Sierra Calhoun to Duke

[meyers7]

But how often do you eat those items??? I could say I would give up eating brocolli, brussel sprouts, and cow liver for a year for ___________, but since I would only eat those items unless being forced fed, or paid big $ ...... well..

Well if you are gonna be all particular about it.....

 

[Artifact]

In studying Taylor Rooks basketball background, she appears to posses the [3] elements to make her a very successful player. She must 1] 'Practice' a great deal for it shows in her 2] 'Performance' scoring numbers. As for her 3] 'Attitude', she is a leader in that she is willing to share the ball with her teammates to win.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

With Wilson and Stewart you have big (in terms of height) players who are basically "stretch fours" - power forwards with shooting range who can play in the post, but who also thrive with their mid-range games, outside shots, and playing on the perimeter.

There are a lot of ways to invert the offense, pulling the bigger players outside to make room for slashing guards or guards who can post up. When Alana Beard was at Duke, Iciss Tillis was the three-point threat outside on offense, though she defended other team's centers and power forwards on defense, while Beard would often be posting up on the low block. When Alison Bales was in the high post, she would be passing to a cutting Lindsey Harding or Wanisha Smith from the wing or the baseline.

I view Geno Auriemma as being able to classify positions as playmaker/lead guard, perimter players, interior players, and all-court players. To me, that is an easy sell to recruits, because he will develop their skillsets. Did Dolson have a foul-line jumper when she arrived in Storrs? No. Was that a big weapon that she developed and was on display for UConn last year, as a key component of the offense? Absolutely.

You can run high/low sets with Wilson and Stewart. You can have Wilson on the outside passing to a cutting guard. You can have Moriah Jefferson running a pick-and-pop with Wilson or Stewart.

Wilson saying she "doesn't want to play the five" (and I am paraphrasing here, as I have not seen the exact quote from her or have personal knowledge of what she said or what she believes regarding her collegiate position) might mean that she does not want to only be an interior player or that she does not want to spend so much time in the post to the detriment of developing perimeter skills, using perimeter abilities, or developing and improving her all-around game. Anyone who has watched Dolson or Stewart knows that will not be the case. Even Tina Charles, how many think of as solely a low block player had range to 15 feet by her junior and senior years and showed off her foul line jumper to keep defenders honest and to open up the offense for players cutting to the basket (e.g., Renee Montgomery and Maya Moore).​

 

[VAMike23]

I view Geno Auriemma as being able to classify positions as playmaker/lead guard, perimter players, interior players, and all-court players. To me, that is an easy sell to recruits, because he will develop their skillsets. Did Dolson have a foul-line jumper when she arrived in Storrs? No. Was that a big weapon that she developed and was on display for UConn last year, as a key component of the offense? Absolutely.​

A thoughtful post.

IIRC, Stef did show that she had a foul-line jumper even in her freshman campaign. Certainly when you have a player like Maya Moore on the team, you're not taking as many shots as you might otherwise, particularly when you're a true center and your services are needed under the basket on a team that doesn't have a lot of size. The shot was definitely developed and showcased in the offense much more in her Soph and Junior years, where it became a consistent weapon for UCONN.

 

[Icebear]

Yes, Stef arrived with the foul line jumper. She used it sparingly during the freshman campaign as she focused on many other things. It was a shot she even slowed in two high school games I saw.

 

[DavidinNaples]

With Wilson and Stewart you have big (in terms of height) players who are basically "stretch fours" - power forwards with shooting range who can play in the post, but who also thrive with their mid-range games, outside shots, and playing on the perimeter.​

You can run high/low sets with Wilson and Stewart. You can have Wilson on the outside passing to a cutting guard.

Cam...74....good post w/ great insight... agree Wilson is a "power forward" as opposed to a true center. However, she is light years behind Stewie in shooting range and passing. She is very young and could obviously develop much more. What better place than in Storrs w/ Geno. That said, in Lithuania, Wilson took zero 3 pointers, Stewie took 24. FIBA stats had a "shot location chart" every game and Wilson was shooting from inside the lane 90-95% of the time. In addition to her 3's, Stewie took about 40% of her other shots from outside the lane. Wilson had 5 assists in 150 minutes vs 19 turnovers. Lots of work needed in the ball handling department. While Stewie is not an assist machine, she had 13 vs only 9 turnovers in 222 minutes. I'm not trying to dump on Wilson, she is truly a great, great talent. But, if she comes to UConn, she will arrive with far fewer skills than Stewie did. On the other hand, she is a rebounding machine, getting 71 for Team USA in those 150 minutes. (Stewie was 2nd w/ 56.) She is at her best as an offensive rebounder, w/ 31 or 44% of the total boards. One final observation about Lithuania, Wilson had 4 points in each of the last two games against true centers. Stewie had 39 pts in those last two games w/ the opposition defense trying to stop her. By the way, Stewie also led both games in rebounds w/ 8 and 9 respectively. Important games, big time performance!!

Is Wilson another Stewie? Not right now, but there is plenty of raw talent there for some great coach(es) to develop. Again, I realize you were saying she is "like" Stewie, not the same.
Go Huskies..!!

 

[Wbbfan1]

FullCourt on Sierra - Link

 

[VAMike23]

FullCourt on Sierra - Link

This part was noteworthy:

There was much speculation she would pick Connecticut where her brother Omar is a sophomore on the men's basketball team. However, Calhoun was swayed by the strength of the ACC and the vision of McCallie. "I believe in her and her vision for me," said Calhoun. "The program is knocking on the door of greatness."

Since a quote was not supplied re: the ACC strength, it would be interesting to know just what she said on that subject.

 

[Raoul]

Has Taylor Rooks been offered by UConn?

 

[sarals24]

This part was noteworthy:

There was much speculation she would pick Connecticut where her brother Omar is a sophomore on the men's basketball team. However, Calhoun was swayed by the strength of the ACC and the vision of McCallie. "I believe in her and her vision for me," said Calhoun. "The program is knocking on the door of greatness."

Since a quote was not supplied re: the ACC strength, it would be interesting to know just what she said on that subject.

Yeah, they are knocking on the door alright. And it is being closed emphatically by 30 point drubbings by UConn.

 

[Fightin Choke]

Has Taylor Rooks been offered by UConn?

Not that I am aware. On HuskyNan's recruiting site (LINK), it does not mention a scholarship offer for Rooks (but does for other recruits). That doesn't mean that Geno has not offered, but rather that an offer cannot be confirmed.

 

[doggydaddy]

Yeah, they are knocking on the door alright. And it is being closed emphatically by 30 point drubbings by UConn.

Well, as far as I know, this is the first comment by a recruit that the conference makes a difference.

I wish there was a direct quote instead of ow it was worded.

 

[triaddukefan]

Yeah, they are knocking on the door alright. And it is being closed emphatically by 30 point drubbings by UConn.

there needs to be a dislike button here on the boneyard

 

[easttexastrash]

Very unprofessional.

JPM has no class at all. She should close her Twitter account as she obviously can't handle it with any professionalism or tact.

 

[triaddukefan]

JPM has no class at all. She should close her Twitter account as she obviously can't handle it with any professionalism or tact.

As opposed to Mulkey ???

 

[Icebear]

there needs to be a dislike button here on the boneyard

Truth hurts sometimes.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I'm surprised it was Duke as I thought it might be ND. As I posted a couple of weeks ago, both UConn Coaches and Sierra started to question if UConn was the right fit for her and apparently it was not. Good Luck to Sierra. Duke continues to load up on talent and have a deep roster. Wonder how they'll manage the minutes.

In my mind, Duke has had a deep lineup and skilled players for a very long time. Just like the men's program, the lure of Duke, great academics and mild climate plus a wonderful institution, grabs a lot of great athletes. Unfortunately, the women's program seems to always have underachieved, particularly when it came to postseason. When have they managed to really be the program that no one wanted to play. UConn is like that yearly, at least insofar as deep into the tournament. No one really wants to play UConn because they're a monster, particularly in the post season. I've never been scared of UConn's chances with Duke. She does seem like a good kid and she'll do well there. However, she'll never have the success basketballwise that she would have had at UConn, at least team wise.

 

[Raoul]

Not that I am aware. On HuskyNan's recruiting site (LINK), it does not mention a scholarship offer for Rooks (but does for other recruits). That doesn't mean that Geno has not offered, but rather that an offer cannot be confirmed.

Thanks. She's a recruit for whom it's difficult to find solid info.

 

[reno tony]

A'ja is not a center and she does not want to play the 5.

She might grow 4 inches her senior year and not have a choice.

 

[Tonyc]

Tina Charles did not make a single 3 point shot in her entire 4 year UCONN career Tony. So I fail to see how Tina "developed into a deep outside shooter." Bottom line is that A'ja Wilson's game is from 15 ft and in. Will she be able to occasionally step out and knock down an outside jumper? Maybe, but she will never be the outside threat that Breanna Stewart is and that is just fine because she is just a different type of player. This being said I feel that Wilson can be a dominant rebounder, shot blocker, and scorer on the blocks.

Huskyfan can you point out to me where I said Tina was a deep outside shooter? Please re read what I wrote. Your putting words into my mouth by putting quotes around what you said. Stef is on occasion. Tina was good from approx. 15-17 ft in. I consider 15-17 ft an outside shot.

 

[UConnCat]

Not that I am aware. On HuskyNan's recruiting site (LINK), it does not mention a scholarship offer for Rooks (but does for other recruits). That doesn't mean that Geno has not offered, but rather that an offer cannot be confirmed.

She has an offer.

 

[easttexastrash]

As opposed to Mulkey ???

Even less class than Mulkey, as hard as that is to imagine. JPM is tacky in a spiteful way that is unique to her.

 

[triaddukefan]

Even less class than Mulkey, as hard as that is to imagine. JPM is tacky in a spiteful way that is unique to her.

yes that's hard to imagine, though I do agree that McCallie needs to avoid twitter if at all possible.. which wont happen of course.

 

[Hoopsking]

Uconn just lost out on yet another recruit in Lynee Belton who committed to Duke. It's very doubtul Uconn will be able to get Aja Wilson out of the State of South Carolina and away from Dawn Staley.
Let's be perfectly honest, the breaking up of the Big East will come back to haunt Uconn and definitely hurt their recruiting. The new conference they are in is pretty pathetic talent wise. Geno has failed to land a really big time recruit in the 2014 class. You Uconn fans need to start worrying just a little because it's going to get a lot worse going forward for you Husky fans.

 

[Huskyfan23]

Huskyfan can you point out to me where I said Tina was a deep outside shooter? Please re read what I wrote. Your putting words into my mouth by putting quotes around what you said. Stef is on occasion. Tina was good from approx. 15-17 ft in. I consider 15-17 ft an outside shot.

Tony here is your EXACT QUOTE WORD FOR WORD. "As far as an outside deep outside shooter maybe not yet but that can be developed too, much like Tina and Stef."

 

[Hoopsking]

Yeah, they are knocking on the door alright. And it is being closed emphatically by 30 point drubbings by UConn.

Duke has done tremendously well on the recruiting circuit and while they may not be there yet, they are creeping up on Uconn. Uconn needs to land a 5-Star recruit. As of now, they will win as they still have a tremendous nucleus. However, Dolson and Hartley are going after this season and they need to retool.

 

[Hoopsking]

She has an offer.

Stanford has offered Rooks from what my sources tell me, so Geno better get on the ball because there's nothing like being in Southern California. "IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA"

 

[Huskyfan23]

Uconn just lost out on yet another recruit in Lynee Belton who committed to Duke. It's very doubtul Uconn will be able to get Aja Wilson out of the State of South Carolina and away from Dawn Staley.
Let's be perfectly honest, the breaking up of the Big East will come back to haunt Uconn and definitely hurt their recruiting. The new conference they are in is pretty pathetic talent wise. Geno has failed to land a really big time recruit in the 2014 class. You Uconn fans need to start worrying just a little because it's going to get a lot worse going forward for you Husky fans.

While I agree that the chances to get A'ja Wilson out of S.C. are slim and that the AAC is definitely a BIG OBSTACLE in recruiting UConn still has the #2 recruiting class in the country with three top 20 recruits.

 

[Huskyfan23]

Duke has done tremendously well on the recruiting circuit and while they may not be there yet, they are creeping up on Uconn. Uconn needs to land a 5-Star recruit. As of now, they will win as they still have a tremendous nucleus. However, Dolson and Hartley are going after this season and they need to retool.

They have already landed 3 5 star recruits.

 

[meyers7]

Uconn just lost out on yet another recruit in Lynee Belton who committed to Duke.

True, that is not a good thing.

It's very doubtul Uconn will be able to get Aja Wilson out of the State of South Carolina and away from Dawn Staley.

Well there are not really any signs that is true. In fact a lot of signs are pointing towards UCONN. But we'll see.

Let's be perfectly honest, the breaking up of the Big East will come back to haunt Uconn and definitely hurt their recruiting.

It's possible. Probably more so when Geno retires though.

The new conference they are in is pretty pathetic talent wise. Geno has failed to land a really big time recruit in the 2014 class.

Well except for having both teams in the National Championship last year. That's quite a bit of talent right there.

You Uconn fans need to start worrying just a little because it's going to get a lot worse going forward for you Husky fans.

Well thank you very much for your concern. It's nice to know there are people out there who are very worried about us.