Kaela Davis leaving Ga Tech

[gule]

put down the orange koolaid, you're getting silly. Don't u know how long since they been to a FF?

phar Dale!


lol

 

[Sandvol]

Lol! Do you really watch the games? Or are you just trolling around? Harrison was not the player she was as a Freshman. She became a 1st Round draft pick. Glory Johnson depended only on athleticism to score he help develop her footwork and post moves. Another 1st round draft pick. Alyssia Brewer who was the MVP of the SEC Tourney, I think her Junior season. She had no consistent post moves. He help develop her footwork and she was a force that season with her back to the basket. I could go on and on. We will see how far Mercedes Russell has come along. Even Candace Parker have gave credit to Dean for helping her be a better presence around the rim. Are you serious?

Yes, I watch the games but don't see you show up to many of the game threads we have here. So if anybody is trolling it is you. Lockwood is OK. Haven't seen him work wonders with anybody. Harrison is a great athlete. Johnson is a great athlete. Graves is a great athlete. But, it seems the last few years our posts have been schooled in big games by the likes of Notre Dame, South Carolina, Maryland, Stanford, and Louisville to name a few. So, I think Lockwood is an OK coach but haven't seen him work wonders with anybody.

 

[Sandvol]

I mean Holly's philosophy is defense and rebounding win championships. In order for that philosophy to work you have to have GREAT post play. We have had above average post play. But work wonders? No.

 

[Sandvol]

Heck, Graves has regressed since her freshman year. She improved a little this last year but they've never been able to effectively work Graves and Harrison together. Harrison went backwards her senior year. They could never figure how to get her effectively involved the whole year. Moore has been a work in progress for three years. Hopefully Russell will be effective this year. But, if anything their post play has kept them from reaching the final four. Their guard play is where the team improved this past year. Work wonders at post? Hell no.

 

[armchair]

Had we been completely healthy last year, with Russell and Harrison, we'd probably have gone to the final four--even overcoming the team's tendency to choke in big games under Warlick. Without Russell, Harrison had to carry a big load inside--and then we she went down our inside game took a major hit. We couldn't score inside (or outside) against Maryland. We have a lot of players with weaknesses and the key to coaching is to hide weaknesses--individually and as a team--and play to strengths. Our guard play was a bit better mostly because we have depth at guard--something we hadn't had in while, but the guard situation is still weird, in my opinion. We've got talent at guard but I don't see a natural shooting guard in the bunch or even a strong, natural point guard. Middleton is a natural point guard, I think, but probably not athletic enough to take us where we want to go. Carter did a pretty solid job at point guard the year before last when Massengale was hurt, then was switched to the other guard position last year and didn't score enough. Reynolds, meanwhile, took over PG. She's got size and toughness and a pretty decent (though inconsistent) pull-up jumper from in close--but she is not a great ball-handler--decent but not as good as you'd like a point guard to be, because she favors her natural left hand. She needs to work hard at improving her right hand so that she can go right with the ball comfortably. If she can do that and improve her passing, she might be a good PG.

Graves did improve last year, I thought--mainly because she was willing to take the 12-15 foot jumper. And she shoots it pretty well even though she is very slow deciding whether to shoot or not, and then shooting. Where Graves has issues is scoring 5 to 10 feet from the basket. She is too slow with the ball, too hesitant--always wants to take a dribble, takes a second or two to decide what to do, and wants to bring the ball down before going up a lot of times. You have to be explosive to be a good scorer near the basket--and have a quick release. You can't dawdle with this basketball or spend a second thinking about what you should do. A good post scorer will break into the box, catch a pass and--boom--go up strongly and shoot. This is what the coaches should be working with Graves on, IMO.

Team has potential. I expect to see Carter, Reynolds, DeShields, Graves and Russell start, with Nared first off the bench to sub for Russell, I would think, if our opponent does not have too much size. If we need size then maybe we take off Reynolds and have Nared play with Graves, Russell, Deshields and Carter. And we'll work Moore in some, too. There will be options, and the coaches must make good decisions about personnel to maximize chemistry and productivity--that's the essence of the job.

 

[VOL720]

Yes, I watch the games but don't see you show up to many of the game threads we have here. So if anybody is trolling it is you. Lockwood is OK. Haven't seen him work wonders with anybody. Harrison is a great athlete. Johnson is a great athlete. Graves is a great athlete. But, it seems the last few years our posts have been schooled in big games by the likes of Notre Dame, South Carolina, Maryland, Stanford, and Louisville to name a few. So, I think Lockwood is an OK coach but haven't seen him work wonders with anybody.

There are many players that are very athletic and raw, but have a very limited skill set. By saying they are great athletes doesn't prove anything. When you help a player develop post moves and footwork and help a player go from just put backs to actually the team running the offense through
them that is working wonders. I guess he is just an average coach in your eyes. We beat Stanford this season. The only game our post were ineffective in were in the SEC Championship. I really don't know what games you watched.

 

[Sandvol]

There are many players that are very athletic and raw, but have a very limited skill set. By saying they are great athletes doesn't prove anything. When you help a player develop post moves and footwork and help a player go from just put backs to actually the team running the offense through
them that is working wonders. I guess he is just an average coach in your eyes. We beat Stanford this season. The only game our post were ineffective in were in the SEC Championship. I really don't know what games you watched.

Almost all televised games. Yes we beat Standford this year at home and so did UTC. They didn't have the Ogumike sisters. Also, the fact that they are great athletes lends support to my argument. When you have great athletes like we have they will usually dominate a lesser athlete. However, when they run up against players as athletic as they are then it is skill set, schooling and coaching that carries the day. If you disagree with me fine. Make your case. But stop your childish personal attacks.

 

[VOL720]

Almost all televised games. Yes we beat Standford this year at home and so did UTC. They didn't have the Ogumike sisters. Also, the fact that they are great athletes lends support to my argument. When you have great athletes like we have they will usually dominate a lesser athlete. However, when they run up against players as athletic as they are then it is skill set, schooling and coaching that carries the day. If you disagree with me fine. Make your case. But stop your childish personal attacks.

Lol! Childish personal attacks? Really? You quoted me first. To be honest, its not that a serious for me to have "personal attacks." You can believe what you want. My point is that you are portraying that he does little to nothing with the talent he has help sign. Please inform me what 5 stars he had turned to basket cases. Just saying....

 

[governmentmule]

Had we been completely healthy last year, with Russell and Harrison, we'd probably have gone to the final four-

good write up armchair

other than the choking part lol

your spot on about Graves,if she would put the ball up for a shot,instead of putting it on the floor first,her scoring would definitely improve

hopefully Moore will add a few pounds during the off season,but I highly doubt that happening,she needs to eating at least 4 Big Macs a day ,with some pie and ice cream too,on top of her regular diet

and work out like hell while doing it lol but she hasn't added much weight at all since she has been here,so I doubt she will this off season either

 

[governmentmule]

Almost all televised games. Yes we beat Standford this year at home and so did UTC. They didn't have the Ogumike sisters. Also, the fact that they are great athletes lends support to my argument. When you have great athletes like we have they will usually dominate a lesser athlete. However, when they run up against players as athletic as they are then it is skill set, schooling and coaching that carries the day. If you disagree with me fine. Make your case. But stop your childish personal attacks.

UTC was surprisingly good this year

 

[volcrazy89]

but the guard situation is still weird, in my opinion. We've got talent at guard but I don't see a natural shooting guard in the bunch or even a strong, natural point guard.

I totally agree. And thank you for saying it.

It's weird because we have two guards who are below average on the offensive side of the floor. Both are combo guards who can't really excel at either guard position. Carter has zero court vision and, despite being very quick, isn't very quick with the ball and isn't great at pushing tempo. But she refuses to shoot so she can't excel at SG. She will forever be just a defender at UT, despite having all the physical tools to be a great player on both sides of the ball. Reynolds can't shoot shoot so SG isn't for her (and doesn't have the quickness to be a great slasher), but she doesn't have the natural passing vision or halfcourt IQ to excel at PG. Carter is one of the mentally weakest offensive guards UT has ever had. And Reynolds doesn't have one particular skillset that she excels at. I agree it's weird. They are polar opposites of each other. Carter has the skills and not the mindset. She's supremely athletic and quick and has great form and lift on her jumpshot. But whatever is happening between the ears with her is holding her back. Reynolds is the opposite. She can't shoot (horrible form on her shot which still hasn't been corrected even after two seasons), isn't particularly quick albeit not slow, doesn't seem to have great ballhandling skills, either. But her mindset is attack and she has some swagger and confidence -- which is what Draya severely lacks. So she has the mindset ... but not the skills. Draya acts like she's a lot worse than she is, and Jordan acts like she's a lot better than she is. Honestly if we could combine the two it would probably create the perfect player.

I'm hoping the addition of Diamond and Te'a will force both Draya and Jordan to improve upon their weaknesses. And TBH ... Te'a should start easily at PG over Reynolds ... but after seeing the Massengale/Reynolds fiasco this past season, I won't hold my breath. Te'a is better than Jordan at pretty much every facet of the game. She's quicker, is a better passer, has a higher basketball IQ, has better court vision despite being smaller, and is the better defender. Even three-point shooting, and Te'a isn't a fantastic perimeter shooter (although she has improved quite a bit). To this day I'm not sure why Holly is so in love with Jordan.

Holly doesn't have a great track record with guards. She didn't utilized Simmons the right way and I don't think she handled Massengale the right way. Those two along with Kamiko are the most talented guards she has had as a HC so far. And she seemingly pretty much destroyed whatever confidence that Middleton had early in the season.

because she favors her natural left hand. She needs to work hard at improving her right hand so that she can go right with the ball comfortably.

Jordan isn't a lefty. We actually don't have a lefty on the team.

 

[Ladyvol777]

She did't make either team this year or last year either, Is she that good????

Team #1
Jordin Canada
Nina Davis
Diamond DeShields
Rebecca Greenwell
Chanise Jenkins
Brionna Jones
Erica McCall
Aerial Powers
Courtney Range
Mercedes Russell
Sydney Weise
Courtney M. Williams

Team #2
Sophie Brunner
Alaina Coates
Caroline Coyer
Linnae Harper
Moriah Jefferson
Stephanie Mavunga
Tiffany Mitchell
Kelsey Plum
Taya Reimer
Breanna Stewart
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
Courtney B. Williams

 

[Orange_Mamba]

Y'all are killing me anointing Cooper starting pg before she steps a foot on campus or play a college game. How did that work out last time that happened. Jordan is a great player. Didn't play much until the SEC tournament her freshman year. Last year was her first year running an entire team, so it was going to be some hardship. She has great court vision and she is a slashing guard. Slashing to the basket is quite ineffective if you don't have consistent three point shooters ready to knock down the shot. You're talking like Jordan was absolutely terrible last year. And you can't blame Jordan for not being good in the half court offense. It didn't matter if Draya or Amass was running point it was no half court offense to run, so you also can't blame Jordan for the lack their of.

 

[volcrazy89]

It worked out just fine. Massengale wound up being one of the best PGs we had had in quite some time. And there's no doubt that if she had gone to another school that runs a better offense she would've been an AA.

Jordan isn't "absolutely terrible" but I don't understand the love affair with her. And I never blamed her for the half court offense. I said her halfcourt vision and IQ aren't what they need to be for her to excel at PG. I like her at PG A LOT more than Draya, for sure, though.

Cooper is a true PG. Jordan is not. But Holly seems to love her to so much so I'm betting she'll start just like she did over Massengale (who is also a true PG) ... for whatever reason. Which I guess is ok if you don't want your freshman feeling any pressure, but I believe in the best players starting regardless of class. She started sophomore Reynolds over senior Ariel so not sure why it's sounds so far-fetched to start freshman Cooper over junior Jordan.

Part of our offense looking terrible is our players having low basketball IQs (recruiting). Another part of it is the lack of three-point shooting (recruiting, and not giving our best shooters playing time). And the last part is the lack of having an offensive-minded coach on the staff.

 

[gule]

agree with your assessment except for low BB IQ's.

 

[Orange_Mamba]

It took Amass until her junior to look like her top ten ranking. Ariel had a lot of growing pains as do a lot of incoming freshman. Yes, Ariel was one of the better pg we've had in a while, but that's not saying much. Before Ariel we hadn't had a true point since Bobbitt left.

To say Cooper is going to come in and be ready to go against older college players is a stretch. I haven't seen a player come in and dominate in a long time. I don't blame the team for the horrid offense. When was the last time we've ran a decent offense. You're not going to win many if your only offense is to get in the post. There was a number of times last year when Holly told the guards not to shoot and get the ball to Izzy. That can mess up a players confidence.

The way I see it there's three guareented staring spots next year. Deshields, Graves, and Russell if Holly can develop plays to utilize Graves more than there's no reason this team shouldn't be playing in the National championship game. Heck if Holly could devlop plays to get anybody open...

 

[stubbs9]

We sure won a lot of games with no offense.

 

[gule]

nothing wrong with Tn's offense except the length of the shot clock is too short for effectively working the ball into a set play most of the time. imvvho

I hate "shot clock" bball!

 

[LVJeff]

I don't think the offense was great but it wasn't the horror show some make it out to be. As for Holly not developing plays it was pointed out by some that the inverting of the guards and post players was a good idea that worked but then some said that was Kyra's idea not Holly's and that was when I realized there were people looking for any reason to not give Holly any credit. And that's a bit sad.

 

[volfanIND]

Our only problem with our offense was making shots.
Driving to the lane and missing layups, missing jump shots, and missing 3 pointers.

FG% = 42% .... IMO needs to be 45+
3pt% =33% .... IMO needs to be 37+
FT% = 75% .... IMO I think 75 is okay, but nothing lower

I just get flashbacks at some HORRIBLE shooting nights, Rutgers, Wichita State, Arkansas, Chattanooga, Gonzaga, and a lot more.

 

[stubbs9]

Our only problem with our offense was making shots.
Driving to the lane and missing layups, missing jump shots, and missing 3 pointers.

FG% = 42% .... IMO needs to be 45+
3pt% =33% .... IMO needs to be 37+
FT% = 75% .... IMO I think 75 is okay, but nothing lower

I just get flashbacks at some HORRIBLE shooting nights, Rutgers, Wichita State, Arkansas, Chattanooga, Gonzaga, and a lot more.

I totally agree. Reynolds and Carter missed so many open shots and Graves missed tons of layups. This is what keeps us out of the Final 4. When your inside game isn't working then your guards have to make shots. Massengale was the only one that could hit an open shot most of the time.

 

[Voluble2]

Our only problem with our offense was making shots.
Driving to the lane and missing layups, missing jump shots, and missing 3 pointers.

FG% = 42% .... IMO needs to be 45+
3pt% =33% .... IMO needs to be 37+
FT% = 75% .... IMO I think 75 is okay, but nothing lower

I just get flashbacks at some HORRIBLE shooting nights, Rutgers, Wichita State, Arkansas, Chattanooga, Gonzaga, and a lot more.

I checked during the season and UConn was shooting a solid 10% better than us. The other final 4 teams were around 5% better. A lot of that has to do with the fact that they take the first open shot they get instead of working for a harder one and their players don't hesitate or lack confidence.

Like most years we only had one player who would play for them if you picked your team by shooting percentage.

 

[Sandvol]

Lol! Childish personal attacks? Really? You quoted me first. To be honest, its not that a serious for me to have "personal attacks." You can believe what you want. My point is that you are portraying that he does little to nothing with the talent he has help sign. Please inform me what 5 stars he had turned to basket cases. Just saying....

I quoted you? Didn't realize semi-quoting you was considered a personal attack? Then you accuse me of trolling which is pretty childish when I have posted a lot more on this Lady Vols forum at least in the last couple of years than you have. So, how can I be trolling? You do understand what the definition of trolling is? Also, now you are trying to set the narrative. Can you tell me where I said he turned 5 stars into basket cases? I just asked a simple question: who has he worked wonders on? Simple.

 

[LVJeff]

I don't know what her per centage was but it seemed to me Burdick was ok at hitting a 15-20 foot jumper.

 

[VOL720]

I quoted you? Didn't realize semi-quoting you was considered a personal attack? Then you accuse me of trolling which is pretty childish when I have posted a lot more on this Lady Vols forum at least in the last couple of years than you have. So, how can I be trolling? You do understand what the definition of trolling is? Also, now you are trying to set the narrative. Can you tell me where I said he turned 5 stars into basket cases? I just asked a simple question: who has he worked wonders on? Simple.

My mistake it was gule who said that about the basket cases. I responded to both of you all post back to back and got my responses mixed up. I posted a comment and you quoted me. I responded to your post. I don't understand where you are getting the notion of personal attacks from. Just because I ask were you trolling, I don't perceived that as a personal attack. I asked that based on your comments. I recently start posting on this forum, but I've been on The Summitt for years.

Secondly, the reason I accused you of trolling is because the way you portrayed him as just a coach that does little with what he has. I'm thinking how would anyone say that when he has groomed players into 1st round draft picks and a star player like Candace Parker gave credit to him for helping her improve her game around the rim.

Finally, This is NOT that serious for me to attack you about anything. I don't know you and you don't me. You have have your opinion and I have mine.