atlantasooner
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I'll finalize this post signing day, but with no other 2014 players on the radar it's going to be more or less accurate.
2014 Basketball Class Fall Recruiting Wrap-Up
OU came into 2013-2014 recruiting with 6 ships available due to upcoming graduation and roster gaps.
To recap, Sherri signed 5 players/1 transfer in 2012-2013 (heights and positions from current roster)
Gioya Carter 5-9 SG/PG
Derica Wyatt 5-10 SG
T’ona Edwards 5-5 PG
Shaya Kellogg 6-2 F
Felicia Gibbs 6-2 F/C
Peyton Little 5-11 SG
From the exhibition game, it looks like Kellogg will be a PF, and Gibbs will be Center.
OU’s graduations losses this year
Nicole Griffin 6-6 C (starter, only listed post on roster)
Portia Durrett 6-1 F (reserve)
Morgan Hook PG (starter)
Aaryn Ellenberg SG (starter)
Roster wise OU’s biggest needs were at Center, then Point Guard, then best player available.
So how did Sherri do position by position?
PG -
Gabe Ortiz 5-5
LaNesia Williams 5-6
Ortiz is the best player signed in the class according to the various rankings services. Ortiz is top 30 in several and top 50 in almost all services. She’s the best PG signed by Sherri since DRob and will likely push for a starter job as a freshman. She’s that talented.
OU also received a verbal from in instate prospect LaNesia Williams. Williams is the teammate of T’ona Edwards. She’s not currently ranked by any of the various services in their top 100 lists but ESPN ranking system would place here somewhere in the top 150/200. One issue with LaNesia is that she verbaled so early to OU (Dec 2012) that we don't have a clear picture of how heavily recruited she would have been. Some debate as to whether Williams will play SG or PG this season in HS. I may need to switch her position to SG.
Recruiting Quality Grade: A- (Ortiz is an A+ recruit. Williams is more in the B range)
Recruiting Need Grade: A+ (OU loses their starter PG and has very likely signed their new starting PG)
SG
Gileysa Penzo 5-10
Penzo was a real surprise of the class. Penzo has previously played hoops for the Puerto Rico FIBA Under 17 team. She’s been playing HS hoops in Florida. She’s not ranked in the top 150 by any service. To be fair, I cannot a service that provided a recent scouting report of her AAU action from this summer. I cannot find other schools that offered Penzo. So she has significant international experience, but seems to have flown under the admittedly limited recruiting scouting radar for women’s hoops. Penzo was AAU teammates with Vionise Pierre Louis this summer.
Recruiting Quality Grade: B (hopefully after her senior year there will be more data to review this grade.Her international experience makes you wonder if she is being overlooked.)
Recruiting Need Grade: C (OU didn’t need a shooting guard in this class. And OU has more heavily recruited players ahead of Penzo, especially with Peyton Little becoming eligible next year)
Big Guard/Small Forward
Sherri signed no one at this position. If Kellogg or Gibbs provide depth here moving forward, then this was not a position of great need with Kornet, Campbell, and hopefully a healed Manning in 2014 eating up most of the minutes at this position. Ideally, Sherri signs an elite player here in 2015 to provide depth and competition.
No grades offered.
PF
No prospects signed. OU could have used more interior depth, talent and competition at this position. OU needs to sign a top ranked mobile PF in 2015.
Recruiting Quality Grade: INC
Recruiting Need Grade: INC
Center
Vionise Pierre Louis 6-4
OU received a critical verbal from Pierre Louis after her visit during the TCU football game weekend. Vionise is ranked in the top 100 by ESPN and Prospects Nation and had an excellent AAU summer camp session. In limited highlights, Vionese displays a good offensive game and excellent athleticism. She looks like a post that can keep up with the speed at guard that OU has been signing. Vionise played on the same Florida based AAU as Penzo.
Recruiting Quality Grade: A (Vionise is ranked in the top 100 by several services. She’s had great AAU scouting reports this summer. She is extremely productive in HS as well.)
Recruiting Quality Grade: A (OU had to sign a post player. OU got it.)
Overall Class Grades
Quality Grade: A- (OU got an elite player in Ortiz. OU got a second top 100 player in Pierre Louis at center. Both players could easily start for OU in 2014 - 2015.
Penzo and Williams are not ranked in the top 100/150 by any services.)
Recruiting Need Grade: A (OU had to get a quality post prospect and delivered. OU in addition got a potential starter in Ortiz at PG.
A starting lineup of Ortiz/Little/Kornet/Kaylon/Vionise (Manning excluded purely due to injury status. You could sub Campbell for Kornet/Kaylor as well) in 2014 is entirely possible.
OU did not really have a need at SG in this class. It will be interesting to see how the PG/SG position plays out with so much depth. From a strict number standpoint, OU has a log jam at PG/SG)
Including new recruits OU’s depth for 2013-2014 would be
PG - Edwards,Ortiz, Williams
SG - Wyatt, Little, Carter, Penzo
SG/SF- Manning, Kornet, Campbell
PF - Kaylon Williams, Kellogg
C - Pierre Louis, Gibbs
Who got away?
Khaalia Hillsman verbaled to atm after visiting OU. Hillsman and Pierre-Louis would have given OU their best interior player class since the Paris Twins. OU never got a shot at top rated Texas HS star Briana Turner. Will OU regret taking Penzo and/or Williams over higher rated in state guard prospect Toree Thompson who decommitted from Washington? Will OU wish they had more than 2 ships for the 2015 class?
What’s next for the Sooners?
OU will likely now focus on 2015 recruiting and save the one remaining ship for next year. I guess that there could be some amazing JUCO spring signee but I think the odds are pretty low. That will give OU two ships for 2015. Ideally OU would sign a PF/C hybrid and an athletic big wing with shooting range. OU has solid depth at SG and PG at this point unless there’s some unforeseen roster attrition. In addition, OU has a verbal from top 2016 national player Chelsea Dungee 5-10 SG further reducing the need for a SG prospect in 2015. OU has already had a bunch of unofficial visits and activity from players in the 2015/2016/2017 classes.
2014 Basketball Class Fall Recruiting Wrap-Up
OU came into 2013-2014 recruiting with 6 ships available due to upcoming graduation and roster gaps.
To recap, Sherri signed 5 players/1 transfer in 2012-2013 (heights and positions from current roster)
Gioya Carter 5-9 SG/PG
Derica Wyatt 5-10 SG
T’ona Edwards 5-5 PG
Shaya Kellogg 6-2 F
Felicia Gibbs 6-2 F/C
Peyton Little 5-11 SG
From the exhibition game, it looks like Kellogg will be a PF, and Gibbs will be Center.
OU’s graduations losses this year
Nicole Griffin 6-6 C (starter, only listed post on roster)
Portia Durrett 6-1 F (reserve)
Morgan Hook PG (starter)
Aaryn Ellenberg SG (starter)
Roster wise OU’s biggest needs were at Center, then Point Guard, then best player available.
So how did Sherri do position by position?
PG -
Gabe Ortiz 5-5
LaNesia Williams 5-6
Ortiz is the best player signed in the class according to the various rankings services. Ortiz is top 30 in several and top 50 in almost all services. She’s the best PG signed by Sherri since DRob and will likely push for a starter job as a freshman. She’s that talented.
OU also received a verbal from in instate prospect LaNesia Williams. Williams is the teammate of T’ona Edwards. She’s not currently ranked by any of the various services in their top 100 lists but ESPN ranking system would place here somewhere in the top 150/200. One issue with LaNesia is that she verbaled so early to OU (Dec 2012) that we don't have a clear picture of how heavily recruited she would have been. Some debate as to whether Williams will play SG or PG this season in HS. I may need to switch her position to SG.
Recruiting Quality Grade: A- (Ortiz is an A+ recruit. Williams is more in the B range)
Recruiting Need Grade: A+ (OU loses their starter PG and has very likely signed their new starting PG)
SG
Gileysa Penzo 5-10
Penzo was a real surprise of the class. Penzo has previously played hoops for the Puerto Rico FIBA Under 17 team. She’s been playing HS hoops in Florida. She’s not ranked in the top 150 by any service. To be fair, I cannot a service that provided a recent scouting report of her AAU action from this summer. I cannot find other schools that offered Penzo. So she has significant international experience, but seems to have flown under the admittedly limited recruiting scouting radar for women’s hoops. Penzo was AAU teammates with Vionise Pierre Louis this summer.
Recruiting Quality Grade: B (hopefully after her senior year there will be more data to review this grade.Her international experience makes you wonder if she is being overlooked.)
Recruiting Need Grade: C (OU didn’t need a shooting guard in this class. And OU has more heavily recruited players ahead of Penzo, especially with Peyton Little becoming eligible next year)
Big Guard/Small Forward
Sherri signed no one at this position. If Kellogg or Gibbs provide depth here moving forward, then this was not a position of great need with Kornet, Campbell, and hopefully a healed Manning in 2014 eating up most of the minutes at this position. Ideally, Sherri signs an elite player here in 2015 to provide depth and competition.
No grades offered.
PF
No prospects signed. OU could have used more interior depth, talent and competition at this position. OU needs to sign a top ranked mobile PF in 2015.
Recruiting Quality Grade: INC
Recruiting Need Grade: INC
Center
Vionise Pierre Louis 6-4
OU received a critical verbal from Pierre Louis after her visit during the TCU football game weekend. Vionise is ranked in the top 100 by ESPN and Prospects Nation and had an excellent AAU summer camp session. In limited highlights, Vionese displays a good offensive game and excellent athleticism. She looks like a post that can keep up with the speed at guard that OU has been signing. Vionise played on the same Florida based AAU as Penzo.
Recruiting Quality Grade: A (Vionise is ranked in the top 100 by several services. She’s had great AAU scouting reports this summer. She is extremely productive in HS as well.)
Recruiting Quality Grade: A (OU had to sign a post player. OU got it.)
Overall Class Grades
Quality Grade: A- (OU got an elite player in Ortiz. OU got a second top 100 player in Pierre Louis at center. Both players could easily start for OU in 2014 - 2015.
Penzo and Williams are not ranked in the top 100/150 by any services.)
Recruiting Need Grade: A (OU had to get a quality post prospect and delivered. OU in addition got a potential starter in Ortiz at PG.
A starting lineup of Ortiz/Little/Kornet/Kaylon/Vionise (Manning excluded purely due to injury status. You could sub Campbell for Kornet/Kaylor as well) in 2014 is entirely possible.
OU did not really have a need at SG in this class. It will be interesting to see how the PG/SG position plays out with so much depth. From a strict number standpoint, OU has a log jam at PG/SG)
Including new recruits OU’s depth for 2013-2014 would be
PG - Edwards,Ortiz, Williams
SG - Wyatt, Little, Carter, Penzo
SG/SF- Manning, Kornet, Campbell
PF - Kaylon Williams, Kellogg
C - Pierre Louis, Gibbs
Who got away?
Khaalia Hillsman verbaled to atm after visiting OU. Hillsman and Pierre-Louis would have given OU their best interior player class since the Paris Twins. OU never got a shot at top rated Texas HS star Briana Turner. Will OU regret taking Penzo and/or Williams over higher rated in state guard prospect Toree Thompson who decommitted from Washington? Will OU wish they had more than 2 ships for the 2015 class?
What’s next for the Sooners?
OU will likely now focus on 2015 recruiting and save the one remaining ship for next year. I guess that there could be some amazing JUCO spring signee but I think the odds are pretty low. That will give OU two ships for 2015. Ideally OU would sign a PF/C hybrid and an athletic big wing with shooting range. OU has solid depth at SG and PG at this point unless there’s some unforeseen roster attrition. In addition, OU has a verbal from top 2016 national player Chelsea Dungee 5-10 SG further reducing the need for a SG prospect in 2015. OU has already had a bunch of unofficial visits and activity from players in the 2015/2016/2017 classes.
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