Groundwork Has Been Set

[cowboysooner]

I think the groundwork has been set to return to elite status. This year was the first step, and I think next year will be the next step.

As the girls game has developed, it has become more and more like the boys game. You need athletic bigs to be really good. We haven't had them. Courtney and abi were good for their time, but their lack of ability to run and defend in the half court would make them less effective today. Second, sherri went with mostly skill over athletes on the perimeter, and this worked for her for years. But, again, the athletic girls are becoming more and more skilled, and if you don't have kids that can move, you simply can't stay in front of dribblers. This breaks your defense down, as defensively and from a team standpoint, you are only as good as your worst defender. With girls shooting 3 from an amazing percentage now, you end up with girls getting to the rim, unless you pack it in, and then they kill you from the 3 line. And lastly, turnovers have just been a part of girls basketball for everyone. However, this is becoming less and less the case. More than ever, you need a point guard that can get you into your sets and keep turnovers down.

I think Sherri saw these problems with her team, and she has begun to address them.

KK, Vivi and Treece are good athletic interior players. The competition in the off season will help them. Historically, we just haven't had two tall girls that were athletic enough to put on the court at the same time, as one would be way too slow to guard the opposing 4. I think any of these girls will be able to guard the 4 position and so 2 bigs will be an option for Sherri next year.

Carter, manning and little are skilled players but also athletic enough to play on the wing. I think Williams is as well.

Ortiz, and perhaps Edwards in time, will be the ball handlers and team leaders we have needed at the point. Again, competition will be their friend going into next year.

I think and anticipate we will start next year ahead of where we left off this year and really take a step forward. Then, if we can sign Dungee and Mulkey, we could really be good the year after. This will particularly be true if the freshman big coming in is as good as advertised.

I liked the team this year and expect big things from them next year.

 

[tycat947]

I think the groundwork has been set to return to elite status. This year was the first step, and I think next year will be the next step.

As the girls game has developed, it has become more and more like the boys game. You need athletic bigs to be really good. We haven't had them. Courtney and abi were good for their time, but their lack of ability to run and defend in the half court would make them less effective today. Second, sherri went with mostly skill over athletes on the perimeter, and this worked for her for years. But, again, the athletic girls are becoming more and more skilled, and if you don't have kids that can move, you simply can't stay in front of dribblers. This breaks your defense down, as defensively and from a team standpoint, you are only as good as your worst defender. With girls shooting 3 from an amazing percentage now, you end up with girls getting to the rim, unless you pack it in, and then they kill you from the 3 line. And lastly, turnovers have just been a part of girls basketball for everyone. However, this is becoming less and less the case. More than ever, you need a point guard that can get you into your sets and keep turnovers down.

I think Sherri saw these problems with her team, and she has begun to address them.

KK, Vivi and Treece are good athletic interior players. The competition in the off season will help them. Historically, we just haven't had two tall girls that were athletic enough to put on the court at the same time, as one would be way too slow to guard the opposing 4. I think any of these girls will be able to guard the 4 position and so 2 bigs will be an option for Sherri next year.

Carter, manning and little are skilled players but also athletic enough to play on the wing. I think Williams is as well.

Ortiz, and perhaps Edwards in time, will be the ball handlers and team leaders we have needed at the point. Again, competition will be their friend going into next year.

I think and anticipate we will start next year ahead of where we left off this year and really take a step forward. Then, if we can sign Dungee and Mulkey, we could really be good the year after. This will particularly be true if the freshman big coming in is as good as advertised.

I liked the team this year and expect big things from them next year.

Great post! And I agree!

 

[Oliver Hardy]

+1 and 2!

 

[mikeareese]

I do think OU needs another PG in 2016. My 2 fantasy picks are Cox and Ionescu. OU would have a real shot at winning back to back NC's. Ortiz's junior and senior year.

 

[sybarite]

I think the groundwork has been set to return to elite status. This year was the first step, and I think next year will be the next step.

As the girls game has developed, it has become more and more like the boys game. You need athletic bigs to be really good. We haven't had them. Courtney and abi were good for their time, but their lack of ability to run and defend in the half court would make them less effective today. Second, sherri went with mostly skill over athletes on the perimeter, and this worked for her for years. But, again, the athletic girls are becoming more and more skilled, and if you don't have kids that can move, you simply can't stay in front of dribblers. This breaks your defense down, as defensively and from a team standpoint, you are only as good as your worst defender. With girls shooting 3 from an amazing percentage now, you end up with girls getting to the rim, unless you pack it in, and then they kill you from the 3 line. And lastly, turnovers have just been a part of girls basketball for everyone. However, this is becoming less and less the case. More than ever, you need a point guard that can get you into your sets and keep turnovers down.

I think Sherri saw these problems with her team, and she has begun to address them.

KK, Vivi and Treece are good athletic interior players. The competition in the off season will help them. Historically, we just haven't had two tall girls that were athletic enough to put on the court at the same time, as one would be way too slow to guard the opposing 4. I think any of these girls will be able to guard the 4 position and so 2 bigs will be an option for Sherri next year.

Carter, manning and little are skilled players but also athletic enough to play on the wing. I think Williams is as well.

Ortiz, and perhaps Edwards in time, will be the ball handlers and team leaders we have needed at the point. Again, competition will be their friend going into next year.

I think and anticipate we will start next year ahead of where we left off this year and really take a step forward. Then, if we can sign Dungee and Mulkey, we could really be good the year after. This will particularly be true if the freshman big coming in is as good as advertised.

I liked the team this year and expect big things from them next year.

Excellent. But, I think you'll find that Maddie is probably our best athlete, even with two ACLs.

 

[Mac]

I do think OU needs another PG in 2016. My 2 fantasy picks are Cox and Ionescu. OU would have a real shot at winning back to back NC's. Ortiz's junior and senior year.

I'm hearing Ionescu likes Tennessee lol... That's unexpected! if ou does take a guard I think Tyasha Harris a 5'10 point guard from Indy would be a nice pick up... she had a decent high school season, and should move up this summer.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I'm hearing Ionescu likes Tennessee lol... That's unexpected! if ou does take a guard I think Tyasha Harris a 5'10 point guard from Indy would be a nice pick up... she had a decent high school season, and should move up this summer.

If we go after a guard, I hope we stay home and sign Wilson as I suspect Ionescu is a longshot at best.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I agree with Norm. If we want a guard, let it be Wilson.

These are the girls I want in addition to Mulkey and Dungee:

Cox
Holmes
Wilson

I think we have a good chance with 2 out of the 3, if Sherri and the staff will show Cox and Wilson all the love they legally can in recruiting. No "I don't like recruiting bull****."

Communicate every dang day in some way.

 

[Stringmusic]

Cowboy - You nailed it. Great post!

 

[soonerstar]

Llanusa shoulkd be a good one at OU.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Llanusa shoulkd be a good one at OU.

I think so too. She can shoot and she is also athletic enough to get to the rim. Plus, she is a good defender. Looking forward to seeing her at OU.

 

[cowboysooner]

I agree with the posters that would like to see Sherri sign another point guard. So, can Dungee play the point? If not, several of you have mentioned the Wilson kid from Muskogee. Can she play point? I haven't seen her but she sounds like a wing.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I agree with the posters that would like to see Sherri sign another point guard. So, can Dungee play the point? If not, several of you have mentioned the Wilson kid from Muskogee. Can she play point? I haven't seen her but she sounds like a wing.

IMO, neither Dungee or Wilson will play the point in college.

 

[sybarite]

Dungee is not your protypical point guard, although she is somewhat similar to the type that Louisville uses. There are similarities in her game and that of Durr or Schimmel. She is more in that vein than in the typical point. She'll probably be a shooting guard.

I am in a distinct minority, but I'm not sure that I see Wilson as a D-1 prospect. I think she can play for Tulsa or a mid-major. But, I'm not sure that she can play in the Big Twelve. I saw her twice in the state semi-finals against Choctaw and Llanusa and against Broken Arrow in the finals. She devastated Choctaw, but not with guard play. She hit a couple of threes, trying several. But, most of her scoring was due to the fact that she is the hardest-working player I saw this year. She is a fairly strong 5-10 or 5-11 player who drives to the rim at will due to her determination and size. They never called a foul on her for running over anyone. She often missed her shot, but would get rebound after rebound until she finally scored. She was relentless.

But, in the finals, Broken Arrow had a player who was probably about 6-0 225. I could be wrong on weight. She pretty much controlled the lane. Wilson simply couldn't get inside to get rebound after rebound, and she had a good, but not great game. What she does best was taken away by the presence of one 6-0 post. I don't know how that translates. But, she is definitely not a point, more of a Danielle Gant.

I have not seen the Johnson girl that everyone is excited about. She is a 2017 recruit, and that is probably about the earliest that we can get a good one to be behind Gabbi. There are several good ones that year in this area.

 

[califca]

Back to Back National Titles. UCONN may have something to say about that. Don't you think? I don't see them dropping off in the near future. Beating Texas by 51 tells me their going to be around for a long time. Let's get to the Final 4 first.

 

[sybarite]

I didn't see the game. The box is fascinating. Stewart and Jefferson outscored Texas 56-54 by hitting 21 of 28 from the field, 5 of 7 from three, nine of ten from the line, sixteen rebounds, thirteen assists, three blocks and five steals. I think they may be pretty good.

 

[sybarite]

Back to Back National Titles. UCONN may have something to say about that. Don't you think? I don't see them dropping off in the near future. Beating Texas by 51 tells me their going to be around for a long time. Let's get to the Final 4 first.

If I'm going to shoot for a national title, I think it would be advisable to point after next year when we will see the departure of Stewart and Jefferson. They have some good young ones, but none of that quality.

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

If I'm going to shoot for a national title, I think it would be advisable to point after next year when we will see the departure of Stewart and Jefferson. They have some good young ones, but none of that quality.

I was disappointed. I did not expect Texas to win, but I was surprised they got beat so badly. But they were up and down some this year.

Maybe it was just a case of great game for UCONN and weak performance by UT. But not too good for the reputation of the Big-12.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I have watched many of the UConn games this year and they play like they did against Texas game after game. They are that good. They also have some great young players in Nurse, Williams and Tuck. And they will have 4 or 5 good players before Stewart and Jefferson are gone.

They play the best fundamental game I have seen at the college level. men or women.

 

[sybarite]

Texas had one thing going for it: interior size. It was enough to beat teams for which that was a problem. They never beat Baylor, and they weren't going to beat anyone that might be in the final four. They need much more than they have for that.