I just came back home from the game. It was no contest from the very start. Davis was both very very good and also very slow and plodding. She plays at half speed most of the time. Since the game wasn't close she didn't have to hustle much and she sure did not, imho. She has a real feel for the game though and was somehow always in the right spot it seemed like when she needed to be. Would love to have seen her going against better competition. Ribault's guards were very physical with the other team and they couldn't hardly get the ball up court. I'd have called lots more fouls on Ribault than the refs did.
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Lady Vols Recruiting Info
- Thread starter CannonVol80
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I post this in another thread..probably should have gone here:
Just talked to a close friend who was able to go see Riverdale play in their first game of region tournament tonight. His assessment: Annie is quick, not beep beep quick, but quick. He said she is easily 5'6" and every shot she took was right at the rim. She did not look to take an outside shot that he saw. He said she could be a nice distributor but will need work on perimeter game.
He added that the two sisters that play with her are not ready for prime time just yet. One plays point and needs to develop a left hand. The other a wing and is a player you would not really notice in the game if you weren't looking to see her.
A little background on my friend. He is a former national HS boys travel team coach. He has coached major D1 guys; a few that have and are playing in various pro levels. He is a difficult guy to impress, much like a lot of the posters on this board.
Just talked to a close friend who was able to go see Riverdale play in their first game of region tournament tonight. His assessment: Annie is quick, not beep beep quick, but quick. He said she is easily 5'6" and every shot she took was right at the rim. She did not look to take an outside shot that he saw. He said she could be a nice distributor but will need work on perimeter game.
He added that the two sisters that play with her are not ready for prime time just yet. One plays point and needs to develop a left hand. The other a wing and is a player you would not really notice in the game if you weren't looking to see her.
A little background on my friend. He is a former national HS boys travel team coach. He has coached major D1 guys; a few that have and are playing in various pro levels. He is a difficult guy to impress, much like a lot of the posters on this board.
Agree about the sisters.... they are freshmen and Sophomores in high school! Can you think about 15 or 16 years old. I think the coach is using the Sophomore at point for the future and allows Annie the wing as a penetrating position instead of from the top of circle!
I can attest to her being able to make 3's. But she does have a tendency to try and beat you off of the dribble.
One point I would like to make. Sophomore sister (if they make it to the state tournament?) This will be her second trip to the state tournament. (VALUABLE EXPERIENCE) And first year as just a Freshman.
These girls potentially have four trips in four years to a state tournament!
How many people get to go to a state tournament? Much less FOUR? I went once and thought that was special. Plus the coach of this team is taking them into other states and tournaments getting them valuable experience. Another point about sisters (they both are taller than Annie) not much but taller !
5'9"???
Seriously, why is Baylor still getting high level recruits with Mulkey spewing all this garbage? Very sad no one at the school seems to get it....
Kim Mulkey tabs Baylor 'damn best school in America,' say she will punch critics in face
Kim Mulkey tabs Baylor 'damn best school in America,' say she will punch critics in face
tennparker3
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Rennia paces herself in blowout games from what I've noticed. I've seen her play Long Beach Poly, Miami CD and Rickards (all much better competition obviously) and she is dynamite on both ends. She generally leads the press against better teams, like Rickards, and against Poly this year she kept them in a game when everyone else from Ribault struggled. Against Miami CD she didn't get scoring until the second half but was effective in slowing down the perimeter play of CD, which is one of the best in the country. She will be a reliable perimeter scorer from the get go IMO because her mechanics are great on her shot and she, in the 4 years I've seen her play at the high school level, never had issues with lack of confidence or head games. Perhaps the 2016 player with the highest potential of any of the top recruits I've seen play.
There was also some talk of Ribault trying to get Rennia an opportunity to dunk and I noticed them trying to get her to cherry pick a few possessions by staying back toward mid court on defense. (Kind of the the Chino Hills boys team out here in California where the younger Ball brother had 92 points).
Annie Hayes is a reliable three point shooter when called upon. Mid 30% I believe and she was very consistent in AAU play against better competition. Her first step and elevation is what sets her apart from the other top guards in the class. She also finishes through contact regularly.
Evina, Annie and Rennia will all see a ton of time next year no matter who stays or goes. Kasi will take more time I think because of position and if Cedes comes back along with Cheridene we are likely to see her less in her first year.
Rickster
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Rickster
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I believe Holly gets her post and Balogun, Nico, and Decosta come as well as those already committed. Long, rangy and quick gets it done at the current level of athleticism. A bench of athletes who get playing time also gets it done. Holly has always played those who play well. Give her a bench of hungry talent and the results will follow.
I'm sure that Nicoletti wants to review her options, but I honestly don't see her coming. Too much quality depth at PG and SG so far.
I don't put much stock in players being AAU teammates. Wasn't the story before that MR and Stephanie Mavunga were a package deal? Then Stephanie goes to UNC, and then transfers to OSU instead of coming to Tennessee (note: what could have been if Stephanie transferred to Tennessee :banghead2. I still think DeCosta looks elsewhere because she believes that she can be starter at other schools with less quality depth at the wing. Balogun is the one I think is the strongest possibility, but even that's not a given. I would like to think that Dixon would think favorably of her state school, but I have no idea. I hope Tennessee gets her.
As for Jade and Maya, I think that Stanford, Duke and ND are kind of exceptions because of their academic prestige. The girls that go there are probably less interested in a NC and more interested in getting a degree from the school, although that may be changing for ND in the past few years.
Given DeCosta's size and athleticism, I think she'd be a terrific fit for us if we continued to play a (sort of) 4-out 1-in offense in the future, where she and Davis could be interchangeable at the 3 and 4 positions.
DeCosta wants to be a wing in college, but her real strengths seem to be crashing the boards (averaged over 10 per game off the bench for the U17 national team) and defense (2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game) -- whereas she shot 32% and didn't take a single three-pointer, so it seems like she has some work to do if she wants to consistently be a wing at the college level.
That said, I can see why we'd want/need at least one more true post for 2018, be it ODD or Dixon.
I don't think there will be a shortage of schools that will offer DeCosta an opportunity to play at the wing without a more experienced and perhaps more complete player. I'm looking at it more from the perspective of whether or not she would continue to have high interest knowing that she will likely come off the bench for 3 years at the position she wants to play at. I'm sure she can play the four, but the bigger question is whether she would want to. If she does, then sure, take her...but I still think that Dixon or Nelson-Ododa are must-haves.
casetopia
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You are assuming just because she is listed as a wing.....and we signed another player that also is considered a wing position. That one would have to sit when the other is playing! I can imagine how hard it would be to guard two highly rated players as they played together.
Maybe you played back in the 50's and 60's and you played either offense or defense and never crossed the mid court line?
I would think that Holly would play the best players and substitute based on many different parameters.
Gone are the days that a player can play only one position! I have seen teams play with five guards at one time. I say get as many good athletes as you can and stop this 6 or seven player rotation where everyone is afraid to play hard because they don't want to foul or taking plays off to rest!!!!
graham1185
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I believe that the priority in finishing off this 2018 recruiting class is to get Nelson-Ododa and Decosta athletic 5s and 4s who can defend their positions . I would then take Nicoletti and ask Dixon to attend with the intent to Red shirt her.2019 looks thin in the post area . Then with Collins and Massengill all the teams needs are addressed.
I would not even consider blocking someone with so muck knowledge and insight into all of the coaches thoughts and strategies. And how your understand what every recruits is thinking and their future plans and desires. I think you are coach Holly or maybe just a fortune tell practicing her intuitions?
But if this block thing is interesting to you and your feelings are hurt? PLEASE feel free to ride yourself of anyone who might think you might be wrong! 😈
Smallvol#1
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Volfan2012
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I think we'll try to sign five in the next class. We lose Deshields, Russell, Nared, Middleton, and Dunbar. We have two so who will the other three be and what are the priorities. I would say need two post players and a 2-3 wing player.
DeShields is the only player I worry about leaving Russell can build herself into a number one draft choice and she really needs another season for strength and also to gain intensity. She want last long in the WNBA standing and watching plays like she does now.
DeShields is the only player I worry about leaving Russell can build herself into a number one draft choice and she really needs another season for strength and also to gain intensity. She want last long in the WNBA standing and watching plays like she does now.
ladyvosl23
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