What do Y'll think about these stars?

[glv98]

They have no reason to depart

IMO by the end of preseason practice, they'll know if they do have a reason or not. A couple of months of going against some truly elite talent will give them plenty of info to make their decision. Maybe they will all be ok to stay. But if some make the reasonable decision Emily made (and probably should have made last year) it's ok too. It's a unique time around the LVs when talent levels are shifting fast.

BTW, I don't include Puckett in the vulnerable group. I think she will play.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

IMO by the end of preseason practice, they'll know if they do have a reason or not. A couple of months of going against some truly elite talent will give them plenty of info to make their decision. Maybe they will all be ok to stay. But if some make the reasonable decision Emily made (and probably should have made last year) it's ok too. It's a unique time around the LVs when talent levels are shifting fast.

BTW, I don't include Puckett in the vulnerable group. I think she will play.

Agree about Puckett. She'll play, either as starting four or backup with lots of minutes given Franklin's delicate health.

It's obvious that Hollingshead was recruited over Striplin at the 5. Striplin might start out the season as Key's main backup, because she knows the system, etc. But Hollingshead is a 5* talent and will eventually rise to the top. The question is whether Striplin is going to be satisfied with being Hollingshead backup after Key leaves. There's always the possibility that Stiplin could be the starting or backup at the four after next season, too. So the prospect of being first off the bench for both the 4 and 5 after next season is realistic and might keep her here.

I also doubt Wynn will leave to go to another p-5 program, because her weaknesses will be just as problematic there as here. However, she might take the mid-major or lower division route just to play. Depends on what she wants. She can see the lineup card now and know what the truth is, and yet she stayed, which tells me she and Kellie have a plan they're working on. Same with Striplin.

I don't see Darby going anywhere, she's all Orange, and likely willing to play a rotation role. I think if anyone decides to leave it will be Marta, but only if her injury just doesn't allow her to play at this level, and she seeks another lower level to play.

 

[teacherdean]

For a year, yes, totally. After next year, it's going to be very interesting to see what happens. Tennessee will be saying goodbye to Horston, Key, and now Jackson, and they will need to have the players in place to step up after that. To really revive things - to improve attendance, to grow the attention they receive - Tennessee has to sustain it. Programs can "get gud" for a year or even two, but to really right the ship, the dominant success has to become an expectation again.

To keep the program at the forefront it will take the recruiting of top incoming freshmen and to continue to recruit the portal. Right now I believe KJH and her staff are headed in the right direction. While Horston, Key and Jackson will be gone we still will have a good group to build from. We will have Hollingshed, Powell, Puckett, Darby, Suarez, Striplin, Miles, Wynn. Pissott, the number 11 recruit for 2022.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Agree about Puckett. She'll play, either as starting four or backup with lots of minutes given Franklin's delicate health.

It's obvious that Hollingshead was recruited over Striplin at the 5. Striplin might start out the season as Key's main backup, because she knows the system, etc. But Hollingshead is a 5* talent and will eventually rise to the top. The question is whether Striplin is going to be satisfied with being Hollingshead backup after Key leaves. There's always the possibility that Stiplin could be the starting or backup at the four after next season, too. So the prospect of being first off the bench for both the 4 and 5 after next season is realistic and might keep her here.

I also doubt Wynn will leave to go to another p-5 program, because her weaknesses will be just as problematic there as here. However, she might take the mid-major or lower division route just to play. Depends on what she wants. She can see the lineup card now and know what the truth is, and yet she stayed, which tells me she and Kellie have a plan they're working on. Same with Striplin.

I don't see Darby going anywhere, she's all Orange, and likely willing to play a rotation role. I think if anyone decides to leave it will be Marta, but only if her injury just doesn't allow her to play at this level, and she seeks another lower level to play.

Just wanted to mention that it may not be obvious that Hollingshead was recruited over Striplin. After high school, the ESPN Scout report rated both of them at 93, and 4 stars each. Jillian was number 5 at their position, and Karoline was number 9. With the way Striplin came on strong at the end of last season, I think we should wait and see how it all shakes out. No player plays all the minutes at a position, especially on Kellie’s teams. We needed another post and Jillian should be a really good one, and we have Franklin just for this season as well. In future years, it may be more like both Jillian and Striplin helping the team by basically sharing minutes and staying strong. We’re likely to get another post, too, and both Jillian and Striplin could play the 4 or 5.

There were many games last season where a bench player played more minutes than a starter, for a variety of reasons. It’s very good to have both Jillian and Striplin, and I think both will be happy with their roles on the team.

 

[NoBackBoard]

I don’t think Brooklyn Miles and Sara Puckett get enough credit for playing major roles as just Freshmen for a whole season.

Really? Miles was praised all season for her defense, on this board and during games by the TBA crowd. Puckett was also for her shooting, poise and all-around game. We don’t make the S16 without her game-winning 3 and even with the talent coming in many fans (self-included) would like her to start next year. Both of them are fan favorites.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Really? Miles was praised all season for her defense, on this board and during games by the TBA crowd. Puckett was also for her shooting, poise and all-around game. We don’t make the S16 without her game-winning 3 and even with the talent coming in many fans (self-included) would like her to start next year. Both of them are fan favorites.

Maybe not start, but definitely she has earned minutes

 

[GameTime]

Miles will be more valuable than last season...She has the wheels to steal a lot of errant passes in full court pressure...Imagine a player that is not use to handling the ball having Miles pressing them....TURNOVER!!!!

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Just wanted to mention that it may not be obvious that Hollingshead was recruited over Striplin. After high school, the ESPN Scout report rated both of them at 93, and 4 stars each. Jillian was number 5 at their position, and Karoline was number 9. With the way Striplin came on strong at the end of last season, I think we should wait and see how it all shakes out. No player plays all the minutes at a position, especially on Kellie’s teams. We needed another post and Jillian should be a really good one, and we have Franklin just for this season as well. In future years, it may be more like both Jillian and Striplin helping the team by basically sharing minutes and staying strong. We’re likely to get another post, too, and both Jillian and Striplin could play the 4 or 5.

There were many games last season where a bench player played more minutes than a starter, for a variety of reasons. It’s very good to have both Jillian and Striplin, and I think both will be happy with their roles on the team.

A position very well taken and supported. Excellent post. And thanks for information that I didn't know about relative rankings. And you're correct that Karo came on strong late last year. I still think, based only on what I've sen so far, Jillian is the better athlete, but may not yet be the best player. I think her ceiling is higher. But your point is very well made: After this year and maybe even during this year, there will likely be enough minutes for both.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

A position very well taken and supported. Excellent post. And thanks for information that I didn't know about relative rankings. And you're correct that Karo came on strong late last year. I still think, based only on what I've sen so far, Jillian is the better athlete, but may not yet be the best player. I think her ceiling is higher. But your point is very well made: After this year and maybe even during this year, there will likely be enough minutes for both.

It seems you have formed an opinion on Jillian in comparing her to Striplin, without seeing much of her play. We both are happy to have Jillian and both feel she has a very high upside. For me, it’s not either/or, because I think Karoline also has a huge upside. In our last game against Louisville, Karo has better stats than Tamari or Sara. Take another look, it’s impressive. Jillian a better athlete? I don’t know, but Karo looks very strong to me, and she can catch the ball at the top of her reach and score, without ever lowering her arms. Jillian may be a better dribbler, or better in other ways. Jillian did miss games last year at Georgia due to illness and injury, and does wear a knee brace, so that’s another reason to be happy we have both players, if either one can’t play.

Still, I think both players are going to be great, and luckily for us, Striplin and Jillian are not playing against each other, they are playing With each other.

GO LADY VOLS!!!

 

[youcancallmeAl]

It seems you have formed an opinion on Jillian in comparing her to Striplin, without seeing much of her play. We both are happy to have Jillian and both feel she has a very high upside. For me, it’s not either/or, because I think Karoline also has a huge upside. In our last game against Louisville, Karo has better stats than Tamari or Sara. Take another look, it’s impressive. Jillian a better athlete? I don’t know, but Karo looks very strong to me, and she can catch the ball at the top of her reach and score, without ever lowering her arms. Jillian may be a better dribbler, or better in other ways. Jillian did miss games last year at Georgia due to illness and injury, and does wear a knee brace, so that’s another reason to be happy we have both players, if either one can’t play.

Still, I think both players are going to be great, and luckily for us, Striplin and Jillian are not playing against each other, they are playing With each other.

GO LADY VOLS!!!

I'm also noting that Karo was proficient on offense last season, especially at the end, but not so much on defense. I think that was just a matter of getting accustomed to the SEC game and Kellie's emphasis on defense vs her high school career.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

I'm also noting that Karo was proficient on offense last season, especially at the end, but not so much on defense. I think that was just a matter of getting accustomed to the SEC game and Kellie's emphasis on defense vs her high school career.

Yes, I have been looking to find videos on both players. Both look great in their high school videos, but Jillian didn’t put her arms up on defense until the player took her shot. I’m guessing both had to improve their defense in college. I’m looking forward to watching 2 great talents in their much improved Sophomore year.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

x

 

[Coach Jumper]

When it comes to post play, technique factors in as much as height

If a shorter player knows how to use their leverage and has a good technique they can take away the height advantage and win the war against much taller foes. I watched Karo play in a tourney in Atlanta and she did just that, she outplayed opponents who were taller than she was.

A shorter post has to get their knee into the back of a taller posts knee and put their weight on their back leg and make the offensive post displace them. If you stop the lower body, you stop the upper body.

This is why Key was stopped by shorter posts more than taller posts. I watched this in amazement all last season. Shorter, wider posts put their knee into the back of her knee and she was powerless to move them. Only being successful against them when she established in-paint presence before she got the ball.

with the rules of displacement limiting the backing down of a defender, you can no longer use your butt to displace and move a defender behind you. Mark Jackson of the New York Knicks caused this rule bc he would use his back-down technique sometimes for 10-15 seconds,,backing down smaller guards by using his butt to move them.

The trick is for the offensive post to do one of two things...establish presence in the paint before the ball gets there or learn to get lower than the shorter defender on contact.

Taller posts often lean back with their upper body. And this has no effect, if the shorter defender has their knee jammed. Where the lower body is the upper body is.

This is why Karo can be just as effective as Jillian or Tamari...If we are playing a team with a big who doesn't establish paint presence early, Karo can be just as effective and then it becomes a matter of which player is more effective on their offensive game for that game.