Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2023-24

Whatever happens it better happen fast or we’ll get another Talaysia situation where players think they are safe and then get recruited over after the May 1st deadline :/
To be fair, PaoPao committed before the portal deadline, so Coop had time to exit, not sure why she delayed, but PaoPao, Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson all coming in at the guard spots definitely played a big part in her decision to move on along with knowing Raven was the starting PG w/o question.

That is not to insinuate Coop was afraid of the competition, but she likely saw the logjam for minutes per game and also knew CDS was emphasizing guards who could shoot the three for the upcoming season. Coop is a great player, she will excel at UT. She is close to a Rivers clone imo as I have stated often. I’m sure LV fans would be happy with that level of play. I fully expect her to post River’s sophomore type numbers this season, or better. She could be a better shooter than Rivers, she won’t be worse.
 
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. Coop is a great player, she will excel at UT. She is close to a Rivers clone imo as I have stated often. I’m sure LV fans would be happy with that level of play. I fully expect her to post River’s sophomore type numbers this season, or better. She could be a better shooter than Rivers, she won’t be worse.
Agree. Yet not good enough to see the floor for SC. That says it all about the huge gap.
 
Agree. Yet not good enough to see the floor for SC. That says it all about the huge gap.

You are obsessed with your personal beliefs. Saniya Rivers left for the same reason I’m sure Coop left. No fault in either of their decisions and none on Coach Staley.
And the team Coop played on featured 5 WNBA players she would’ve played as a freshman for any other team. Just because a coach prefers a player in THEIR system does not mean that player is better than one who does not fit that system. There was no talent gap, you are lying to yourself if you think Talaysia Cooper is not as talented as any guard on SC team.
It is obvious Tess Johnson is not a better talent than Talaysia Cooper. Coach Staley can prefer what ever player she chooses for her system.
So the gap you keep talking about is misinformed. Rankings as many of you obsess with shows Coop was a few spots behind Fulwiley and 7 ahead of Tess Johnson.
 
Chen committing to UConn is such an unexciting transfer pickup in my eyes. I would love to eat crow but I just find myself wondering why. I really want a big who can play tough inside.
Surprised they took her instead of a big. I was thinking Beers from Oregon State would be a good fit and a really good chance of winning a NC next year.
 
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Surprised they took her instead of a big. I was thinking Beers from Oregon State would be a good fit and a really good chance of winning a NC next year.
Yes, it’s very disappointing to me. I’m sure she’s a fine player but we have other needs. Some people are pointing to our injuries the last few years but IMHO you shouldn’t be trying to fill holes due to injuries that haven’t even happened yet.
 
Yes, it’s very disappointing to me. I’m sure she’s a fine player but we have other needs. Some people are pointing to our injuries the last few years but IMHO you shouldn’t be trying to fill holes due to injuries that haven’t even happened yet.
It’s a little puzzling on both sides, but maybe she wasn’t looking to play a huge role. Who knows though, she may end up being a really key contributor. I’m sure they tried to get a big that could, but it just didn’t work out for whatever reason. The team will certainly have a huge logjam of guards and wings. Will be interesting to see how all of that plays out if all stay healthy.
 
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Surprised they took her instead of a big. I was thinking Beers from Oregon State would be a good fit and a really good chance of winning a NC next year.
Still waiting on Beers, UConn with 1 scholarship remaining. I guess Geno can't forget what happened the last few years, needing as many bodies as possible in case the unthinkable happens again.
 
Yes, it’s very disappointing to me. I’m sure she’s a fine player but we have other needs. Some people are pointing to our injuries the last few years but IMHO you shouldn’t be trying to fill holes due to injuries that haven’t even happened yet.
She will be the starting PG, and a good one. That frees up PB to play the 2-3 spots where she can focus on scoring. This is a great pickup for UConn.
 
You are obsessed with your personal beliefs. Saniya Rivers left for the same reason I’m sure Coop left. No fault in either of their decisions and none on Coach Staley.
And the team Coop played on featured 5 WNBA players she would’ve played as a freshman for any other team. Just because a coach prefers a player in THEIR system does not mean that player is better than one who does not fit that system. There was no talent gap, you are lying to yourself if you think Talaysia Cooper is not as talented as any guard on SC team.
It is obvious Tess Johnson is not a better talent than Talaysia Cooper. Coach Staley can prefer what ever player she chooses for her system.
So the gap you keep talking about is misinformed. Rankings as many of you obsess with shows Coop was a few spots behind Fulwiley and 7 ahead of Tess Johnson.
Then you are the pot calling the kettle black because no other person in this forum is more obsessed over their own personal beliefs than you
 
Chen committing to UConn is such an unexciting transfer pickup in my eyes. I would love to eat crow but I just find myself wondering why. I really want a big who can play tough inside.

You are usually spot on maple. I’m going to look into this signing for UCONN.
 
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That’s a weird way to interpret OUs system…
They still need her and she’ll do fine in that system. Coaches adapt to the personnel they have plus the opponent. I’m very familiar with their system. I attend a lot of their games and know most of the staff. Players like her are what they have been missing.
 
They still need her and she’ll do fine in that system. Coaches adapt to the personnel they have plus the opponent. I’m very familiar with their system. I attend a lot of their games and know most of the staff. Players like her are what they have been missing.

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I’m sorry but facts are facts. OU was SEVETH (7th) in pace… Oregon State was TWO HUNDRED EITHTY FIRST (281) in pace… (in the entire NCAA)

She can’t just change her whole system and pace for 1 player…

That’s a HUGEEEE GAP… and she doesn’t run…
 
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I’m sorry but facts are facts. OU was SEVETH (7th) in pace… Oregon State was TWO HUNDRED EITHTY FIRST (281) in pace…

She can’t just change her whole system and pace for 1 player…

That’s a HUGEEEE GAP…
That literally means nothing, and no one said they would change their whole pace or whole system. Their coach isn’t an idiot though. Last season is last season. She may very well be there though whether you think she should or not. If it’s a bust it’s on them. Some of the best coaches have changed their WHOLE systems in the past though and many times with success. She knows what she’s getting into if she chooses OU, and I bet they’ll be better for it. Certainly doubt they’d be worse.
 
That literally means nothing, and no one said they would change their whole pace or whole system. Their coach isn’t an idiot though. Last season is last season. She may very well be there though whether you think she should or not. If it’s a bust it’s on them. Some of the best coaches have changed their WHOLE systems in the past though and many times with success. She knows what she’s getting into if she chooses OU, and I bet they’ll be better for it. Certainly doubt they’d be worse.
I’m just saying I don’t see it. Most coaches change to their roster.. not 1 girl but that’s bc they recruited that way.

U may be right but again I think it’s a bad fit. A high efficiency slow post doesn’t scream OU. And a slow OU doesn’t fit her girls.

Also your first sentence contradicts your paragraph lmaoooo 😭
 
You are obsessed with your personal beliefs. Saniya Rivers left for the same reason I’m sure Coop left. No fault in either of their decisions and none on Coach Staley.
And the team Coop played on featured 5 WNBA players she would’ve played as a freshman for any other team. Just because a coach prefers a player in THEIR system does not mean that player is better than one who does not fit that system. There was no talent gap, you are lying to yourself if you think Talaysia Cooper is not as talented as any guard on SC team.
It is obvious Tess Johnson is not a better talent than Talaysia Cooper. Coach Staley can prefer what ever player she chooses for her system.
So the gap you keep talking about is misinformed. Rankings as many of you obsess with shows Coop was a few spots behind Fulwiley and 7 ahead of Tess Johnson.

Based on hoopgurlz, which has recently been horrible with their prep ratings, particularly when it comes to South Carolina prospects? I agreed with you about players not fitting into a coaches system, and that fit/not-fit doesn't equate to talented/not talented. Then you performed an about-face against what you just stated, and declaratively stated that Tessa Johnson is not as talented as Cooper is - based on what? Athleticism =/= talent, for anyone who ever watched Larry Bird play basketball. Perhaps if both Cooper and Johnson were to run 40yd dashes, Talaysia would beat Tessa 8 times out of 10, but that doesn't always boil down well on the field of endeavor unless that field is a running track.


T. Cooper (Freshman at SC): 24 gms appeared, 8.4 mpg, .389 FG%, .238 3pFG%, .381 FT%, 2.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.7 A:TO, 0.4 spg, 0.2 bpg

T. Johnson (Freshman at SC): 35 gms appeared (2 sts), 17.9 mpg, .447 FG%, .432 3pFG%, .863 FT%, 6.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.3 A:TO, 0.8 spg, 0.09 bpg


As far as Dawn Staley's "system", historically it is a system that Cooper fits into much better than Johnson does, But Johnson showed that she has a maturity in playing basketball that Cooper had not yet reached while at SC. And some could point out accurately that during Talaysia's freshman season, the Gamecocks were anchored by a WNBA starting unit that mostly were starters their entire career in Columbia, while this past season Tessa was on a squad that graduated that unit and were restarting while learning who their next starting unit would be, thus giving reserves and newcomers more opportunity to audition themselves that Cooper perhaps was not given in 22-23.

But in recent years Staley has deployed her reserves prolifically throughout the season, even during conference schedules, something some 90-95% of her peers in WCBB don't meet. In Cooper's freshman year at SC, the Gamecock bench actually averaged more points per game (36.0) than they did this season (33.9), and accounted for more of the toal scoring (44.9% of the Scoring Offense) than they did this season (39.7%), so really despite that veteran starting unit, Talaysia's benchmates had as ample if not more opportunity to contribute as Tessa's did, and they took strong advantage of it.

Tessa even raised her level once the postseason began, averaging 8.3 ppg in the SECT and 10.2 ppg in the NCAAT, shooting .419 overall for both tournaments and .370 from the 3pt line, and a very impressive 24-26 (.923) from the free throw line. She was 1 point shy of tying her career high - which was set during the regular season in a blowout win over Morgan State in which Tessa started and shot 7-9 - with 15 pts (which led the team) versus Oregon St. in the Elite Eight, and then shattered that best mark with a team-leading 19 pts in the NCAAT Championship game vs Iowa, which was tightly contested.

Per Hoopgurlz, Talaysia was a 5-star and rated 18th overall in her class, while Tessa was mostly rated as a 5-star but then was bumped down towards the end of her ratings cycle to a 4-star and 25th overall. Talaysia is a still very talented and athletic player - sometimes it has to do with a light clicking on inside of their heads and learning how, or realizing how, to implement those talents into playing dominating basketball. I alsways thought with how talented Laticia Amihere was coming out of high school that she could end up another Candace Parker before her college career was over and be the best of the "freshies", but she ended up being no more than a very talented and versatile reserve her whole career, because she couldn't get out of the way of her own God-given talent. Victaria Saxton was much the same way, to a lesser degree. Cooper may end up being an all-time Lady Vol for Tennessee - I certainly hope she does - but Johnson is just as talented as Cooper and also seems to have that "understanding" of how to implement her talents in a way that she could be a future star for the Gamecocks, if she isn't one already.....
 

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