Asia Durr to Louisville

[UConnCat]

I guess that was why HoopGurlz ranked her #12. Apparently, that was high enough for UConn to offer her a scholarship.

UConn offered a scholarship to Hammond but not to Smith or Vails.

 

[Outside Shot]

It's really not worth the time it takes, but you think I can't look this stuff up? Clearly they've done well.

Walz pulls in major haul
Posted on November 12, 2009 by admin
Jeff Walz landed top-15 recruiting class in his first two years at the University of Louisville.

After making it to the NCAA championship game, Walz upped the rating this time around landing what has been ranked as high as the No. 4 recruiting class in the country.

“The class is ranked No. 4 and No. 9 by HoopGurlz, No. 4 by Blue Star basketball and No. 6 by the All-Star Girls Report.

The two highest-ranked players in the class are point guardCharmaine Tay - ranked No. 17 by HoopGurlz – and centerSheronne Vails – who is No. 17 by the All-Star Girls Report.

(Edited - please don't post copyrighted material in it's entirety)

Sherrone Vails Verbals To Lady Cards
Charlie Springer • August 3, 2009 • 1 Comment

Sherrone Vails, a 6-foot-4 player from Odeton, Md., became the fourth top recruit to give her word to coach Jeff Walz to play for the Lady Cards.

ESPN: “She has incredible mobility for her size and gets up and down the floor with the guards. When she does get the ball in scoring position she’s able to finish and presents a real threat. Lots of potential will have them lining up at her door.”

She picked U of L over Duke, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Purdue, Villanova and Wake Forest.

 

[UConnCat]

Jody Demling @jdemling · 13h
Asia Durr (@A_Hooper25) said she's close friends with top 10 prospect and U of L target @Arike_O and noted that she will "be in her ear."

 

[John Glass]

It's really not worth the time it takes, but you think I can't look this stuff up? Clearly they've done well.

Walz pulls in major haul
Posted on November 12, 2009 by admin
Jeff Walz landed top-15 recruiting class in his first two years at the University of Louisville.

After making it to the NCAA championship game, Walz upped the rating this time around landing what has been ranked as high as the No. 4 recruiting class in the country.

“We have used our success on the court over the past two years to build momentum in our recruiting,” Walz said. “We are very excited with the direction this program is going and plan to continue our pursuit of championships in the Big East and the NCAA.”

The class is ranked No. 4 and No. 9 by HoopGurlz, No. 4 by Blue Star basketball and No. 6 by the All-Star Girls Report.

The two highest-ranked players in the class are point guardCharmaine Tay - ranked No. 17 by HoopGurlz – and centerSheronne Vails – who is No. 17 by the All-Star Girls Report.

Tay averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as a junior. She was a first-team All-State performer as a junior.

“Charmaine is a dynamic point guard who can get to the rim on anyone,” Tay said. “She will make an immediate impact on our program with her size and her ability to lead a team.”

The 6-4 Vails averaged 11.9 points and 8.4 rebounds a game and collected 103 blocked shots and 57 steals last season as a junior.

“She is an intimidating force with her shot blocking abilities and will thrive in the open court transition game we are accustomed to here at Louisville,” Walz said. “There is no doubt she will be a major contributor on both ends of the court for years to come.”

Marion (Ohio) Harding Shawnta’ Dyer finished her junior season averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds a game. The 6-1 wing set a school record for scoring as a junior.

“She is long and athletic and fits our style of play perfectly,” Walz said.

Christian Academy’s Antonita Slaughter was a first-team All-State selection by The Courier-Journal last season when she averaged 14.3 points a game and helped lead the Lady Centurions to the Seventh Region title.

Slaughter hit 64.1 percent from the field as a junior.

“We are excited to once again sign the best player in the state that has a desire to win a National Championship,” Walz said. “She will make an immediate impact on our program.”

The final member of the class is Kansas City Hickman Mills wing Polly Harrington. The 6-foot Harrington averaged 15.5 points and 8.7 rebounds a game as a junior.

“Her hustle and determination will set her apart and will enable her to become a major part of our success,” Walz said.


The 6-foot-4 Vails, ranked as the No. 5 center in the nation by Hoopgurlz.com, said she was pumped about her future after talking with coach Jeff Walz and his staff.

“I can’t wait to see how he’s going to develop me and make me better as a player,” she said. “I’m excited to see what kind of player I can be.”

Sherrone Vails Verbals To Lady Cards
Charlie Springer • August 3, 2009 • 1 Comment
The man knows how to recruit.

Still another big-time verbal for the University of Louisville women’s basketball team.

Sherrone Vails, a 6-foot-4 player from Odeton, Md., became the fourth top recruit to give her word to coach Jeff Walz to play for the Lady Cards.

ESPN: “She has incredible mobility for her size and gets up and down the floor with the guards. When she does get the ball in scoring position she’s able to finish and presents a real threat. Lots of potential will have them lining up at her door.”

She picked U of L over Duke, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Purdue, Villanova and Wake Forest.

Vails averaged 11 ppg in a very weak league, a big-time verbal ??? nice try

If Vails was so good why didn't Maryland recruit her ? when the home state school 30 miles away shows little interest, she may not be very good. Claiming someone who has averaged 4 ppg 3 rebs is a great player is absurd.

 

[Orangutan]

Jody Demling @jdemling · 13h
Asia Durr (@A_Hooper25) said she's close friends with top 10 prospect and U of L target @Arike_O and noted that she will "be in her ear."

And yet...she looked pretty happy at Notre Dame: http://instagram.com/p/suiHhVQs5k/

 

[UConnCat]

And yet...she looked pretty happy at Notre Dame: http://instagram.com/p/suiHhVQs5k/

Oh my. She smiled for a photo. That settles it. She's ND-bound.

I would be very surprised it she chose Louisville.

 

[triaddukefan]

Jody Demling @jdemling · 13h
Asia Durr (@A_Hooper25) said she's close friends with top 10 prospect and U of L target @Arike_O and noted that she will "be in her ear."

They are still recruiting more guards ?

 

[Orangutan]

Oh my. She smiled for a photo. That settles it. She's ND-bound.

I would be very surprised it she chose Louisville.

I never said all that...just a bit of banter that's all.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

DeGrate is an impact post player ? really, I have not seen her rated very high anywhere.

if Louisville is going to contend for a National Championship they need a lot of help inside

Jeff Walz has been a master of getting the most out of 6-1/6-2 players who can use to as part of a five-out, motion offense, where the de facto post players (PF and C types) are tremendous outside threats, both from the midrange (outside the paint) and from three - Antonia Slaughter, Sara Hammond, Asia Taylor, etc., but also going back to players like Candyce Bingham (part of the two-player tandem with Angel McCoughtry on the 2009 Final Four team), Monique Reid, etc.

His offense is very versatile, in that it allows a lot of freedom for creative players and creators (e.g., Shoni Schimmel, Angel McCoughtry), but it also maximizes mismatches and matchups but drawing out these 6-1/6-2 players and making them outside threats. It is a very diverse offense (this is something Gail Goestenkors used to do with players like Alison Bales in the high post and Iciss Tillis from the perimeter), and he has been very successful with it.

DeGrate is important because the team needs size, for defense and rebounding (and to at least be a threat on offense so teams cannot lay off and Louisville does not have to play 4-on-5). Her skillset is going to be very complementary to the Cardinals' roster of wings, combo forwards, and fluid 6-1/6-2 types. While her ranking may not be that high, it is about the fit...and the fit with Louisville is perfect.

Side note...Had Mercedes Russell picked Louisville, it would not have been an issue. And I think Russell would have been a better fit with Louisville with her skillset than Tennessee. Not saying she will not be a great player with the Lady Vols; it is just my opinion that her skillset is better suited toward Walz's system.

 

[Artifact]

Durr's decision leaves wide open the door for "Crystal Dangerfield' to UConn.

 

[doggydaddy]

Jeff Walz has been a master of getting the most out of 6-1/6-2 players who can use to as part of a five-out, motion offense, where the de facto post players (PF and C types) are tremendous outside threats, both from the midrange (outside the paint) and from three - Antonia Slaughter, Sara Hammond, Asia Taylor, etc., but also

I agree with everything but listing Hammond in that group. She has a decent mid-range shot but only shot 28% on 3's last year, 21% her soph year and 20% her freshman year. Far from a tremendous outside threat.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I agree with everything but listing Hammond in that group. She has a decent mid-range shot but only shot 28% on 3's last year, 21% her soph year and 20% her freshman year. Far from a tremendous outside threat.

"Outside shot" refers to "outside the paint." I was referring to the group collectively as both, but you are right in that Hammond's three point shot is not as good as her mid-range game.

 

[UConnCat]

I agree with everything but listing Hammond in that group. She has a decent mid-range shot but only shot 28% on 3's last year, 21% her soph year and 20% her freshman year. Far from a tremendous outside threat.

Hammond took only 36 three-pointers last year and 33 her soph season. Asia Taylor took one last year. Louisville's threats from beyond the arc were its guards: Shoni, Gibbs, Slaughter and JudeS. Taylor had a decent 12-foot shot which UConn was willing to concede. Geno's approach to defending L'ville was to limit the 3s from its guards knowing it would never make enough 2-pointers to win.

 

[doggydaddy]

Hammond took only 36 three-pointers last year and 33 her soph season. Asia Taylor took one last year. Louisville's threats from beyond the arc were its guards: Shoni, Gibbs, Slaughter and JudeS. Taylor had a decent 12-foot shot which UConn was willing to concede. Geno's approach to defending L'ville was to limit the 3s from its guards knowing it would never make enough 2-pointers to win.

Yeah, I didn't look up Taylor. And you are correct. Slaughter is listed as a guard.

 

[Vowelguy]

I take it when you do your composite you don't respect the ESPN player rankings? Just curious

I use:
ASGR, ProspectsNation, BlueStar, FullCourt, ESPN

 

[Outside Shot]

Cam, I like your stuff. I have seen Louisville play in person around 10 times. I don't agree that the offense has freedom. They run a ton of sets and he calls out the play on most possessions. He sort if reminds me of Harry P from Villanova with how he is very controlling of the players. They have had success with it, so it has worked.

 

[Husky1964]

Basketbll aside how does a bright kid,(Duke, ND) choose an academic wasteland such as LCC???

 

[Gate81]

let's be careful about the academic wasteland comment...it clearly is a situation where other factors mattered more to her than the academics. Quite frankly and with all due respect to UConn's #19 public univ ranking, one could make an analogy to KLS choosing UConn over Stanford.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Cam, I like your stuff. I have seen Louisville play in person around 10 times. I don't agree that the offense has freedom. They run a ton of sets and he calls out the play on most possessions. He sort if reminds me of Harry P from Villanova with how he is very controlling of the players. They have had success with it, so it has worked.

The irony being that Harry P's offense has a lot of freedom, in terms of versatility of players, shot selection, etc.

Running set plays is not the same as an offense not having freedom. For example, Shoni Schimmel and Angel McCoughtry had longer leashes (especially in their respective senior seasons) to dictate the offense, rather than going through set plays, because they were the creators (for themselves and others). Additionally, inverting the guards/forwards in terms of expected shot selection, etc., is part of offensive freedom.

As an example, at Duke, McCallie wants guard to shoot from the outside and post players to be inside (with a post player only venturing out of the paint in a bigger zone on defense, by being placed at the foul line and extended beyond). Walz uses the existing skills his players have and develop their versatility, especially with his forwards (the 6-1/6-2 types I mentioned in my original post in this thread). He takes advantages of mismatches and forces teams to adjust to him. This is why Duke is a much easier team to defend for opposing coaches because there is not the offensive variety or the "unexpected" for which they have to prepare.

Re-reading your post, I see what you are saying. Walz is dictating a good amount, but he gives his players the freedom to maximize their skills, rather than delineating their roles solely based on designated position.

 

[doggydaddy]

let's be careful about the academic wasteland comment...it clearly is a situation where other factors mattered more to her than the academics. Quite frankly and with all due respect to UConn's #19 public univ ranking, one could make an analogy to KLS choosing UConn over Stanford.

One could, but they'd be wrong.

Using the entire rankings, Stanford is 4 and Uconn is 58.

Looking at Durr's choices, Duke is 8, Notre Dame is 16, Maryland is 62, Baylor is 68.

Louisville is 161.

Wasteland might be a little harsh, but it's not far off.

 

[wallman]

One could, but they'd be wrong.

Using the entire rankings, Stanford is 4 and Uconn is 58.

Looking at Durr's choices, Duke is 8, Notre Dame is 16, Maryland is 62, Baylor is 68.

Louisville is 161.

Wasteland might be a little harsh, but it's not far off.

DD is right, KLS family is obviously very smart and realized they wanted great coaching and academics!

Sorry couldn't help myself!

 

[Gate81]

just making the relative point that one school is way better academically than the other so the academics were not the driving factor. UConn at 58 is 14.5* the numerical academic ranking of Stanford in the example above. Let's say she didn't want to go to Duke because she wasn't comfortable with the coaching caliber, then her best option was Notre Dame at 16. Multiply that by 14.5 and you get -- 232...so relatively speaking she gave up LESS academically with her decision than KLS did.

Which do you think is a greater differential when applying for a job or having on your resume OUTSIDE OF BBALL: Notre Dame vs. Louisville, or Stanford vs. UConn?
I know people here are UConn basketball fans but the point mentioned was an ACADEMIC comparison. Besides, Shoni apparently was a good student but she wanted a particular situation so chose Louisville.

Just saying we should not throw stones....

 

[Husky1964]

Huh???Take the top 25 girls with the highest SAT scores who are good enough for D1. Give them a choice of 3 schools UC, Stanford or LLC. Assuming they all would play , how many would pick LLC? Point made. A girl who can enroll at UC Duke or ND chooses LLC? MIND BOGGLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Outside Shot]

We'll just have to disagree on this one.

The irony being that Harry P's offense has a lot of freedom, in terms of versatility of players, shot selection, etc.

Running set plays is not the same as an offense not having freedom. For example, Shoni Schimmel and Angel McCoughtry had longer leashes (especially in their respective senior seasons) to dictate the offense, rather than going through set plays, because they were the creators (for themselves and others). Additionally, inverting the guards/forwards in terms of expected shot selection, etc., is part of offensive freedom.

As an example, at Duke, McCallie wants guard to shoot from the outside and post players to be inside (with a post player only venturing out of the paint in a bigger zone on defense, by being placed at the foul line and extended beyond). Walz uses the existing skills his players have and develop their versatility, especially with his forwards (the 6-1/6-2 types I mentioned in my original post in this thread). He takes advantages of mismatches and forces teams to adjust to him. This is why Duke is a much easier team to defend for opposing coaches because there is not the offensive variety or the "unexpected" for which they have to prepare.

Re-reading your post, I see what you are saying. Walz is dictating a good amount, but he gives his players the freedom to maximize their skills, rather than delineating their roles solely based on designated position.

 

[rvwsleep]

just making the relative point that one school is way better academically than the other so the academics were not the driving factor. UConn at 58 is 14.5* the numerical academic ranking of Stanford in the example above. Let's say she didn't want to go to Duke because she wasn't comfortable with the coaching caliber, then her best option was Notre Dame at 16. Multiply that by 14.5 and you get -- 232...so relatively speaking she gave up LESS academically with her decision than KLS did.

Which do you think is a greater differential when applying for a job or having on your resume OUTSIDE OF BBALL: Notre Dame vs. Louisville, or Stanford vs. UConn?
I know people here are UConn basketball fans but the point mentioned was an ACADEMIC comparison. Besides, Shoni apparently was a good student but she wanted a particular situation so chose Louisville.

Just saying we should not throw stones....

Your "multiple" example doesn't hold water. Let's say the recruit turned down the #1 academic school to play for the #20 school. 20 times in your analogy.
Is that the same as turning down Duke (#8) for Louisville at #161. Arithmetically, virtually the same difference. But would anybody actually think that way ?