Cardoso to SC

[HopJim]

You may favor UCONN but I don't understand why. Olivia is outclassed by both Boston and Cardosa, and Cardosa will get better, fast, under the SC coaching. And she is far too tall for Edwards. Their guards are quick and great shooters.... Azzi has not yet attended a practice. . We have no clue how the incoming class will blend with the current players, or how Geno will use them. If your proclamation is to become true, our new 'Big" ( DeBerry) better be great from moment one. And I mean great. And we didn't see that even with Tina Charles. I think South Carolina has to be the number one team now.

All valid points.

 

[darkstar1]

SC guards will be fine. Our backcourt is littered with McDonald's all American. So finding a combination that works will not be a problem. Henderson and Cooke, who both are listed as top 25 players for next year, will be backed up by Johnson and Rivers who are rated the #2 and #3 players coming in by ESPN.

I agree that SC has talented guards and top players generally. I’m sure they will be a top team again. It just seems that the guards look helter-skelter and a bit out of control against the top competition. Just don’t see a Natty maybe it’s coaching. Maybe chemistry. I don’t know. Maybe the new guards will make a difference. I don’t make these top 25 lists, I just go by my own eye test. I don’t see Evina or Nika on these lists, but I’d rather have what they add to the team, with Paige and Azzi.

 

[Jim R]

Disaster. No way to sugar-coat this. Cardosa would have provided the 1 element that Geno has been missing the last several years without a Title - a Big that provides consistent defense pressure, a rim protector & can score in multiple ways including posting up. You can't coach 6'7" defensive players of the years who can score - and she has 4 years of eligibility to make it worse.

SC was basically a missed lapup at the buzzer to win the Title last year. Now, you add Cardosa & a Top 2 recruiting class to a very talented & physical team that has Boston.

Yes, UConn gets Azzi & some potential shooters coming in. But again, the team is NOT balanced. Too much finesse, perimeter players & not enough Bigs & defensive presence.

SC has to be the Favorite next year.

I wonder if Dorka had anything to do w/Cordosa's decision?? In any event, the "Portal" rules may have just sunk Geno. I'm afraid it could be more FFs but no Titles for UConn for years to come.

...”no Titles for years to come“...Good luck with that. With Geno’s offensive schemes (can we least agree that their movement, passing and balance will be better than its opponents?), to include scorers in all five positions, I’ll take UCONN to win at least 2 of the next four, or three out of the next five.... South Carolina, perhaps one, if they’re fortunate. But, we’ll know soon enough.

 

[darkstar1]

Is she being slammed on here?

My optimism was based on Geno and CD coaching her up and getting her in shape to realize her great potential at UConn. We’ll see what Dawn can do. Like Boston, she is very talented and you can’t teach 6’7”. If Boston and Cardoso can develop fitness and stamina, it could be scary.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Sometimes I question how well some of you know your own team.

he's a troll

 

[bballnut90]

Actually, I don't remember that being a thing, at all.

Alaina Coates:
13-14: 34 gm, 1 st, .612%, 12.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg
14-15: 36 gms, 5 sts, .562%, 11.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg
15-16: 35 gms, 33 sts, .644%, 12.1 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg
16-17: 28 gms, 27 sts, .670%, 12.9 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg
17-18: N/A


A'ja Wilson:
13-14: N/A
14-15: 37 gms, 1 st, .538%, 13.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.8 bpg
15-16: 33 gms, 32 sts, .531%, 16.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.1 bpg
16-17: 35 gms, 35 sts, .588%, 17.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.6 bpg
17-18: 33 gms, 29 sts, .542%, 22.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 3.2 bpg

Both players actually complimented each other, not got in each other's way. They both each improved with each successive season. Wilson is the program-leading career scorer (Coates is 11th), and shot-blocker (Coates is tied for 2nd with Kiki Herbert-Harrigan), while Coates is the #2 career rebounder (Wilson is 3rd) and #1 career field goal shooter (Wilson is 5th). Wilson is 2nd all-time at USC in double-doubles, while Coates is 3rd. One could argue that Wilson and Coates were in the top 5 all time players for South Carolina, and they both played together. How is that getting in each other's way??

Wilson had her big jump her senior year offensively not so much because Coates was out of her way, but moreso because Coates as well as Kaela Davis and Alisha Grey had all graduated, and they were 3 of the team's top 4 scorers the previous season. Wilson HAD to shoulder more of a scoring load as a result. Also lost a dbl-digit rebounder in Coates, and Grey was no slouch around 5.0+ rpg herself.....

They both improved each year but there's no denying the 2017 team really started to gel once Coates went down with injury. A lot of that comes down to personnel and skill set, but the team thrived once Wilson had the paint to herself to operate and better spacing. Boston and Cardoso isn't a great parallel since neither is going to blow by defenders off the bounce like A'ja did but they have similar low post skill sets which usually don't pair well together. Boston has a solid face up game and I could see her being a decent passer out of the high post but I think it'll be interesting to see how Dawn uses 2 of the best bigs in women's basketball.

 

[CocoHusky]

Failing to understand how players not wanting another player has to be disparagement? Maybe they just feel that another player is going to take minutes away from those already here? How is that disparaging?

The opinion (speculation you are now repeating really) expressed was that Geno got “negative feedback” regarding Cardoso. Speculating that Geno received negative feedback is disparaging to Cardoso.

 

[bballnut90]

Brown and Cox worked because of Cox' versatility and unselfishness. Cox at the 4 > Boston at the 4. Moving Boston to the 4 would raise concerns IMO. Not against 90% of teams they will face, but against elite teams.

Cox was a fantastic passer which is what made her so lethal from the high post. Boston hasn't shown that yet, but a lot of things seem to come easily to her so I could see her being a solid passer if she plays more at the 4. South Carolina's roster options are endless with all of the talent they have next year. Assuming they stick with the same starting 5, they could have another top 10 team with their second five of Cardoso, Amihere, Feagin, Rivers, and Johnson. Not to mention Littleton, Grissett and Russell.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Did not expect this at all considering the fact that it doesn’t get much better than Boston as far as bigs are concerned. I thought Auburn or Texas or Kentucky. Never thought she’d come to UConn. For Dawn to be a guard, she love bigs and always run her teams through the paint first. There will nothing available inside for opposing teams because Cardoso is really light on the feet. She is one of the fastest bigs from end to end I have seen especially for a 6’7 girl. Her and Boston together on defense will be tough.

And if Cooke can play all season like she did in the tournament and Henderson improves they can be better shooters than we think. I also like their lone freshman from this season Eniya Russell, I think this team will be good. Plus all the freshman they have coming in. Loaded.

UConn & South Carolina are the teams to beat.

please don’t let Stanford win another one

Henderson shot over 40% from three on about 100 attempts.

Cooke shot around 38% on a similar number.

 

[TC22]

My take...getting Cardozo means somebody else didn’t and that’s a big factor for SC. Don’t know how much Boston and Cardozo will play together but Aliyah is a terrific passer and she will draw a big out of the paint. Although they are both post players they really have different skill sets. Players don’t go to UConn or Stanford or SC if they are scared of competition. I don’t think Aliyah is threatened AT ALL about this and I’m sure it will make them both better players. Imagine practicing against each other every day.

Women’s college basketball needed another big rivalry and I think we have one brewing. I know I’ll be in the arena when UConn and SC play next year...18,000 strong. What a great recruiting tool for SC except we won’t have any scholarships to give out.?

I wish I was a fly on the wall when Rebecca Lobo found out. She does love her big girls.

WBB is in a great place.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Rivers isn't the shooter Raven is. Not close. Also unlike Henni, Raven doesn't need to penetrate or dribble to make the good pass. Raven's the real deal.

If Raven is the best shooter on the team... is what I meant to say.

South Carolina has two very good shooters at the starting guard spots.

It's the 3 and 4 where we struggled.

if Raven is a 40% three pt shooter on volume then man it's hard to see the weakness.

 

[Rb335]

UConn and South Carolina return all players from final four teams. So that should be the minimum for these two squads. Uconn adds Dorka and 3 highly rated recruits. I really only have hope that Azzi will be a big impact player but could be wrong. South Carolina adds Cardoso and a talented recruiting class. Cardoso gives them the comfort that if Boston is in foul trouble, it’s a non issue. At this point, I don’t think either team has a clear upper hand on the other. They were pretty even this year based on the OT game. And both have added to their rosters. Will be compelling matchups for the next few years.

 

[hoophuskee]

UConn and South Carolina return all players from final four teams. So that should be the minimum for these two squads. Uconn adds Dorka and 3 highly rated recruits. I really only have hope that Azzi will be a big impact player but could be wrong. South Carolina adds Cardoso and a talented recruiting class. Cardoso gives them the comfort that if Boston is in foul trouble, it’s a non issue. At this point, I don’t think either team has a clear upper hand on the other. They were pretty even this year based on the OT game. And both have added to their rosters. Will be compelling matchups for the next few years.

Why don't you have much hope for Jorka? The B1G had a very good showing in the NCAA's and Jorka was very good performer there. Now with an added year why don't you think she will help much?

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Cardosa would be a good acquisition for any school, but IMO, Dawn has the biggest challenge of any coach to integrate Cardoso with Boston & Amihere. I don’t believe SC can play all 3 Bigs at the same time the way UConn could play Steph, Stewie & Kiah. Steph was extremely effective from the high post and Stewie was effective from everywhere.

Cardoso, Boston and Amihere are all basically low post players. Certainly, SC now has more depth in the post than any team in the nation, but Dawn is not going to play more than 2 of her posts at any one time.

Someone will be the odd-woman out. That most likely will be Amihere, who’s development over the course of this season impressed me quite a bit.

At the end of the day, you can only play 5 players at a time. In an era when teams are spreading the floor and shooting 3’s, I’m not quite sure how Dawn’s rotation of her big 3 will shake out, let alone finding PT for Sexton & the incoming frosh.

Why does Saxton's or Amihere's playing time matter any more than Mir or Aubrey Griffin's?

so long as the minutes are decided on merit in each case, it shouldn't matter much who plays.

No team can control whether their bench can handle their role. If they can't, that's what the portal is there for.

 

[cferraro04]

Boston - 6'5" Nelson-Ododa - 6'5"
Cardoso - 6'7" DeBerry - 6'5"
Amihere - 6'4" Gabriel - 6'5"
Juhas - 6'4"


Now let's talk guards - UConn - Azzi, Bueckers, Williams, Westbrook, Muhl...need I say more

And while we are at it...the forwards - Edwards, Griffin, McLean, Ducharme, Poffenbarger.

I like our chances.

 

[hoophuskee]

There's no way to truly quantify that. They were a different team after Coates was lost, and had to adjust their style of play. They had some depth to cover for Coates' absence, in 6-2 Herbert-Harrigan and 6-2 Davis could also provide support, while Wilson was basically our 5 the rest of the way. But there's no way at all one can say that South Carolina would NOT have won the title that season WITH Coates in the lineup.....

No offense to you but you weren't the best team before the NCAA Tourney but after the tourney you were. I know this for a fact. Your comment above is nothing more than speculation. I don't need to speculate. In other words I'm able to quantify my comment. You can't.

With that said very interested to see how Cardoso is used if with Boston - how much with her? And how will UCONN be affected? I read others building up Raven. I'm sure an absolute tremendous talent. But yet another small guard. Do you play a gimmick defense vs bigger guards? A zone? Or man-to-man in such a manner that you know for certain that you can funnel "Paige Buckers" inside and minimize her capabilities?

Interesting no doubt. UCONN and SC are beasts.

I read on here stuff about "blocked shots." It might be the most useless stat one can mention when it comes to UCONN vs SC. I did say "might." It's possible the defense stymies UCONN then UCONN starts going reckless inside and gets in big trouble by doing that. But UCONN's strength is on their perimeter. Going to be pretty hard for Cardoso and Boston to block perimeter jump shots vs an elite team like UCONN if UCONN has a way to get their guards in a position to shoot. Doubly-hard is that Raven is 5'8 and Cooke isn't very tall and DJ isn't tall either. You could shoot over them.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Another example in this vein would be the 6’4” Stewart and 6’5” Dolson. But the exceptions include at least one versatile post that does not need to spend a majority of the time in the lane - like Cox or Stewart. Boston may have the skills to function that way, but to date I am not sure about the stamina.

On the defensive side twin towers, unless at least one has guard like mobility, will have problems against well run offenses.

Didn't have any problems against UConn's offense the last two years. Are you saying they will have more problems defensively after adding the ACC defensive POY?

 

[hoophuskee]

Didn't have any problems against UConn's offense the last two years. Are you saying they will have more problems defensively after adding the ACC defensive POY?

They had enough problems to lose the game.

 

[sivad40]

No offense to you but you weren't the best team before the NCAA Tourney but after the tourney you were. I know this for a fact. Your comment above is nothing more than speculation. I don't need to speculate. In other words I'm able to quantify my comment. You can't.

With that said very interested to see how Cardoso is used if wit the h Boston - how much with her? And how will UCONN be affected? I read others building up Raven. I'm sure an absolute tremendous talent. But yet another small guard. Do you play a gimmick defense vs bigger guards? A zone? Or man-to-man in such a manner that you know for certain that you can funnel "Paige Buckers" inside and minimize her capabilities?

Interesting no doubt. UCONN and SC are beasts.

I read on here stuff about "blocked shots." It might be the most useless stat one can mention when it comes to UCONN vs SC. I did say "might." It's possible the defense stymies UCONN then UCONN starts going reckless inside and gets in big trouble by doing that. But UCONN's strength is on their perimeter. Going to be pretty hard for Cardoso and Boston to block perimeter jump shots vs an elite team like UCONN if UCONN has a way to get their guards in a position to shoot. Doubly-hard is that Raven is 5'8 and Cooke isn't very tall and DJ isn't tall either. You could shoot over them.

You're saying that UConn respects the useless stat like shot blocking so they are just going to stay on the perimeter to shoot. That's sounds like double talking to me. Why is a there 12 page thread on a player like Cardoso who some are saying is going to have a very little impact for the team playing for.

 

[shiverz45]

I agree that SC has talented guards and top players generally. I’m sure they will be a top team again. It just seems that the guards look helter-skelter and a bit out of control against the top competition. Just don’t see a Natty maybe it’s coaching. Maybe chemistry. I don’t know. Maybe the new guards will make a difference. I don’t make these top 25 lists, I just go by my own eye test. I don’t see Evina or Nika on these lists, but I’d rather have what they add to the team, with Paige and Azzi.

Your frame reference is probably the UConn game in which SC backcourt played one of their worse games of the season. They had a strong season near the end. I guess you didn't see the Stanford game. SC backcourt dominated Stanford's guards. Cooke had 27 and Henderson had 18 against the National champions. So to say they wont get better next year is wishful thinking.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

They had enough problems to lose the game.

Which is misdirection. They stopped UConn's offense cold the last two games. UConn was trounced in the one game and survived the second only because PB went nuts. Now their defense and rebounding are bound to be better, perhaps much better.

 

[hoophuskee]

You're saying that UConn respects the useless stat like shot blocking so they are just going to stay on the perimeter to shoot. That's sounds like double talking to me. Why is a there 12 page thread on a player like Cardoso who some are saying is going to have a very little impact for the team playing for.

huh?

I'm saying UCONN respects the useless stat of shot blocking? Where did I say that? I did say "it might be useless" vs UCONN. I'm not being antagonistic here. I just don't understand your point. Maybe provide me the quote and tell me what you think I meant? Because I don't understand your point about shot blocking. Further, are you taking my post "100% literal" that every score will be from the outside when I said UCONN is a perimeter team?

Secondly, I have another "HUH?" What are you saying?

Are you suggesting that the 12 page thread on Cardoso- is it only because of her shot blocking? Is that what you're saying? All 12 pages are about Cardoso's shot-blocking? I'm sorry I don't understand what you are trying to say. If I were to guess - maybe clarify what I meant in that anyone that mentioned shot blocking as a big deal - I don't think it has that much merit. UCONN's strength is not inside so why would they feature going inside? But if the UCONN guards shoot well enough it would mean the SC bigs have to extend more. And if they do that more then isn't it likely the more you extend the less likely you are going to block shots? I am guessing what you are aksing me here. - Sorry.

 

[shiverz45]

They had enough problems to lose the game.

Don't move the goal post. The problem that they had was a UConn player got hot and started hitting trick shots and scored half of the team points. Much respect to her because Beal was draped all over her on a lot of the shots. The pretty offense that UConn run was shut down pretty much for the last 2 years. I expect SC to be significantly better next year on defense.

 

[hoophuskee]

Which is misdirection. They stopped UConn's offense cold the last two games. UConn was trounced in the one game and survived the second only because PB went nuts. Now their defense and rebounding are bound to be better, perhaps much better.

No it's not misdrection. The object of the game is to win. The defense played by SC wasn't good enough to win. Results matter.

PB went nuts because they didn't have good enough perimeter defense to stop her, right? Isn't that the point of saying an extra big won't help?

And in regards to the other game you are referring to it's not close to being relevant point. PB - the best player in WCBB didn't play in that game. And she was the reason - to put in your words - why she went nuts vs " SC's defense. SO the future meetings - UCONN will have the best player in WCBB that they didn't have 2 years ago. So how is 2 years ago relevant?

 

[hoophuskee]

Don't move the goal post. The problem that they had was a UConn player got hot and started hitting trick shots and scored half of the team points. Much respect to her because Beal was draped all over her on a lot of the shots. The pretty offense that UConn run was shut down pretty much for the last 2 years. I expect SC to be significantly better next year on defense.

Are you serious?

You speak of me about moving goal posts? hahaha Your team loses and you want to provide excuses and accuse me of moving the goal posts. Okay-

I'm done tonight. hahahha And please don't post to me anymore. Have a good night. Wish your team well. You have a terrific team.