A look at next year

[SoonerNorm]

The three favorites next year are the same as this year; OU, Baylor, and Texas.

OU only loses Sharane. We are bringing in Ijeoma Odimgbe. While losing Sharane will be significant, I believe we will be a better overall team due to experience.

Baylor loses Agbuke which is also significant but they are bringing in 2 potential stars in Kalani Brown and Mompremier along with 3 other good players. Overall, it is reasonable to expect they will be better.

Texas loses Enemkpali and Henderson while bringing in the number 6 and number 8 ranked players in the country in Higgs and Hosey. Even though Enemkpali will be missed, they still have McGee-Stafford and Lang inside which are a handful. If those two bigs improve, which they certainly could do, they will be very tough to handle next year.

With the bigs that Texas and Baylor will have, it will be interesting to see what kind of a lineup Sherri goes with. McGee-Stafford is 6'7" and Lang is 6'5" (although she looks even huge). Follow that with Baylor who will either start 6'5" Kalani Brown or 6'4" Beatrice Mompremier along with Nina Davis, and both teams will be tough matchups inside. We can't allow them to dominate inside or we will get killed. So, what can Sherri do to counter the size and skill we will be facing? I don't really have an answer but I sure hope Sherri does. Where is Nancy when we need her?!?!

If all three teams live up to expectations, it will be a battle again in the Big 12 and I think one of the three teams could reach the Final Four next year with some luck.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Before anyone thinks I'm suggesting OU could get to the final four next year, no I don't see that as a possibility.

 

[j2d2]

How do you pronounce Ijeoma Odimgbe?
The usual strategy is to deny a good big the ball, but that doesnt help rebounding. I have high hopes for Ijeoma helping us in the turf wars under the basket. It's so physical under the basket that she will need to learn quickly.

 

[SoonerNorm]

How do you pronounce Ijeoma Odimgbe?
The usual strategy is to deny a good big the ball, but that doesnt help rebounding. I have high hopes for Ijeoma helping us in the turf wars under the basket. It's so physical under the basket that she will need to learn quickly.

Not a clue. If anyone needs a nickname, it's this girl.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Ahhh, I just saw this on SoonerSports:

Odimgbe, who goes by EJ, is considered one of the best in the nation at her position and is currently ranked 19th at forward by ESPN HoopGurlz.

So, from now on, I will call her EJ.

 

[SOONERGRAD]

http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/class-rankings?class=2015

Baylor and Texas are bringing in the #4 and #5 recruiting classes.

The big 12 will be very exciting the next couple years.
Baylor will be Loaded on the inside with Brown and Mompremier, and do not forget the addition of Alexis Jones from duke who will have 2 years remaining.

Texas Will be loaded on the inside with Lang, Stafford and the freshman Abrowa. And, the 2 all American guards Higgs and Hosey on top of their returning cast from last year. Higgs chose the Longhorns over finalist UCONN.

The Sooners return 90% of their scoring from last season and add EJ. We will be
Well experienced and eager to make some noise. We will have to stop relying on the 3 ball so much if we want to make it far.

My pick for the "surprise" team next year in conference will be Texas Tech. (crazy I know) but they are well coached, plays hard, and bringing in Some quality Texas recruits and Juco transfers. Whitaker is one of my favorite young coaches and has that program going in the right direction.

 

[SoonerNorm]

It will be interesting to see what TCU can do the next 3-4 years with their new coach as well.

 

[Mac]

http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/class-rankings?class=2015

Baylor and Texas are bringing in the #4 and #5 recruiting classes.

The big 12 will be very exciting the next couple years.
Baylor will be Loaded on the inside with Brown and Mompremier, and do not forget the addition of Alexis Jones from duke who will have 2 years remaining.

Texas Will be loaded on the inside with Lang, Stafford and the freshman Abrowa. And, the 2 all American guards Higgs and Hosey on top of their returning cast from last year. Higgs chose the Longhorns over finalist UCONN.

The Sooners return 90% of their scoring from last season and add EJ. We will be
Well experienced and eager to make some noise. We will have to stop relying on the 3 ball so much if we want to make it far.

My pick for the "surprise" team next year in conference will be Texas Tech. (crazy I know) but they are well coached, plays hard, and bringing in Some quality Texas recruits and Juco transfers. Whitaker is one of my favorite young coaches and has that program going in the right direction.

Hosey doesn't have the outside game to play guard right now... I haven't been impressed when I've seen her play... Also as I've noted before George Washington UT Assistant Coach is the legal guardian of Lashann Higgs, not sure how long she has been in the states but no way was she going to pick any other school... I also notice she'll be 20 years old by the time the season starts... I wonder if she'll have some eligibility issues down the road...

 

[SoonerNorm]

Hosey doesn't have the outside game to play guard right now... I haven't been impressed when I've seen her play... Also as I've noted before George Washington UT Assistant Coach is the legal guardian of Lashann Higgs, not sure how long she has been in the states but no way was she going to pick any other school... I also notice she'll be 20 years old by the time the season starts... I wonder if she'll have some eligibility issues down the road...

You're right in the she doesn't shoot well from outside. But, she is well known for being able to drive inside where she has a very good mid-range jump shot. She is also known as a very good defender. She will play the 3 most likely at UT and let's hope she never develops a 3 point shot.

Higgs is probably the one I'm most concerned about.

 

[Mac]

You're right in the she doesn't shoot well from outside. But, she is well known for being able to drive inside where she has a very good mid-range jump shot. She is also known as a very good defender. She will play the 3 most likely at UT and let's hope she never develops a 3 point shot.

Higgs is probably the one I'm most concerned about.

I think Hosey will be a 4...

 

[sybarite]

Let's remember a couple of things. First, we did beat Baylor. Texas didn't. Texas only beat us at home in two overtimes after they fouled all of us out, and that may happen as long as we are in the same conference with Texas. The league offices are in Los Colinas, and the control in all in Texas. I don't know that I care about their guards coming in. They had the superstar greatest guard as a freshman this year, and she really didn't seem to be all that great. No matter who comes in, will they beat out Sanders, Davenport, and McCarty?

Since we have demonstrated that we can beat both of them, I am more concerned about developing who we are than worrying about who they think they are. Neither is UConn, and that is the aspiration.

I think we have a summer of players learning what they have to do to see time on the floor. At one time, we beat Baylor, and Sherri said that the players had finally learned that playing defense was fun. Something happened later in the year, and they didn't close strong. They also forgot that transition made offense easier.

Gabbi, Maddie, Vivi, McKenna, Gioya: does either Texas or Baylor have a group of players that are as likely to improve this summer to take them to new heights? I think Baylor and Texas are about as good as they are going to get. I don't think that of us.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I think Hosey will be a 4...

If I were Aston, I could not resist starting Lang and McGee-Stafford in the lineup at the same time. That is height and strength that most teams cannot match, including OU. Then, they could bring Aborowa off the bench to give either one a rest.

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

If I were Aston, I could not resist starting Lang and McGee-Stafford in the lineup at the same time. That is height and strength that most teams cannot match, including OU. Then, they could bring Aborowa off the bench to give either one a rest.

I'm with you on that Norm.

She did that quite a bit late this year and I thought that combo is what caused us to lose to them in the Big-12 semis.

We must find a method for dealing with them. Otherwise we may spend a lot of frustrating moments next year.

 

[rocjunkie]

Let's remember a couple of things. First, we did beat Baylor. Texas didn't. Texas only beat us at home in two overtimes after they fouled all of us out, and that may happen as long as we are in the same conference with Texas. The league offices are in Los Colinas, and the control in all in Texas. I don't know that I care about their guards coming in. They had the superstar greatest guard as a freshman this year, and she really didn't seem to be all that great. No matter who comes in, will they beat out Sanders, Davenport, and McCarty?

Since we have demonstrated that we can beat both of them, I am more concerned about developing who we are than worrying about who they think they are. Neither is UConn, and that is the aspiration.

I think we have a summer of players learning what they have to do to see time on the floor. At one time, we beat Baylor, and Sherri said that the players had finally learned that playing defense was fun. Something happened later in the year, and they didn't close strong. They also forgot that transition made offense easier.

Gabbi, Maddie, Vivi, McKenna, Gioya: does either Texas or Baylor have a group of players that are as likely to improve this summer to take them to new heights? I think Baylor and Texas are about as good as they are going to get. I don't think that of us.

Good post, agreed.

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

Let's remember a couple of things. First, we did beat Baylor. Texas didn't. Texas only beat us at home in two overtimes after they fouled all of us out, and that may happen as long as we are in the same conference with Texas. The league offices are in Los Colinas, and the control in all in Texas. I don't know that I care about their guards coming in. They had the superstar greatest guard as a freshman this year, and she really didn't seem to be all that great. No matter who comes in, will they beat out Sanders, Davenport, and McCarty?

Since we have demonstrated that we can beat both of them, I am more concerned about developing who we are than worrying about who they think they are. Neither is UConn, and that is the aspiration.

I think we have a summer of players learning what they have to do to see time on the floor. At one time, we beat Baylor, and Sherri said that the players had finally learned that playing defense was fun. Something happened later in the year, and they didn't close strong. They also forgot that transition made offense easier.

Gabbi, Maddie, Vivi, McKenna, Gioya: does either Texas or Baylor have a group of players that are as likely to improve this summer to take them to new heights? I think Baylor and Texas are about as good as they are going to get. I don't think that of us.

I was thinking Sanders was graduating this year. Will she be back?

 

[sybarite]

I think she is a junior, although the announcers kept referring to her as a senior. The roster that I saw said junior.

 

[sybarite]

I think T'Ona hit exactly two threes this year---one in each NCAA game. She was five of six from the field, two of two from three, two of two from the line, for fourteen points in two games.

She just as to think it is important enough to hit it.

 

[mystery32]

I think Hosey will be a 4...

I'm Late on this but no way! Hosey will most definitely be a 3. Or a stretch 3. I've seen numerous of her games this summer and HS ball where she is the slasher and guards the opponents best ball handler. Her ball handling has improved tremendously as well as her outside shot. Especially with the size Texas has inside with Lang,Stafford, and Abrowa she will most likely be a stretch 3. When Stafford graduates I can see her playing a little 4 kind of like a maddie manning type position I call it the "do it all" position, has the size of 6'1-6'2 but not considered an undersized posts and not a big pure guard I call them A do
It all or a "Tweener"(in between positions) . Those type of players can do it all. But hosey's ball handling is slightly better than Mannings But I would agree with Norm, Higgs is the one I would really worry about. Pure talent and athleticism. Hosey Will be Fun to compete against as well.

Can't wait until next season to watch the Sooners, Longhorns and thr Bears race for conference. Going to be a Dog Fight.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I see that some seem to think because we beat Baylor once we are right at the same level as the Bears. Obviously, that was for the case. Baylor did not play well against the Sooners that night and we beat them. We were helped by the fact we shot 24 free throws to Baylor's 11. Just like OU played a bad game against KU and we lost to the Jayhawks. Does anyone in their right mind think that KU was equal to OU this year?!?! Stanford beat UCONN. Does anyone really think Stanford is on the same level as the Huskies???? It is silly to think the best team always wins.

We were not as good as Baylor, period. I don't know how anyone can see it differently unless their hatred for Texas and Baylor prevents them from having rational thoughts.

It's okay to remove the Crimson glasses and admit when our rivals are better than we are. It's okay to admit when our opponents have a great recruiting year. Just like all Sooner fans should rejoice when we have the best team and when we out recruit our rivals. I believe Sherri recognizes our shortcomings as she has commitments from Dungee, Nancy, and Llanusa and is recruiting Cox. She knows those highly rated recruits will improve the talent we have now and which will put us in a better position to beat our rivals. If Sherri knows that, it shouldn't come as a surprise to the fans that we have to improve the talent to compete favorably with the likes of Baylor and Texas going forward.

 

[annabelle]

I see that some seem to think because we beat Baylor once we are right at the same level as the Bears. Obviously, that was for the case. Baylor did not play well against the Sooners that night and we beat them. We were helped by the fact we shot 24 free throws to Baylor's 11. Just like OU played a bad game against KU and we lost to the Jayhawks. Does anyone in their right mind think that KU was equal to OU this year?!?! Stanford beat UCONN. Does anyone really think Stanford is on the same level as the Huskies???? It is silly to think the best team always wins.

We were not as good as Baylor, period. I don't know how anyone can see it differently unless their hatred for Texas and Baylor prevents them from having rational thoughts.

It's okay to remove the Crimson glasses and admit when our rivals are better than we are. It's okay to admit when our opponents have a great recruiting year. Just like all Sooner fans should rejoice when we have the best team and when we out recruit our rivals. I believe Sherri recognizes our shortcomings as she has commitments from Dungee, Nancy, and Llanusa and is recruiting Cox. She knows those highly rated recruits will improve the talent we have now and which will put us in a better position to beat our rivals. If Sherri knows that, it shouldn't come as a surprise to the fans that we have to improve the talent to compete favorably with the likes of Baylor and Texas going forward.

great post !!