USA wins the Gold in WUG

#6
#6
Aerial Powers was the best player on the team. She was ranked number 98 in the 2012 class by Hoopgurlz. A far better player than that ranking. Should have been top ten in any class. Michigan State has a prize in that player.
Mercedes has a good tourney averaged 13 ppg and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting over 50 percent. In the title game she was 4 for 8 shooting and had 7 rebounds.
 
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#7
#7
They broke the game open in the 4th quarter.
USA 82- Canada 63

I've got it dvr'd; but wondered if you or Gametime would write up a short synopsis/critique of Mercede's play in the championship game? I find it interesting to get an accurate perspective of the play from someone else's viewpoint. Statistics can be misleading:p How she plays this year will be critical to the Ladys Vols' season.

We did use the link for the Japan game, but our picture was pretty fuzzy. Still thought the team's defense was weak and they had a tendency to quick shoot.

Thanks
 
#8
#8
Not sure why gule describes Mercedes play as "miserable". She finished the day with 9 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 t/o, 3 steals, & 1 block in 29:21 minutes of play. Not a bad outing. (and the best among the US post players!)

Furthermore, she held her Canadian counterpart, Ruth Hamblin scoreless in the first half. People were talking about the battle between Hamblin and Russell as a telling point in the progress of Mercedes Russell in that it would be the first time in these games that Russell faced a player of her same height. Mercedes more than held her own against the Canadian bigs and, in my opinion, came out the winner!

She did have some defensive lapses, particularly in the area of help side defense. This, to me, is more a matter of being out of position. That is something that can be cured by repetition in practice, something the USA team had little time for.

More importantly for the Lady Vols, Mercedes was moving much more fluidly and quickly than she did her freshman year. Also, although she looked to be giving away 30 pounds to Hamblin, she didn't get moved off the block, indicating to me an increase in strength over her freshman year, as well.

Jim
 
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#9
#9
Not sure why gule describes Mercedes play as "miserable". She finished the day with 9 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 t/o, 3 steals, & 1 block in 29:21 minutes of play. Not a bad outing. (and the best among the US post players!)

Furthermore, she held her Canadian counterpart, Ruth Hamblin scoreless in the first half. People were talking about the battle between Hamblin and Russell as a telling point in the progress of Mercedes Russell in that it would be the first time in these games that Russell faced a player of her same height. Mercedes more than held her own against the Canadian bigs and, in my opinion, came out the winner!

She did have some defensive lapses, particularly in the area of help side defense. This, to me, is more a matter of being out of position. That is something that can be cured by repetition in practice, something the USA team had little time for.

More importantly for the Lady Vols, Mercedes was moving much more fluidly and quickly than she did her freshman year. Also, although she looked to be giving away 30 pounds to Hamblin, she didn't get moved off the block, indicating to me an increase in strength over her freshman year, as well.

Jim

I watch the game and thank you are right on with Mercedes Russell.
 
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#10
#10
I agree with CannonVol80(I am also a Cannon vol!) Mercedes was by no means miserable. She wasn't as dominant as I had hoped but she did some very good things. Quick shot it a few times against Hamblin but really affected Hamblin's shooting. I hope practice will take care of defensive lapses because this has been a prevalent problem for the Lady Vol teams. I'm encouraged by her play.
 
#11
#11
OK champ....

Mercdes moved like she is feeling much better......She actually sprinted down the floor several times and didn't look like a Duck doing it....That is great news.

Her and the other Canadian big girl mostly neutralized each other. She didn't score a lot but she didn't make any big mistakes either....It was a fair outing for her. She does have to find the range on the 10-15 foot shot...She was short on everyone she took. In fact, all tournament she was short on most shots that weren't lay ups.

This tournament was very good for her confidence....She now knows she has almost recovered from her bad feet. I say almost because I don't know what discomfort she is feeling, but she looks so much better.

All in all it was a good game that was in doubt until our team, in the last quarter, went on a shooting spurt where they couldn't miss.
 
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#12
#12
Not sure why gule describes Mercedes play as "miserable". She finished the day with 9 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 t/o, 3 steals, & 1 block in 29:21 minutes of play. Not a bad outing. (and the best among the US post players!)

Furthermore, she held her Canadian counterpart, Ruth Hamblin scoreless in the first half. People were talking about the battle between Hamblin and Russell as a telling point in the progress of Mercedes Russell in that it would be the first time in these games that Russell faced a player of her same height. Mercedes more than held her own against the Canadian bigs and, in my opinion, came out the winner!

She did have some defensive lapses, particularly in the area of help side defense. This, to me, is more a matter of being out of position. That is something that can be cured by repetition in practice, something the USA team had little time for.

More importantly for the Lady Vols, Mercedes was moving much more fluidly and quickly than she did her freshman year. Also, although she looked to be giving away 30 pounds to Hamblin, she didn't get moved off the block, indicating to me an increase in strength over her freshman year, as well.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. There are a lot of factors involved other than points and rebounds:), that's why I was asking for input from those more knowledgeable of the game.
I thought Canada would be a much stronger overall team (talent and size) than some of the others the US had played, so it sounds like Mercedes did well.
 
#13
#13
OK champ....

Mercdes moved like she is feeling much better......She actually sprinted down the floor several times and didn't look like a Duck doing it....That is great news.

Her and the other Canadian big girl mostly neutralized each other. She didn't score a lot but she didn't make any big mistakes either....It was a fair outing for her. She does have to find the range on the 10-15 foot shot...She was short on everyone she took. In fact, all tournament she was short on most shots that weren't lay ups.

This tournament was very good for her confidence....She now knows she has almost recovered from her bad feet. I say almost because I don't know what discomfort she is feeling, but she looks so much better.

All in all it was a good game that was in doubt until our team, in the last quarter, went on a shooting spurt where they couldn't miss.

Thanks, GameTime. Sounds like she is playing well and has all the potential to play even better. That would s good news for Lady Vol fans!
 
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#14
#14
GameTime is correct. Mercedes is moving up and down the court better. She played as expected against another tall center. As GT said, the centers cancelled each other out. Another poster described Mercedes as a "finesse" center. I think that's pretty accurate. Even with her size, she's not going to overpower opponents. But she can catch and shoot the ball in the same motion and now can get up and down the court quickly for her size.
These were her first competitive games in quite some time. She played well throughout the series and I think we can safely expect improvement over already good play with just more game time.
 
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#15
#15
Not sure why gule describes Mercedes play as "miserable". She finished the day with 9 points on 50% shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 t/o, 3 steals, & 1 block in 29:21 minutes of play. Not a bad outing. (and the best among the US post players!)

Furthermore, she held her Canadian counterpart, Ruth Hamblin scoreless in the first half. People were talking about the battle between Hamblin and Russell as a telling point in the progress of Mercedes Russell in that it would be the first time in these games that Russell faced a player of her same height. Mercedes more than held her own against the Canadian bigs and, in my opinion, came out the winner!

She did have some defensive lapses, particularly in the area of help side defense. This, to me, is more a matter of being out of position. That is something that can be cured by repetition in practice, something the USA team had little time for.

More importantly for the Lady Vols, Mercedes was moving much more fluidly and quickly than she did her freshman year. Also, although she looked to be giving away 30 pounds to Hamblin, she didn't get moved off the block, indicating to me an increase in strength over her freshman year, as well.

Jim

I agree with everything you state here with one possible exception. Help side defense. I agree it could have been better but i'm not sure if the major cause was positioning.
Mercedes played almost 47 minutes against Japan and didn't have 1 block against a team that didn't have a player over 6'. Some tall players are natural shot blockers and some aren't. Whether that's due to timing or anticipation or personality, I'm not sure. She can do a lot of things very well but she does have a ways to go on her help defense.
 
#16
#16
GameTime is correct. Mercedes is moving up and down the court better. She played as expected against another tall center. As GT said, the centers cancelled each other out. Another poster described Mercedes as a "finesse" center. I think that's pretty accurate. Even with her size, she's not going to overpower opponents. But she can catch and shoot the ball in the same motion and now can get up and down the court quickly for her size.
These were her first competitive games in quite some time. She played well throughout the series and I think we can safely expect improvement over already good play with just more game time.

Thanks for your input:hi:
 
#17
#17
I agree with everything you state here with one possible exception. Help side defense. I agree it could have been better but i'm not sure if the major cause was positioning.
Mercedes played almost 47 minutes against Japan and didn't have 1 block against a team that didn't have a player over 6'. Some tall players are natural shot blockers and some aren't. Whether that's due to timing or anticipation or personality, I'm not sure. She can do a lot of things very well but she does have a ways to go on her help defense.

If you watch the Japan game, every time one of their players started going to the board and saw Mercedes Russell they nearly did a back flip to keep from letting her have a chance to block there shot, I saw this a lot in other games also, she made them take a lot of lower percentage shot. They didn't want to challenger her. When you see her with a team that has been together for a while she will look a lot better. The other girls were a ball hog and would not pass the ball. There were very few assists by the USA team. Happy they won the Gold.
 
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#18
#18
So she didn't score double digits in the title game that does not equate her playing miserably.. For one the first couple of buckets were scored by her so out of the gate she established herself... 2 she held Hamblin a more heavier 6'6 scoreless like seriously she made her a non factor she also got some steals in and over all played a balanced games, On one of her shots she actually backed a big down to bank it in so she's showing strength and aggression.. I see her being alot more solid come the start of the season I'm also happy that the LV's will be doing the European Tour so this gives her even more time to better herself and get her game ready.. She's just a sophomore.. Last time I checked Izzy didn't have a breakthrough season until when her sophomore season..
 
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#19
#19
I only saw Russell play in part of one game--early in the tournament--and in that game she consistently followed the player/big she was guarding out to the perimeter, which naturally takes her out of position for shot-blocking and rebounding. Teams want to get an opposing center out from the paint area, as it makes it easer for them to score--but I don't understand why coaches allow their center to chase the player she is guarding way outside. It is dumb. The opposing center is not going to shoot a 3, so let her go and stay close to the basket so that you can rebound and block shots. It makes no sense for Russell to stray way outside.

I don't think we want Russell to be a "finesse" center. The young woman is 6'6"; she needs to be effective close to the basket. Russell should be shooting 6-12 foot shots, for the most part, not 10-15 foot shots. It is great is a big can make a 15 foot shot--but Russell needs to be a force in the low block, no?
 
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#20
#20
So she didn't score double digits in the title game that does not equate her playing miserably.. For one the first couple of buckets were scored by her so out of the gate she established herself... 2 she held Hamblin a more heavier 6'6 scoreless like seriously she made her a non factor she also got some steals in and over all played a balanced games, On one of her shots she actually backed a big down to bank it in so she's showing strength and aggression.. I see her being alot more solid come the start of the season I'm also happy that the LV's will be doing the European Tour so this gives her even more time to better herself and get her game ready.. She's just a sophomore.. Last time I checked Izzy didn't have a breakthrough season until when her sophomore season..

Good points. And I had forgotten about the European tour...hopefully Mercedes will get a lot of playing time and Diamond will be healthy and able to play.
 
#21
#21
I agree with CannonVol80(I am also a Cannon vol!) Mercedes was by no means miserable. She wasn't as dominant as I had hoped but she did some very good things. Quick shot it a few times against Hamblin but really affected Hamblin's shooting. I hope practice will take care of defensive lapses because this has been a prevalent problem for the Lady Vol teams. I'm encouraged by her play.

Better to score 8 and prevent 10 than to score 20 and give up 10:).

Cannon vol 2? Jim's kid? Welcome to the board:clapping:.
 
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#22
#22
This is the first time Mercedes has been on the court in an official game in a year. She average 13 points and 9.2 rebounds in the six games. She was not getting a lot of setups by the players on this team. This team had a lot of guards that loved to shoot the basketball and put up a lot of shots. In the attempts she got Mercedes was over 50 percent from the field. I think Cooper is going to be a lot better for Mercedes on offense than these USA point guards she played with in this tourney.
Her defense needs work that is certain and since Holly spends most of pre-season on defense I look for her to be a lot better when the season starts.
 
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#23
#23
Good points. And I had forgotten about the European tour...hopefully Mercedes will get a lot of playing time and Diamond will be healthy and able to play.
It's just some people are acting as if Tenn never had a number 1 recruit before lol.. Yes Mercedes is gonna have to prove herself the same way Chamique Tamika and Candace did... But even then those girls still had complete teams
 
#24
#24
Thank you all for the information on Russell. I hope she stays strong and will help lead our Lady Vols team.

So glad she was able to play and build confidence. We are sure going to need her come the Fall! Good stuff! :)
 
#25
#25
I only saw Russell play in part of one game--early in the tournament--and in that game she consistently followed the player/big she was guarding out to the perimeter, which naturally takes her out of position for shot-blocking and rebounding. Teams want to get an opposing center out from the paint area, as it makes it easer for them to score--but I don't understand why coaches allow their center to chase the player she is guarding way outside. It is dumb. The opposing center is not going to shoot a 3, so let her go and stay close to the basket so that you can rebound and block shots. It makes no sense for Russell to stray way outside.

I don't think we want Russell to be a "finesse" center. The young woman is 6'6"; she needs to be effective close to the basket. Russell should be shooting 6-12 foot shots, for the most part, not 10-15 foot shots. It is great is a big can make a 15 foot shot--but Russell needs to be a force in the low block, no?

Could this be the elevation of the Women's game in which 6'6 doesn't mean she has to be hard and tough banging. I would love for her to have a beast mentality but I do remember Holly saying that Mercedes has yet to showcase her full skill set so who knows... I am excited about this years team it's so deep and talented
 
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