• We've had an issue with our name servers today that may be affecting a number of users from accessing the site.

Aja Wilson Visit.

#451
#451
Lady Vols are still at the top of the mountain, and I say this as a fact! Why do I say this with confidence? Well, all these fans from other schools come to our board to know how it feels to talk, visit, be with the best.

We love it here too!
 
#452
#452
clkou said:
Why do you say that Dawn appears to be a good coach? I'm not saying she's a bad coach per se, but she's been there 6 years and has put up decent number, but nothing elite imo. And, she ended up losing Kelsey Bone, which seems like a player she would have liked to keep since Bone ended up helping TAM have success.
Click to expand...

Staley had very little to work with when she came to USC. Walvious was putting together a possible top-10 class her last year there, but going 16-16 got her fired, and the class scattered in the wind. Staley had several top players on the USC roster transfer out initially - particularly Jordan Jones who transferred to UF - but moved forward in building the program the way she envisioned it...

Bone was the first big star prospect that Staley brought to USC - she was 2nd only to Brittney Griner in her class. Staley had spent her time at Temple recruiting her home state of PA, NJ, and NY regions, and really had little footprint down here in the southeast. Bone however was brought in from Texas, so it wasn't really about establishing regional recruiting relationships, it was solely off of Staley's reputation and recognition in WBB. But Bone ultimately was too homesick for her home state and she transferred to TAMU. Bone's final 2 years at TAMU (she sat out one season), TAMU won 49 gms and made one sweet sixteen. USC - minus Bone - won 50 gms those 2 seasons and made one sweet sixteen...

Each class Staley brought in has been better in talent than the previous ones. Staley has shown her ability to evaluate talent with the additions of Lakeisha Sutton and Ashley Bruner, and her staff's development of players like Ibiam. Despite having rosters that were severely understaffed and thin in depth at key positions (like the post), she raised the program from losing seasons to top-25 rankings and consecutive postseason tournament appearances. USC went from being a guard-heavy defensively oppressive team during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, to being a post-presence heavy team last season. This all represents Staley's ability to adjust and change her coaching philosophies dependent on the makeup of her team...

Now Dawn has led USC to a top-10 final ranking, a NCAAT #1 seed, and a SEC Championship. She's established herself in the southeast regions, but also maintains her connections in the eastern regions, as indicated by 5-star McD AA Cuevas. Staley is now a national icon and identity, and will pull talent from all over. The elite prospects know they can win and win big at USC, so the future is blinding for Coach Staley's program....
 
#454
#454
LurkerExposed said:
It's up there no doubt: UCLA hauled in a monster class, with all 5 of it's signees being 5-stars. Even USC can't claim that, although getting the overall #1 helps.

Duke and UConn (the #2 and #3 ranked classes per ESPNW) each have 4-player classes with all 4 of each being 5-star prospects.

USC now has a 5-player class, with 4 of them being 5-stars, like UConn's and Duke's classes. But USC also has G Doniyah Cliney, who is a high 3-star per Hoopsgurlz but is 4-star rated by other services (I think prospectnation.com is one of them off the top of my head).

So having her as well as getting the overall #1 in Wilson should be enough IMO to bump USC's class to #2, just behind UCLA's class. Not sure if that'll happen though....


Well, this class is now bagged and sealed. Wilson now gives USC 14 of 15 possible scholarship players for 2014-15. There will be 3 seniors on the roster in Welch, Ibiam, and JUCO Gaines. That will allow for Coach Staley to bring in another 4-prospect class for 2015-16. Let's do it all over again!!


:dance2::rock::dance::pepper::boobies:
Click to expand...

Haha, they got bumped to #2 overall, behind UCLA:

Women's Basketball - ESPN
 
#455
#455
LurkerExposed said:
Staley had very little to work with when she came to USC. Walvious was putting together a possible top-10 class her last year there, but going 16-16 got her fired, and the class scattered in the wind. Staley had several top players on the USC roster transfer out initially - particularly Jordan Jones who transferred to UF - but moved forward in building the program the way she envisioned it...

Bone was the first big star prospect that Staley brought to USC - she was 2nd only to Brittney Griner in her class. Staley had spent her time at Temple recruiting her home state of PA, NJ, and NY regions, and really had little footprint down here in the southeast. Bone however was brought in from Texas, so it wasn't really about establishing regional recruiting relationships, it was solely off of Staley's reputation and recognition in WBB. But Bone ultimately was too homesick for her home state and she transferred to TAMU. Bone's final 2 years at TAMU (she sat out one season), TAMU won 49 gms and made one sweet sixteen. USC - minus Bone - won 50 gms those 2 seasons and made one sweet sixteen...

Each class Staley brought in has been better in talent than the previous ones. Staley has shown her ability to evaluate talent with the additions of Lakeisha Sutton and Ashley Bruner, and her staff's development of players like Ibiam. Despite having rosters that were severely understaffed and thin in depth at key positions (like the post), she raised the program from losing seasons to top-25 rankings and consecutive postseason tournament appearances. USC went from being a guard-heavy defensively oppressive team during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, to being a post-presence heavy team last season. This all represents Staley's ability to adjust and change her coaching philosophies dependent on the makeup of her team...

Now Dawn has led USC to a top-10 final ranking, a NCAAT #1 seed, and a SEC Championship. She's established herself in the southeast regions, but also maintains her connections in the eastern regions, as indicated by 5-star McD AA Cuevas. Staley is now a national icon and identity, and will pull talent from all over. The elite prospects know they can win and win big at USC, so the future is blinding for Coach Staley's program....
Click to expand...

has been coaching for a LONG time has has won NOTHING. I think she's competent, knowledgable, and she has made usc better, slowly, no question--but she's been there at least a decade and not won anything. So let's not exaggerate her value.
 
#456
#456
armchair said:
has been coaching for a LONG time has has won NOTHING. I think she's competent, knowledgable, and she has made usc better, slowly, no question--but she's been there at least a decade and not won anything. So let's not exaggerate her value.
Click to expand...

Shes won nothing? She just won a SEC regular season title.
 
#457
#457
The SEC is gonna be a battleground next season. Tennessee, SC, Texas A&M, and Kentucky are all very good teams. I think we can still hang with SC if Holly has the players working on their limitations and skills they lack right now. That is very important to next year's success.
 
#458
#458
WVU05UT09 said:
Shes won nothing? She just won a SEC regular season title.
Click to expand...


She has made both Temple and USC better over time--that's a good sign, but one regular season SEC title isn't that impressive given our problems and given that the conference, overall, is pretty mediocre.

I would much rather have Staley than Warlick, that's for sure. She is a better coach. Holly is a loyal Vol and seemingly a nice person, but she is not qualified to coach a program of our stature--she doesn't have the chops for the job. She would probably be fine coaching at a middling program, but not Tennessee. When Dean Smith retired at UNC, they gave the job to his longtime assistant for a year or two--which, mind you, is more than most big-name programs would have done--and then went out and hired a big-name coach to replace him. That's clearly what we should be doing with our women's program.
 
#460
#460
armchair said:
She has made both Temple and USC better over time--that's a good sign, but one regular season SEC title isn't that impressive given our problems and given that the conference, overall, is pretty mediocre.

I would much rather have Staley than Warlick, that's for sure. She is a better coach. Holly is a loyal Vol and seemingly a nice person, but she is not qualified to coach a program of our stature--she doesn't have the chops for the job. She would probably be fine coaching at a middling program, but not Tennessee. When Dean Smith retired at UNC, they gave the job to his longtime assistant for a year or two--which, mind you, is more than most big-name programs would have done--and then went out and hired a big-name coach to replace him. That's clearly what we should be doing with our women's program.
Click to expand...

UNC hired Guthridge for 3 years, where he was named Naismith COY and went to the Final Four twice. He retired after 3 years (after taking UNC to the Final Four), and was succeeded by Matt Dougherty, who didn't enjoy nearly the success that Guthridge did. There was nothing wrong with picking the longtime assistant to replace the head coach in this instance.

Holly is getting ragged on rather unfairly. Truth is her results since she took over as HC are no better and no worse than Pat Summitt's post-Parker era. SEC regular season title or conference title here and there, SEC COY or two. Neither made it past the Elite 8, and both had teams chock full of HS AA underachievers. If Holly is to be criticized, then the blame needs to start with Pat since that when was the ball was put in motion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#461
#461
armchair said:
has been coaching for a LONG time has has won NOTHING. I think she's competent, knowledgable, and she has made usc better, slowly, no question--but she's been there at least a decade and not won anything. So let's not exaggerate her value.
Click to expand...

Uhh....Temple is not and has never been a powerhouse program in WBB. When Staley took the HC job there in 2000 - having never been a HC or assistant coach previously before - she was still playing in the WNBA and would continue to do so through the 2006 season. Temple hadn't had a winning season in 10 yrs prior to Staley. She led Temple to 1 WNIT appearance and 6 NCAA Tournaments in her 8 years there. She still is the winning-est coach in the sport at Temple, with an overall 172-80 record. She developed unprecedented talent there with two WNBA 1st-round picks in Candace Dupree and Kamesha Hairston.

And she was still a young coach when she came to South Carolina.

Still, having said all that, Temple is still Temple. It played in the weak A-10 conference. Trying to compare Staley's accomplishments at Temple like one would compare a HC's accomplishments at a UConn, or UT, or Stanford, or Baylor would be failing to see the whole picture....
 
#463
#463
Just wondering why she took 2+ more months to decide for her hometown team? Is she just one that likes to bask in the limelight or did she really not know she wanted to go to South Carolina?
 
#464
#464
Guys, in my opinion Nared was a much better looking player during the McDonald's game and I think we got the best shooting guard in the class. Not to mention Tucker and Dunn. I think we've done OK.
 
#465
#465
I think the much more important factor for next season is Holly improves her coaching and her staff's coaching to get more out of the team. They have all the components they need.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#466
#466
she's 6'5", and with all the bigs USC already have, makes them favorites in the SEC for the next few years. She was a big loss for Tn... :(

just thankful she dissed UCONN too!
 
#467
#467
I think Staley is a better coach than Holly. Holly was offered the USC job before Staley (a few years) and she turned it down. Her reason was they were not committed to women's basketball. (I guess because of the monetary amount they offered.) She should have taken the job to prove her mettle. And, I would say they are committed now.

P.S.-I think it is great Staley is doing well. It will bring the stature of the SEC up and force Holly to get with it and compete or move on.

P.S.P.S.-If you didn't notice I'm a Staley fan. I want to beat her but she is a class act.
 
Last edited:
#468
#468
gule said:
she's 6'5", and with all the bigs USC already have, makes them favorites in the SEC for the next few years. She was a big loss for Tn... :(

just thankful she dissed UCONN too!
Click to expand...

You mean because of all the bigs plus all the good guards. They will be very balanced.
 
#469
#469
good guards we can handle, but bigs? Not with Graves, Harrison & Russell playing like they did this past season, imho
 
#470
#470
No surprise that she chose South Carolina i always felt she would end up there from the get go, no hard feelings here i wish her well in her collegiate career. she has made her decision and there's nothing anyone can do about it we just have to move on and focus on the 2015 now and hopefully we strike gold in that class. so far we have only one commitment from MeMe Jackson.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#471
#471
gule said:
good guards we can handle, but bigs? Not with Graves, Harrison & Russell playing like they did this past season, imho
Click to expand...

The bigs have to get better next year. We especially need to see strides with Russell. She should be on the floor as much as possible.

If anyone spots Dean Lockwood laying around the pool bored in Knoxville this summer kindly remind him he should have more than enough to fill his plate before the upcoming season.
 
#472
#472
I hope Nia Moore spends her summer lifting in the weight room and munching kick yer face pills. She is a better option than Graves, again that is IMHO!
 
#473
#473
dean lockwood can have Cuonzo's ole job till Bruce can free himself from Auburn hell.
 
#474
#474
gule said:
I hope Nia Moore spends her summer lifting in the weight room and munching kick yer face pills. She is a better option than Graves, again that is IMHO!
Click to expand...

That's one I don't understand. Whenever Holly put her in to play I thought she was doing a good job. Why is Moore limited on her playing time? I'm sure she gives it her all just like the rest of those on the team.
 
#475
#475
W.TN.Orange Blood said:
That's one I don't understand. Whenever Holly put her in to play I thought she was doing a good job. Why is Moore limited on her playing time? I'm sure she gives it her all just like the rest of those on the team.
Click to expand...

If you watch her defend she seems to be slow reacting. Seems to be too ladylike. Doesn't want to bang.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top