surprising freshmen

[nwhoopfan]

There was a general thread for early season surprises and a few Fr. were mentioned, but I think those were mostly high profile recruits that have had a big impact early. What about under the radar frosh that are making their mark right out of the gate?

Dyaisha Fair from Buffalo averaging 24.3 ppg is certainly one.

I knew about Brynna Maxwell from Gig Harbor, WA because she led her team to their first ever State Championship (3A, second highest level in Washington, basically interchangeable w/ 4A) during her Jr. season. I don't think she got much attention at all. Prospects Nation had her rated #78, she didn't crack Hoopgurlz top 100. She is currently leading Utah in scoring at 14.1 ppg. They have struggled, but they returned quite a few veteran players. I don't think ANYONE was expecting her to come in and lead them in scoring.

What under the radar Fr. have caught your eye this season?

 

[SECbbfan24]

Makayla Daniels from Arkansas has done some good stuff. 3 star guard out of Maryland. Arkansas hasn't played anyone outside of Cal though. She is averaging 13.3 points per game.

 

[LoTrader]

I like the freshman guard from Ohio State Keirstan Bell. She is a gamer.

 

[Jmsdawg]

Jamya Mingo-Young, MSST. Jamya was not considered the back-up PG but she seems to be emerging in that role. At Vic’s last presser he said she was the player that was always there, offense and defense.

 

[bballnut90]

I like the freshman guard from Ohio State Keirstan Bell. She is a gamer.

Really impressed with her. She was a top 5 recruit so perhaps not too surprising but shes a good one.

 

[LoTrader]

Really impressed with her. She was a top 5 recruit so perhaps not too surprising but shes a good one.

I didn't see tOSU vs Louisville game last night, but I did see that she was interviewed after the game, so guessing she played well. I did see the UCONN game, my first time seeing Kiersten play, and came away surprised that she was a freshman--she played with great poise, and clearly wasn't the least bit intimidated by UCONN. That is why I called her a "gamer".

 

[DaBball]

Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes has impressed me in the few Indiana games I’ve seen. 6-4 post player from Maine.

Esmery Martinez has been tearing it up at WVU. She was somehow not ranked in the top-100, but held offers from Louisville, Mississippi State, South Carolina, etc.

If Fair keeps it up, she could have the chance to break Plum’s record. She has 194 points through eight games. She’ll continue to get a lot of FGA/game.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Esmery Martinez has been tearing it up at WVU. She was somehow not ranked in the top-100, but held offers from Louisville, Mississippi State, South Carolina, etc.

She used to be a top 100 player. She had some injuries from what I understand. She can score inside and is a pretty damn good rebounder. Really good player. State could use her rebounding.

 

[nwhoopfan]

If Fair keeps it up, she could have the chance to break Plum’s record. She has 194 points through eight games. She’ll continue to get a lot of FGA/game.

Whoa, a little early to start projecting that yet. Mitchell scored more thru 3 years than Plum did. She had a killer kick down the stretch, 1100+ points in a season is kinda ridiculous. We gotta let Chennedy make her run first, then we can start really tracking Fair (although Carter has to pick it up if she has any chance, she's well short of halfway there a month into her Jr. season). Fair on the other hand only has a little more than 3300 points to go...

 

[DaBball]

Whoa, a little early to start projecting that yet. Mitchell scored more thru 3 years than Plum did. She had a killer kick down the stretch, 1100+ points in a season is kinda ridiculous. We gotta let Chennedy make her run first, then we can start really tracking Fair (although Carter has to pick it up if she has any chance, she's well short of halfway there a month into her Jr. season). Fair on the other hand only has a little more than 3300 points to go...

Carter would also have to elect to stay her senior year. That’ll be an interesting choice. I would assume she, Slocum, and Sabally are the biggest possibilities among leaving early. Carter also missed a couple games last year, which is a huge deal when talking about total points. Not sure how many Plum missed throughout her career. Plum would also have to up this years average.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Plum was durable. I'm not positive, but I don't think she missed a single game (edit--confirmed). She injured her knee during her soph year, medical staff said it wouldn't get worse so she kept playing. She clearly wasn't the same the last month or so that season. She was averaging around 25 ppg that year and it dipped down 22.6 by seasons end.

This got me thinking about high scoring Freshmen. Before Graves arrived at Oregon and Westhead had them playing super high tempo, they had a Fr. guard I believe averaged about 26 ppg. I can't even recall her name. I believe she transferred to Kentucky, maybe played a few game, maybe never even took the floor for them, then disappeared entirely.


edited again--Chrishae Rowe is who I was trying to think of. I overestimated a bit, she averaged 21.6 ppg her Fr. year at Oregon. Dismissed from Kentucky without ever playing for them, was also dismissed from Oregon.

 

[SECbbfan24]

Jamya Mingo-Young, MSST. Jamya was not considered the back-up PG but she seems to be emerging in that role. At Vic’s last presser he said she was the player that was always there, offense and defense.

I think she is a much more complete player than M. Taylor. Young's play and physicality was a key for State against Stanford. She use to be a top 20 recruit before all the knee injuries for a reason. Glad she is having some early success. She still has ways to go but as a freshmen she has done some great stuff.

 

[LoTrader]

Not sure if anyone is surprised by the play of Kennedy Brown at Oregon State, even though she is a McDonald's AA. This kid a friggin solid defender. She can guard out to the 3-point line, and at the rim. Doesn't seem quick, but really defends well for a freshman. Her offense came around tonight, hitting 4 x 3-point FGs. She is getting lots of minutes at OSU and has started every game.

 

[Figurehead]

Not sure if anyone is surprised by the play of Kennedy Brown at Oregon State, even though she is a McDonald's AA. This kid a friggin solid defender. She can guard out to the 3-point line, and at the rim. Doesn't seem quick, but really defends well for a freshman. Her offense came around tonight, hitting 4 x 3-point FGs. She is getting lots of minutes at OSU and has started every game.

Not surprised. Some teams get three or four of those types of players. Just ask Uconn fans here what it is like to recruit at those high levels.

 

[newfrontier]

Not sure if anyone is surprised by the play of Kennedy Brown at Oregon State, even though she is a McDonald's AA. This kid a friggin solid defender. She can guard out to the 3-point line, and at the rim. Doesn't seem quick, but really defends well for a freshman. Her offense came around tonight, hitting 4 x 3-point FGs. She is getting lots of minutes at OSU and has started every game.

While other teams have good or even great freshmen posts or forwards, I'm not sure one can arguably point to a better duo or combination of freshmen "bigs" than Taylor Jones and Kennedy Brown at Oregon State, at least presently. Both young gals are fast learners, compliment each other's skills and abilities well, are not intimidated, and display confidence and maturity beyond many other freshmen players. And, they will only get better. What might become even scarier, Oregon State has two additional freshman"bigs" (of course I mean REALLY BIG, as in 6'9" Andrea Aquino and 6'9" Jelena Mitrovic) potentially waiting in the wings. Both of these players show promise, but have yet to see the floor (sitting out for health/injury reasons). If these two are cleared and able to play next season along side Jones and Brown, look out for this foursome. Considering their size and talent, the occurrence of 4 such players all on the same college team could be historical if not unprecedented.

 

[LoTrader]

While other teams have good or even great freshmen posts or forwards, I'm not sure one can arguably point to a better duo or combination of freshmen "bigs" than Taylor Jones and Kennedy Brown at Oregon State, at least presently. Both young gals are fast learners, compliment each other's skills and abilities well, are not intimidated, and display confidence and maturity beyond many other freshmen players. And, they will only get better. What might become even scarier, Oregon State has two additional freshman"bigs" (of course I mean REALLY BIG, as in 6'9" Andrea Aquino and 6'9" Jelena Mitrovic) potentially in the wings. Both of these players show promise, but have yet to see the floor (sitting out for health/injury reasons). If these two are cleared and able to play next season along side Jones and Brown, look out for this foursome. Considering their size and talent, the occurrence of 4 such players all on the same college team could be historical if not unprecedented.

+ Taya Corosdale next 2 seasons

 

[newfrontier]

+ Taya Corosdale next 2 seasons

True, but I did not reference her because she not a freshman (nor is Patricia Morris for that matter) and she is not really surprising IMO. And, yes I have no basis for including Aquino and Mitrovic because, while freshmen, they have not played. I am HOPING they will one day be surprising, impactful freshmen :0

 

[Plebe]

St. John's freshman Leilani Correa scored 33 points tonight in a win over Army, tying the program record for most points in a game by a freshman. She's now averaging 14 ppg and shooting 49% on the season.

 

[Shmermerer]

St. John's freshman Leilani Correa scored 33 points tonight in a win over Army, tying the program record for most points in a game by a freshman. She's now averaging 14 ppg and shooting 49% on the season.

She’s a stud! I’ve watched her a few times. She was actually originally committed to West Virginia I think.