Paige.. AP All American First Team

[Zanzman]

Sifting through the hype and in line with my mid-major nondiscrimination policy, the real AP (All-Plebe) All-American teams:

1st team:
P. Bueckers
N. Hillmon
C. Clark
K. Williams
E. Cunane

2nd team:
A. Boston
A. Owusu
K. Bell
N. Smith
M. Onyenwere

3rd team:
A. MacDonald
K. Gondrezick
M. Selland
A. Hayes
N. Mack

No Dana Evans at all interesting

 

[my2cents]

I have no issues with the selection, but on a small sample size, I saw no one play better in the post than Monika Czinano during the Big Ten tournament.

 

[rjuconn]

I have no issues with the selection, but on a small sample size, I saw no one play better in the post than Monika Czinano during the Big Ten tournament.

Another Minnesota-bred player, as well.

 

[King Kong]

And Courtney Paris.

I meant to say the only 2 UConn freshman players.

 

[my2cents]

Another Minnesota-bred player, as well.

I didn't know that, thanks. Having endured 5 miserable winters in Minneapolis, I can attest to how superior, the sports travel programs are in Minnesota, than here in CT. They produce players in abundance.

 

[rjuconn]

The Minnesota-bred players are becoming more and more common, that's for sure. ESPN featured the Bueckers-Suggs friendship today, with the two best freshmen in college basketball, women's and men's. But there are a ton more out there, including:

• Bueckers, UConn (from Hopkins)
• Czinano, Iowa (from Watertown-Mayer)
• Sam Haiby, Nebraska (from Moorhead)
• Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota (from Rogers) and Liv Korngable (from Rochester Mayo)
• Gabi Haack, Bradley (from Elk River)
• Frannie Hottinger, Lehigh (from Cretin-Derham Hall) -- actually two other starters at Lehigh, along with Megan Walker (Minnetonka) and Mariah Sexe (East Ridge) and another 2-3 bench players. Lehigh recruits Minnesota hard.
• Kristin Scott, Iowa State (from Kasson-Mantorville)
• Alyssa Ustby, North Carolina (from Rochester Lourdes)
• Temi Carda, Creighton (from Lakeville North) and Mykel Parham (Apple Valley)
• Sara Scalia, Minnesota (from Stillwater) and Katie Borowicz (Roseau)
• Lindsey Theuninck, South Dakota State (from Mankato Loyola)
• Lariah Washington, Eastern Illinois (from St. Cloud Apollo)
• Ayoka Lee, Kansas State (from Byron), Christianna Carr (Eden Prairie), and Rachel Ranke (Eastview) -- looks like Kansas State likes Minnesotans, too.

I'm sure I'm missing quite a few, too.

 

[eebmg]

The Minnesota-bred players are becoming more and more common, that's for sure. ESPN featured the Bueckers-Suggs friendship today, with the two best freshmen in college basketball, women's and men's. But there are a ton more out there, including:

• Bueckers, UConn (from Hopkins)
• Czinano, Iowa (from Watertown-Mayer)
• Sam Haiby, Nebraska (from Moorhead)
• Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota (from Rogers) and Liv Korngable (from Rochester Mayo)
• Gabi Haack, Bradley (from Elk River)
• Frannie Hottinger, Lehigh (from Cretin-Derham Hall) -- actually two other starters at Lehigh, along with Megan Walker (Minnetonka) and Mariah Sexe (East Ridge) and another 2-3 bench players. Lehigh recruits Minnesota hard.
• Kristin Scott, Iowa State (from Kasson-Mantorville)
• Alyssa Ustby, North Carolina (from Rochester Lourdes)
• Temi Carda, Creighton (from Lakeville North) and Mykel Parham (Apple Valley)
• Sara Scalia, Minnesota (from Stillwater) and Katie Borowicz (Roseau)
• Lindsey Theuninck, South Dakota State (from Mankato Loyola)
• Lariah Washington, Eastern Illinois (from St. Cloud Apollo)
• Ayoka Lee, Kansas State (from Byron), Christianna Carr (Eden Prairie), and Rachel Ranke (Eastview) -- looks like Kansas State likes Minnesotans, too.

I'm sure I'm missing quite a few, too.

and still the MN program in the Big10 with Whelan is a mess. Are they recruiting better for 2021, 2022?

 

[rjuconn]

It seems that recruiting problem for the Gophers is both on the men's and women's sides, so it doesn't seem to be limited to Whalen. Other than wanting to get away from home and set their own paths, I don't know why Minnesota's top basketball players don't stay home. I think if either team would experience some success, it would create momentum. But they don't, and the kids go to "greener pastures." And the cycle keeps repeating.

 

[GW15MJ4MM23]

.
Since this thread has taken a slight detour towards recruiting
.
What are BYer thoughts about top 10 high school players signing with UConn after Geno is gone?
.
Did not Taurasi, Maya, Stewie, Paige, etc, sign up to play for Geno - and not necessarily with UConn?
.

 

[MooseJaw]

I think having a big name is a big part of this. Look, not to pick on Boston but I don’t think she had a very good year. She’s been sold interminably as the greatest post in the nation. Some have referred to her as “generational”. She had quite an average year imo; 14 points and 12 rebounds. I think Cunane had a better year and certainly Clark did but of course, they don’t have the big name hoopla that Boston has!

Bingo, Boston living on hype and potential, if you think her play, numbers and output are first team AA credentials we have a big difference of opinions. She has been underperforming all year with just a couple big games.

 

[sweetspot]

and still the MN program in the Big10 with Whelan is a mess. Are they recruiting better for 2021, 2022?

She landed a 2022 recruit who's very well regarded (#22 in Prep Girls Hoops): Wayzata's Mara Braun Commits to U of M Women's Basketball - CCX Media

 

[UcMiami]

Other than wanting to get away from home and set their own paths, I don't know why Minnesota's top basketball players don't stay home.

Didn't someone already post about MN winters?! ? The ones that end up in the Dakotas were just grossly misinformed when they went on recruiting visits during the summer!

 

[bbsamjj]

Bingo, Boston living on hype and potential, if you think her play, numbers and output are first team AA credentials we have a big difference of opinions. She has been underperforming all year with just a couple big games.

Boston is top 15 in the country in both blocks and rebounds per game. she was also co SEC defensive player of year. Her scoring is lower than your'd anticipate, but that I think has more to do with SC's struggles getting her the ball. She remains one of most dominant posts in nation (but i wouldn't be upset if Cunane--16.8ppg, 8.2rpg-- got first team over her.)

For refernece, when SC and NC State played each other, neither had their best games:
Boston: 4-14FG, 9pts, 9 rebounds, 1 block
Cunane: 3-13FG, 8-8FT, 14pts, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks

 

[MooseJaw]

Boston is top 15 in the country in both blocks and rebounds per game. she was also co SEC defensive player of year. Her scoring is lower than your'd anticipate, but that I think has more to do with SC's struggles getting her the ball. She remains one of most dominant posts in nation (but i wouldn't be upset if Cunane--16.8ppg, 8.2rpg-- got first team over her.)

For refernece, when SC and NC State played each other, neither had their best games:
Boston: 4-14FG, 9pts, 9 rebounds, 1 block
Cunane: 3-13FG, 8-8FT, 14pts, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks

You have skated the question, Boston or not Boston. Top 15 in the country is hardly the best in the country, as I have posted on numerous occasions she may well have all the talent at 5 in the country, if so she should let it out on the court show us the goods, don't diddle around at the top of the key looking confused. The most dominate post would get the job done, something she falls short of. Either the system,(coach Dawn) or Boston are under achieving or not as good as advertised.
I believe Boston to be a good player this year, not great, not first team AA, and certainly not a Naismith finalist.

 

[lenbo]

Thanks for this as I then did analysis and was able to deduce that each of the 30 voters gets 5 1st place votes worth 5 points each, 5 2nd team votes worth 3 points each and 5 3rd team votes worth 1 point each.
That’s 45 point each voter has (25+15+5). Page earned 146 points so 28-1st team =140 plus 2-2nd team =6 for the 146 total.
@PAHuskeyFan posted The Idahoan with all the vote totals.

Listed was a total of 147 votes for the 15 players on the 3 teams. Those points for all 15 players was 1268 points of the 1,350 available (30x45).
So all the Honorable Mention players are those receiving the other 3 First team votes and the remaining 82 points (1350-1268).

I am stating the obvious here but really a great job by Paige and as well as Great job by both Christyn and Olivia!

Our forum is sometimes far too critical of players who don’t achieve our expectations but yet achieve significant heights in the voting groups like this. Both CW and ONO are special as well and we are lucky to have watched them for 3 years and get to watch them for 1 more!

Thank you ladies and congratulations on this honor well earned!

It’s also here: These are the 2020-21 AP Women's All-America Teams

So, with 146 points, Paige was voted 1st team on 28 ballots and 2nd team on 2 ballots.

 

[UcMiami]

I think Boston exploded on the scene as a freshman and wowed everyone, and SC was a better team around her last year - not surprising since they graduated the #6 and #7 WNBA draft picks from that team. She is actually matching/exceeding her stats this year, but SC just isn't as dominant a team so people maybe have a little hold over to last year, but ... she is still a beast in the paint and I am not sure you can really definitively argue that someone else on a really good team is a better post player. They may be more important to their team, but are they 'better'?

 

[bbsamjj]

You have skated the question, Boston or not Boston. Top 15 in the country is hardly the best in the country, as I have posted on numerous occasions she may well have all the talent at 5 in the country, if so she should let it out on the court show us the goods, don't diddle around at the top of the key looking confused. The most dominate post would get the job done, something she falls short of. Either the system,(coach Dawn) or Boston are under achieving or not as good as advertised.
I believe Boston to be a good player this year, not great, not first team AA, and certainly not a Naismith finalist.

I would actually say not Boston or Cunane. But Natasha Mack. Natasha Mack - 2020-21 - Women's Basketball - Oklahoma State University Athletics

 

[Cuango]

I think Boston exploded on the scene as a freshman and wowed everyone, and SC was a better team around her last year - not surprising since they graduated the #6 and #7 WNBA draft picks from that team. She is actually matching/exceeding her stats this year, but SC just isn't as dominant a team so people maybe have a little hold over to last year, but ... she is still a beast in the paint and I am not sure you can really definitively argue that someone else on a really good team is a better post player. They may be more important to their team, but are they 'better'?

Statistically, or in our “Walter Mitty” minds? It seems to me that if a player is statistically better then you can definitively argue that someone else is better. I’m not picking up what you’re laying down. How do you assess the relative quality of two players? I do it primarily with statistics.

 

[Gurleyman]

She landed a 2022 recruit who's very well regarded (#22 in Prep Girls Hoops): Wayzata's Mara Braun Commits to U of M Women's Basketball - CCX Media

Watched her play a little on YouTube - in my boring pandemic days I watched some of Paige’s HS games and Wayzata was Hopkins big rival. She’s a good player - she didn‘t back down from Paige despite being two years younger and they gave Hopkins a couple good games.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Didn't someone already post about MN winters?! ? The ones that end up in the Dakotas were just grossly misinformed when they went on recruiting visits during the summer!

I was in Minneapolis for the WNBA All-Star game a few years ago. Maya won the MVP award.

The staff at the hotel informed me about the 4 seasons in Minnesota:

1. Pre-winter

2. Winter

3. Still winter

4. Construction

 

[UcMiami]

Statistically, or in our “Walter Mitty” minds? It seems to me that if a player is statistically better then you can definitively argue that someone else is better. I’m not picking up what you’re laying down. How do you assess the relative quality of two players? I do it primarily with statistics.

I love stats, but I have a problem with how to weight blocks vs. rebounds vs. steals vs. points vs. shooting percentages, etc. And then add in wins and losses and competition faced and teammates and system ... And then all the stuff that doesn't actually show in stats but is important.

Simple example - Diana never was anywhere near the NCAA leaders in scoring, assists, steals, shooting percentages, rebounds, blocks, and they didn't really track it then but I doubt she was at the top of A/TO. So ... she obviously couldn't be in the conversation for college GOAT. But she is. Because she won, and she did everything she needed to do to win, and to make her teammates the best players they were capable of being.

People have always pointed to stats like those I listed when comparing other players to Uconn players. Uconn seldom places anyone on NCAA leader boards for single seasons or careers, because they play as a team, with everyone initiating offense and sharing the load You don't need someone scoring 30 points every night, when you have 3 people capable of doing it and another three who are capable of going off for twenty, and a few more easily able to chip in ten or 15 on a given night. And you don't need a 300 assist/season PG if you have willing passers at every position on the court for 40 minutes a game.

Lieberman awards won by Uconn players: 8 of 21 awards presented - number of Uconn PGs to lead or even be in the neighborhood nationally in assists in any year - zero. (Paige is actually on a per game basis going to set the Uconn record this year.)

I have not watch enough WCBB outside of Uconn games this year to make any meaningful ranking of centers, nor really any other position players. Have seen almost nothing of the PAC, and little of the other conferences except the conference tournaments. I'll defer to others on everyone but Paige.