My Take On the Team

[cowboysooner]

Have only seen the Lamar game, but my thoughts so far:

The two freshman post players are the best "bigs" we have had since Courtney.

Ortiz isn't Drob but will "run" the team better than any point guard we have had in a while.

Little is our best player.

Early in the year, while sherri is playing everyone on the team, mixing and matching lineups, we will be a little rag tag. As the year progresses and a solid rotation develops, we will improve in that regard.

Have no idea who will be in the starting lineup when conf. play begins. Don't know who I would start right now. Although based solely upon one game, I think Williams, Campbell, Little and Ortiz probably will start, but you could make a case for Manning, Kornet, Treese, Vioniese (s) and Williams.

I like Carter but based upon the Lamar game, I would say she is a little behind the girls mentioned above. But, Sherri started her and so day in and day out she must be out performing the others. So, I don't know.

Deepest team we have had in a while. No prediction on our overall record at this point, I need to watch some additional games.

As a group, the new girls are the best class in a long time.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Someone else used "depth". This is going to be very important this year. I don't see much drop off in players coming off the bench like we have in years past.

Following are those I would not hesitate to play:

Kaylon
Treece
ViVi
Sharane
Gabbi
Maddie
Kornet
Peyton
LaNesia
Derica

I do see a bit of a drop-off in the next 2 but I would still play them when needed:
Carter
Edwards

 

[j2d2]

This group presents a serious dilema for a coach who, like Sherri has said often about herself, doesnt substitute well.

 

[SoonerNorm]

It will also be interesting to see where Shaya fits in when she recovers.

 

[atlantasooner]

Norm,
well with the depth at 5 now. Shaya could play a critical role as the backup mobile 4 when Sharane subs out.

We've all hinted that the guard depth is going to create intense competition we are starting to see that play out.
Some talented player is going to naturally think about leaving for playing time.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Sherri's normal substitution pattern is play the starters as long as they stay out of foul trouble. She is sensitive to things like Nicole Griffin's low endurance.

To hard to tell now as most coaches are looking at a lot of people. I remember the much gasping for breath of some posters when Kruger put a whole new 5 on the court the first time.

Kruger also looks at a lot of players early on but pretty soon settles into a 9 or 10 man rotation. Getting everyone in the first half and being a little more conservative in the second half. A lot of the top coaches get their reserves that will not play the second half in late in the first half. With Kruger you could almost predict when Neal, Horbeak, Booker and to a lesser degree Bennett was going to come onto the floor. You also pretty well knew, absent foul trouble, who was going to come in first and so forth. The days of starters going as long as they stay out of foul trouble is over.

I have never been able to understand Sherri's rotation plan. Against Washington (not a typical early season game) when they went into a zone and shots were not falling, NO WYATT. Yet last night Derica was one of the first off the bench.

 

[sybarite]

Wasn't Wyatt recovering from a foot injury during the Washington game?

 

[zacj33]

I find it crazy that most of you are writing off Gioya 2 GAMES into the season! I for one trust Sherri when she said that Gioya was the most improved player. Let's wait a little longer than 2 games to judge anyone for that matter, good or bad.

With that said, I am extremely pleased with how this season has started out! Hopefully we surprise some people and contend for another big 12 title.

 

[womenssports]

I find it crazy that most of you are writing off Gioya 2 GAMES into the season! I for one trust Sherri when she said that Gioya was the most improved player. Let's wait a little longer than 2 games to judge anyone for that matter, good or bad.

With that said, I am extremely pleased with how this season has started out! Hopefully we surprise some people and contend for another big 12 title.

Agree, it is too early to write Gioya off. Also, believe Tona has things to contribute.....if she comes in and does what she can do then she will be a plus.
I would say that the best player is Sharane and then L. Williams, but though I do not see it changing as far as Sharane, it could as far as Lenasia. Sharane does things that no other does. Well, it is fun to talk about it but I don't take what I say that seriously.........Do believe we have a good team that is able to play together and enough players who can contribute that there will not be the "inability to get it together" or whatever that was that happened last year. I do not think it was not caring or a problem with teammates, just seemed the belief was not their.

 

[jerry]

Too early to write Gioya off, but she needs to come off the bench until she shows in a real game she can make a contribution. Williams and Kornet are better options now to start.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Too early to write Gioya off, but she needs to come off the bench until she shows in a real game she can make a contribution. Williams and Kornet are better options now to start.

I agree. I think Gioya will bounce back, just not sure when. In the meantime, I would give others a chance to start. It's very possible Gioya would be better coming off the bench for now.

 

[rocjunkie]

Wasn't Wyatt recovering from a foot injury during the Washington game?

She was but that was not the factor. I think Sherri was just brain dead on her rotation during the game. All is fine with the world.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I don't think anyone is writing Carter off. We, almost to a poster, have all said she may lose her starting role. There are indications of that and it's clear to everyone she is the one player not performing very well right now.

 

[badger]

I would give my take, but this channel known as "FCSC" isn't included in U-verse's extended sports package.

Fox College Sports Channel. The name suggests it should be in a sports TV package, but noooooo U-Verse decided that I'd rather have five channels dedicated to the SEC Network and one channel dedicated to the Longhorn Network (which isn't as fun when Texas is winning in football).

Rant over. Eff FCSC. Eff U-Verse

 

[sybarite]

I would give my take, but this channel known as "FCSC" isn't included in U-verse's extended sports package.

Fox College Sports Channel. The name suggests it should be in a sports TV package, but noooooo U-Verse decided that I'd rather have five channels dedicated to the SEC Network and one channel dedicated to the Longhorn Network (which isn't as fun when Texas is winning in football).

Rant over. Eff FCSC. Eff U-Verse

I discovered this prior to the first game. When I called, I found that I had to subscribe to yet another premium channel that does get me several interesting channels, one of which plays a lot of old western comedies. But, it also has HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, The Movie channel, etc. I have been surviving quite nicely without these, and I will again after basketball season. But, right now, it is the only way that I can see OU women's basketball, volleyball, etc. Wonder if it won't also be softball. It does have all OU sports.

 

[rocjunkie]

I discovered this prior to the first game. When I called, I found that I had to subscribe to yet another premium channel that does get me several interesting channels, one of which plays a lot of old western comedies. But, it also has HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, The Movie channel, etc. I have been surviving quite nicely without these, and I will again after basketball season. But, right now, it is the only way that I can see OU women's basketball, volleyball, etc. Wonder if it won't also be softball. It does have all OU sports.

It does have OU softball as well as most of the Big 12.

 

[atlantasooner]

I think as fans we need to prepare ourselves that with the level of competition at
PG/SG/Wing Guard-SF play time is going to be pretty cut throat (not in mean way).

If your fan favorite is not playing well. It's pine time.
Sherri has far too many options, and any one of them could play themselves into starting minutes.
Unlike in years' past, you commit 3 bad turnovers quickly, you might not get back in the game at all.
Your jumper is off. Someone else's might be hot. You may not get 10 shots to shoot your way out of it as in years' past. Sherri can go with the hot hand.

 

[cowboysooner]

Norm is right in that all the girls seem about the same. I think this is good news and should breed competition, which is good.

But, Sherri has never substituted like you suggest she might Atlanta. But, she may have never had the pieces to do it before.

Normally, Sherri settles on her top 6 or 7 and plays them. But, this could be a different year.

Like I said above, from my one game of watching, I could make a case for about 10 different girls being in the starting 5. I thought every kid I saw had potential and looked like a good competitive player. I don't know what Sherri is going to do. However, Sherri and the staff have been watching them constantly since June and will undoubtedly have a better feel for who can do what than a casual fan like me.

I was dead wrong about last years team and so I am going to reserve opinion on the team for a few games. If you remember, I had us being a juggernaut last year.

 

[soonermike22]

I was dead wrong about last years team and so I am going to reserve opinion on the team for a few games. If you remember, I had us being a juggernaut last year.

I think we all did.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Against weak competition where Sherri could experiment, I would like to see her use a first and second team and substitute them together after about 7 minutes for each group.

First team, I would probably go with this starting five:

Gabbi
Peyton
Kornet
Sharane
Kaylon

Second team would possibly look like this:

Edwards
Maddie
LaNesia
Derica
Treece

I don't think there would be significant dropoff from the first and second unit although I would expect some.

In the last 10-15 minutes I would work in the other players.