@BRS24 Thank you.
Totally agree. I think Sarah is going to be the wild card next season. She can play multiple positions. Against bigger teams we could have her at the two and against smaller teams, she could post up and play the five. There will be tons of combinations that Geno can use next season and lots of players that can play mutliple positions. I think the starting five next year is going to be Paige, Azzi, Sarah, Ice, and Jana (if she is ready). Otherwise, I could see Paige, Azzi, Aubrey, Sarah, and Ice. Next year is going to be super exciting.
You make a good point, but on the flip side... I'm not sure Geno has ever had this much talented depth. I imagine we will hear about this all summer - "how will Geno be able to 'keep everyone happy' on the roster with PT"? My answer to that is twofold.
I hope that the starters next year get more rest than a minute before the end of the quarter, as they were all warriors during the tournament, and I'm betting the fatigue finally caught up to them. Imagine being a starter, a team player, that is just as excited for 20-ish MPG so that everyone gets to contribute, and long term, gives the team a whole host of options into the post season.
Obviously injuries will play a huge role (ie. who's ready)? IF Caroline is 100%, I could see her starting over Ice or Sarah. There will be huge debates about it all summer. At some point I (or someone else) will post a poll of the entire roster and let fans vote for 5 as to who they think will start.
This season was inspirational and maybe that was the catalyst for Sarah and others in the future!
I can see Cheli starting instead of Ice. Same size but more versatility and skill with Cheli. Good rebounder, too. Start KK, Jana, Morgan, Sarah, and Paige. We have a winnah!!
You are correct, it was all of that and recruits should be attracted by the culture that was on full display.
A healthy Azzi will not be on the bench at the start of games.
Yeah I definitely see KK being the starter next year regardless of anything. He likes having a “true PG” I don’t see anyone else who really fits that bill. I personally really like Paige at the point but it seems Geno prefers her off the ball.
I would think so, especially since Azzi has no recent playing time and we have 2 newcomers to the system. KK is fast, tough and now a year experienced. With a stronger bench and players having to work back to fitness, I see us starting the year with a half court mentality with KK bringing up the ball, deferring to Paige to set up plays and our shooters shooting (and scoring - big numbers). I would imagine that either Allie or Morgan might be that other guard after some game experience.
I like the assumptions regarding 4 of the starters. Jana because we think she will be good and we don't have proven alternatives, and Sarah because she should be very good from the start. the real question is the 5th starter and the possibilities are endless.
It is a balancing act, but at least in theory there are no additional available spots for a 2025 recruit, if there are no portal departures, and all of Paige, Azzi and Caroline return. So although the odds may be pretty low, we really have another year of a roster crunch, part two, at least now.
I could see her stepping into Aubrey's role as defensive stopper (and rebounder) off the bench. She's capable of providing that same spark of energy that Aubrey does. I'm sure the coaching staff has plans for what they want Q to work on over the summer.
I like the C line in particular. A lot of depth there, which could mean Amari can’t crack the lineup. Or it might mean she gets more minutes because there’s less pressure on this position, especially with how many great perimeter shooters we’ll have. I’ll admit this is a long shot. But it would be interesting if it turned out this way.
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