Looking ahead to next year

[SoonerNorm]

Following is the expected roster for this fall. Who would you pencil in as starters?

Seniors
Nicole Kornet- 5'11" Wing
Kaylon Williams- 6'3" F/C

Juniors
T'ona Edwards- 5'5" PG
Peyton Little- 5'10" G
Derica Wyatt- 5'10" G
Gioya Carter- 5'9" G
Maddie Manning- 6'2" G
Shaya Kellogg- 6'2" F

Sophomores
Gabbi Ortiz- 5'6" PG
LaNesia Williams- 5'7" G
Vionise Pierre-Louis- 6'3" C
McKenna Treece- 6'4" C

Freshmen
Gileysa Penzo- 5'10" G
Ijeoma Odimgbe- 6'4" F/C

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

Following is the expected roster for this fall. Who would you pencil in as starters?

Seniors
Nicole Kornet- 5'11" Wing
Kaylon Williams- 6'3" F/C

Juniors
T'ona Edwards- 5'5" PG
Peyton Little- 5'10" G
Derica Wyatt- 5'10" G
Gioya Carter- 5'9" G
Maddie Manning- 6'2" G
Shaya Kellogg- 6'2" F

Sophomores
Gabbi Ortiz- 5'6" PG
LaNesia Williams- 5'7" G
Vionise Pierre-Louis- 6'3" C
McKenna Treece- 6'4" C

Freshmen
Gileysa Penzo- 5'10" G
Ijeoma Odimgbe- 6'4" F/C

My expectations are those now highlighted in red (crimson )

 

[35TangoTango]

Pretty much what Sweetest said, but I'm hoping that Odimgbe could become a viable power forward.

 

[sybarite]

I'll go along with Sweetest for now.

I want to see how the following develop over the summer:
Vivi
McKenna
Shaya
Gileysa
Nicole

I think two of these five will surprise us.

 

[j2d2]

I think Maddie is still not feeling really comfortable playing. At times she is just awkard which she certainly is not. Otherwise I agree with all above.

 

[sybarite]

I think Maddie is still not feeling really comfortable playing. At times she is just awkard which she certainly is not. Otherwise I agree with all above.

At the beginning of the year, I don't think Maddie was all that secure. For two years in a row, her first efforts resulted in an ACL injury. I think she had to relax into it a bit as well as find out what she could and could not do. I think she is discovering that, bit by bit.

I wonder if the Maddie of November would have been diving on the floor to make a steal against TCU? I wonder if the Maddie of November would be diving after certain passes to keep them from going out of bounds?

From the evidence, it looks like Maddie can shoot any shot except the one that was her favorite. She has been pretty good at hitting the three. She has been pretty good at layups. But, her favorite shot in HS and when she first hit campus was a running jumper. I don't think she has hit that shot yet. I wonder if it is going to take hitting that shot before she has confidence in her shooting? When she shoots her threes, it seems like she is saying, "well, there is no place to pass to. So, I guess I'll shoot a three." She's pretty good at it, but hesitant.

I think she'll have her confidence by next year. When Maddie does get her confidence, I can't imagine what that will do to the offense. She can hit from anywhere, drive, pass---whatever is needed.

I think she'll start. Then, I'll wish that we had a Maddie on the bench that could come in for anyone who wasn't playing well.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I am going out on a limb and say:

Kaylon Williams- 6'3" F/C
Peyton Little- 5'10" G
Gioya Carter- 5'9" G
Gabbi Ortiz- 5'6" PG
Ijeoma Odimgbe- 6'4" F/C

I think when Sherri recruited Odimgbe she had in mind she wanted another big in the lineup at the same time as Kaylon. ViVi is a backup center. Treece needs more seasoning but can backup center or PF if needed. This should improve rebounding on both ends of the court.

 

[rocjunkie]

I have to go with Sweetest on the picks. I just don't see Ijeoma as a freshman to be ready for a starting role. Prove me wrong though.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I agree with Sweet. I think Maddie moves to the 4 because of the guards we have and will have.

Kornet and Wyatt will be a minute or 2 afterthought. Vivi will be first or second off the bench.

I think Edwards and LaNeshia are going to struggle to get on the floor. Treece will have to fight for playing time. Kellog is strictly a practice player.

After how Sherri has played her deep roster this year, if Odimgbe is any good at all, I bet she backs up Maddie.

 

[sybarite]

I don't think we have seen Kellogg when she is healthy very much, and she can shoot and rebound. Treece is a freshman, and we don't yet know how much she will develop. Kornet has done some good things at times. Seems to have lost confidence. Could one of them find a light?

Edwards can at least give us minutes. I have no idea what LaNesia will do in the off-season. She has regressed since November. But, she has some talent. We have no idea what Penzo can do. Ijeoma is simply a Prospect Nation report. You never know what a player might do from one year to the next.

We probably won't be asking any of them to start, just to give valuable minutes. Can they do that?

 

[Sooners4Life0101]

Think Maddie will technically be a Sophomore too.

There will be the starting five with Maddie at 4 in the beginning. Then there will be a lot of flexibility for matchups and rotations. Mainly cause of Maddies versatility. So I think that its impossible to predict right now what will happen. Sherri might like to keep her as the 6th man too. I would think she'll start at the 4 though, and the rest lineup stays the same. Bench minutes up for grabs. I think Vivi will be a good contributr next season- I've seen some good things from her. We will be tough to beat- I can tell u that.

 

[soonerstar]

Guys, I am really looking forward to seeing what Penzo can do. I know others are ahead of her in playing time, but I think she has very high potential.

 

[YCN]

Guys, I am really looking forward to seeing what Penzo can do. I know others are ahead of her in playing time, but I think she has very high potential.

I absolutely do too. She wasn't a regular on Puerto Rican national teams by accident.

 

[womenssports]

I'll go along with Sweetest for now.

I want to see how the following develop over the summer:
Vivi
McKenna
Shaya
Gileysa
Nicole

I think two of these five will surprise us.

Agree to the above, (both what Sweetest and Syb have posted), except that I would add Derica to Syb's list. Also, I think Vivi will be much better so guess that will not surprise me unless, of course, she isn't.

OT: I think Vivi looks like she has slimmed down since the beginning of the year. I don't really see them much on tv or video and just noticed this in the OSU game. It could just be the new uniforms. Anyone else think she looks trimmer?

 

[sybarite]

I absolutely do too. She wasn't a regular on Puerto Rican national teams by accident.

Two different years. I think she was a starter at 13.

 

[womenssports]

Edwards can at least give us minutes. I have no idea what LaNesia will do in the off-season. She has regressed since November. But, she has some talent.

Hope Edwards continues to progress and believe she will give us some good minutes. LaNesia's game reminds me of Gioya's. She does have talent and just needs to play within herself. I look for her to be valuable off the bench.

 

[BigT14]

K. Williams
Ortiz
Little
Carter
Kornet

 

[giraffespots]

Vivi reminds me of a big, happy kid...i.e., Wayman Tisdale. She is always smiling and happy. While I love that, I would like to see her develop a "take no prisoners" mentality.

It was said that Wayman did not have "killer instinct" while at OU. His talent alone was so overwhelming that he didn't really need it until he got to the NBA. Vivi's raw talent is amazing and we saw flashes of that this year, but IMO, if she develops a fierce attitude, it will show in her play.

There is not a single player on this team that I don't really like to see in the game, I love them all. However, Maddie has been my favorite, by far, from day one. But, I must say, Vivi is closing in FAST.

 

[giraffespots]

Oh, and to answer the original question:

Kaylon Williams- 6'3" F/C
Peyton Little- 5'10" G
Gioya Carter- 5'9" G
Maddie Manning- 6'2" G
Gabbi Ortiz- 5'6" PG

I can't see anyone taking over KK's spot. And with Maddie, I don't think a 2-post lineup will start next season (we may see it utilized throughout some games, but I don't think it will be our starting setup).

HOWEVER, the year after next...we could see that.

 

[scrybe]

I, too believe Maddie has the potential to start and play big minutes. If she can somehow regain confidence in those surgically repaired knees, she could be an all-conference type player, IMO.