Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2023-24

#7,659
#7,659
djtee said:
Brea Beal more so Saxton can hold her own against anyone.
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On defense, yes. But in their losses, they could have used more scoring from their forwards.

If Feagin/Rivers can play similar defense but be more of an offensive threat, it's hard not to see them working their way into the starting lineup.
 
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#7,661
#7,661
Amb3096 said:
On defense, yes. But in their losses, they could have used more scoring from their forwards.

If Feagin/Rivers can play similar defense but be more of an offensive threat, it's hard not to see them working their way into the starting lineup.
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Yes i`m pretty sure they will get more scoring from the two.
 
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#7,662
#7,662
Amb3096 said:
On defense, yes. But in their losses, they could have used more scoring from their forwards.

If Feagin/Rivers can play similar defense but be more of an offensive threat, it's hard not to see them working their way into the starting lineup.
Click to expand...

With the exception of any of the newcomers for next season being Bueckers level, or if Saxton and/or Beal suddenly digress majorly, I doubt if the two latter girls lose their starts. Dawn Staley is a coach that is loyal to her players who earn starting jobs, and still continue to progress. Even if they don't progress as quickly as others who come in behind them.

Some history as evidence: In 2011-12 and 2012-13, USC had taken substantial steps forward into being 25-win teams that were now regular top 25 ranked teams. There wasn't a single 5-star player on the roster. The team had little post-presence depth, and was atrocious as an offensive team.

They won on the strength of their defense, especially their guard's perimeter defense. Staley ran a 3-guard lineup with two 6-0 forwards as their "bigs". But towards the end of that 2012-13 season, their lone reserve 6-4 "big" - a low 3-star named Elem Ibiam - began to assert herself and put up solid numbers in pts and rebounds for the final 10 games or so of the season.

In the 2013-14 off-season, Ibiam continued her good development, and Staley named her as the starting 5 as a junior. The Gamecocks had a quality, underrated high 4-star McD AA named Alaina Coates coming in, and she was the most talented big Staley had since Kelsey Bone.

And Coates would prove herself to be the better talent than Ibiam, but Staley kept Ibiam as the starter, and brought in Coates off the bench all that 2013-14 season. Along with Alieghsa Welch - one of those two 6-0 "bigs" that was still on the team - Ibiam and Coates made up a trio of post players that turned the Gamecocks overnight into one of the nation's better inside presence teams. Ibiam set the single season program record for blocked shots, and Coates averaged 12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, and 2.0 bpg in 19.2 mpg.

Of course, the next season brought in overall #1 Aja Wilson and top 10 Jatarie White. That 2014-15 team returned all of the top producing players from 2013-14, and added the overall #2 ranked class of talent. But again, Ibiam started every game in 2014-15: she averaged her fewest minutes that season, and her production suffered as a result. But now sophomore Coates and super-sub freshman Wilson came into games off the bench for the 2nd and 4th quarters, replacing Ibiam and Welch. Often, the team's dominance actually improved when those girls entered the games.

For 2021-22, the team will be similar in a way to that 2013-14 team: the Gamecocks will return pretty much all of their top players, with the exception of Lele Grissett, who hasn't started. They will add arguably the top rated class of freshmen to that group. Beal is starting her 2nd season at USC - she's still being asked to defend against the top offensive players for opponents that's not post players, and that has to cut into her opportunities to focus on her offensive efficiency. But she's improved on most all of her offensive numbers from last season.

Saxton is a starter for the first time this season, as a junior. Same with Henderson. She's largely maintained her high efficiency of FG % from last season as a reserve, into being a consistent starter, and is averaging 10 ppg and 6 rpg, is 2nd to Boston on the team in blocks and tied with Boston and Henderson in steals/gm.

I expect to see the same starting 5 of Henderson, Cooke, Boston, Beal, and Saxton next season, with the freshmen joining rising sophomore Eniya Russell and Laeticia Amihere as the first group off the bench. As it is, both Beal and Saxton are already averaging just 24 and 23 mpg, respectively, so they rotate in and out.

Staley had an interesting lineup late in the 2nd half against Kentucky in their last game: She had a big team of Boston, Amihere, and Grissett along with Beal and Henderson. Both Grissett and Amihere had a strong game with a combined 25 pts and 19 rebounds, and supported Boston who was swamped in a collapsing zone from the Wildcats, and only scored 4 pts despite getting 12 rebounds of her own. I imagine Staley had Grissett in instead of Saxton, because Grissett is more comfortable playing anywhere from 1 to 3, while Saxton is more of a 4-5 mindset. But Grissett will be gone next season.....
 
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#7,663
#7,663
I don't think many players especially freshmen will care who starts, but will certainly want to be part of the rotation. You can keep 9 to 10 players happy with playing time and the rest will have to ride the bench. As far as SC goes you expect all four incoming freshmen will get a lot of playing time either in a starting role or sub role. Then you have the five players starting now that should be able to keep their position or at least be in the rotation. So players not playing now or limited in the rotation could see their minutes taken away it will all work out. For SC a nice problem to have and practice should be as competitive as games.
 
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#7,669
#7,669
Winston Smith said:
Rutgers came back in the 4th quarter today and they defeated Michigan State by 10:
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You beat me to it. I "watched" the game on ESPN gamecast. What a great comeback!

24-7 in the fourth quarter. Guirantes didn't score like usual but almost had a triple double with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists.
 
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#7,671
#7,671
Bballnut1952 said:
You beat me to it. I "watched" the game on ESPN gamecast. What a great comeback!

24-7 in the fourth quarter. Guirantes didn't score like usual but almost had a triple double with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists.
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State needed that game to
 
#7,674
#7,674
Bree Hall was a player I was really hoping for. Had she been class of 2022 we may have had a better shot. Some of our wins this season, the SC one in particular, have to have turned some kids’ heads.
 
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#7,675
#7,675
Bballnut1952 said:
You beat me to it. I "watched" the game on ESPN gamecast. What a great comeback!

24-7 in the fourth quarter. Guirantes didn't score like usual but almost had a triple double with 11 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Rutgers played really good 4th quarter defense and got a tough win! Here's the highlights:
 
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