I guess its the "Mercedes" (Not Russell)

[Darth_Vol]

Carter was better last year.

Carter made the All-SEC freshman team, deservedly so. Graves was the SEC freshman of the year and a first teamer her first season. Deshields was the NATIONAL freshman of the year. It's amazing how many of these players actually regress the longer they play for this staff...

 

[Darth_Vol]

Didn't a holly warlick coached Tenn team beat Deshields NC team by around fifty points

Deshields was very unimpressive in her one game against Tennessee, shooting 3-15 and scoring only 8 points. A little preview of her feast or famine game I suppose.

As an aside, Kaela Davis lit up the Lady Vols for 28 as a freshman at GT in a losing effort. Next time she will have Aja Wilson.... hmy:

 

[Amb3096]

Deshields was very unimpressive in her one game against Tennessee, shooting 3-15 and scoring only 8 points. A little preview of her feast or famine game I suppose.

As an aside, Kaela Davis lit up the Lady Vols for 28 as a freshman at GT in a losing effort. Next time she will have Aja Wilson.... hmy:

And Alaina Coates. And Allisha Gray.

The SC-Tenn game next year has the potential to be really, really ugly.

 

[teacherdean]

I am trying to find a silver lining in this season and wonder how we could right the ship. Thinking of ways to right the ship had me questioning, where did we go wrong?

I think we went wrong the moment Diamond decided to come to Tennessee. It is no fault of Diamond's but more so on Holly's part. Holly has used Diamond's name to her advantage and when Diamond status outgrew Holly status Holly had to put a stop to it and her trying to do so has cause us many first this year and not making the tournament might be one of them.

Here are a list of things Holly used Diamond for;
1.) To coach on the Olympic team-Does Holly truly get a shot over other coaches to assist on the team that won Gold this summer if she didn't have the Freshman of the Year 2 seasons removed accompanying her (Alongside Mercedes Russell)

2.) Te'a Cooper-Te'a could have pretty much gone anywhere and decided to come to Tennessee because this is where Diamond went (Te'a was going to go wherever Diamond went because they are best friends).

3.) Other players initially looking here to transfer-Don't buy one bit that McVunga and Gray (transfers from UNC) didn't want to continue to play with Diamond both players took visits here and decided to play elsewhere. People assumed it was Diamond and them not wanting to play with her but could it have been that they sat down and talked to Holly alone about Basketball and she just didn't stimulate there passion for basketball. Based on the talent we had and what they did at UNC in the first season do you really think they wouldn't have chosen to come here with Diamond here and our other "talent" (even the Davis family looked to come here and her and Diamond had issue in the Past)

4.) A higher rating in the beginning of the year-We started the season ranked in the top 5 after losing Izzy, Burdick, and Massingale. With no Diamond and No Te'a do you thin we start in the top 5? Maybe top 10, but definitely not the Top 5.


I think Holly started the season off wrong when she decided not to start her best players at the start of the season. In the first game she decided to start Dunbar over Diamond while she benched 3 other players (Graves, Reynolds, and Jones were suspended and Nared was injured) although Diamond may have been hurt not starting her was a mistake. She didn't start her in the absence of Reynolds (who she had suspended and Reynolds returns and starts right away) knowing Diamond and how outspoken she is, she probably said something about it.

It is clear to see that Holly shows favoritism. The same things Te'a and Diamond get benched for immediately (Turnovers, fouls, etc) Reynolds, Carter, and Russell are allowed to continue to play until they make several mistakes and players begin to see that. Also players begin to wonder how certain players who aren't performing well get a lot of minutes and players who are ride the bench.

Diamond and her entitlement is something her parents created and you can't fault her for that. You also can't fault her if she wants to win and the coach isn't putting the best team/players out there to win. Even when Diamond isn't playing she is up rooting on her teammates and etc. I don't see Holly doing the same.

Being Sarcastic I think it is the Mercedes (not Russell) that caused the rift between the DeSheild's and Holly. Maybe if Diamond's brother would have purchased a Mercedes for Holly (for winning her 100th game lol) we wouldn't be where we are. It's clear that Holly has some issue with Diamond that the other players (who may have once had realized how talented she is and wants to win) no longer have and she is allowing those issues to hurt the rest of the team/season.


It's inexcusable to still be starting Carter at the PG spot when she is averaging less than 2 assist per game. It is inexcusable for your team's leading scorer to not be starting when your team struggles to score (Name a team who's leading scorer/star doesn't start?) It is inexcusable for the team's best 3 PT shooter to average less than 5 minutes a game when most of the teams you play zone you up. I can go on and on.

Feel free to chime in!

We have far too many Holly supporters trying to blame players, in specific Diamond and giving Holly a pass. I am never going to say that players haven't been part of the problem, but Holly is clueless when it comes to handling and coaching the players. People refuse to really look at what Holly has done. Next year we do not have recruits, transfers, or JC players to help fill the gap of the three players graduating. The things you mentioned fall square on the shoulders of Holly. There is no ducking and hand off responsibilities.

I can see it in the eyes of the players they have little respect for Holly. Now she is acting like a 50 year plus child. She is pissy because she, according to the announcers last night, is unhappy because Diamond mention her lack of playing time. She must not have listen to what Diamond said. She stated that she did not get a lot of playing because she made too many mistakes. Last night Holly pulled Diamond and didn't even look at her. She has lost this team and need to leave. If I was the parent of a recruit Holly would not be a coach I want my daughter to meet with.

We are losing recruits because Holly is an awful coach and recruiter.:cray: