Lady Vols Hoop REport 10/4

#27
#27
JMO but Mercedes will need to find some much needed toughness if she hopes to play professional ball.Right now she doesn't have the toughness to compete well in SEC.

We've played a game. Oh u talking about last year. hmmm
 
#29
#29
Really enjoy this quote: "There's a feel right now with this basketball team, and I can't explain it. I think last year at times, everybody felt a little bit of disconnect. You don't feel a disconnect with this team, and that's a great thing. That starts with great leadership and people buying into the system. I think right now they are doing just that."

And that was the feedback from former players, this was the first time a long time this many players were working hard this summer. So, that got me excited.

YEs, I loved that quote, and Dean's quote about "Nared."
 
#30
#30
Really enjoy this quote: "There's a feel right now with this basketball team, and I can't explain it. I think last year at times, everybody felt a little bit of disconnect. You don't feel a disconnect with this team, and that's a great thing. That starts with great leadership and people buying into the system. I think right now they are doing just that."

Yes, a coach knows her team. Holly knows this team, she made all the right moves this offseason. Good for her, just to see a lil court action has me excited.

I am excited to see this team play, now Holly has a team of high BBIQ players too, especially her solid four : Reynolds, Russell, Diamond, and Nared and all veterans.
 
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#31
#31
We've played a game. Oh u talking about last year. hmmm

Just to clarify.....she has never shown the toughness needed up to this point....there is always some hope but time is fast running out....this is her 4th year afterall.
 
#32
#32
Just to clarify.....she has never shown the toughness needed up to this point....there is always some hope but time is fast running out....this is her 4th year afterall.

Toughness and some post moves around the basket. She has one solid move where she goes after the ball facing the basket and puts it in, but that's neutralized when she's guarded by someone with size. She also lacks touch when she has her back to the basket. At this stage in her career, she's still a 6'6 project with raw skills. She needs to sharpen up if she wants to make the pros.
 
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#33
#33
Toughness and some post moves around the basket. She has one solid move where she goes after the ball facing the basket and puts it in, but that's neutralized when she's guarded by someone with size. She also lacks touch when she has her back to the basket. At this stage in her career, she's still a 6'6 project with raw skills. She needs to sharpen up if she wants to make the pros.

Spot on Amb
:)
 
#34
#34
The development of Mercedes has been a huge disappointment.....we are supposed to have a very good " Big " development coach but if he is a good "Big " coach very little has rubbed off on Mercedes.Maybe this will be the year ....hope so .
 
#35
#35
The development of Mercedes has been a huge disappointment.....we are supposed to have a very good " Big " development coach but if he is a good "Big " coach very little has rubbed off on Mercedes.Maybe this will be the year ....hope so .

How long has Tennessee had the same post coach?
 
#37
#37
Lordy, we are not even in the pre-season but the coach bashing is already in tournament form. Bravo! But Mercedes missed a year due to her surgeries and rehab. She was much better than her freshman year. I expect that she will make a significant advance this season.

Nared did not deliver on her freshman promise, though again her injury setback may have played a role. The LVs will need her to be a more consistent offensive threat and just generally more of a force on the court. She had some flashes last season but was overall inconsistent and often too much of a non factor.

If Diamond picks up where she left off and Mercedes and Nared can be consistent contributors, then the LVs should be a very competitive team, with the caveat that the available guards will need to deliver as well. I think Jordan is ready for a breakout year (she again has showed flashes of brilliance); I am very interested to see how Middleton performs this year. She made some big leaps last year and might be ready to surprise some people. And hopefully Dunbar has done the work she needed. There is a real opportunity for her this year (and for Jackson who could be our x-factor).
 
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#38
#38
I'm with you T.J. on the wait and see approach but from what I saw in the video the team seems to really like one another and you can tell they want to be successful together! I also think with the possibility of 2 of our players (if they play up to their potential) being Top 5 picks in a weak draft (Diamond could easily go 1st and Mercedes size at 6'6" should she average about 15 and 10 with about 2 blocks a game could make her intriguing to a team like Dallas or even LA who have the 3rd and 4th picks). I don't want to get ahead of myself but I think this year has the potential to be very special.

My heart can't take it anymore. Last season I totally went mental. :crazy:

I'm just going to wait it out. No cheerleading and no guessing. I'm just going to watch the games in hopes that The Lady Vols play up to their potential.

And you are absolutely right about getting ahead of ourselves. That's been the problem. :eek:k:
 
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#39
#39
Lordy, we are not even in the pre-season but the coach bashing is already in tournament form. Bravo! But Mercedes missed a year due to her surgeries and rehab. She was much better than her freshman year. I expect that she will make a significant advance this season.

Nared did not deliver on her freshman promise, though again her injury setback may have played a role. The LVs will need her to be a more consistent offensive threat and just generally more of a force on the court. She had some flashes last season but was overall inconsistent and often too much of a non factor.

If Diamond picks up where she left off and Mercedes and Nared can be consistent contributors, then the LVs should be a very competitive team, with the caveat that the available guards will need to deliver as well. I think Jordan is ready for a breakout year (she again has showed flashes of brilliance); I am very interested to see how Middleton performs this year. She made some big leaps last year and might be ready to surprise some people. And hopefully Dunbar has done the work she needed. There is a real opportunity for her this year (and for Jackson who could be our x-factor).

Jordan having a break out year will be her last in a Tennessee uniform. She better get a move on then because this is her final season.

Alexa Middleton and Kortney Dunbar played absolutely incredible last pre-season for 4 games. With so many injuries during that time coach Warlick had no choice but to start and play them. They proved during those games that they were capable to compete and willing and able to score. I know you don't want to read about coach bashing but you're the one who brought it up!

During that preseason run there was a prime opportunity for the coaching staff to develop and implement Alexa and Kortney into games coming off the bench. They did not and the ensuing results were two players that underperformed the rest of the season.

I won't even begin to post about a player that graduated and was even better than those two during that fantastic preseason run.

That is all.

I'm with you and everyone else, though. A new season so let's enjoy it while it develops.

GoLadyVols!
 
#41
#41
Lordy, we are not even in the pre-season but the coach bashing is already in tournament form. Bravo! But Mercedes missed a year due to her surgeries and rehab. She was much better than her freshman year. I expect that she will make a significant advance this season.

Nared did not deliver on her freshman promise, though again her injury setback may have played a role. The LVs will need her to be a more consistent offensive threat and just generally more of a force on the court. She had some flashes last season but was overall inconsistent and often too much of a non factor.

If Diamond picks up where she left off and Mercedes and Nared can be consistent contributors, then the LVs should be a very competitive team, with the caveat that the available guards will need to deliver as well. I think Jordan is ready for a breakout year (she again has showed flashes of brilliance); I am very interested to see how Middleton performs this year. She made some big leaps last year and might be ready to surprise some people. And hopefully Dunbar has done the work she needed. There is a real opportunity for her this year (and for Jackson who could be our x-factor).

I knew with all the positive posts about people being excited, it wouldn't take long for the coach bashing to start. 😜

I understand last season was not good, and there is apprehension, but this a new season, new chemistry, new leadership. I have it on good authority that what Holly said is true - the team has developed a great chemistry and Jordan has really stepped up as a strong, positive, motivating leader. The vibe among the team is really good.

I am going to think positive, hope for the best, and lift them all up in prayer for a successful, injury-free season. I know the low numbers is a little scary to think about with the possibility of injuries, but you know, sometimes the things you think will work against you turn out to work for you in the end. We'll see.

I know they have somebody up there on their side rooting for them. 😉😇

GO LADY VOLS!!!!!!
 
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#42
#42
I'm all for being positive, but I don't see anything wrong with keeping things in perspective. There were a lot of player and coaching opportunities for improvement, so I'm not surprised people are waiting to see how the team actually plays together first before handing out POY, All-Conference and All-American awards.
 
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#43
#43
I'm all for being positive, but I don't see anything wrong with keeping things in perspective. There were a lot of player and coaching opportunities for improvement, so I'm not surprised people are waiting to see how the team actually plays together first before handing out POY, All-Conference and All-American awards.

I understand keeping things in perspective and waiting to see given the past and I said as much. I said I understand the apprehension. Who's talking about handing out awards? I was just trying to be positive.
 
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#44
#44
I'm all for being positive, but I don't see anything wrong with keeping things in perspective. There were a lot of player and coaching opportunities for improvement, so I'm not surprised people are waiting to see how the team actually plays together first before handing out POY, All-Conference and All-American awards.

So, how do you feel about this restatement-- let's wait and see how the team actually plays together before presuming that the coaching staff has failed to develop players or that all the shortcomings from last season are going to be reproduced?
 
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#45
#45
finally, practice is underway for a new season :)


good to see that CHW has honed her skills for interviews this year :rolleyes:

it seems they are focused on staying healthy,which will be unusual for the Lady VolsVols ,hopefully they will this year,for a change



Go Lady Vols :clapping:
 
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#46
#46
So, how do you feel about this restatement-- let's wait and see how the team actually plays together before presuming that the coaching staff has failed to develop players or that all the shortcomings from last season are going to be reproduced?

I think that's a perfectly reasonable sentiment.

We know what last year brought and how the players/coaches performed at the end of the season. We have no information, good or bad, at this point to really make any judgement calls as to whether they have improved, stayed the same, or gotten worse.

The first six games may not say a lot about how good this team is/can be, but it will say a lot about how bad they are if they are still playing ugly basketball. At that point, prepare for a repeat of last year's townspeople with pitchforks...and I will openly admit that I would probably be amongst the townspeople.
 
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#47
#47
So, how do you feel about this restatement-- let's wait and see how the team actually plays together before presuming that the coaching staff has failed to develop players or that all the shortcomings from last season are going to be reproduced?

Heeeeyyy!!!! I love it!!!! 😃👍🏻
 
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#48
#48
finally, practice is underway for a new season :)


good to see that CHW has honed her skills for interviews this year :rolleyes:

it seems they are focused on staying healthy,which will be unusual for the Lady VolsVols ,hopefully they will this year, for a change



Go Lady Vols :clapping:

I thought Holly seemed more relaxed in her press conference than she has in the past too. Maybe it has something to do with "the different feel from last year" she mentioned.
It was nice to see. 😊

GLV!!! 🍊🏀
 
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#49
#49
finally, practice is underway for a new season :)


good to see that CHW has honed her skills for interviews this year :rolleyes:

it seems they are focused on staying healthy,which will be unusual for the Lady VolsVols ,hopefully they will this year,for a change



Go Lady Vols :clapping:

Some decent observations ....for sure.
 
#50
#50
Just to clarify.....she has never shown the toughness needed up to this point....there is always some hope but time is fast running out....this is her 4th year afterall.

wow. how many bigs dominated her last year?

First year hobbled.

Last year, she improved.

I mean u can't blame her for her guards and wings inability to get her the ball.
 
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