira McCowan almost quit at Miss State when she was a freshman. She was in terrible physical condition and, suddenly, basketball was more complicated than high school. In the final four last night, 2 years later, she played every minute and dominated the boards .... Just sayin' that it may take some time and coaching before Sedona and maybe Charli are top level players.

 

[UTSUgrad]

in brief, offensive movement, cutting to the basket, a balance of outside shooting and driving or passing inside. Does that about get it? (As my dad taught me when I was about 6, it's up to you to get yourself open for a shot, i.e. keep moving!) Texas has gotten a lot better at all of this, but, IMO, there is still too much taking a spot on the court and standing there.

 

[flash34]

UTSAgrad.....good reminder that for most............whether basketball player or scholar..........the freshman year is an awakening to reality. Thinking back on my freshman year........fell madly in love, struggled academically because...........and told my dad that I was thinking of quitting engineering and doing something less challenging. But with wise counseling, got back on track next year and had a nice career in engineering. So the same thing happens all the time in basketball as well. A main reason there is so much transferring with men and women players. McCowan, Boothe, and others have to fight through it. It has long been an observation that the most improvement in a player's career is in the sophomore year. Hope all the UT freshmen, along with wise counseling, figure it out and stick with it.

 

[UTSUgrad]

Speaking of standing around ... I have a bad memory of the TCU game in Fort Worth. TCU played zone, and LaShan and Ariel played catch with the ball while time ticked away at the end of the game. Everyone on the floor, both teams, did not move for about 3 seconds I mean literally, just stood there watching. LaShan finally feinted toward the basket, and Ariel missed a shot and then ... time expired. It was surreal. No confidence, no clue. I know the entire team was having a bad day ... but it was dreadful to watch. Don't want to see it again.

 

[BabHorn]

looking at those pics of Rellah in the article the spring before she came to Texas. Quite a difference in her physique. Sometime in the spring or/and summer, she stopped putting in the work or maybe she thought she would get back in shape during the summer.

 

[LutherIsMyDog]

Watching these clips of Tina, I've forgotten how dynamic and versatile Tina Thompson was as a player. We are very fortunate to have her on our coaching staff. Charli and Sedona should flourish under her guidance.