Next year

[SoonerNorm]

Do you believe OU will be better next year, worse, or about the same as this team?

 

[cowboysooner]

Better. Overall better and deeper roster. If Maddie can't go, then I might change my mind.

 

[bluesooner17]

We are going to be better as far as talent and depth, but still have a concern about the post play since we really don't have that today excluding Griffin. We do have one coming in so hopefully she can fit the bill.

 

[sybarite]

Better. Overall better and deeper roster. If Maddie can't go, then I might change my mind.

I tend to agree, but we may get some much-needed help from Ortiz.

 

[rocjunkie]

Much better. I'm just going to speculate. I think Gabby will take over Morgan's spot with some early growing pains. The sum of the whole will equate to the loss of Aaryn's scoring I believe. Nicole is becoming the tenacious rebounder we need, she is starting to remind me a little of Leah, and Kaylon will get better and better. We will have a very deep bench. I agree with Maddie's potential rise or fall. If she overcomes the injury bug, we will be even better, if not that will just put more pressure on Peyton, but from what I've seen, see may easily replace Aaryn's three point scoring. Just my half-pence worth.

 

[Mutron76]

My gut tells me that Gabbi handles point duties as well as Hook or even plays at another level. This is no knock on Hook of course. She has played well. Losing Griffin and Vegas will hurt. Vegas more so obviously. I certainly make no apologies that I am a biased homer when it comes to the Sooners and most of my posts have some sunshine pump elements to them. But I believed we would be a little further along as a team. Still plenty of time and we have a legit shot at winning the conference.

Maddie. She would make this team more dynamic. Imho, we are not a better team next year without her. With Maddie, Little, and Gabbi injury free our perimeter play will be very good. No Vegas of course but still extremely effective when you add them to Kornet, Gioya, and Sharane.

KayKay. It is great that she is moving well after her injury and inactivity. She has shown what she can do but she needs to be on the floor and engaged this year and beyond. She can be one the best posts in the league and along with Maddie and Sharane adds a toughness to the team we need. Outside of KayKay though it is a mystery to me atleast how effective our bigs will be.
Gabbi, Peyton, Maddie, Sharane, KayKay (?). If Goiya, Kornet, or P-Louise starts that is fine as well. Hard to guess. But if we forget about who starts this is potentially a group every bit as good as this years team or better. It certainly looks like a 4 guard lineup but other than Gabbi our guards are long and tall. I still do not know how good we are this year but it will be fun finding out.

 

[tycat947]

I tend to agree, but we may get some much-needed help from Ortiz.

Do you think Sherri has Maddie slated to play PG? During the scrimmage when Maddie was injured, if not mistaken, she was PG on the second team. Nicole K was starter on the 1st team and I think Maddie would have started on 1st team, unless she was playing PG. If Maddie comes back from injury without any problems, I don't see how she can't start and I'd think Gabby would be starting as well. We would have 2 PGs on the court at the same time and that could be interesting. I just hope Maddie recovers as well from this injury as she did last year. I didn't detect any difference in her game from pre-1st injury to post-1st injury.

I'll be shocked if Peyton isn't starting next year as well. I think we could be better next year (hope so as NCAA regional is in OKC again next year) but I think we'll miss Griffin more than a lot want to admit. Pierre-Louis is really going to need to be ready to play D-1 when she arrives especially, if Williams doesn't get the foul problems under control.

 

[sybarite]

Do you think Sherri has Maddie slated to play PG? During the scrimmage when Maddie was injured, if not mistaken, she was PG on the second team. Nicole K was starter on the 1st team and I think Maddie would have started on 1st team, unless she was playing PG. If Maddie comes back from injury without any problems, I don't see how she can't start and I'd think Gabby would be starting as well. We would have 2 PGs on the court at the same time and that could be interesting. I just hope Maddie recovers as well from this injury as she did last year. I didn't detect any difference in her game from pre-1st injury to post-1st injury.

I'll be shocked if Peyton isn't starting next year as well. I think we could be better next year (hope so as NCAA regional is in OKC again next year) but I think we'll miss Griffin more than a lot want to admit. Pierre-Louis is really going to need to be ready to play D-1 when she arrives especially, if Williams doesn't get the foul problems under control.

I agree that Griffin will be missed more than most people think. She is far superior to Kay Kay on defense, and we suffer a bit on defense in the middle when Griffin goes out. Supposedly, Pierre-Louis is a shot-blocker, but in hs. I don't know that we can count on her that much as a freshman. Not many freshmen are Courtney.

I have no idea what will happen if Maddie comes back. It depends on how healthy she is and how much she can recover her skills. The Maddie that was emerging last year at the time of her first ACL injury would start anywhere she was needed. Even though Ortiz is on the way, I'm not so sure that Maddie wouldn't be the better point. I haven't seen Ortiz with good players yet. I think Ortiz might replace Aaryn more than Morgan in skill set---shooting.

I've been waiting for Kornet to emerge, which she did last night. Hopefully, that was the beginning. I think we will see some development in Kellogg next year. I have no idea what Peyton will be like, none.

I look for Kay Kay, Kornet, Campbell (who may be vastly underrated right now), Ortiz, and Manning to be the starters, primarily because I don't know what Peyton has to offer. Carter may make the list. I look for Kellogg, Wyatt, and Pierre-Louis to be key reserves.

That leaves Williams, Penzo, and Edwards fighting for time.

 

[j2d2]

I remember when Sherri used two point guards either of which might bring the ball up - Stacy and ________________(too old to remember anymore). Worked well then and took us to the national championship game(but it's hard to replace Dales).

 

[BanjoCharley]

LaNeisha?

 

[SoonerNorm]

Dionnah Jackson

 

[soonermike22]

We will have good depth outside, with lots of completion for playing time and starting spots. Sharane is the only one I think is a sure starter. Maddie (if healthy), Nicole K, Peyton, and Gioya to compete for time at the 2, 3, and 4 spot. Maddie, T'ona, and maybe a freshman (Gabby) to compete for time at point. How good we are may really depend on IF we have a center or centers that can play defense, rebound, and score some. Kaylon? or another freshman (Pierre-Louis) leaves us thin and unproved, although I think K Williams will be vastly improved next year. We have plenty of ball handlers, shot creators and good basketball players. The questions will be leadership inside the team, rebounding (AGAIN), and toughness. I think we could be better than this years team, but yet to be seen for this team, and next year.
PS I think Peyton, Gioya, Maddie, and Sharane might be a core for a final four appearance.

 

[SoonerNorm]

We should be improved at the point with Gabbi starting.

We will not be as good at the 2. I expect Peyton to start at the 2 (although Maddie may start there) and she will play well but we will still miss Aaryn's scoring at that position.

We should be improved at the 3. I look for Maddie to start there and I expect her to play well.

I expect Sherri to go with Sharane or Kaylon at the PF and Pierre-Louis to play center. Sharane should not play the PF position but may have to because of lack of depth.

As others have said, we will still be very thin inside and that is going to cause us problems. I think an Elite Eight should be possible but I don't think we will be Final Four good as it is likely we will start 2 freshmen.

 

[Mac]

I can't really say if OU will be better or worse next year, but I'm definitely looking forward to our getting some of that swagger back that we haven't had since AT and Stevenson played on the team. Aaryn as great as she is, isn't the vocal leader OU needs. After reading comments posted by boomer411 in another thread OU needs confidence, a player that can "say don't hang your head lady's, lets keeping fighting, were not afraid of the name on the other teams jersey". From what little I've seen of Ortiz she has that, she's a real competitor and I think she'll be a team caption by her sophomore year. Little will be a good one and she should fit right in as a double figure scorer for us at the off guard next year. Our front court will still be a little iffy and Griffin has really be playing well on a consistent basis, that will be hard to replace.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I don't think we will get back to another final four until Sherri can sign another elite player like Lauren Cox.

 

[soonermike22]

Sometimes several really good players (that are not role players but BASKETBALL players) playing together, are better than an elite player or two with role players filling playing time. Maddie, Peyton, Gioya, maybe Gabby and Sharane all have that possibility of being all around really good players: offense, defense, leadership and desire to win all the time.

 

[sybarite]

Prior to her injury, I saw things in Maddie that made me think she might be the best player in OU history as a sophomore, much less a senior. If she recovers fully, I still think that she has the talent to take us a long way with a good supporting cast. A 6-2 guard that is so good as a ball-handler that she is thought of as a potential Dales and who can jump as high as anyone on the team is a problem for offenses and defenses. If Maddie is what I think she might be, she is our ticket to a title. Let's just hope that the injuries haven't sapped her mobility like they have so many others.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I don't think Maddie will be as good as Courtney, Stacey, or DRob but I sure hope I'm wrong.