OU v. SWOSU

[Sweetest OU Girl]

I saw a number of very positive things last night. However my biggest disappointment was that our inside players were so out of shape. I simply do not understand that.

KK just got tired too quickly. A fan sitting close to me even said at one point "Do you think she could be sick?" And who knows that may be what was going on with KK. She did not look so winded that quick in the past.

But my heavens, Vivi often looked so slow getting down the court it almost looked like her legs have been injured or something. At times everyone is down court and she isn't even to midcourt. Perhaps that wasn't easy to see on TV, but at the game, it was really obvious.

McKenna obviously understood that, and as we had heard, she lost some weight this summer. In fact I almost didn't recognize her on the sideline she looked so slim. Unfortunately the injured thumb has sidelined her for a while.

The idea of getting rebounds and rushing down the court does not work well unless all your players are well enough conditioned to be a part of that. Otherwise it is 5 on 4 (favoring the defense) for the first few seconds.

It has been an ongoing problem with our post players over the years. Even Courtney had a problem with it, but was capable of overcoming it most of the time because she was a very special talent. Ashley finally got it fixed when she spent the summer with a "trainer".

Other than that I was positive about our chances this year.

Gosh, Peyton was truly on her game. And Penzo excited me. Those passes were a bit startling they were so quick. I liked the group with her as the 5th (with Peyton, Gabbi, KK, and Maddie) at times in the game.

 

[sybarite]

I've mentioned that I thought the best group last night (let's qualify it as last night) was a post, Maddie, Peyton, Gabbi, and Gileysa. Last night, I might have picked EJ as the post with that unit because of her hands and speed. The ball moves when Penzo, Maddie, Gabbi, and Peyton are in the game, and you have some scorers. Penzo makes the post into a scorer.

Kay Kay and Vivi rotated every four minutes at the end of last year (approximately). When you are going that fast, everyone gets tired. I think we got sloppy after we got a 12-2 lead because we were tired everywhere.

But, this was one game, an exhibition game. I wonder if everyone will be the same when we play a D-1 team?

 

[SoonerNorm]

I saw a number of very positive things last night. However my biggest disappointment was that our inside players were so out of shape. I simply do not understand that.

KK just got tired too quickly. A fan sitting close to me even said at one point "Do you think she could be sick?" And who knows that may be what was going on with KK. She did not look so winded that quick in the past.

But my heavens, Vivi often looked so slow getting down the court it almost looked like her legs have been injured or something. At times everyone is down court and she isn't even to midcourt. Perhaps that wasn't easy to see on TV, but at the game, it was really obvious.

McKenna obviously understood that, and as we had heard, she lost some weight this summer. In fact I almost didn't recognize her on the sideline she looked so slim. Unfortunately the injured thumb has sidelined her for a while.

The idea of getting rebounds and rushing down the court does not work well unless all your players are well enough conditioned to be a part of that. Otherwise it is 5 on 4 (favoring the defense) for the first few seconds.

It has been an ongoing problem with our post players over the years. Even Courtney had a problem with it, but was capable of overcoming it most of the time because she was a very special talent. Ashley finally got it fixed when she spent the summer with a "trainer".

Other than that I was positive about our chances this year.

Gosh, Peyton was truly on her game. And Penzo excited me. Those passes were a bit startling they were so quick. I liked the group with her as the 5th (with Peyton, Gabbi, KK, and Maddie) at times in the game.

Aren't you the same person who chastised rocjunkie a few days ago for saying that Kaylon was putting up bricks? How is that different from what you have said about she and ViVi?

 

[35TangoTango]

Aren't you the same person who chastised rocjunkie a few days ago for saying that Kaylon was putting up bricks? How is that different from what you have said about she and ViVi?

Before you blast him too hard for those remarks, remember that Coach said pretty much the same thing in the post-game presser.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Before you blast him too hard for those remarks, remember that Coach said pretty much the same thing in the post-game presser.

I have absolutely no problem with anyone pointing out the obvious. My point is, that's exactly what rocjunkie did and yet he was criticized for doing so. Why the double standard?

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

I have absolutely no problem with anyone pointing out the obvious. My point is, that's exactly what rocjunkie did and yet he was criticized for doing so. Why the double standard?

Perhaps you are right, Norm. And if it seems like I was unfair in what I said, I apologize.

I admit I do see a difference between a player giving their best and having a weakness, and a player who has not worked as hard as needed to get into shape. Hopefully everyone will work into better shape as the year goes on, and I expect the rules about how early coaches can start to work with the players in the fall has had an impact. As mentioned before, Ashley demonstrated what can happen when a player gives serious effort to conditioning. But the fact is, I was really disappointed that our 5's were not able to keep the pace very long - and it looked like they were not in good condition yet. We are very fortunate to have several who can sub for one another, but in those minutes before the substitution can happen momentum can swing.

I still don't think we should criticize a player for not having certain skills. Or worse yet to criticize them for their greatest strengths. KK was something like 4th in the nation in shooting percentage last year. It is pretty hard to do much better than that. Shooting is not a problem to bring up in connection with her. At least it has not been in the past.

 

[tycat947]

Perhaps you are right, Norm. And if it seems like I was unfair in what I said, I apologize.

I admit I do see a difference between a player giving their best and having a weakness, and a player who has not worked as hard as needed to get into shape. Hopefully everyone will work into better shape as the year goes on, and I expect the rules about how early coaches can start to work with the players in the fall has had an impact. As mentioned before, Ashley demonstrated what can happen when a player gives serious effort to conditioning. But the fact is, I was really disappointed that our 5's were not able to keep the pace very long - and it looked like they were not in good condition yet. We are very fortunate to have several who can sub for one another, but in those minutes before the substitution can happen momentum can swing.

I still don't think we should criticize a player for not having certain skills. Or worse yet to criticize them for their greatest strengths. KK was something like 4th in the nation in shooting percentage last year. It is pretty hard to do much better than that. Shooting is not a problem to bring up in connection with her. At least it has not been in the past.

I think that will happen in time. Also, as Sherri has stated, players are going to have to get used to playing quarters.

As you can see below, Kimmy and her All World post players had exact same problem in their exhibition. We'll be fine as the season goes along.

Getting their first action on the collegiate level, freshman posts Kalani Brown and Beatrice Mompremier combined for 31 points and 20 rebounds. The 6-4 Mompremier recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 13 boards, while Brown had 20 points and seven rebounds.

"I thought they played hard, they got fatigued early," Mulkey said. "They're going to give you all they have in spurts. What we have to do, as they continue to get better, is make sure we can keep them on the floor for longer periods of time.

 

[sybarite]

I just watched the exhibition game for the third time. As mentioned on another thread, Maddie was smooth. She was so much in control that it appeared that she could do whatever she wished, except hit a layup (not so hard off the glass). She could dribble, penetrate, and elevate. There were times last year in which we had difficulty getting a shooter open. I wonder if Maddie will be open any time that she wishes. She penetrated and passed. She shot with confidence and didn't seem to have the hesitation to shoot that she had last year. What didn't she do?

Peyton seemed very confident, and she had some nice assists as well. Her hands were active on defense. For someone who isn't lightning quick, she gets in front on a face break rather easily.

The other person who had an easy flow about them was Penzo. She never seemed to force anything. I think something positive happened almost every time she penetrated, although it may have happened in an unusual way. She may penetrate and pass inside or outside. She did pull off a pump fake (everyone seems to want a pump fake) which got her two free throws. She finished at the rim.

This was an exhibition game---quality of the opponent uncertain. But, if I had to choose a starting lineup for Winthrop, I think I would pick EJ, Maddie, Peyton, Gileysa, and Gabbi. That might not be the lineup that would finish. But, it is the lineup that seemed to work the best together.