2017 Class Rankings

[bballnut90]

Exactly. It's just further justification for Holly getting fired. How often does a #1 class not make it to the Final Four over their career?

More common than you'd think:
2005 Texas class didn't make the Final Four
2008 Tennessee and Rutgers had top classes and didn't make it
2010 Duke never made it
2011 Tennessee never made it
2013 UNC never made it
2014 UCLA hasn't made it yet
2015 Duke doesn't appear likely to make the FF.

 

[bballnut90]

Has that UCLA class even made an elite 8?

No, but they have actually had a major impact on the program. UCLA the year before they came went 13-18. In year 1 they went 19-18 and won the WNIT. Year 2 they go 26-9 and make the Sweet 16, year 3 they go 25-9. They lose a lot after this year, but have a really nice freshman class coming on board that should help smooth over the rebuilding period.

 

[DefenseBB]

I agree with your points but Gabby wasn't rated lower than Ekmark in any of the ranking systems, if that's what you mean.

Yes, you are correct, it was Nurse who was rated 2 spots behind Ekmark at 31. Here's the 2014 HG final ratings 2014 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings - espnW 100 - ESPN
Take a look at the list, who the 2-10 were than 16-31. Some hits and misses. At least most of the names are still relevant but there are a group of #8-12 ranking who are missing in action.

 

[Vowelguy]

Ok, someone tell how with FOUR 5 Star recruits and the number 1 player in the HS Class that UConn is #2 behind Tenn with Three 5 Stars and one 4 Star? It still doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps our UT colleagues could oblige and opine here. I am not trying to be snarky or obnoxious and truly am scratching my head on this...

The rankings arent done by the stars, it's done by the individual player ratings. A team with the #1, 2, 3, 41 recruits would probably have 3 five-star recruits, while a team with the #25,26,27,28, would have 4 five-star. But clearly the 1st is better.

Back in the days when I was compiling the HS rankings, I had a formula to turn player rankings into class ratings.
Using only ESPN ratings, I would've given a slight edge to UConn 2473 to 2392.
Using only PN, it would've been Tenn by a wider margin.

And using ESPN, PN, and BS, it comes out about Tenn 2518 - UConn 2473.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The rankings arent done by the stars, it's done by the individual player ratings.

Are you certain that's how recruiting sites comes up with their rankings? I've never figured it out, and PN's has always been the oddest to me. Sometimes it seems they favor a team with, say, two top-15 players over depth, sometimes the other way around. It's not an exact science. I'd just like to know how they come to the conclusions they do.

 

[Vowelguy]

Are you certain that's how recruiting sites comes up with their rankings? I've never figured it out, and PN's has always been the oddest to me. Sometimes it seems they favor a team with, say, two top-15 players over depth, sometimes the other way around. It's not an exact science. I'd just like to know how they come to the conclusions they do.

Oh I'm sure it's art and science; I was just saying you can't say that a class with 4 five star players is better than one with 3. There's a LOT of variation within those stars.

 

[oldude]

A general comment on top recruiting classes. In basketball, they're far less important than in football.

In football, you play 40-50 players per game. Throw in attrition and you need 60+ players per season. Teams don't win national championships in football without loading up on one top recruiting class after another.

In basketball, you start 5 players and need approximately an 8 player rotation to compete. A 4-6 player class, determined to be a top recruiting class, can create more problems then it solves. Just look at Brenda's top recruiting class from last year, or DD and her posse at UNC.

In basketball, I would much rather have one or two great players and a solid supporting class. Think about DT after the 01-02 season or even Aja Wilson last year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

More common than you'd think:
2005 Texas class didn't make the Final Four
2008 Tennessee and Rutgers had top classes and didn't make it
2010 Duke never made it
2011 Tennessee never made it
2013 UNC never made it
2014 UCLA hasn't made it yet
2015 Duke doesn't appear likely to make the FF.

Nice list! Thanks! I see that a certain school in the Northeast is NOT listed.

 

[nwhoopfan]

In summary, having the #1 overall class ranking doesn't mean squat.

bingo

 

[Golden Husky]

Maybe this will help when the haters start claiming "UConn gets all the best players" again this season.

Maybe it's the case that UConn doesn't "get all the best players" but superior coaching helps them maximize their potential better than any program in the country.

 

[Paesano]

Which, again, brings me back to the question, why is any top recruit choosing Tenn these days?

 

[oldude]

Which, again, brings me back to the question, why is any top recruit choosing Tenn these days?

Knoxville has some pretty good barbecue.

 

[CBus13]

Yes, you are correct, it was Nurse who was rated 2 spots behind Ekmark at 31. Here's the 2014 HG final ratings 2014 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings - espnW 100 - ESPN
Take a look at the list, who the 2-10 were than 16-31. Some hits and misses. At least most of the names are still relevant but there are a group of #8-12 ranking who are missing in action.

That class has had a lot of turnover and injuries.

7. Jatarie White - Didn't do much at South Carolina, Transferred to Texas. She committed to a program that was basically stacked at her position, and then transferred to another program with the same problem.

8. LaJahna Drummer - She had some injury this past year where she didn't play until January..but not sure what it was?
Min Avg.: 18.4, Pts Avg.: 5.7 Rebounds Avg. 5.2 (over her freshmen and sophomore years, they haven't updated to included her Junior year)

9. Lynée Belton - Was a strong player but had a lot of injuries and has since retired from basketball. Tore her ACL her freshmen season, Redshirted her Sophomore year, suffered another knee injury her redshirt Sophomore year before the NCAA tournament.
Pts. Avg.: 1.6 Rebounds: 1.7 (Her last season)

12. Gabby Green - Struggled with her shot, but led the team in assists and steals - she missed a stretch of 5 games during her sophomore season and then transferred to Loyola Marymount.
Minutes Avg. 33.9, Rebounds: 5.4, Points: 6.7, Steals: 1.9, Assists 4.

15. Mckenzie Calvert - Transferred to Kansas from USC. Involved in some off the court issues with Josh Jackson (Number 3?? draft pick this past draft) and was suspended from play for a bit and has now transferred again, destination unknown.
At USC averaged 10.2pts a game, 2.1 rebounds a game, 1 assist per game.
Nearly identical stats at Kansas: 10.2pts, 2.3 rbds, 1.5 assists.

16. Sierra Calhoun - Had her drama at Duke, left midseason, is now at Ohio State.
Last Season - Averaged 9.5 points, led Ohio State in field goal percentage from behind the arc (which is surprising to me..)
Duke - Averaged 10.1pts, 3.9 rebounds, 104 assists.

17. Sadie Edwards - seems to have individual success at USC.
At USC - Averaging 10.1 pts, 2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals.

18. Taylor Rooks - Seems she just quietly left Stanford for Harvard after her freshmen year. (She's from the east coast so maybe homesick?)
Averaged 5.9 pts, .4 assists,

19. Receé Caldwell - Transferred to Texas Tech where I think her dad was an assistant coach.
Past season - Averaged 14.5pts, 2.8 Rebounds

22. Asia Robeson - Transferred to Western Michigan (she's from Kalamazoo, Michigan) from Auburn.
She is no longer on the WMU roster. So she is missing in action...haha

Majority of these players either committed to less featured programs or transferred to them. So that would explain their missing in action status.

 

[Paesano]

Knoxville has some pretty good barbecue.

Maybe Kevin Ollie should open a barbecue place in Storrs then...

 

[Nuyoika]

Which, again, brings me back to the question, why is any top recruit choosing Tenn these days?

1. Playing time. (Largely the most important factor)
2. They believe they will be "the players" to turn the ship back around.
3. They wholeheartedly believe in the vision that was sold to them by the staff that recruited them & their involvement in it, as well as their ability to hold up their end of the bargain.

I'm more interested in seeing how many stay 4 years. Seems like all teams in the Top 25 that recruit even half way decent lose at least 1 player yearly.

 

[CocoHusky]

1. Playing time. (Largely the most important factor)
2. They believe they will be "the players" to turn the ship back around.
3. They wholeheartedly believe in the vision that was sold to them by the staff that recruited them & their involvement in it, as well as their ability to hold up their end of the bargain.

I'm more interested in seeing how many stay 4 years. Seems like all teams in the Top 25 that recruit even half way decent lose at least 1 player yearly.

4. They obviously do read the BY and therefore cannot possibly have formed a correct ( entirely evil ) opinion of TN.
5. They have obviously not seen The Blindside and could not possibly comprehend that Orange is a gaudy color.
6. They obviously knew in advance that Diamond would quit again and that basketball thing called an "assist" is now a realistic possibility.

 

[Nuyoika]

4. They obviously do read the BY and therefore cannot possibly have formed a correct ( entirely evil ) opinion of TN.
5. They have obviously not seen The Blindside and could not possibly comprehend that Orange is a gaudy color.
6. They obviously knew in advance that Diamond would quit again and that basketball thing called an "assist" is now a realistic possibility.

Mercedes would still have to catch the ball (She has quite a few fumbles. Almost like she caught the "Carson Syndrome" from the NFL last year.) and the guards would still have to finish.... we shall see my friend, we shall see.

 

[Charliebball]

Which, again, brings me back to the question, why is any top recruit choosing Tenn these days?

Say what we will about the deficiencies of the current coaching staff, the program still has a storied history and is very well supported..........I could see why a top recruit would want to be part of a team that brought back the magic...........

 

[CocoHusky]

Say what we will about the deficiencies of the current coaching staff, .....

 

[Rixxx]

With all due respect to Mercedes, perhaps the new guards (rookies) will put the ball in a place that Mercedes can catch it and at a velocity she can handle.
She still needs to develop a basic hook shot with both hands,

 

[CajunHusky]

A 4-6 player class, determined to be a top recruiting class, can create more problems then it solves. Just look at Brenda's top recruiting class from last year, or DD and her posse at UNC.

..... or the Dolson, Hartley, Engeln, Johnson, Walker class at UConn.

 

[CajunHusky]

With all due respect to Mercedes, perhaps the new guards (rookies) will put the ball in a place that Mercedes can catch it and at a velocity she can handle.
She still needs to develop a basic hook shot with both hands,

try as I can I just can't picture a two handed hook shot.

 

[DefenseBB]

That class has had a lot of turnover and injuries.

7. Jatarie White - Didn't do much at South Carolina, Transferred to Texas. She committed to a program that was basically stacked at her position, and then transferred to another program with the same problem.

8. LaJahna Drummer - She had some injury this past year where she didn't play until January..but not sure what it was?
Min Avg.: 18.4, Pts Avg.: 5.7 Rebounds Avg. 5.2 (over her freshmen and sophomore years, they haven't updated to included her Junior year)

9. Lynée Belton - Was a strong player but had a lot of injuries and has since retired from basketball. Tore her ACL her freshmen season, Redshirted her Sophomore year, suffered another knee injury her redshirt Sophomore year before the NCAA tournament.
Pts. Avg.: 1.6 Rebounds: 1.7 (Her last season)

12. Gabby Green - Struggled with her shot, but led the team in assists and steals - she missed a stretch of 5 games during her sophomore season and then transferred to Loyola Marymount.
Minutes Avg. 33.9, Rebounds: 5.4, Points: 6.7, Steals: 1.9, Assists 4.

15. Mckenzie Calvert - Transferred to Kansas from USC. Involved in some off the court issues with Josh Jackson (Number 3?? draft pick this past draft) and was suspended from play for a bit and has now transferred again, destination unknown.
At USC averaged 10.2pts a game, 2.1 rebounds a game, 1 assist per game.
Nearly identical stats at Kansas: 10.2pts, 2.3 rbds, 1.5 assists.

16. Sierra Calhoun - Had her drama at Duke, left midseason, is now at Ohio State.
Last Season - Averaged 9.5 points, led Ohio State in field goal percentage from behind the arc (which is surprising to me..)
Duke - Averaged 10.1pts, 3.9 rebounds, 104 assists.

17. Sadie Edwards - seems to have individual success at USC.
At USC - Averaging 10.1 pts, 2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals.

18. Taylor Rooks - Seems she just quietly left Stanford for Harvard after her freshmen year. (She's from the east coast so maybe homesick?)
Averaged 5.9 pts, .4 assists,

19. Receé Caldwell - Transferred to Texas Tech where I think her dad was an assistant coach.
Past season - Averaged 14.5pts, 2.8 Rebounds

22. Asia Robeson - Transferred to Western Michigan (she's from Kalamazoo, Michigan) from Auburn.
She is no longer on the WMU roster. So she is missing in action...haha

Majority of these players either committed to less featured programs or transferred to them. So that would explain their missing in action status.

That was pretty impressive, thank you. That is a lot of transferring though for those players especially considering these are highly sought after players who should be able to assess and assimilate into the program they like.Something to keep an eye on over the next few years.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Maybe it's the case that UConn doesn't "get all the best players" but superior coaching helps them maximize their potential better than any program in the country.

Been saying that for years. The one thing to remember is that the high quality of players UConn gets - while not unique and not "all the best players" - is necessary for the dominance UConn displays as well. Geno might win respectably with many other team's rosters, but the dominance and superior excellence is the combination of the recruits he gets and how he coaches them. It is one advantage of college coaches that they do their own "shopping" as Parcells would say.

 

[JoePgh]

..... or the Dolson, Hartley, Engeln, Johnson, Walker class at UConn.

What problems did that class create? I guess you could say that Samarie created a problem by leaving after one semester, but that only counts if the coaches could have recruited another front court player who was almost as good and who would have stayed. I think that is dubious.

Michala and Lauren made so little impact during their Husky careers that it really didn't matter that they were ever in Storrs. Again, that is a problem only if another player could have been recruited who was more talented and who would have stayed. Do we have any reason to believe that was the case?