Edwards

[Mark]

I'm glad you talked to a lot of people who observed fall practice. Want a cookie? I don't doubt Peyton is good player, anyone Gary Blair recruited has to be pretty good. But a lot can happen after this years seniors leave the court and players see the opportunities in front of them.

As for Ortiz, i could be wrong but she plays in the lowest division within the state. It really doesn't matter what ranking she is, that's pure opinion based polling and most is also done by AAU coaches and high school coaches putting high light videos every where.

My bigger concern is post play. Everyone wanted 2 post players to start and it won't happen, we are just too guard heavy.

Finally Drob was special. I'm not like most here and immediately proclaim greatness before they ever set foot on a college court. Ortiz may turn out great but the key to remember that most of you don't is PG like Stacey Dales and Danielle Robinson are 1 in a decade. Unless your Gino and UCONN. I never by into freshman hype until i see them play done college ball. Say I'm wrong all you want, I played at this level and had plenty of highly toted freshman not live up to the hype and others turn in to record holders.

I agree 110%

 

[sybarite]

I saw a video a couple of years ago with Gabbi going against Samantha Logic, also of Racine. She was better than Logic at that time, and Logic is a pretty good D-1 guard for Iowa. The one I haven't seen perform up to what I had heard is Little. I only saw her a couple of times with A&M, and she was cold shooting. She's tall enough, but she wasn't the shooter that I had expected. We'll have to see how she does here.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Name any team or individual who has. I really don't think the ability to guard Sims is a fair criteria on which to judge various players.

Unless Edwards gets an offensive game, I seriously doubt she will be the starting point next season. As far as Carter or Little, I really would defer an opinion until I see more of Little. Carter oozes with potential, but she really makes a lot of typical Frosh mistakes. But then, so did DRob as a frosh and she came around pretty well.

Apparently not many. I'm just hoping we try something as we can't allow her to go crazy. I really don't know, short of tripping her off the bus. Teams have been boxing and one on Vegas but don't know if that will work here. It's hard to take the ball out of Sims' hands.

 

[Soonerbay]

bay,
kind of a unique issue there. AP would have started at center if her sister was not in norman.

That was part of the problem at OU. AP was never a center in her prep years. I had an opportunity to speak with another DI assistant coach that was on the twins final list and he said she would have been the best "power guard" in the nation. The skills they had in their prep years were never used, let alone improved at OU.

 

[sybarite]

What does he mean by power guard? Ashley's ball-handling wasn't that good. She had no shot beyond a few feet from the basket. She averaged about 8.1 rebounds per game, shot 51% (61%) from the line, was only 2 of 12 from three, averaged 1.6 assists to 1.9 turnovers. That sounds like exactly what she was, a power forward or center. At 10.5 points per game, she was a bit like Courtney, but not as proficient at scoring, rebounding, or blocks. A guard would have taken the ball away from her if she dribbled. She was what we used her to do. She may even have been the second best center in the Big Twelve, but she was not a guard.

 

[DarthSooner]

Yet again another thread hi-jacked. Started off talking about Edwards great defense and her/the teams need to develop some offense, then went to she will get passed my incoming freshman to now talking about AP. Gotta love the boards. Go kick some butt TiTi show them what it means to be a SOONER!!!!!!

 

[sybarite]

Yet again another thread hi-jacked. Started off talking about Edwards great defense and her/the teams need to develop some offense, then went to she will get passed my incoming freshman to now talking about AP. Gotta love the boards. Go kick some butt TiTi show them what it means to be a SOONER!!!!!!

Well. I thought we had made it clear that we have no idea what we're talking about when we project Edwards' for next year.

I would suggest one thing. I have noticed that the scouts say that Ortiz could be a SG. Little is a SG. If Edwards would develop a reliable jump shot or a three-point shot, her ball-handling skill and her defense could make her very difficult to beat out. DRob developed a 15-20 foot jump shot. That or a three-point shot could make Edwards a starter.

 

[Soonerbay]

What does he mean by power guard? Ashley's ball-handling wasn't that good. She had no shot beyond a few feet from the basket. She averaged about 8.1 rebounds per game, shot 51% (61%) from the line, was only 2 of 12 from three, averaged 1.6 assists to 1.9 turnovers. That sounds like exactly what she was, a power forward or center. At 10.5 points per game, she was a bit like Courtney, but not as proficient at scoring, rebounding, or blocks. A guard would have taken the ball away from her if she dribbled. She was what we used her to do. She may even have been the second best center in the Big Twelve, but she was not a guard.

The primary point was relative to Edwards next year and others starting as a freshman. When one refers to a player as a "power guard" it's typically a player with size, the ability to shoot from outside, rebound, post moves and handle the ball, although not at the level of a point guard. AParis was proficient in ALL of those areas UNTIL she arrived in Norman. Check out her high school stats and club team stats. Diversity is key with development. The game has bypassed your standard PG, SG, F, PF AND C. Just like most jobs....you are much more productive with diverse skills. Pat Summit and others received that memo.

Edit:
Just a question Syb. Did you ever see the twins play prior to arriving in Norman? Not the WBCA or McD's AA game, but a high school or club team video SC may have shared with you. Just wondering. Those of us who saw them play years before OU KNOW that they received very little development training at OU, if any. I think the coaching staff was so shocked they signed and actually showed up in Norman and forgot to get someone on staff who knew what to do with them at the next level.

 

[SoonerNorm]

The primary point was relative to Edwards next year and others starting as a freshman. When one refers to a player as a "power guard" it's typically a player with size, the ability to shoot from outside, rebound, post moves and handle the ball, although not at the level of a point guard. AParis was proficient in ALL of those areas UNTIL she arrived in Norman. Check out her high school stats and club team stats. Diversity is key with development. The game has bypassed your standard PG, SG, F, PF AND C. Just like most jobs....you are much more productive with diverse skills. Pat Summit and others received that memo.

Edit:
Just a question Syb. Did you ever see the twins play prior to arriving in Norman? Not the WBCA or McD's AA game, but a high school or club team video SC may have shared with you. Just wondering. Those of us who saw them play years before OU KNOW that they received very little development training at OU, if any. I think the coaching staff was so shocked they signed and actually showed up in Norman and forgot to get someone on staff who knew what to do with them at the next level.

How does a player like Ashley suddenly forget how to shoot?

 

[Soonerbay]

How does a player like Ashley suddenly forget how to shoot?

You don't. You do what the coach tells you to do! And you don't do what the coach tells you not to do. You stick to your assignment versus your ability.

I've seen games their freshmen year where both the twins squared up to naturally shoot the trey because they were open, then stopped in their tracks where in their high school (and middle school for that matter) they had the green light and their diversity was developed.

I've seen workouts that they had with two phenomenal coaches/teachers of the game that taught them fundamentals... Pete Newell Jr. and Darrell Harishima (RIP Coach Harishima)... including ball handling. I've seen them play the 1 and the 2 to break the press, then post up. I've seen them hit the trey often.

OU fans missed some really good things that they did earlier in their prep years. Just was not continued at OU. I've personally (not hearsay) had major DI coaches tell me that if they had BOTH twins, an NC would definitely had happened. That's no secret amongst coaching circles. Most of us realize that recruiting was not taken advantage of at OU when they were there and they were not taught much more than what they already knew when they arrived. CP was the MVP of the McD's game. Think of the players that were in that class and how they've fared at their schools. Start with Maryland. The twins teams whooped on those players in club ball! And they are respected by those players as well. They won an AAU national championship beating a team that had Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver amongst others. Again...OU took the short term benefits (other than endowments) with the twins there. Long term is another story.

 

[SoonerNorm]

You don't. You do what the coach tells you to do! And you don't do what the coach tells you not to do. You stick to your assignment versus your ability.

I've seen games their freshmen year where both the twins squared up to naturally shoot the trey because they were open, then stopped in their tracks where in their high school (and middle school for that matter) they had the green light and their diversity was developed.

I've seen workouts that they had with two phenomenal coaches/teachers of the game that taught them fundamentals... Pete Newell Jr. and Darrell Harishima (RIP Coach Harishima)... including ball handling. I've seen them play the 1 and the 2 to break the press, then post up. I've seen them hit the trey often.

OU fans missed some really good things that they did earlier in their prep years. Just was not continued at OU. I've personally (not hearsay) had major DI coaches tell me that if they had BOTH twins, an NC would definitely had happened. That's no secret amongst coaching circles. Most of us realize that recruiting was not taken advantage of at OU when they were there and they were not taught much more than what they already knew when they arrived. CP was the MVP of the McD's game. Think of the players that were in that class and how they've fared at their schools. Start with Maryland. The twins teams whooped on those players in club ball! And they are respected by those players as well. They won an AAU national championship beating a team that had Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver amongst others. Again...OU took the short term benefits (other than endowments) with the twins there. Long term is another story.

Sorry, but I call BS on that. I have never seen nor heard anything that would suggest Sherri inhibits power forwards from shooting 3s. That would include Ashley. In fact, Sherri wants power forwards to shoot threes which is why she often plays 4 guards. If Ashley could make 3s around 35% or higher, I can GUARANTEE you that Sherri would have been thrilled for her to shoot one whenever she was open.

Players have all the freedom to practice any shots they wish in their non-scheduled practices and summers. I have not seen any player who could shoot in high school but forgot how to shoot in college. If Ashley would have wanted to work on shooting from deep in her off time, no one would have said one word to her.

The fact is, Ashley could not shoot 3s at a high percentage. I'm not knocking her as many bigs cannot shoot 3s but please don't tell me that Sherri ruined her ability to shoot BTA because I don't believe that for a second.

 

[Soonerbay]

Sorry, but I call BS on that. I have never seen nor heard anything that would suggest Sherri inhibits power forwards from shooting 3s. That would include Ashley. In fact, Sherri wants power forwards to shoot threes which is why she often plays 4 guards. If Ashley could make 3s around 35% or higher, I can GUARANTEE you that Sherri would have been thrilled for her to shoot one whenever she was open.

Players have all the freedom to practice any shots they wish in their non-scheduled practices and summers. I have not seen any player who could shoot in high school but forgot how to shoot in college. If Ashley would have wanted to work on shooting from deep in her off time, no one would have said one word to her.

The fact is, Ashley could not shoot 3s at a high percentage. I'm not knocking her as many bigs cannot shoot 3s but please don't tell me that Sherri ruined her ability to shoot BTA because I don't believe that for a second.

That's not what I said. DIVERSITY of shooting range was not on this list of CONTINUED development at OU. I've never said that she should have been the PRIMARY trey shooter either. Think what you want. And by the way...who was at OU to teach post players diversity of offense (and anything else) when the twins were there or NOW for that matter? Work on it during the summer? That's funny. Maybe, just maybe if there was something to carry over to the summer...that would have been a good start.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I think Edwards plays some tenacious on-ball defenese.

Right now, I believe her weaknesses are defending off ball, sill passes and dribbles down the lane and really no offensive game at all; a smaller Jazmine Hartman, if you will.

As has been said, if she could develop any type of consistent offensive game, particulary the mid-range jumper, she would be difficult to unseat as a starting point guard. At the worst she would provide valuable second unit minutes.

 

[SoonerNorm]

That's not what I said. DIVERSITY of shooting range was not on this list of CONTINUED development at OU. I've never said that she should have been the PRIMARY trey shooter either. Think what you want. And by the way...who was at OU to teach post players diversity of offense (and anything else) when the twins were there or NOW for that matter? Work on it during the summer? That's funny. Maybe, just maybe if there was something to carry over to the summer...that would have been a good start.

If Ashley was proficient at shooting 3s before she came, why did she need a coach at OU to teach her how to shoot 3s?

 

[Soonerbay]

If Ashley was proficient at shooting 3s before she came, why did she need a coach at OU to teach her how to shoot 3s?

Norm, that's what you derived from what I stated? Really?

Now back to whether Edwards will start next year or will the incoming freshman get the starting job.