Arizona?
- Thread starter HuskyNan
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Words like "toxic environment" are starting to be linked to former players.
BRS24
LisaG
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Arizona women’s basketball could have seven players available for the rest of the season
Arizona women’s basketball has been playing with seven players available for two straight games and it looks like that’s what to expect going forward. Before the season, Wildcat head coach Adia...
www.azdesertswarm.com
Shorter roster to generate more playing time results in this when there are multiple injuries:
Montaya Dew underwent ACL surgery before the season. Salimatou Kourouma underwent surgery to repair a dislocation on her left shoulder. Erin Tack also underwent surgery to repair her torn ACL, and Maya Nnaji left the team for academic and other reasons that have not been publicly defined.
Also recently Kailyn Gilbert has been out for the last two games. Gilbert warmed up before Friday’s game against Cal but did not play and at Sunday’s game against Stanford she was in sweats for all of the warmups and the game. Barnes didn’t give much information about why Gilbert has been out.
TheFarmFan
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Though equally fair to say "toxic work ethic" was linked to the former players too. I think Barnes mismanaged her roster as a result of changes to the portal, recruiting over her own freshmen with transfers who were actually quite bad fits. I think she recognized this and tried to the right the ship, but the result of a shorter roster (which guarantees playing time) is the risk of injuries like this. Honestly though, not much different from what Geno faced last season, and no one thinks he has a "toxic environment."
Watched Zona when they played Stanford and the players really seemed bought in. They were hustling like nobody's business for 40 minutes despite having a 7-deep rotation. They're really disruptive on defense, and just need better shooters to be a dangerous team.
KnightBridgeAZ
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Yes about the bad fits - but also, her commitment to them over other players was part of the mismanagement. Yes, I've posted a lot that she recognized her error.
The toxic issues were not last year - that was just the mismanagement of the roster, but the year before, and, at least from one person who was acquainted with a player and talked to them, centered around the work ethic issue. Again, to the mismanagement, apparently Adia didn't deal well with it. She seems to have had an epiphany.
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I haven’t followed it very closely. I’d think the friends from high school, Breya Cunningham and Jada Williams could be the core of something special. The loss of Nnaji is bound to hurt. But Barnes should be able to build something around those two.
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Don't overlook Gilbert as part of that core.
KnightBridgeAZ
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Don't be so sure. She wanted this one. She didn't name her, but the school fits so I assume it has to be the one she was mentioned.
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My point is this is her 1st for 2024
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TCU did the same thing a week earlier. They were able to add a Volleyball player and three freshmen, all classified as walk-ons. The Horned Frogs have a first year coach who got the team off to their best start ever. Injuries decimated the roster.
TCU women's basketball team adds 4 walk-ons after holding open tryouts
The team has added Piper Davis, Ella Hamlin, Mekhayla Moore and Sarah Sylvester, who is already a TCU athlete.
www.cbsnews.com
Arizona is trying to save face. They will not win a game the rest of the season.
KnightBridgeAZ
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Based on said recent event - perhaps her only, based on what she said. She is counting on retaining the current players, which we know has been a problem, but under her new philosophy . . . Only Esmery and Helena - both 5th years - have to leave this year. I think she expects Kourouma, a red shirt senior, back. For better or worse - the track athlete that walked on and was given a scholarship but never played due to injury suggested she will come back next year. So this would suggest 9 players, plus this recruit, plus an overseas player she said she is recruiting plus 2 select portal options = 13. At least, that's sort of what I took from her remarks. Obviously, although Adia is pretty frank, she obviously doesn't share everything.
Her biggest philosophy change is regarding the portal. Whereas she had been taking the best players she could get, it appears last year that she was selective, wanting multi-year athletes and turning away several folks that actually wanted to come.
I'm not saying she wouldn't take another recruit, of course, but she really likes the existing players. FWIW, Vivian Stringer followed a similar process when we were at Rutgers, or at least tried to - a major class followed by a year of not much, which seemed to work for her.
The kitties should beat the Sun Devils by 20 today in the dirty t. McKale will be rocking, Natasha's team is going to get All shook up.TCU did the same thing a week earlier. They were able to add a Volleyball player and three freshmen, all classified as walk-ons. The Horned Frogs have a first year coach who got the team off to their best start ever. Injuries decimated the roster.
TCU women's basketball team adds 4 walk-ons after holding open tryouts
The team has added Piper Davis, Ella Hamlin, Mekhayla Moore and Sarah Sylvester, who is already a TCU athlete.
Arizona is trying to save face. They will not win a game the rest of the season.
In December of the kitties destruction of the Sun Devils (91 to 52) included 13 for 20 from the three-point line. The Sun Devils have not improved or shown much interest in defending the perimeter so I expect Gilbert and Pueyo to be salivating.
nwhoopfan
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That took less than 24 hours to age poorly.
KnightBridgeAZ
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Gilbert is probably done for the season with unspecified (but definitely back related) issue. Our friends spoke to her at some point after the game today (her and the other injured were all on the bench) and she said that she is looking forward to next season.
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Dang. Wasn't aware she was dealing with a back issue.
A shame. She's got a motor, a great shot, and it's fearless. Certainly hope this resolves itself with rest.
KnightBridgeAZ
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The latest in the local paper is that the back - for which she sometimes wears a brace - isn't the reason she's out. Shrouded with mystery. Local paper suggests she might not be part of the future. Yikes. She was on the court and teasing around with her teammates pre-game and on the bench throughout the game. As I mentioned, our friends saw her post game and she said she would be back next year, but that's worth the value of anything else anyone says.
I won't speculate, I have no idea.
The sags/drama of the Barne's reign continues.
The challenge of the current era is considerable. Other schools in the soom to be defunct conference seem to manage this more effectively than Barnes.