SEC Women’s Tournament 2022

#76
#76
glv98 said:
Talent. Or it's a tie, potential and talent are equally overused and both are almost meaningless at this point.

I know this has become a mantra around here, and who doesn't always want an elite PG. But I think Walker and Miles are getting unfair flack as the talentless hangers on holding this team back on offense. Neither is a good enough shooter, but Walker has hit some very timely baskets for us this year. Her a/t.o. stats are solid. We know how much she contributes rebounding and defense.

Also, I'm totally not giving up Miles improving all aspects of her game. There's a player who's always locked in.

I'll bet if Rae was even half herself, JH hadn't gotten hurt, and ANYONE could consistently hit open shots, we'd be talking about how solid the PGs have been. IMO our offense doesn't flow because we don't move or cut well and bc our shooting is so poor, not bc no one can distribute
We've been getting better shots lately, ball not stuck in someone's hands as much, but we just can't hit them.

PG is thankless, it's like being a quarterback. Everyone likes the one who's not currently playing. We recently went gaga over a PG in the portal whose stats are actually a little worse than Walker's in a much weaker conference. But she has "talent" and "potential'!

Know who else was called a "limited" "can't create" "too slow afoot" PG? Kellie Jolly.
Click to expand...

Good post. I think you make a lot of good points. I don't mean ot downplay any of our players. I never do. But I'm trying to look objectively at strengths and weaknesses. I agree that Miles has potential to be a much better PG than this year. After all, she is a freshman. She'll always have a weakness that can't be solved completely - lack of height. She'll be posted up by bigger guards routinely. But, if the team plays a little help defense they can mitigate that. And Walker does a darn good job for not being a prototypical PG, being a little slower and a little less quick than many she has had to face. She's really a smallish 2 guard. Still she has battled and won her fair share this and last season. I'm very glad she's coming back, and I hope she is a depth piece because that will mean Kellie has found her PG in the portal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lucy and glv98
#77
#77
dapeak said:
I think difference making though is what you’re able to do for your specific team. We have equal talent to most teams because of where our roster is currently. Coming into the season I’d say we still had about the 3rd best talent in the SEC, 12th best in the nation. BUT staff, talent, and talent development showed at one point were a top 6 team in the country easily.

Our season isn’t lost by any means because of how our staff and team is built(I still hold out hope that Horston will play by the round of 32) BUT the loss of Rae and how that’s affected her game. In the first game of the season remember how explosive she was? Imagine that player alongside Horston and Key for the entire season.

Marta never playing this season who would have been A HUGE difference maker because of her skillset and versatility. Basically is a quicker more experienced version of Puckett if her foot issues are resolved and how would that change the look of the team?

Keyen going down was TOUGH. Her maturity, her leadership, her skill.

Each of those three are difference makers for this team that quite honestly we lost. Rae isn’t Rae consistently right now If we’re honest, so she’s a player lost.

The fact that with injury we got a 3 seed and will more than likely host this year is very telling of the direction we’re headed. While I know we need more talent and improved recruiting, I also think what we’re bringing in works because the staff understands chemistry and what building a team looks like. I don’t think we’ll go the route of all out athleticism and skill then teaching roles etc. while I think 3 difference making players are needed for any team I also think we’re surrounding those players with skilled girls who understand their roles and skill sets already and are willing to grow and excel within that role because knowing the roles you’re great at gets you to the next level and keeps you there.
Click to expand...


Lots of good points, Peak. I'm conducting the mental exercise of comparing us to the elite rosters of SC and UConn, etc. If I just look at the starting lineups and a couple of our bench players, I see three who can play on those elite teams - Jordy, TK, and the Rae of last season. Those three compare with the starting talent on the elite teams, but the rest do not, IMO. I'm not knocking those others, just saying they aren't elite talent. But it's a team sport and the others that we have are talented, too (just not elite) and they contribute to the cause more than not, and that makes us a winner. 3d in a tough conference is nothing to sneeze at. I see the same trend line as you, to take the next steps we can recruit more of the 5 stars.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LV renaissance, dapeak and Raebo
#79
#79
Dak1219 said:
Tamari is by far outplaying Mercedes Russell at this stage of her career and look where Mercedes is now. Already being one of the top defensive players in the country, another Year of strength work to get stronger and offensive back to the basket moves and development, we could see an All - American type season from Tamari Key next year. It will all depend on continued growth.
Click to expand...

Mercedes didn't have coaching...to my point, look at her now
her movements, skillset, timing, speed,,,,,all, dramatically advanced now compared to what she had here
 
  • Like
Reactions: stllvf, Rixxx and Lucy
#81
#81
youcancallmeAl said:
Lots of good points, Peak. I'm conducting the mental exercise of comparing us to the elite rosters of SC and UConn, etc. If I just look at the starting lineups and a couple of our bench players, I see three who can play on those elite teams - Jordy, TK, and the Rae of last season. Those three compare with the starting talent on the elite teams, but the rest do not, IMO. I'm not knocking those others, just saying they aren't elite talent. But it's a team sport and the others that we have are talented, too (just not elite) and they contribute to the cause more than not, and that makes us a winner. 3d in a tough conference is nothing to sneeze at. I see the same trend line as you, to take the next steps we can recruit more of the 5 stars.
Click to expand...
I like "ceiling" more than "potential". Some players have a high ceiling and come in near the top of it as freshmen, like a Clark, Howard, Boston, Bueckers. Others have a similarly high ceiling but need a few years to get there (Horston, Key, Cardoso). These are the ones that I'd call the elites. I agree with you that much of Tennessee's roster outside of Key/Horston fit into the next categories down. They might not be game changers, but are either playing close to their potential (Puckett, Miles, Darby) or will grow into it (Striplin, Wynn).
 
  • Like
Reactions: VOLSanon, dapeak, Raebo and 2 others
#82
#82
Key has very little offensive game. She's a rim protector, gives her all, etc.--but her size impedes her athleticsm, and that's a major issue in a sport that is all about athleticism. She needs to move more quickly when she's in the paint area--she needs some fast-twitch as opposed to slow-twitch. She needs to learn to pivot, learn to use her body better and get shots off more quickly. I wonder if her weight is ideal for her size. Anything she can do to improve her athleticism and overall movement by even 5 percent would be a big plus. Wish her well going forward in her career.
 
  • Like
Reactions: volfan__18, LV renaissance, LadyVols_WBK and 1 other person
#83
#83
Dak1219 said:
Tamari is by far outplaying Mercedes Russell at this stage of her career and look where Mercedes is now. Already being one of the top defensive players in the country, another Year of strength work to get stronger and offensive back to the basket moves and development, we could see an All - American type season from Tamari Key next year. It will all depend on continued growth.
Click to expand...
Not that I put too much stock in ratings out of high school, but wasn’t TK ranked like 50? And each year at UT she’s just gotten better. Proud of her.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VOLSanon, LadyVols_WBK, lvocd and 5 others
#84
#84
turbovol said:
Key has very little offensive game. She's a rim protector, gives her all, etc.--but her size impedes her athleticsm, and that's a major issue in a sport that is all about athleticism. She needs to move more quickly when she's in the paint area--she needs some fast-twitch as opposed to slow-twitch. She needs to learn to pivot, learn to use her body better and get shots off more quickly. I wonder if her weight is ideal for her size. Anything she can do to improve her athleticism and overall movement by even 5 percent would be a big plus. Wish her well going forward in her career.
Click to expand...
Last two games she’s hit jumpers from the top of the key. She’s an excellent passer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LadyVols_WBK, Volfaninfl2, ruvol and 1 other person
#85
#85
Amb3096 said:
I like "ceiling" more than "potential". Some players have a high ceiling and come in near the top of it as freshmen, like a Clark, Howard, Boston, Bueckers. Others have a similarly high ceiling but need a few years to get there (Horston, Key, Cardoso). These are the ones that I'd call the elites. I agree with you that much of Tennessee's roster outside of Key/Horston fit into the next categories down. They might not be game changers, but are either playing close to their potential (Puckett, Miles, Darby) or will grow into it (Striplin, Wynn).
Click to expand...
I'll be really disappointed if Puckett and Miles are anywhere close to their potential. I believe both have a much higher ceiling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VOLSanon, dapeak, 84Vol3 and 5 others
#86
#86
LadyOrange said:
Not that I put too much stock in ratings out of high school, but wasn’t TK ranked like 50? And each year at UT she’s just gotten better. Proud of her.
Click to expand...

I love TK so, so much and am extremely proud of her for the steady improvements she’s made since she arrived at Tennessee.

That said, I don’t think she has decided to be a serious basketball player yet. If she ever makes up her mind to be serious about it, the sky is the limit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dapeak, youcancallmeAl, ATLVOLFAN01 and 3 others
#90
#90
djtee said:
A&M right now getting beat on the glass
Click to expand...

Will they be eligible for the WNIT? A loss today would give them a sub .500 record. Not sure what the requirements are. Trying to determine if this is Blair’s last game or not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: djtee
#94
#94
Which team in the top half of the bracket has the best chance against SC? I would have to think a team that can get hot from 3 and play decent interior defense.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top