As for the earlier true bball question (rather than political science/folklore Texian question), Baylor starts 2 jrs.--neither would probably start for half the teams we will play this year. Great kids; don't make a lot of mistakes, but aren't going to take us past the sweet 16, and then we start 3 sophs--all three have the potential to grow into A+ players that can play elite 8 if not more. Only problem, no real height. Davis 6'1" is getting time at the #3/#4 (she was the point guard when POY in Tennessee, but she does not create a shot off the dribble; it's all drive to the hoop or just out work the larger girls and has the ability to get her shot back up through lots of heavy arms). Though her stat lines are good, the experiment is not working quite yet. Cave is only 6'3" but shows hope of being able to play the #5 adequately because she is a bona fide jumper (which not many #5s in college bball are AND she shoots left handed so she catches quite a few defenders off guard with her first quick step to the left, and Wright, 5'10 shooting guard who has the head and heart of an assassin and may be our next truly nationally known player. Last year she played in the shadow of the more highly touted Iesha Smalls at the #2.
Kristy Wallace from Australia is taking a two week break required for her to play on the Australian national team and had solidified the shooting guard spot becausse she sees and thinks the game. She plays the game in the same mold as some of the players you guys have had that is not as fast nor as powerful but is always one mental step ahead of the defender. But she's slow, and when she gets back, she's going to have to bump either our point (which I predict) or Wright at the #2.
Our only senior is the verbal leader of the team, Agbuke at 6'5", but she is in law school so her ability to put it and leave it all on the court is quite appropriately questioned, especially as law exams start to kick in.
The real question marks are Prince who set out all last year with stress fractures in her feet. She looks a bit slow, but her stat lines are serviceable. She is just not as quick and as able to create a shot from the perimeter as we had hoped she would be after a full year's rest, but it's early. She has not played fullspeed competitive ball in a year and a half and she may just be playing tentatively on her feet right now. the other question is the highly touted Iesha Small that was our soph class's leading recruit. She, too, has had high ankle sprain and has been only half of what she is capable of being.
If Small and Prince can find the speed they need, and if Davis goes back to being the #4 rather than the 15' jump-shooter Kim is experimenting with, then our starting five and entire rotation will look much differently than it does now. Best case scenario (and not too biased) is that we try to steal one from Texas and make it a two-horse race.
But for what it's worth, Karen Asten is building a bona fide monster in Austin. She is an excellent recruiter (was for us for 4 years) and knows the x's and o's. She is building the kind of team that Notre Dame and Stanford has been for you guys. Not quite as good on paper, but a dogfight of a game every time you hit the court. We won't be there this year; perhaps next year when our best talent is all juniors.
And I KNOW you guys can't believe this, but Kim is mellowing and actually smiling at the players often when they come off the court. Age and having coached her daughter for 4 years helped her bearings. But don't lose heart. She is still every bit as what you want to see her be on the sidelines as she's always been, especially if these sophs come along quickly and by mid-Feb she's got an elilte/Tampa chance.
Happy Advent from west of the Sabine.
