2018 Recruiting Class

#351
#351
mike099 said:
Hopefully, it is not a sign that her last visit is scheduled for Florida State. I wonder if there are stats on how many recruits commit to the last school visited(Patterson last year comes to mind).
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Question is are her parents staying for the visit to FSU or did they return to Brazil ?
 
#352
#352
Who would go back to Brazil when they could enjoy a paid trip to Tallahassee, Fl. home of the really big bugs, free shoes and crab legs?
 
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#354
#354
Originally we were her last visit but her visit in May was rescheduled so her parents could go from what I understand. They visited right after they left Knoxville and then headed back to Brazil so she could go home for a bit. I think she comes back in July for AAU tourneys. It is believed she will have her decision by the end of this month.
 
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#357
#357
Program needs with the on board commits

1) Jordan Nixon pure point guard
2) Izabella Nicolette scoring guard
3) Morgan Jones wing scorer
4) Victoria Saxton mobil strong athletic defender

The title drought of the last 10 years is the direct result
of the lack of pure point guards. The era of the combo guard at the point must come to an end . 3 pure point guards on the team at all times. I love Westbrooks game but at the collegiate level she be a 2/3 . Massengill will be a defender at the next level ala Meme. That is why the addition of Nixon is so important , smoother handle than anyone on the Tenn. roster. If the lady vols hit the lotto then Ododa and Decosta replace Jones and Saxton
 
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#358
#358
graham1185 said:
Program needs with the on board commits

1) Jordan Nixon pure point guard
2) Izabella Nicolette scoring guard
3) Morgan Jones wing scorer
4) Victoria Saxton mobil strong athletic defender

The title drought of the last 10 years is the direct result
of the lack of pure point guards. The era of the combo guard at the point must come to an end . 3 pure point guards on the team at all times. I love Westbrooks game but at the collegiate level she be a 2/3 . Massengill will be a defender at the next level ala Meme. That is why the addition of Nixon is so important , smoother handle than anyone on the Tenn. roster. If the lady vols hit the lotto then Ododa and Decosta replace Jones and Saxton
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What about Ariel Massengale? She was a true point guard... The ball movement with her was much more crisp and she had control of her teams (and she could open up a zone because she could hit an outside shot). I think westbrook will help with the ball movement because her passing ability is pretty on point and being a bigger guard maybe she could be like a Nikki Teasley type Point guard a scoring one. Did Nixon cut down her list ?
 
#359
#359
I liked Massengale as a point , needed more penetrate and
dish . when the lady vols played North Carolina and Bobbit
would not back down to Latta ,that is the mold . Tough minded like Marciniak. I follow Nixon on twitter she has visited Virginia , St Johns , Ohio State , in home with Michigan State . I do not recall a final list from her . i love
all the ladies that have worn the orange at the point , but
for some it was not their true position .
 
#360
#360
graham1185 said:
I liked Massengale as a point , needed more penetrate and
dish . when the lady vols played North Carolina and Bobbit
would not back down to Latta ,that is the mold . Tough minded like Marciniak. I follow Nixon on twitter she has visited Virginia , St Johns , Ohio State , in home with Michigan State . I do not recall a final list from her . i love
all the ladies that have worn the orange at the point , but
for some it was not their true position .
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I agree ... I really hope these ladies we have and we get some we need to fill these needs we have !
 
#361
#361
graham1185 said:
I liked Massengale as a point , needed more penetrate and
dish . when the lady vols played North Carolina and Bobbit
would not back down to Latta ,that is the mold . Tough minded like Marciniak. I follow Nixon on twitter she has visited Virginia , St Johns , Ohio State , in home with Michigan State . I do not recall a final list from her . i love
all the ladies that have worn the orange at the point , but
for some it was not their true position .
Click to expand...

she was soft and didn't really run the team like a great point guard. She was talented in some respects--when she was a frosh I thought she was going to be great-- but our offense was never all that with her at the point. I think part of it was that our offensive system/coaching is not good and drags everybody down. But beyond that, Massengale was a weak defensive player--kind of lazy--and that is never good, and then lost her position to Reynolds, didn't she. Massengale did a pretty nice job shooting three's for us her last two years--but the Vols struggle to be as cohesive as a good offense should be. Maybe this year will be better (gulp)
 
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#362
#362
armchair said:
she was soft and didn't really run the team like a great point guard. She was talented in some respects--when she was a frosh I thought she was going to be great-- but our offense was never all that with her at the point. I think part of it was that our offensive system/coaching is not good and drags everybody down. But beyond that, Massengale was a weak defensive player--kind of lazy--and that is never good, and then lost her position to Reynolds, didn't she. Massengale did a pretty nice job shooting three's for us her last two years--but the Vols struggle to be as cohesive as a good offense should be. Maybe this year will be better (gulp)
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Massengale was outstanding her Junior year up until we lost her for the season with a concussion. She was well on her way to an All-SEC season. She had a solid senior campaign but never fully recovered mentally IMO. Early one she missed a lot of time (especially practice/training time) with various injuries.

We have not had a seasoned, quality point guard that was consistently good on both ends of the court since Bobbit to be honest. Both Jordan and Ariel had their moments but Jordan was a combo guard who was completely out of place.

Avant was a top recruit at point guard but we all know that played out in a way that has nothing to do with anything the program did. Just really bad luck health wise. Cooper included with the ACL tear.

Not having that top notch point guard has been a huge reason for the struggles of the program. We have two elite point guards coming in though... I guess that's why I have hope for a better season, regardless of their experience. Even with the loss of Middleton and Reynolds from last season's team we will see an upgrade at the guard positions IMO, albeit with less depth than we expected after the season ended.
 
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#363
#363
tennparker3 said:
Massengale was outstanding her Junior year up until we lost her for the season with a concussion. She was well on her way to an All-SEC season. She had a solid senior campaign but never fully recovered mentally IMO. Early one she missed a lot of time (especially practice/training time) with various injuries.

We have not had a seasoned, quality point guard that was consistently good on both ends of the court since Bobbit to be honest. Both Jordan and Ariel had their moments but Jordan was a combo guard who was completely out of place.

Avant was a top recruit at point guard but we all know that played out in a way that has nothing to do with anything the program did. Just really bad luck health wise. Cooper included with the ACL tear.

Not having that top notch point guard has been a huge reason for the struggles of the program. We have two elite point guards coming in though... I guess that's why I have hope for a better season, regardless of their experience. Even with the loss of Middleton and Reynolds from last season's team we will see an upgrade at the guard positions IMO, albeit with less depth than we expected after the season ended.
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I like what you're putting down! I agree with you because we'll have two legit point guards coming in and they both appear to be great on both ends of the floor. Best of luck to them both because they'll be thrown into the fire at the get go. Should be fun to watch!
 
#364
#364
tennparker3 said:
Massengale was outstanding her Junior year up until we lost her for the season with a concussion. She was well on her way to an All-SEC season. She had a solid senior campaign but never fully recovered mentally IMO. Early one she missed a lot of time (especially practice/training time) with various injuries.

We have not had a seasoned, quality point guard that was consistently good on both ends of the court since Bobbit to be honest. Both Jordan and Ariel had their moments but Jordan was a combo guard who was completely out of place.

Avant was a top recruit at point guard but we all know that played out in a way that has nothing to do with anything the program did. Just really bad luck health wise. Cooper included with the ACL tear.

Not having that top notch point guard has been a huge reason for the struggles of the program. We have two elite point guards coming in though... I guess that's why I have hope for a better season, regardless of their experience. Even with the loss of Middleton and Reynolds from last season's team we will see an upgrade at the guard positions IMO, albeit with less depth than we expected after the season ended.
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I don't think lack of PG play has been the issue as much as it has been lack of overall intensity and playing with purpose/desire. The last two years were a perfect example of how Tennessee could play up to its potential against great teams but also proved capable of losing to SEC bottom feeders. The team just coasts against bad teams, knowing they can keep the game close or thinking they'll be able to pull it out in the end. Instead, they need to step on the gas and run away with the win instead of letting the other team hang around. All of that comes back to the same common fundamental: coaching. Players would never give lackluster efforts for Pat or they knew they'd be pulled. Holly and Co need to demand their best efforts in practice and in games to help change the culture and get Tennessee back to its winning ways. Individual players need to step up and demand that level of work ethic from their teammates too. Hopefully this incoming class can help turn the tide. Or if they can't, hopefully a new coaching search will begin.
 
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#365
#365
bballnut90 said:
I don't think lack of PG play has been the issue as much as it has been lack of overall intensity and playing with purpose/desire. The last two years were a perfect example of how Tennessee could play up to its potential against great teams but also proved capable of losing to SEC bottom feeders. The team just coasts against bad teams, knowing they can keep the game close or thinking they'll be able to pull it out in the end. Instead, they need to step on the gas and run away with the win instead of letting the other team hang around. All of that comes back to the same common fundamental: coaching. Players would never give lackluster efforts for Pat or they knew they'd be pulled. Holly and Co need to demand their best efforts in practice and in games to help change the culture and get Tennessee back to its winning ways. Individual players need to step up and demand that level of work ethic from their teammates too. Hopefully this incoming class can help turn the tide. Or if they can't, hopefully a new coaching search will begin.
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Having a great point guard is everything for a championship level WCBB team. Heck, it is vital for having a consistent mid-level team.

Having someone who gets in the faces of their teammates goes a long way towards playing with a purpose, even when it's against a lesser opponent.

Many of the people I've talked to that has sat close to the bench over the years all agree that these last two teams have been the quietest teams they've witnessed. Cedes, Diamond and Draya have had their moments but not enough.

You don't have a quality point guard in WCBB and you won't go anywhere, and it's been that way for a long time.
 
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#366
#366
I recently posted about watching some old games and seeing the UConn LVs games from the 00 and 01 seasons. Those we're good teams by UT but Sue Bird was magnificent. She truly was the difference maker for UConn. Lawson took over for Clement at some point during those years and she was also talented, but Bird is one of a kind. It is no secret the UT offense largely depended on post play, rebounding and hard nosed defense. Part of the rise of UConn is how they used their guard speed and movement to get open shots, while also having a terrific coach and HOF players. Bobbit was the last true point guard UT had and we've lost some of the shine of being one of the truly elite programs. I hope Hayes or Westbrook are able to bring back that elite status with their play.
 
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#369
#369
bballnut90 said:
... Players would never give lackluster efforts for Pat or they knew they'd be pulled.
...
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Agreed that coaches & players should give their best effort. I just think fans tend to mis-remember a lot of the Summitt years because Pat was extremely successful. But it wasn't always pretty.

We were winning games like 46-44. CP3 scored 3 pts TOTAL in the SECT vs LSU. Was that her best effort? She wasn't pulled.

Omg, don't forget the 2009 class that lost in NCAA 1st round to Ball St. Pat couldn't motivate them for crap. She tried everything. No names on jerseys. Kicked out of locker room. Extra practices. Running. Do their own laundry. Was Pat a terrible coach? No. Did she get to the Final Four in her last 4 seasons? No. Should we have fired her? No.

I think Pat was best motivating prior generations. I think she made a difference in some of the very best players. Got them to really buy in. But I still think what pushed 2007 & 2008 to Nattys was Anosike. She demanded and willed her teams (mostly Parker)to give more.

The rewards/work ethics are different now. Kids don't respond the same way. There's more talent and TN doesn't always get the best players anymore. Look at the transfers almost weekly this off-season.

Holly has had success. She's not the best coach perhaps, but also not this horrible coach either. I think she's having to learn what makes players tick. The way TN has done things in HW's previous 30 years doesn't work as well today. It works ok, but can lead to this Jekyll/Hyde we've seen the past 2 seasons. I think the most talented players today come with egos and psyches that are tough to manage.

Anyway, just wanted to respond to your mention of how it used to be. I don't think TN is that different (despite some bad losses). I do think the landscape of WBB is much different. That's what HW has to master.
 
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#370
#370
Our gaurd play is horrible period. The last elite point guard. we had was bobbit . massengale was good not great she was a tier below diggins and sims. they are elite point gaurd.
 
#371
#371
1CHATTVOL said:
Agreed that coaches & players should give their best effort. I just think fans tend to mis-remember a lot of the Summitt years because Pat was extremely successful. But it wasn't always pretty.

We were winning games like 46-44. CP3 scored 3 pts TOTAL in the SECT vs LSU. Was that her best effort? She wasn't pulled.

Omg, don't forget the 2009 class that lost in NCAA 1st round to Ball St. Pat couldn't motivate them for crap. She tried everything. No names on jerseys. Kicked out of locker room. Extra practices. Running. Do their own laundry. Was Pat a terrible coach? No. Did she get to the Final Four in her last 4 seasons? No. Should we have fired her? No.

I think Pat was best motivating prior generations. I think she made a difference in some of the very best players. Got them to really buy in. But I still think what pushed 2007 & 2008 to Nattys was Anosike. She demanded and willed her teams (mostly Parker)to give more.

The rewards/work ethics are different now. Kids don't respond the same way. There's more talent and TN doesn't always get the best players anymore. Look at the transfers almost weekly this off-season.

Holly has had success. She's not the best coach perhaps, but also not this horrible coach either. I think she's having to learn what makes players tick. The way TN has done things in HW's previous 30 years doesn't work as well today. It works ok, but can lead to this Jekyll/Hyde we've seen the past 2 seasons. I think the most talented players today come with egos and psyches that are tough to manage.

Anyway, just wanted to respond to your mention of how it used to be. I don't think TN is that different (despite some bad losses). I do think the landscape of WBB is much different. That's what HW has to master.
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Always keeping it real and spot on. Excellent post, 1CV!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

(Hope this isn't considered "off topic.") 🙄😬🤐
 
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#373
#373
T_Vol376 said:
Always keeping it real and spot on. Excellent post, 1CV!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

(Hope this isn't considered "off topic.") 🙄😬🤐
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Please don't be petty...im not the one to do it with TVol 😘😘 keep it cute.
 
#374
#374
LadyVol1908 said:
Please don't be petty...im not the one to do it with TVol 😘😘 keep it cute.
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Well look who's talking about someone being petty.... 👀

And do NOT threaten me....and then blow kisses at me. How DARE you, really....
 
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