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Message: [QUOTE="Bone Dog, post: 5055451, member: 12088"] Excellent post, and I like your reasoning about the opening starters. I might have KK before Katilyn, at least in the beginning of the season, and Azzi for Ash later. But you make good points here. As for the question of subbing and competitiveness, this looks like a permutation of the "deep rotation" dream so many of us share. I tend to think that Geno can let the starting lineup evolve as players return in December, January, February. But others have suggested that this may be counter-productive... and they may be right. I'm thinking of Paige's freshman year when the only constants in the starting lineup were her, Olivia and Christyn (except for one or two games mid-season). Aaliyah and Anna and Evina and even Nika were in and out of the starting lineup until pretty late in the season. Christyn was uneven for much of the season but Geno stuck with her, even preferring her over Evina who could be steadier. But Christyn came on strong in March, especially against Iowa. Still, that squad floundered against Arizona in the Final Four. I don't know if this proves anything but it gives me pause. This was a season in which Geno experimented with the starting lineup more than usual and the result was disappointing in the end. This season, it seems like the overall talent level is higher and deeper than the team in Paige's freshman season. That year, the front court was essentially [INDENT=2][B]Olivia and Aaliyah and no one else[/B]. [/INDENT] [INDENT=2]This year, it will be [/INDENT] [INDENT=2][B]Jana, Ice, Sarah, Ayanna, Aubrey [/B][/INDENT] [INDENT=2][with Caroline and Morgan possibly ready to cover the 4 if needed]. [/INDENT] The backcourt back then was [INDENT=2][B]Paige, Christyn, Evina, Anna and Nika[/B], [/INDENT] [INDENT=2]and while there was a lot of talent there, I don't think it quite equals what Geno has this season in [/INDENT] [INDENT=2][B]Paige, Azzi, Ash, KK, Kaitlyn, Allie, Morgan[/B]. [/INDENT] This just looks like a much more balanced squad. But they won't all be ready at the beginning. Players Geno would really like to rely on (Azzi, Caroline, Aubrey, Ayanna) may not be up to speed until January or February. If a core of starters gels before all of them return, should he disrupt that for returning greats? My inclination has been to say 'Yes,' but that could be the wrong answer. Though, really, it would likely only apply to Azzi and Caroline. All the others might make just as much sense as rotation players... though this brings us back to the "deep rotation" dream. IF Geno reverts to form and settles on a core of players by March (and probably much sooner) that is simply 5+3 (and reserving the low pressure moments for the rest of the roster), who would you expect to see in this core? Assuming everyone's healthy and playing up to form, I think it would have to be [INDENT=2][B]Paige, Kaitlyn, Azzi, Sarah, Jana + Ice, Aubrey, Ash[/B].[/INDENT] This is a really tough call, obviously, but that's what having such a talented roster means. [/QUOTE]

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