Bianca Cuevas Verbals to South Carolina

[doggydaddy]

A 12 seed that beat a 5 seed on the 5 seed's homecourt, yeah. A 12 seed that had a soon to be WNBA starter on it. A 12 seed that also went to the Sweet 16 a year earlier. It was a see-saw game, nothing to be ashamed of.

SC has improved its overall and conference records every year Staley has been there. Now she's adding the talent her teams have lacked to get over this next hump. Most people would say that's a fine job, but YMMV.

No, it's never a fine job for a 4 seed to lose to a 12 seed. And the game was in Boulder Colorado. Almost 900 miles away from the Kansas home court. It was a close and competitive game. That was the problem.

2013 class - 28th ranked player
2014 class - 32nd and 44th ranked player.

Sounds decent, but fine? I disagree.

 

[EricLA]

South Carolina is a team that was a cellar dweller in the SEC just a few years ago. In the past two seasons, they have won 3 NCAA tournament games. They had 0 in ten years prior. Staley has that program moving in the right direction . A lot of players will find that attractive, especially when it is a Hall of Famer (as a player) waving that scholarship offer at you.

Delaware had 0 NCAA victories probably ever, but the past 2 years have won 3. Exactly the same as SC. So they are on the same trajectory?

I'm being a bit sarcastic since the Blue Hens won't be winning anything now that their star is gone, but my point is getting a bunch of kids ranked in the 30's and beyond, with the occasional kid in the top 25, really won't get you too far. But, I am interested to see how SC does the next several years, regardless of whether they land Wilson or not.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

“Legacy(ies)” is/are, apparently, easier to talk about than accomplish.

 

[Goodies07]

Delaware had 0 NCAA victories probably ever, but the past 2 years have won 3. Exactly the same as SC. So they are on the same trajectory?

I'm being a bit sarcastic since the Blue Hens won't be winning anything now that their star is gone, but my point is getting a bunch of kids ranked in the 30's and beyond, with the occasional kid in the top 25, really won't get you too far. But, I am interested to see how SC does the next several years, regardless of whether they land Wilson or not.

I'm lost as to what the actual argument is here. Did someone say they are a final four caliber program right now pulling in multiple blue chip recruits a year? The only argument I've seen made here is that Dawn Staley has taken a perennial afterthought of a team and turned them into a respectable unit that can at least compete on a national stage. To me, that's coaching. Especially when you're in a Big 5 conference and producing with the implied lack of "talent" at your disposal.

Where they go from here obviously remains to be seen, but the results for Staley at South Carolina have clearly been positive. There's a reason USCe gave their right and left foot just to keep her this offseason.

 

[hjoerring]

I find these commentaries on Stacey to be interesting because she is one of the up and coming young female head coaches that I have admired. Last year when there were much discussions about who might replace coach A I had the gall to think that her name should be in the pot, especially if we were thinking outside the box/family. I'm glad that I kept my mouth shut on the matter. I am with those who think that she is doing a good job at SC. If she is able to recruit Wilson and another big name that would help. Obviously, being a good coach is not enough, place matters. Can she build a name for wbb at SC- do they really care. I think we are fooling ourselves if we believe that coaching is the key to it all. RESOURCES. RESOURCES-- BIG MONEY.

 

[ctchamps]

One great player is not going to put South Carolina in the final four.

I think Rebecca Lobo is proof that getting that first great recruit could be the start of incredible things. Of course the coach has to know how to put the ingredients together but without seasoning that sizzles the product will be bland!

 

[Marie Diaz]

wonder if she will qualify academically.

 

[Wonkster]

wonder if she will qualify academically.

Is there a problem?

 

[Wonkster]

“Legacy(ies)” is/are, apparently, easier to talk about than accomplish.

Fuhgeddaboudit, Oz - they're just pulling our leg - uh, see?

 

[Fightin Choke]

Is there a problem?

I believe Marie is referring to Bianca Cuevas, not A'ja Wilson. And I do not know if there is an academic issue with Cuevas (nor should anyone know except for the people who need to know).

 

[Wonkster]

I believe Marie is referring to Bianca Cuevas, not A'ja Wilson. And I do not know if there is an academic issue with Cuevas (nor should anyone know except for the people who need to know).

And so I understood Marie's post exactly that way. Don't get why you thought otherwise.

Where did you ever get the notion that academic problems for recruits are secrets? The news about grades or academic course deficiencies surface all the time in college sports.

 

[Fightin Choke]

And so I understood Marie's post exactly that way. Don't get why you thought otherwise.

Marie's post lacked context and this thread has discussed both Cuevas and Wilson, so I thought you were worried that Marie was suggesting A'ja was somehow academically suspect.

Where did you ever get the notion that academic problems for recruits are secrets? The news about grades or academic course deficiencies surface all the time in college sports.

Sure, these deficiencies sometimes surface, but that's a violation of a student's privacy. As a college professor, I am constantly reminded that FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) restricts the release of any academic records without the student's consent. When parents email or call me to inquire about their child's performance, I cannot even confirm that their child has recently attended class, never mind discussing their academic performance.

 

[Wonkster]

... Sure, these deficiencies sometimes surface, but that's a violation of a student's privacy. As a college professor, I am constantly reminded that FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) restricts the release of any academic records without the student's consent. When parents email or call me to inquire about their child's performance, I cannot even confirm that their child has recently attended class, never mind discussing their academic performance.

Then I guess all that protection goes out the window when the NCAA rejects some baller's high school credits and tells him/her that he can't put on a uni and has to ride the bench.