Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston top AP preseason All-America women's basketball team

[Carnac]

Associated Press - Nov 12, 2020

Rhyne Howard is rewriting the record books at Kentucky and she is only a junior. Now the Wildcats star is the first player from the school to be honored as a preseason All-American by The Associated Press. Howard was a unanimous choice by the 30-member national media panel on the team released Thursday.

Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston top AP preseason All-America women's basketball team

Kentucky junior Rhyne Howard is the first player from the school to be named a preseason All-American. She is joined by South Carolina sophomore Aliyah Boston and seniors Dana Evans of Louisville, Aari McDonald of Arizona and Michaela Onyenwere of UCLA.

www.espn.com

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not a surprising list, but I think the end-of-season list will be different.

Last year, Megan wasn't on the pre-season list, but made the actual list.

 

[chrissaran]

At the end of the year we'll see who actually played the best. UConn no doubt will have a few under consideration.

 

[EricSD]

I think Christyn will make a push for 1st team. Olivia and Paige for 2nd team. Anna for HM. A lot will depend on Evina's knees and how they hold up for playing time. But those are just guesses on my part. I really look forward to the surprises, because you know there will be some!

 

[Kaizen]

Cannot believe Christyn is not in.
Boston is good but with averaged 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds, is just good not great.

 

[DeeHusky]

Cannot believe Christyn is not in.
Boston is good but with averaged 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds, is just good not great.

Boston was one of the best players in the nation last year regardless of stats.

Christyn did not play to her full potential last year because of the hype from her freshman season. She couldn’t stop thinking about it and just play. Despite her not playing her best, she still had a good year and that says a lot about what she can do.

 

[Carnac]

Boston, who averaged 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds last season, spent a lot of her time during the pandemic working on her shot.

"I was skeptical at the beginning, but we got here and she's been making them ever since,'' South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. "Aliyah's a great player. I can say that I can see it every day. You see great players get better and how they did it. It's unbelievable to me. Unbelievable how much better she's gotten.'' Boston also added that she's gotten more aggressive over the summer as well.

If UConn is to advance in the tournament, they must find a way to control/contain the Aaliyah Bostons of the league.

 

[Reypl21]

CW has a chance to push for 1st team All-American, and ONO has a chance to push for 2nd team. There isn't a lot of great Centers anymore, after the amount of great bigs that graduated in 2019.

Boston is the premier Center, and her stats were better than ONO's. While also playing in a tougher league, with a tough OOC.

 

[bballnut90]

Cannot believe Christyn is not in.
Boston is good but with averaged 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds, is just good not great.

I take it you didn't watch much of SC last year. Boston was fantastic.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Other players who got votes from the AP:

Christyn
Olivia
Cunane
Smith
Joens
Mangakahia
Williams

 

[Kaizen]

Other players who got votes from the AP:

Christyn
Olivia
Cunane
Smith
Joens
Mangakahia
Williams

But ESPN didn't mention those other players in their report.

 

[bballnut90]

CW has a chance to push for 1st team All-American, and ONO has a chance to push for 2nd team. There isn't a lot of great Centers anymore, after the amount of great bigs that graduated in 2019.

Boston is the premier Center, and her stats were better than ONO's. While also playing in a tougher league, with a tough OOC.

Out of returning posts, I think Cunane is the clear favorite for 2nd team based on last year with ONO/Collier/Egbo as the next tier below, maybe Cate Reese too. We could also see multiple centers on any of 1st/2nd/3rd team.

 

[MilfordHusky]

But ESPN didn't mention those other players in their report.

Right, however, Alexa did in her tweet.

 

[DeeHusky]

Had Boston came to UConn ONO would’ve been on the bench last year. And South Carolina would’ve not been the same team. I’m just saying.

 

[Cuango]

Boston, who averaged 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds last season, spent a lot of her time during the pandemic working on her shot.

"I was skeptical at the beginning, but we got here and she's been making them ever since,'' South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. "Aliyah's a great player. I can say that I can see it every day. You see great players get better and how they did it. It's unbelievable to me. Unbelievable how much better she's gotten.'' Boston also added that she's gotten more aggressive over the summer as well.

If UConn is to advance in the tournament, they must find a way to control/contain the Aaliyah Bostons of the league.

Fortunately, there are not very many Boston’s in the league and Liv is a year older and a year better than last time, plus she now has some help!

 

[donalddoowop]

Had Boston came to UConn ONO would’ve been on the bench last year. And South Carolina would’ve not been the same team. I’m just saying.

Not a surprising list, but I think the end-of-season list will be different.

Last year, Megan wasn't on the pre-season list, but made the actual list.

I think Lee should be on there. I don't remember what team she is on but she was really good last season, one of the best posts I saw.

 

[SCGamecock]

Had Boston came to UConn ONO would’ve been on the bench last year. And South Carolina would’ve not been the same team. I’m just saying.

I'll play along.

Had ONO come to SC like a lot of people thought she would it's entirely possible that Boston would be at UConn.

Just a hypothetical. I prefer the way it turned out though.

 

[DeeHusky]

I think Lee should be on there. I don't remember what team she is on but she was really good last season, one of the best posts I saw.

I’m not sure I follow? I can’t think of anyone with the name Lee? Is it the first or last name?

I personally think NaLyssa Smith should be on it over maybe Onyenwere. I’m not sure why she’s not making these lists.

 

[Reypl21]

I’m not sure I follow? I can’t think of anyone with the name Lee? Is it the first or last name?

I personally think NaLyssa Smith should be on it over maybe Onyenwere. I’m not sure why she’s not making these lists.

Disagree. Onyenwere's game is so fun and electric. Her stats are better than Smith's, and she plays the same position at 6-0. She can shoot from 3, has a quick first step that leads to blow bys or spinning jumpers, and has a ton of moves in the paint.

Nalyssa Smith should definitely be in the top 10 best players in country convo, but I dont think top 5. She'll have her chance to prove it this season, now that Cox, Cooper, and Richards (injury, hope she can play this season) are not going to be on the floor with her. Onyenwere, Howard, Evans, and McDonald all led their teams last year without another All-American caliber player on their teams.

 

[CocoHusky]

I’m not sure I follow? I can’t think of anyone with the name Lee? Is it the first or last name?
I personally think NaLyssa Smith should be on it over maybe Onyenwere. I’m not sure why she’s not making these lists.

That's likely Ayoka Lee of Kansas State. She is a terrific true big among the Nations leaders in Rebounding as a Freshman.

Ayoka Lee - Women's Basketball - Kansas State University Athletics

Ayoka Lee (50) Center - Visit Yokie Lee 50 to learn more about Ayoka. • Tied with Olga Firsova (1998-00) as the second-tallest player in program history • 13...

www.kstatesports.com

 

[mudcat]

I think Lee should be on there. I don't remember what team she is on but she was really good last season, one of the best posts I saw.

I agree (I assume you're talking about Ayoka Lee of Kansas State). She is one of the best posts in America and, like Boston, is I believe only a sophomore.

 

[Alydar]

Had Boston came to UConn ONO would’ve been on the bench last year. And South Carolina would’ve not been the same team. I’m just saying.

As good as I think Boston can become it needs to be remembered that Charles was thought to be pretty good and yet she struggled in UConn's system for 2 years. And Boston's minutes were limited last season, due in part to a lack of conditioning and in part due to foul trouble.
And remember that Williams had a great freshman year and was tabbed as a preseason AA last year.

 

[hoophuskee]

As good as I think Boston can become it needs to be remembered that Charles was thought to be pretty good and yet she struggled in UConn's system for 2 years. And Boston's minutes were limited last season, due in part to a lack of conditioning and in part due to foul trouble.
And remember that Williams had a great freshman year and was tabbed as a preseason AA last year.

She didn't struggle.

Honorable Mention A/A as a frosh.
3rd team A/A as a soph.

 

[JDuro]

And Boston's minutes were limited last season, due in part to a lack of conditioning and in part due to foul trouble.

False on both counts.

 

[CocoHusky]

She didn't struggle.

Honorable Mention A/A as a frosh.
3rd team A/A as a soph.

She did struggle by every conceivable measure including her own.

“Offensively it wasn’t flowing right, and defensively, I’ve always struggled defensively but I’ve depended on my offense so it kind of balances out,” Williams said. “But really nothing was going right, and I wasn’t mature enough yet to just take it one game at a time.”

UConn’s Christyn Williams looking to bounce back after ‘worst season of basketball’

UConn junior Christyn Williams was unhappy with her sophomore basketball season, but she...

www.ctpost.com

 

[CocoHusky]

As good as I think Boston can become it needs to be remembered that Charles was thought to be pretty good and yet she struggled in UConn's system for 2 years. And Boston's minutes were limited last season, due in part to a lack of conditioning and in part due to foul trouble.
And remember that Williams had a great freshman year and was tabbed as a preseason AA last year.

False on both counts.

Actually false on three counts Christyn Williams received 1 vote for pre-season AP AA last year that is far from being "tabbed" pre-Season AA.
AP preseason All-American women’s basketball team: Sabrina Ionescu, Lauren Cox headline squad

 

[Alydar]

She didn't struggle.

Honorable Mention A/A as a frosh.
3rd team A/A as a soph.

Those are awards, not measurable performance. And how does she make 3rd team AA as a sophomore? Or is that a prediction? And I'm not saying she didn't have a great freshman year, just that it's a low bar. With the loss of the seniors Boston will have more responsibilities, at both ends. Maybe she will handle them but as I stated about Williams, freshman numbers don't necessarily translate.
Again, I wish UConn had gotten her but I think there's too much hand-wringing about playing against her. She'll be tough, but not impossible. Should be fun to watch.

 

[bbfanLA]

Those are awards, not measurable performance. And how does she make 3rd team AA as a sophomore? Or is that a prediction? And I'm not saying she didn't have a great freshman year, just that it's a low bar. With the loss of the seniors Boston will have more responsibilities, at both ends. Maybe she will handle them but as I stated about Williams, freshman numbers don't necessarily translate.
Again, I wish UConn had gotten her but I think there's too much hand-wringing about playing against her. She'll be tough, but not impossible. Should be fun to watch.

That was in reference to Tina Charles.

 

[Alydar]

Actually false on three counts Christyn Williams received 1 vote for pre-season AP AA last year that is far from being "tabbed" pre-Season AA.
AP preseason All-American women’s basketball team: Sabrina Ionescu, Lauren Cox headline squad

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the AP was the only pre-season list.

 

[Alydar]

That was in reference to Tina Charles.

Then I don't think they watched Charles and Geno in her 2nd year, and actually even the first half of her junior year. He yanked her out of many games, not to give her a blow, but because he didn't like her play. Like Boston, Charles did some great things and had great games, but she would also disappear for entire games at times and was a semi-permanent resident in Geno's dog house.