Early January All-American Considerations

[JstVisiting]

If you are taking Boston off this list you need to move Zia Cooke onto it. Teams are literally triple teaming Boston to the point of being ridiculous and Zia is taking advantage of it. If SC remains the #1 team in the country one of those will be on it.

Assume Dawn Staley is unanimous Coach of the Year for everyone in this thread. She's undefeated against a top 30 schedule without a single All American, first or second team.

Just a bunch of scrappy, overachieving gym rats!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I'm not one who thinks Boston is less than a first team consideration, but doesn't Edwards deserve consideration of being a first team AA as well? If not, why from your perspective? There are a lot of players who are worthy of consideration and based off her play, I would think she's part of that group.

To me, it seems like Reese and Clark are near locks.

Boston seems like close to it but you never do know.

Not sure if that leaves sport for Edwards on first team.

 

[cancontent]

To me, it seems like Reese and Clark are near locks.

Boston seems like close to it but you never do know.

Not sure if that leaves sport for Edwards on first team.

I see three names in your reply. Unless, I missed/forgotten a previous post, who would be the other two ahead of Edwards?

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I'm not sure there is a coach in the country who would take anyone other than Boston as their first pick at center if they weren't allowed to draft their own player.

That makes Boston an obvious first team AA.

If you wanted to make it a choice between Boston and Reese for whatever reason then you could entertain the discussion (this is SEC POY debate and pretty valid), but Edwards is just a foolish suggestion unless all you've ever seen is a stat line and you can't comprehend minutes per game.

Wait. Now...granted this isn't exactly all science and math, but to say that Edwards as a selection amounts to being "foolish"...is foolish. I'm okay with anyone "feeling" Edwards wouldn't make their selections as 1st Team AA, but, if someone selected her as a 1st team AA...what argument(s) on the planet would support it being a foolish selection?

 

[LwrcasefaN]

I'm not sure there is a coach in the country who would take anyone other than Boston as their first pick at center if they weren't allowed to draft their own player.

That makes Boston an obvious first team AA.

If you wanted to make it a choice between Boston and Reese for whatever reason then you could entertain the discussion (this is SEC POY debate and pretty valid), but Edwards is just a foolish suggestion unless all you've ever seen is a stat line and you can't comprehend minutes per game.

BTW...I would pick Boston 1st in the WNBA draft, but that doesn't mean she's 1st team AA...THIS year. The draft is based more on a collection of work over multiple seasons. And...TBH..it is really an impossible task to pick 5 AAs out of a vast pool of talent. It's fun, but it's not realistic...for many reasons.

 

[GoChips20]

I’ll add to the debate. I think there’s a frontcourt player who should be a first-team All-American over both Boston and Edwards.

Mackenzie Holmes. Scoring more and shooting better than both. Leading a top-ten team night in and night out. Elite post defender also.

 

[cancontent]

I’ll add to the debate. I think there’s a frontcourt player who should be a first-team All-American over both Boston and Edwards.

Mackenzie Holmes. Scoring more and shooting better than both. Leading a top-ten team night in and night out. Elite post defender also.

Holmes definitely deserves to be in consideration. Man, a lot of good options this year.

 

[DefenseBB]

From the Efficiency stat perspective Holmes has 26.5 to Edwards 24.3 and Dorka's 24.5

For an edification point-Efficiency is "Points+rebounds+assists+blocks+steals-turnovers-missed field goals (field goals attempted minus field goals made)"

Basically, this credits all the positive efforts and debits all the negative ones (turnovers, missed shots).

MacKenzie Holmes has been wonderful this year with the only complaint being her assists to turnovers are a tad high. But the Efficiency score speaks for itself as she's 3rd among front court players with only Reese-36.8 and Siegrist-31.5 ahead of her.

 

[bballnut90]

Boston's ppg stats is not even in NCAA's top 200. AE is #81 and Lou is #86 in this NCAA summary.

I have never seen a first team AA's ppg is out of top 100 before.

NCAA College Women's Basketball DI current individual Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA Division I Women's Basketball leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.

www.ncaa.com

Haley Jones last year, Aliyah Boston 2 years ago, Lauren Cox 3 years ago. All first team all Americans with not top 100 ppg. Boston will be 1st team again this year barring something strange.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I see three names in your reply. Unless, I missed/forgotten a previous post, who would be the other two ahead of Edwards?

Probably a guard for one spot and then a wing/combo forward for the other.

But possible.

 

[ucbart]

Welp:

Did I call it or what?

Mid-season is here and the Boston hype machine is ramping up:

1. She was named to the NCAA first 5 this past week.
2. She was named ESPN POW
3. A blatant travel was featured on Sportscenter's twitter.

I can almost guarantee that Sunday's studio crew will start incessantly yapping about her and why she should be NPOY, citing her dominance on both sides of the ball in women's basketball that we haven't seen since BG. LOL

 

[Kaizen]

I can almost guarantee that Sunday's studio crew will start incessantly yapping about her and why she should be NPOY, citing her dominance on both sides of the ball in women's basketball that we haven't seen since BG. LOL

ESPN's NPOY is Caitlin Clark .... not Boston

Midseason predictions: Caitlin Clark for player of the year and women's Final Four picks

Halfway through the women's college basketball season, the ACC is the best conference (but the SEC will have the most impact on the bracket) and Caitlin Clark might have the edge over Aliyah Boston.

www.espn.com

 

[visitingcock]

ESPN's NPOY is Caitlin Clark ....

Midseason predictions: Caitlin Clark for player of the year and women's Final Four picks

Halfway through the women's college basketball season, the ACC is the best conference (but the SEC will have the most impact on the bracket) and Caitlin Clark might have the edge over Aliyah Boston.

www.espn.com

Uhm, that says "might."

Is it for best annual performance by an individual? Or the best annual performance by the best player on a dominant team? Two schools of thought.

Is it for best performance on one side of the same, say offense, or is it the best balanced performance offensively AND defensively?

Best personality during interviews might have something to do with deciding between a small number of candidates. Good works in the community?

BTW I love that Clark not only has a high PPG average - she also dishes out A LOT of assists to her teammates!

 

[ucbart]

ESPN's NPOY is Caitlin Clark .... not Boston

Midseason predictions: Caitlin Clark for player of the year and women's Final Four picks

Halfway through the women's college basketball season, the ACC is the best conference (but the SEC will have the most impact on the bracket) and Caitlin Clark might have the edge over Aliyah Boston.

www.espn.com

I realize this. But that's not who they want to give the award to, they just have to....right now. But the Boston hype machine, led by ESPN will gain speed quickly.

 

[SCspur]

I realize this. But that's not who they want to give the award to, they just have to....right now. But the Boston hype machine, led by ESPN will gain speed quickly.

When you’re the best player on the best team you shouldn’t be praised?

 

[Gamecockfan77]

If you swapped Boston and Clark, Iowa would improve imo.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

If you swapped Boston and Clark, Iowa would improve imo.

How so? Boston doesn’t fit into Iowas 3 point focused system. Their defense would still bad and unless Boston could replace the points per game of Clark I don’t see how a post with no shooting ability would be an improvement over the best guard in the country right now.

I do think Boston would look better on a team like Iowas because teams couldn’t double and triple team her.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

If you swapped Boston and Clark, Iowa would improve imo.

If Clark stopped with all the excessive 3s...Iowa would improve. In fact, if she ceded some of her attempts to other perimeter players, it would make them more difficult to defend. Clark is elite (scoring-wise), but the reality is that there are at least 3 other Iowa guards (spectators) that shoot better field goal percentages...and even from 3-point range. The crowd likes her "logo 3s", but how many really go in? She airmails at least 2 a game. Iowa's issue isn't at the center. Czinano is not chopped liver. SC needs a Clark more than Iowa needs Boston.

 

[The deacon]

If Clark stopped with all the excessive 3s...Iowa would improve. In fact, if she ceded some of her attempts to other perimeter players, it would make them more difficult to defend. Clark is elite (scoring-wise), but the reality is that there are at least 3 other Iowa guards (spectators) that shoot better field goal percentages...and even from 3-point range. The crowd likes her "logo 3s", but how many really go in? She airmails at least 2 a game. Iowa's issue isn't at the center. Czinano is not chopped liver. SC needs a Clark more than Iowa needs Boston.

If you notice that as Iowa's offense and shooting has generally improved as the season has progressed, Caitlin has taken less threes. For her last seven games, dating back to Christmas, she's shooting 21 of 48 from outside the arc, a nearly 44 percent rate.

I'll also opine that those other Hawkeyes who have 40+ percentages, Warnock, Martin and Davis, can all thank their lucky stars, and probably do, that they have such open looks because defenses always focus on Clark. I'd bet that if Caitlin had plenty of time to shoot wide-open threes, she'd hit a higher percentage, too.

As for Czinano, I'm a fan, but she also should know well that she's such an impact player because Clark regularly delivers on-the-money passes to her in the paint.

As for a Boston-for-Clark swap, wow! My first question would be how well would coaches Staley and Bruder be able to adapt? I think it'd be easier for the Gamecocks because it has players such as Cardoso, if not the overall skill level of Aliyah but darned good in the post. Nobody else on Iowa can approach what Caitlin does for the Hawkeyes.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

If you notice that as Iowa's offense and shooting has generally improved as the season has progressed, Caitlin has taken less threes. For her last seven games, dating back to Christmas, she's shooting 21 of 48 from outside the arc, a nearly 44 percent rate.

I'll also opine that those other Hawkeyes who have 40+ percentages, Warnock, Martin and Davis, can all thank their lucky stars, and probably do, that they have such open looks because defenses always focus on Clark. I'd bet that if Caitlin had plenty of time to shoot wide-open threes, she'd hit a higher percentage, too.

As for Czinano, I'm a fan, but she also should know well that she's such an impact player because Clark regularly delivers on-the-money passes to her in the paint.

As for a Boston-for-Clark swap, wow! My first question would be how well would coaches Staley and Bruder be able to adapt? I think it'd be easier for the Gamecocks because it has players such as Cardoso, if not the overall skill level of Aliyah but darned good in the post. Nobody else on Iowa can approach what Caitlin does for the Hawkeyes.

Honestly, I haven't closely watched trending when it comes to Clark. Just my feel from watching their games. In this swap...I think the adjustment would fall on the players...more so Clark. She wouldn't have to do everything. I don't know who coaches the Iowa posts, but they are very good. Having said that...not sure they would make any noticeable improvement to Boston's skills.

Clark is good...not debating that, but her ball dominance and shot selection is part of the reason she gets double and triple teamed and no doubt impacts her shooting percentages. She's their point guard so I would expect her to find those open shooters. It would relieve some of the pressure on herself. I'm simply a firm believer that a team with four or five consistent scoring threats... that command the defense's attention...elevates that team. And it's good that she's shooting less 3s because she has no problem getting to the rim for a higher percentage shot. And on many of those drives...she gets fouled, and it places pressure on the defense. I do believe there's such a thing as overuse of players and/or their skills when it's not actually necessary. Credit to Clark that she isn't burnt out.

 

[GoChips20]

Clark makes some poor decisions no doubt and I’m not the biggest fan personally but no player is perfect and it seems ridiculous to criticize a player averaging 27/8/8 on 46% shooting.

As for a Boston/Clark swap, that would leave each of their respective teams worse off IMO. System is everything.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

How so? Boston doesn’t fit into Iowas 3 point focused system. Their defense would still bad and unless Boston could replace the points per game of Clark I don’t see how a post with no shooting ability would be an improvement over the best guard in the country right now.

I do think Boston would look better on a team like Iowas because teams couldn’t double and triple team her.

I think their defense and rebounding would improve dramatically.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

I think their defense and rebounding would improve dramatically.

Both of those things are team skills. One player would improve them but they don’t have strong enough rebounders or defenders to win that way.

 

[Iowa57]

A Boston for Clark swap would create problems for Iowa from a roster construction perspective. The most glaring is on defense. Czinano isn't fast enough to guard anyone but the 5 in a player-to-player defense, but putting Boston on the other team's 4 limits her ability to rebound and protect the rim. They could try zone instead, but again Czinano really isn't quick enough to guard a corner in a 2-3 zone.

Offensively, that would leave Molly Davis as Iowa's only PG. Last year, Clark played 40 minutes or close in basically every big game because Iowa's offense completely fell apart when she was off the floor. An Iowa team with Boston would be in trouble every minute Davis wasn't on the floor.

Plus Clark is the only Iowa guard that can get to the basket with regularity. Swap Boston for Clark and Iowa would have a ton of spacing issues with two posts and no guard that can reliably take a defender off the dribble.

Boston is a great player, but I don't think swapping her for Clark would make Iowa better and there's a good chance it would make Iowa worse just due to fit.

 

[visitingcock]

As long as SCar is undefeated, its team bedrock, Boston, will be first team..

Now, if/when we lose one . . .