McCoy Announces Final 6 (no UConn)

[Orangutan]

Now how about Blue Star and ASGR

A man/ape has to draw the line somewhere.

 

[Orangutan]

It would be interesting to see a redo of the 2014 ESPN rankings. No offense Mr Org. .... but I would take #82 Alexa Hart over #21 Westbeld any day of the week.

Totally fair, although Westbeld was pretty good for a freshman. That's more of a case of Hart being underrated than anything.

Of course, there are many holes than can be poked in these ratings. For example, are there really 24 better players in the class of 2013 than Lindsay Allen?

 

[triaddukefan]

Totally fair, although Westbeld was pretty good for a freshman. That's more of a case of Hart being underrated than anything.

Of course, there are many holes than can be poked in these ratings. For example, are there really 24 better players in the class of 2013 than Lindsay Allen?

I counted maybe 4-7 better .... (dont ask which)

The others have holes as well.... in 2014... Azura Stevens was #57 (prospects nation) #55 (blue star) #27 (ASGR) and #23 (Hoopzgurlz)

 

[MilfordHusky]

If a team is trying to be elite, the top 20 HS recruits are the key, even as imprecise as the rankings are. ND has way more of them than OSU does.

I think OSU may be able to challenge the Terps. But the B1G is not a strong conference for WCBB at the moment.

 

[j66kicker]

View attachment 10179

Actually Buck ESPN ( Disney) stock has been pretty good for me.

Time to cut and run though. ESPN is feeling very vulnerable to the "unbundling" movement happening with cable & streaming. They're busy dumping cost and trying to figure out a new revenue model. In my amateur opinion you should take your profits now (hopefully your gains are L.T.) and be happy.

 

[CBus13]

Kelsey Mitchell is very, very good. I don't dispute that.

I assume the HS AAs you are talking about are Chelsea Mitchell, Kianna Holland, and Makayla Waterman, none of whom were actually high-school AAs. Mitchell and Holland were unranked by ESPN. Waterman was ranked 99th.

And of course, neither Calhoun nor Mavunga are WCBB AAs. Calhoun was shooting 31.4% when she left Duke at midseason. Brianna Turner put up 29 pts, 18 reb, 7 blocks against Mavunga and North Carolina last year. Mavunga couldn't take minutes from Reimer (who everyone here said was terrible) at the Pan-Am Games.

Mitchell is great, Mavunga is good not great, Calhoun is an unknown quantity but has potential to be very good. Everybody else they have is way, way below the talent level of what ND has, besides Ameryst Alston who will be gone before Mavunga and Calhoun are able to play for Ohio State.

Holland was actually ranked in the top 40 in the nation. http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/121912/kianna-holland

Holland was Class of 2013, so that might be why you did not see her listed on ESPN.
She transferred schools and had an ACL tear so she sat out, I think a year, during high school. But she was highly regarded.
Holland was a Parade All-American her senior year.
So in a way she was a high school all American.

The other two (Chelsea and Makayla) were not. Waterman was a Nominee for McD's AA game but Chelsea was not. Waterman was not selected.

 

[CBus13]

You do realize tOSU returns the B1G Freshman of the Year and nation's leading scorer, as well as 3 HS AA's that were injured last season and next year they bring in Sierra Calhoun and Stephanie Mavunga two WCBB AA's both rated higher than any one ND has signed.

Mitchell was actually National Freshmen of the Year and B1G Player of the year as well. Holland is the only injured player who may be considered a HS All-American. Mitchell and Waterman were not close to that recognition.

Calhoun was a WBCA (HS) All-American her senior year. http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209417717
Calhoun was highly ranked in her year, but but Brianna Turner was ranked higher than her.

But will have sat out competitive matches for a year an a half before she plays again.

Mavunga, was ALL-ACC and was a Watch List for post season awards but was NOT an All-American in College. She was a McD's AA in high school.
Mavunga was highly ranked as well but a top 25 player, while Taya Reimer, was ranked in the top 6 by most services.

I don't doubt that both players are going to bring talent to tOSU team, only one has proven to be a quality college player but even she has area for improvement.

But ND has the bigger wealth of talent at this stage.

 

[triaddukefan]

The biggest problem tOSU has in passing the Irish is that they won't benefit from playing ND 3 or 4 times a season.

They need to pass Maryland first.

 

[Huskies Rule]

I think that with the exception of the elite, very-top-of-the-heap high school players, there are dozens of kids every year who either fail to live up to their reputations at the next level or were badly misevaluated before they ever got there. Azura Stevens, with a three service average rating of #45, is just one of many examples of a really inaccurate ratings process -unless you believe that the low evaluations were correct but great coaching at the next level bumped up her play I don't.

It was mentioned that OSU's Alexa Hart ranked #82 while ND's Westbeld was #22 and there was NO comparison between the two statistically. Hart was wayyy better. Hart also 'out-statisticked #4 ranked Taya Reimer big time last year, even though she only was a freshman. I'd take Hart in a hart-beat over Reimer on my team. And over Westbeld, of course. But I'd take Stevens over all of them, though her strengths are on offense while Hart is the better defender. Clearly the basketball experts missed the boat with these kids. And MANY others. Stevens and Hart are going to get better, and Westbeld likely will, too, but going into her third year, I can't see Reimer ever justifying that #4 ranking.

------------------------Points pg-----rebounds pg-----total blocks-----total t/o ----total steals--------FT %-----assists-----minutes pg
(#82)Alexa Hart--------12.0--------------9.0--------------129--------------64-----------31--------------48%---------25------------30
(#4) Taya Reimer------10.2--------------6.1----------------42--------------94-----------20--------------63%--------69------------25
(#22) Westbeld----------6.7--------------4.4---------------10--------------67------------40--------------71%---------64------------17
(#45)Azura Stevens------14---------------8.2---------------30--------------85-----------35--------------60%------- -56------------29

Obviously, numbers don't tell the whole story. Coaching, teammates, conference, and schedule all certainly matter. How to weigh those factors in, I do not know

 

[Tonyc]

Im just thinkin. Who is the ace in the hole. Cox??? McCoy not coming tells me UConn just may have someone in the wings. Maybe maybe not but I like what Im readin.

 

[Kibitzer]

Hart also 'out-statisticked #4 ranked Taya Reimer. I'd take Hart in a hart-beat over Reimer on my team. Clearly the basketball experts missed the boat with these kids. And MANY others.

Obviously, numbers don't tell the whole story. Coaching, teammates, conference, and schedule all certainly matter. How to weigh those factors in, I do not know

Ahem.

I admire your gift for creative prose (e.g., out-statisticked and hart-beat). More important, I agree with your persuasive analysis and comparison of Hart, Reimer, Stevens, and Westbeld.

How to weigh all the statistical factors? Geno's solution is basic and sound - he applies the old-fashioned eye test and seeks the answer to the Bill Russell question:

"Can she play?"​

 

[Huskies Rule]

Regarding Tori McCoy, who had ACL surgery just this past January 2015... maybe after all the difficult struggles Gabby and Morgan went through rehabbing their career-threatening knee injuries (two ACL's for Gabby and the even dicier Osteoarticular Transfer for Morgan) and the uncertainty of not knowing for certain if either would ever be able to play basketball again at an elite level, or at any level... it would be understandable if the mere sound of the words "knee injury" would give Geno nightmares and good reason to take a pass, even on a top rated player like McCoy.

 

[hjoerring]

Im just thinkin. Who is the ace in the hole. Cox??? McCoy not coming tells me UConn just may have someone in the wings. Maybe maybe not but I like what Im readin.

Please Holy One tell us what you are "reading" because your followers are getting nervous, as the gates are closing rapidly. Have we chosen to pick flowers instead harvesting fruits?

 

[HuskyNan]

I thought I read on the Boneyard once that Geno only "offers" to players who visit UConn. Does anyone know if this is true or not? (since this post originally started with quesitons over McCoy /Cox were offered a scholly by Geno)

Not true. Tiff Hayes committed without having ever setting foot on campus.

 

[HuskyNan]

I have been keeping an eye on her by attending games and talking to AAU and high schools coaches about Fee. There is growing consensus that she needs to make a giant leap to even be a UCONN contributor. Most would bet against it happening.

I was told by a very knowledgable and respected AAU coach that Stefanie Dolson would be a valuable role player for UConn but nothing more.

 

[CocoHusky]

I was told by a very knowledgable and respected AAU coach that Stefanie Dolson would be a valuable role player for UConn but nothing more.

My youngest Daughter played against Stefanie's team in AAU 4 times at Boo Williams-2, Gym Rats,USJN and after watching I didn't see Stefanie contributing at UCONN either. I was dead wrong & I hope I am about Fee as well if she decides to come to UCONN.

 

[CocoHusky]

Regarding Tori McCoy, who had ACL surgery just this past January 2015... maybe after all the difficult struggles Gabby and Morgan went through rehabbing their career-threatening knee injuries (two ACL's for Gabby and the even dicier Osteoarticular Transfer for Morgan) and the uncertainty of not knowing for certain if either would ever be able to play basketball again at an elite level, or at any level... it would be understandable if the mere sound of the words "knee injury" would give Geno nightmares and good reason to take a pass, even on a top rated player like McCoy.

No reason for Geno to back off McCoy because of the knee injury. Geno has access to the best in the business for surgery and rehab-Amanda. Caroline Doty and Gabby are most recent best examples of this.

 

[CocoHusky]

There are going to be so many people on this board trashing her if she doesn't pick UCONN, I can already tell. SGamecock July 7th,2015.

Dear SGamecock,

In reference to your quote above and just in case you were unaware, Tori McCoy decided on August 5th that she will not be attending UCONN. That same day this thread was started on the Boneyard. 70 post into this thread and the trashing you so adamantly predicted has not materialize. I only remind you of this so that we can both accurately record that there is no trashing of McCoy on the Boneyard and there will not be any for Cox if she decides to go elsewhere. SC remains on McCoy’s list of possible schools and good luck to Dawn in landing her.

 

[mcannon1]

I can not help but wonder is Cox is planning to come to UCONN; Dawn knows it and doesn't like it; and that's why she played so little. It's also true that A'ja, Jatarie, and Stevens are older and more experienced. However, if a player is good enough to make the team, I would think even a younger player would see playing time if a game isn't close. I also admit, blatant supposition on my part in regard to Cox's lack of USA playing time.

 

[triaddukefan]

There are going to be so many people on this board trashing her if she doesn't pick UCONN, I can already tell. SGamecock July 7th,2015.

Dear SGamecock,

In reference to your quote above and just in case you were unaware, Tori McCoy decided on August 5th that she will not be attending UCONN. That same day this thread was started on the Boneyard. 70 post into this thread and the trashing you so adamantly predicted has not materialize. I only remind you of this so that we can both accurately record that there is no trashing of McCoy on the Boneyard and there will not be any for Cox if she decides to go elsewhere. SC remains on McCoy’s list of possible schools and good luck to Dawn in landing her.

Define trashing

 

[CocoHusky]

Define trashing

In swimming it is the upward and downward movement of the legs. On this board it is posting disparaging or hurtful remarks about a player or recruit or stuff you would NOT have the nerve to say to a player's face or to their parents.

 

[Orangutan]

Holland was actually ranked in the top 40 in the nation. http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/121912/kianna-holland

Holland was Class of 2013, so that might be why you did not see her listed on ESPN.

Yeah, I originally forgot she was a transfer. Figured it out eventually.

 

[SCGamecock]

There are going to be so many people on this board trashing her if she doesn't pick UCONN, I can already tell. SGamecock July 7th,2015.

Dear SGamecock,

In reference to your quote above and just in case you were unaware, Tori McCoy decided on August 5th that she will not be attending UCONN. That same day this thread was started on the Boneyard. 70 post into this thread and the trashing you so adamantly predicted has not materialize. I only remind you of this so that we can both accurately record that there is no trashing of McCoy on the Boneyard and there will not be any for Cox if she decides to go elsewhere. SC remains on McCoy’s list of possible schools and good luck to Dawn in landing her.

Thanks for the reminder, however bizarre it may be considering that post was in a thread about Cox and not McCoy. (which you noted, which makes it more strange).

Either way, I look forward to tBY proving me wrong. I have no problem being wrong. I've been wrong before. Life will continue..

 

[BigBird]

When Coach Staley refused to insert Cox into the USA games at crunch time told me that there is something missing in her game...I do not know enough about her to make any judgements....I wish her well wherever she goes to school.....

I had the same thought as I watched the game. Maybe she was ill, or perhaps there was some other explanation for why the number one-rated prep in the country looked confused, slow, and not terribly proficient. Wherever she goes to school, I hope she becomes a better player and ultimately the best she can be.

 

[BigBird]

I had been wondering about Tori.

Her decision doesn't surprise me too much. I would bet she had an offer, but relative to UConn, the silence locally was deafening. I could be absolutely wrong here, but I think her injury plus the less-than-stellar quality of HS competition factored in. Just exactly how, I don't claim to know. Odd (and slightly amusing) that folks all over the country probably have more information than I do on a player whose school is a five minute drive from my house. Welcome to the sports Internet.