S.C. Gamecocks 2023 off season

[ThatCG1801]

They're just gonna hit us with the 1-2-3 punch today. I'm sure Zia is soon to follow with hers.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

So if you had to field a starting lineup based on who you know is returning, what would you think @Gamecockfan77?

At the moment, I'd guess:

Raven Johnson
Talayasia Cooper
Bree Hall
Ashlyn Watkins
Kamilla Cardoso


You could perhaps play Feagin or Kitts on wing.

And of course the freshmen may be an option at SG. Neither of them really has the international experience that I think helped Cooke so much though.

 

[visitingcock]

Post = Cardosa, Watkins backup
Forward = Feagin , Watkins Backup
Wing= Bree Hall, Chloe Kitts, Jah
PG = Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Fulwiley
SG = Fulwiley, Talaysia Cooper, Tessa Johnson

Bree will be a starter but it could be wing or any guard spot. Probably

Fulwiley wont start in first half of the season, but will by second half.

We need a portal shooting guard

 

[LowkeyX]

Good for her. I thought she would return to finally start & put up an all conference season. But I understand why she wouldn’t with the SUPER DRAFT next year lol.

 

[TC22]

Post = Cardosa, Watkins backup
Forward = Feagin , Watkins Backup
Wing= Bree Hall, Chloe Kitts, Jah
PG = Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Fulwiley
SG = Fulwiley, Talaysia Cooper, Tessa Johnson

Bree will be a starter but it could be wing or any guard spot. Probably

Fulwiley wont start in first half of the season, but will by second half.

We need a portal shooting guard

Talaysia Cooper will be the backup PG. That’s where most of her focus was this year. Tessa Johnson is A great 3 pt shooter.

I think Dawn has to get a combo guard and a Big from the portal. We have lots of wide open PT to sell this year. Maybe there’s another Cardoso out there.

 

[FormerCTrez]

I would. They have no point guard really, unless Morris returns for a 10th season or maybe Velez will ball out as a freshman, but Reese and Smith are a good tandem inside and Mikaylah Williams should be in the starting lineup tomorrow, she’s ready to play.

The highlighted portion caused me to lol and spit out my coffee. No funny, as I’m at work!! But I love your sense of humor none the less.

 

[bballnut90]

I'm guessing the lineup/rotation will be:
Center: Cardoso
PF: Watkins
SF: Hall
SG: Fulwiley
PG: Johnson

Rotation bench players:
Feagin-backup for the posts
Cooper or Kitts-backup for forwards
T. Johnson/Cooper-backup for PG

Assuming Cooke is gone, this team needs significant help in the backcourt. Johnson has potential to be a top tier PG, but they need scoring production. If they can find an athletic guard who can shoot and take defenders off the bounce (similar to Cooke) I think it'll go a long way. If Cooke does return, they'll be a legitimate title contender and top 3 team preseason. The defense, rebounding and athleticism is there, they just need players who can put the ball in the hoop. Dawn is the "it" coach in women's basketball right now so I'm guessing she'll land some elite transfers. Battles with LSU/Tennessee should be extremely competitive.

 

[Darwin]

Post = Cardosa, Watkins backup
Forward = Feagin , Watkins Backup
Wing= Bree Hall, Chloe Kitts, Jah
PG = Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Fulwiley
SG = Fulwiley, Talaysia Cooper, Tessa Johnson

Bree will be a starter but it could be wing or any guard spot. Probably

Fulwiley wont start in first half of the season, but will by second half.

We need a portal shooting guard

Prob
Cardoso at C, portal player to back up
Watkins at PF, Feagin, Portal player and Jah backup
Feagin Wing, Kitts and Hall backup
Hall SG, Fulwiley and Johnson backup
Raven PG, Cooper, portal player backup

 

[Gamecockfan77]

The Cooper/Fulwiley position choices will be interesting.

 

[JDuro]

 

[JDuro]

Now let’s raid that portal!

 

[Gamecockfan77]

I think she had a great year. Good luck Zia.

 

[jdote33]

I guess my question would be, can Feagin play the wing? I thought she was more of a back to the basket type of big. I'm all in on Chloe Kitts. Really good size, can shoot, seems pretty athletic (can almost dunk). I'm an outsider looking in but I think she kinda makes sense as a starter at the three. You could potentially start Hall at the 2 or bring her off the bench. But I'd like for them to add another veteran as their team is super young right now, besides Cardoso really.

 

[JDuro]

I guess my question would be, can Feagin play the wing? I thought she was more of a back to the basket type of big. I'm all in on Chloe Kitts. Really good size, can shoot, seems pretty athletic (can almost dunk). I'm an outsider looking in but I think she kinda makes sense as a starter at the three. You could potentially start Hall at the 2 or bring her off the bench. But I'd like for them to add another veteran as their team is super young right now, besides Cardoso really.

From what I’ve seen, Feagin is a 4 with mid range shot ability which puts her offensively ahead of Saxton and Amihere. I would prefer she won that job as I like Watkins off the bench switching between and playing next to Cardoso and Feagin.

 

[SCspur]

Lexi Donarski is at the top of my wish list.

 

[JDuro]

Love Donarski as well.

Anybody watch Kiki Jefferson play. I see she’s 34% from three on almost 130 shots this season. Her scoring and rebounding averages are pretty prolific.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

If we theoretically got nobody from the portal, this is my starting 5 next season: 1) Raven Johnson, 2) Breezy Hall, 3) Ashlyn Watkins, 4) Sania Feagin, 5) Kamilla Cardosa.

PG Backup: Milaysia Fulwiley, Talaysia Cooper. 2 Guard backup: Talaysia Cooper, Tessa Johnson. Wing backup: Chloe Kitts, PF Backup: Ashlyn Watkins and Sahnya Jah, Post Backup: Sania and Ashlyn.

Are we allowed to muse about those in the portal?

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I guess my question would be, can Feagin play the wing? I thought she was more of a back to the basket type of big. I'm all in on Chloe Kitts. Really good size, can shoot, seems pretty athletic (can almost dunk). I'm an outsider looking in but I think she kinda makes sense as a starter at the three. You could potentially start Hall at the 2 or bring her off the bench. But I'd like for them to add another veteran as their team is super young right now, besides Cardoso really.

Chloe has got to add weight and strength. She has a good skillset.

 

[SCGamecock]

My ideal starting lineup would be

Raven
Bree
Chloe
Sania
Cardoso

But that means Chloe and Sania would have to make big leaps defensively this offseason. Both bring a higher ceiling on offense to the lineup than the people they’re replacing. We need to score because I don’t think our defense will be as good next year.

 

[TC22]

I guess my question would be, can Feagin play the wing? I thought she was more of a back to the basket type of big. I'm all in on Chloe Kitts. Really good size, can shoot, seems pretty athletic (can almost dunk). I'm an outsider looking in but I think she kinda makes sense as a starter at the three. You could potentially start Hall at the 2 or bring her off the bench. But I'd like for them to add another veteran as their team is super young right now, besides Cardoso really.

Feagin can play the 4 or 5. She’s a great offensive player. Gifted. She just doesn’t play defense . I don’t think Hall will come off the bench. She’s probably the best defender we have left and she and Raven and Cardoso played on that second team together a lot. There’s s chemistry there and Dawn trusts her. I do like her at the 2 or 3. I think Chloe will play a lot. She loves to rebound and that’s a trait that Dawn likes. If Chloe was in for 30 secs she found a rebound.

My ideal starting lineup would be

Raven
Bree
Chloe
Sania
Cardoso

But that means Chloe and Sania would have to make big leaps defensively this offseason. Both bring a higher ceiling on offense to the lineup than the people they’re replacing. We need to score because I don’t think our defense will be as good next year.

My ideal lineup would be Cardoso/Feagin/Breezy/Raven and either a transfer or Fulwiley/Tessa . We need some outside shooting for real since we have such a young team and will give up a bunch of points. That would give us scoring at all 5 positions.

 

[GamecockFam]

My ideal starting lineup would be

Raven
Bree
Chloe
Sania
Cardoso

But that means Chloe and Sania would have to make big leaps defensively this offseason. Both bring a higher ceiling on offense to the lineup than the people they’re replacing. We need to score because I don’t think our defense will be as good next year.

This would be my guess too if we don't get a good guard through the portal. Replacing Zia is the biggest question mark for next season. I think we have serviceable candidates to replace Beal, Saxton, and Boston. Ideally, I think Bree should start at the 3, but she will be out most experienced guard, so coach may want her experience at the 2 if we don't grab anyone out of the portal.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

If we theoretically got nobody from the portal, this is my starting 5 next season: 1) Raven Johnson, 2) Breezy Hall, 3) Ashlyn Watkins, 4) Sania Feagin, 5) Kamilla Cardosa.

PG Backup: Milaysia Fulwiley, Talaysia Cooper. 2 Guard backup: Talaysia Cooper, Tessa Johnson. Wing backup: Chloe Kitts, PF Backup: Ashlyn Watkins and Sahnya Jah, Post Backup: Sania and Ashlyn.

Are we allowed to muse about those in the portal?

Kitts is a 4 based on everything I've seen from her.

 

[Darwin]

Kitts is a 4 based on everything I've seen from her.

Kitts is a true wing who has a face up mid range jumper as her best weapon and the ability to drive to the rim. She is not a true 4 in any sense like Watkins and Feagin are. She needs to be more on the perimeter than the interior, 3 is perfect for her and that is where Dawn will play her. Think Kiki.

As for Watkins, she played the most minutes of all the Soph’s and freshman not named Hall last year and I believe she starts next to Feagin with Kitts being the first off the bench most games. Kitts will likely make a big jump next season. And Fulwiley will play a bunch, Dawn has called her generational and knows what she has in her, which is a game changer needing only experience to soar.

As a group, this team needs to work on free throw shooting, many shot a horrendous percentage from the line, horrendous as in 50% or below, ouch.

 

[Bone Dog]

Admittedly, I only saw clips of Kitts in HS, but I wasn’t all that impressed. She seemed a step slow, not much hop in her jump, and didn’t finish all that well at the rim. My guess is she’ll never crack the starting lineup. But she may be better than what I saw, and may flourish with a bigger challenge. What I don’t really get is why she came to SC early. Am I right in thinking she’s given up a year of eligibility? Was she hoping to get a ring?

 

[SCspur]

Kitts is a true wing who has a face up mid range jumper as her best weapon and the ability to drive to the rim. She is not a true 4 in any sense like Watkins and Feagin are. She needs to be more on the perimeter than the interior, 3 is perfect for her and that is where Dawn will play her. Think Kiki.

As for Watkins, she played the most minutes of all the Soph’s and freshman not named Hall last year and I believe she starts next to Feagin with Kitts being the first off the bench most games. Kitts will likely make a big jump next season. And Fulwiley will play a bunch, Dawn has called her generational and knows what she has in her, which is a game changer needing only experience to soar.

As a group, this team needs to work on free throw shooting, many shot a horrendous percentage from the line, horrendous as in 50% or below, ouch.

I agree on Kitts. She’s going to be counted on to knock down shots especially from the perimeter. With her shooting and off the bounce game she definitely can add a different look for SC. She reminds me of HH too except her ball handling and passing ability is much better. Excited to see it play out.