SC Gamecocks off-season, Part 2

[JellyBean]

We have the players, just lack the experience. Of course, hopefully they'll have the experience by the tournament! The preseason version of me feels like this is UConn's year to win it all but I think South Carolina will be a dark horse candidate.

I'm kind of thinking we have a poor man's version of the NY Liberty this season. Teams are going to have to pick their poison when defending us because we have the capability of raining threes on you but then that means Cardoso will have 1-on-1 matchups with someone who is much shorter than her, so teams will want the guards to sag off their man to help defend the paint leaving the likes of Paopao, R. Johnson, Hall, T. Johnson, and Fulwiley to rain threes. Also, like JJ, Cardoso looks like an improved passer out of the post. During the exhibition she had a few pretty passes to Watkins who was crashing the boards when she was double/triple teamed under the basket.

We have the chess pieces to counter pretty much every type of defense this season. Last year we had to stick to the script of feeding Boston/Cardoso and while I think Dawn will always have an inside-out mentality, I think we have the capability to switch things up to counter how teams are defending us.

I'm trying to think of teams that could lock down Cardoso and they are far and few between. I could see teams with a plethora of bigs bodies (Tennessee , UConn, etc.) being the most effective against her or teams with an All-American big on their team (Utah, UCLA, etc.).

We shot 37% from 3 during the exhibition (10-27) with Paopao having an off night. I hope we stick around that number for the season. That would make us a top 10-15 team in the 3-point % category -- we shot 31% from 3 last season, for comparison.

The knock against South Carolina has been their shooting, especially that outside shooting. If you guys can stay in that mid 40% range on 3 point shots this year, oh y'all are going to be a handful! Watching Cardoso over the summer during whatever version of the summer games, she was pretty impressive. Watching her yesterday, VERY impressive! Did she grow an inch or two? She is going to be a nightmare on pick & roll action or zoom action. Same with the guard play. If they get into any type of downhill action, it is going to fun to watch. The way the guards attacked the gaps yesterday, pretty impressive. That SEC is going to be fun to watch.

 

[JDuro]

The knock against South Carolina has been their shooting, especially that outside shooting. If you guys can stay in that mid 40% range on 3 point shots this year, oh y'all are going to be a handful!

Mid 40’s would place them among the all time record books for season long team 3 point shooting. High 30’s from three for the season is more than where they realistically and effectively need to be. For example, Iowa shot 38% last season. Indiana shot 37% and UConn shot 35.7%. Gonzaga led the nation at 40.5%.

 

[visitingcock]

Mid 40’s would place them among the all time record books for season long team 3 point shooting. High 30’s from three for the season is more than where they realistically and effectively need to be. For example, Iowa shot 38% last season. Indiana shot 37% and UConn shot 35.7%. Gonzaga led the nation at 40.5%.

Yeah, but that free throw percentage .

 

[JellyBean]

Yeah, but that free throw percentage .

 

[Darwin]

I'd love to hear from those who were at them game. Looking at the stats, it seems like Cardoso, Fulwiley, Hall, Kitts, R. Johnson, Watkins and Feagin had good performances.

It looks like we had a bunch of fast break points too, so I wonder if that will be a bigger focus this season.

On the negative side, I see we gave up 18 offensive boards. That's a little concerning but I bet some of it has to do with experimental lineups. Kitts looks to be our best rebounder.

Fulwiley and Kitts need to be on the floor a bunch even at the expense of PaoPao and Feagin. PaoPao is SC’s worst defender by a mile, she better hope her offense is on this year and Feagin is still not a willing rebounder/defender/banger in the paint in spite of her stellar offensive skills. She may have to move to the 3. Nobody works the boards harder on this team than Cardoso and Kitts, and both of them defend well and have offense also.

Fulwiley is already a way better defender, faster, quicker, better offensive player than PaoPao. Fulwiley is electric, give her some more experience at this level and watch out, PaoPao not in the same zip code, she is flat footed, fairly slow and plays defense like she is in low level HS.

Hall and Watkins look excellent so far. Raven is back to her 100% form, she is going to be huge this year imo, 9 assists in 20 minutes….

 

[Creature]

Dawn flew to SOCAL today. Gotta be in home visit with Kennedy Smith- right? Maybe even checking on Mackenly Randolph.

 

[visitingcock]

Dawn flew to SOCAL today. Gotta be in home visit with Kennedy Smith- right? Maybe even checking on Mackenly Randolph.

Might be Mackenly

 

[GamecockFam]

Mid 40’s would place them among the all time record books for season long team 3 point shooting. High 30’s from three for the season is more than where they realistically and effectively need to be. For example, Iowa shot 38% last season. Indiana shot 37% and UConn shot 35.7%. Gonzaga led the nation at 40.5%.

If we can shoot 37% or better, I think we'll be a top 5 offense in the nation with the bigs we have in the paint.

I liked the arc on Raven's 3-point shot. It looks like she put a lot of time in the off season to correct the angle.

 

[Cockygirl]

 

[Creature]

Dawnie been busy. She just reposted this tweet. Must know something

 

[mikeboss550]

I'm guessing we sign tac, smith, edwards and one of the europeans

Edit: phone autocorrected tac to tax

 

[visitingcock]

I'm guessing we sign tac, smith, edwards and one of the europeans

Edit: phone autocorrected tac to tax

That would be a class of 5. We only have 4 spots open. With Maddy committed, we only have three openings.

If we sign 5 as you estimate, then we’re telling Kamilla or Tehina “ sorry, you can’t play your 5th year. You’ve gotta turn pro after this year.” Actually, I don’t think we can do that. I think we have to keep them a spot because you have to keep players with the Covid option. It’s their option - not the schools.

Personally, I believe Kamilla will turn pro but we can’t count on that. If she does, we could fill her spot from the portal. Tehina would have to have a great year this year to be picked in the first two rounds.

So, we have Maddy. We keep a spot open for Joyce even if she doesn’t decide in the early signing period. She has been our priority forever. That means we have two spots. There is a question about TACs recovery ( maybe not to Dawn) but I have to wonder if her offer is commitable or conditional on not getting Smith.

Nothing is certain. We might strike out except for Maddy.

 

[GamecockFam]

Has anyone heard that LA is coming back to be a graduate assistant? I heard it somewhere but I cannot remember where...

 

[Cockygirl]

That would be a class of 5. We only have 4 spots open. With Maddy committed, we only have three openings.

If we sign 5 as you estimate, then we’re telling Kamilla or Tehina “ sorry, you can’t play your 5th year. You’ve gotta turn pro after this year.” Actually, I don’t think we can do that. I think we have to keep them a spot because you have to keep players with the Covid option. It’s their option - not the schools.

Personally, I believe Kamilla will turn pro but we can’t count on that. If she does, we could fill her spot from the portal. Tehina would have to have a great year this year to be picked in the first two rounds.

So, we have Maddy. We keep a spot open for Joyce even if she doesn’t decide in the early signing period. She has been our priority forever. That means we have two spots. There is a question about TACs recovery ( maybe not to Dawn) but I have to wonder if her offer is commitable or conditional on not getting Smith.

Nothing is certain. We might strike out except for Maddy.

I highly doubt the offer is conditional if Dawn retweeted her commitment announcement but who knows.

 

[visitingcock]

I highly doubt the offer is conditional if Dawn retweeted her commitment announcement but who knows.

I need birdies, dadgummit!

 

[Creature]

Am i wrong to think that in WBB- you get 15 scholarships. In 2021 we had 15 players on Scholly

 

[Creature]

That would be a class of 5. We only have 4 spots open. With Maddy committed, we only have three openings.

If we sign 5 as you estimate, then we’re telling Kamilla or Tehina “ sorry, you can’t play your 5th year. You’ve gotta turn pro after this year.” Actually, I don’t think we can do that. I think we have to keep them a spot because you have to keep players with the Covid option. It’s their option - not the schools.

Personally, I believe Kamilla will turn pro but we can’t count on that. If she does, we could fill her spot from the portal. Tehina would have to have a great year this year to be picked in the first two rounds.

So, we have Maddy. We keep a spot open for Joyce even if she doesn’t decide in the early signing period. She has been our priority forever. That means we have two spots. There is a question about TACs recovery ( maybe not to Dawn) but I have to wonder if her offer is commitable or conditional on not getting Smith.

Nothing is certain. We might strike out except for Maddy.

Tac and her high school have cleared her to play this year.

 

[visitingcock]

Am i wrong to think that in WBB- you get 15 scholarships. In 2021 we had 15 players on Scholly

15 is correct. We have 11 with nobody having to leave after this year

 

[Creature]

15 is correct. We have 11 with nobody having to leave after this year

Oh yeah..so a potentiall european player would put us over 15 unless Pao Pao & Cardoso's remaining year is a Covid year

 

[Creature]

Well- Mackenly Randolph just came out with her top 3. We are not in it. ND, Louisville and Michigan ST

 

[visitingcock]

Oh yeah..so a potentiall european player would put us over 15 unless Pao Pao & Cardoso's remaining year is a Covid year

Their remaining year. Would be a Covid year but that doesn’t matter. The limit is still 15. They allowed a roster size exception thee first year after Covid but only that year.

15 is the limit and Kamilla and Tehina would be counted.

 

[Creature]

So 1pm TC time is 2pm EDT, right?

 

[Creature]

Commitment link;

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[GamecockFam]

Commitment link;

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It's scheduled to go live at 8:25 EST

 

[Creature]

Oh jesus

 

[Creature]

Less than an hour- no Birdie Tweet

 

[GCKSFN4L]

She doesn't always do a Birdie tweet. She only does it if the player gives her their blessing. Also it expected to be around 8:30 EST.

 

[TC22]

Am i wrong to think that in WBB- you get 15 scholarships. In 2021 we had 15 players on Scholly

You are not wrong. We get 15.

 

[TC22]

Has anyone heard that LA is coming back to be a graduate assistant? I heard it somewhere but I cannot remember where...

She’s definitely doing something but I’m not sure what the official role is. She said in an interview this week that she thought she might want to coach so she might be a grad assistant. She’s fluent in French so it would be great if she gets to go to Paris.

 

[Geew1992]

Dawnie been busy. She just reposted this tweet. Must know something

Well??