Penzo and how she fits in

[Oliver Hardy]

My post was about Penzo. I was trying to get a read on what others thought her playing chances were next season and where she might fit in, especially since we have Ortiz, Carter, Edwards and L. Williams.

I could see her as a 1. She seems to be too poor a shooter for a 2 or 3 and she's too short, IMO, for a 4, but who knows?

We have some more depth next season and will have even more the following season when Dungee gets here...so, I really don't know what to expect out of Penzo, but I don't think I'm going to expect much.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I think I'm lost on exactly what it is we're arguing about here. Sybarite said he wouldn't be surprised to see Mulkey, Maddie, Gabbi and Penzo in the starting lineup in 2016-2017. He/she was challenged quickly and in a big way.

Is it really that big a stretch to imagine all four of those players starting in 2016-17? Gabbi will be a junior at that point, Maddie, what, a junior (possibly)? And Penzo will be a redshirt sophomore, with hopefully a year of experience under her belt.

Mulkey will be the only freshman in that group, and frankly, I'll be surprised if she isn't a starter by at least the second half of her freshman year. I'm not saying she'll be a consensus All American as a freshman – and I don't think sybarite said that either.

I don't know who is arguing, certainly not me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

You mentioned Mulkey, Maddie, Gabbi, and Penzo in the starting lineup in 2016. I suppose you are talking about the year in which Little and Gioya will be seniors. If so, unless Peyton and Gioya gets injured or transfers, I doubt we will see Penzo in the starting lineup.

 

[SoonerNorm]

We will also have Dungee that year which may limit Penzo's minutes as well.

 

[sybarite]

I don't know how well Penzo will be prepared for the coming year. ACLs can delay things. But, I think that we can count on Penzo making an impact this year at some point. I don't see her sitting on the bench for a year. I strongly suspect that she will be in the rotation by the end of the year, a rotation that will probably include: Kay Kay, Vivi, McKenna, Ijeoma, Peyton, Gioya, Maddie, Gabbi, and Nicole. She may well move ahead of T'Ona, LaNesia, and Derica unless they make major strides.

Let's emphasize: the 2013 FIBA Americans All Tournament team did not say

Samuelson
Yearwood (Canada)
Durr
Cox
Some wastrel that went to OU.

It specified someone that the observers thought was the best distributor in the tournament. She is not a little girl. She was seventh (7th) in the entire tournament in rebounding, as a guard. She led in steals by a fair margin. She was among the leaders in assists. She gets around.

 

[scrybe]

I don't know who is arguing, certainly not me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

You mentioned Mulkey, Maddie, Gabbi, and Penzo in the starting lineup in 2016. I suppose you are talking about the year in which Little and Gioya will be seniors. If so, unless Peyton and Gioya gets injured or transfers, I doubt we will see Penzo in the starting lineup.

C'mon, Norm. I never said those four players would be in the starting lineup in 2016. I just refused to poo-poo another poster's suggestion that those four could start. You obviously believe there's not much chance that Penzo will start, and you provided some very good reasons why.

Guess what?: I agree with you, too.

 

[sybarite]

Let's make it clear. I specified 2016-2017. I think that by that time, if Gioya and Peyton are still inclined to slumps and don't improve, Penzo is likely to take their jobs. I think her upside may be better than theirs.

 

[SoonerNorm]

C'mon, Norm. I never said those four players would be in the starting lineup in 2016. I just refused to poo-poo another poster's suggestion that those four could start. You obviously believe there's not much chance that Penzo will start, and you provided some very good reasons why.

Guess what?: I agree with you, too.

No problem, I thought you mentioned those 4 would be in the starting lineup. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

[scrybe]

Let's make it clear. I specified 2016-2017. I think that by that time, if Gioya and Peyton are still inclined to slumps and don't improve, Penzo is likely to take their jobs. I think her upside may be better than theirs.

And you might very well be right. Like I said in a previous post, Penzo will have the entire 2015-16 season to play and get adjusted to the college game. And remember, she's already had a great learning experience by sitting next to, or near, Sherri on the bench this past season.

I do believe, however, she'll have her work cut out for her if she wants to replace Gioya or Peyton in the starting lineup.

 

[sybarite]

I think we are in for some new ways of thinking on depth. We have struggled to find a starting five, maybe a dependable sixth.

In 2016-2017, we will have:

Vivi
McKenna
Odimgbe
Mulkey
Kellogg

Peyton
Gioya
Chelsea
Gabbi
Gileysa
T'Ona
LaNesia
Derica
Maddie

I think Gabbi will start. I think everyone else has some work to do. If you are not better than this year's starters were, I don't think you will get off the bench. Everyone must improve. The talent is there to raise the standards.

Then, Ana comes in.

 

[womenssports]

I think Edwards showed signs of having developed a three-point shot at the very end of the year. It wasn't enough to know whether it was real or luck. That would help.

Penzo: Sherri has always been fond of Stacy Dales look-alikes. Maddie Manning was the new Stacy Dales. What she is referring to is the ability to see the floor and manage the floor or offense. It was interesting last year that after Maddie had been a rarely-used guard, Sherri brought her in early in a game and said to take over. Maddie did, and it worked. After that, it was intermittent. In that game, Maddie simply took over. The announcers, probably because they are fed information by Sherri, constantly mention that Maddie has great court vision. Tubbs said she was the best practice shooter on the team. The announcers constantly refer to Maddie's long arms and what that does on defense---and offense. Maddie is a floor manager, more so than Gabbi. She does need some time on court.

Penzo has also been mentioned by Sherri as having great court vision. I think she has finally stopped short of saying the next Stacy Dales. But, if you go back and look at the statistics of the teams in the U-16 tournament in which Penzo was named to the All-Tournament team, she did a little bit of everything. She led the tournament in steals by a huge margin. She was also among the leaders in rebounders. I think she was the leading rebounder on the Puerto Rico team. She was inconsistent as a shooter, from everywhere. One story that I saw about the tournament called her a court magician. She is where the ball is.

Let's get a little perspective about Penzo and how she fits. Penzo enrolled at OU this past year---at 16? I haven't heard when she turned 17. She was on the same All-Tournament team with
Asia Durr---going to Louisville this year
Katie Lou Samuelson--going to UConn this year
Lauren Cox----going next year.

Penzo went to college a year earlier than these others, despite being their age.

I don't know if she will be court ready this year. Just watching her walk around with the team this year, I think she is a very, very confident and relaxed sixteen or seventeen year old. She was a part of things, and she has never seen the floor. I look for her to start slowly this year. At some point, I think she will make headlines, probably before April.

Pretty sure I saw on social media that she turned 17 last summer after arriving at OU. She certainly stays engaged on the sidelines and seems pretty together for a 17 yo who is far away from home and who got injured before the season started.

From what I can find on her - from her senior stats,what Syb stated, a one minute video which shows her for about 4 seconds, and her ranking out of high school, the fact that she is coming back off an injury, and will only be l8 - I have no clue how she will do. I don't want her to take minutes from Gioya but she can take them from anyone else. It will be fun to see what each player brings next year.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Pretty sure I saw on social media that she turned 17 last summer after arriving at OU. She certainly stays engaged on the sidelines and seems pretty together for a 17 yo who is far away from home and who got injured before the season started.

From what I can find on her - from her senior stats,what Syb stated, a one minute video which shows her for about 4 seconds, and her ranking out of high school, the fact that she is coming back off an injury, and will only be l8 - I have no clue how she will do. I don't want her to take minutes from Gioya but she can take them from anyone else. It will be fun to see what each player brings next year.

Yes, her DOB is Jun 12, 1997 so she will be 18 in June.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I think we are in for some new ways of thinking on depth. We have struggled to find a starting five, maybe a dependable sixth.

In 2016-2017, we will have:

Vivi
McKenna
Odimgbe
Mulkey
Kellogg

Peyton
Gioya
Chelsea
Gabbi
Gileysa
T'Ona
LaNesia
Derica
Maddie

I think Gabbi will start. I think everyone else has some work to do. If you are not better than this year's starters were, I don't think you will get off the bench. Everyone must improve. The talent is there to raise the standards.

Then, Ana comes in.

OUT OF THAT, THIS IS WHAT I THINK:

Kellog and Wyatt see the floor for all of 15 minutes all season long - maybe.

L. Williams and Edwards are afterthoughts, but not as much as Kellog and Wyatt.

Starting 5 (this is a tough prediction) :

Mulkey
Vivi
Peyton
Chelsea
Gabbi

 

[sybarite]

Never mind

Kornet graduates this year.

I will make another projection: not one starter in 2014-2015 would start in 2016-2017 unless they improve a lot. I think our worst starter that year will perform better than our best starter did this year.

edit: got the edit before I clicked. Posting too fast.

 

[womenssports]

Kornet graduates this year.

I will make another projection: not one starter in 2014-2015 would start in 2016-2017 unless they improve a lot. I think our worst starter that year will perform better than our best starter did this year.

edit: got the edit before I clicked. Posting too fast.

Well, that would be great. If true, we would have a very successful team.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

If I have my graduation dates right, etc., that means in two season you don't think seniors Manning, Little or junior Carter are starting. Do I have that right?

Actually that's not far-fetched.

Manning hasn't proven she's going to be a starter yet. Most of us just think she will be the next year and perhaps the year after.

Little and Carter are either smoking hot or ice cold. Little can play better defense than Carter. If you are right, this is possible the starting lineup -- and if I have my graduation dates right --in 2016-17, but who takes the point and the 3? And where does Ojmidge fit in, if she does?

5 -- Mulkey or Vivi
4 -- Mulkey or Vivi
3 -- ????????? (I cant see who fits here.)
2-- Dungee
1 -- Penzo (wouldn't that be a big stretch?)

Of course, if we got Wilsom the 1,2,3 get get ALLLLLLL switched around because you would want Dungee and Wilson on the floor at the same time.

But then what do you do with Ortiz? She might bit at the 3 because of her shooting ability and driving ability but she'd be awfully short on the boards. She's also a starter this year so she doesn't fit into your scenario.

Are you guessing we get a top-notch 3 or 4 next year?

 

[sybarite]

I'm not sure whom you are asking the question of. If I had to guess, I think the most likely starters in 2016-2017 in order might be:

Gabbi, JR
Manning, SR (JR, if med redshirt)
Vivi, JR or Mulkey, FR

Carter, SR, Little, SR, Penzo, SOPH in a dead heat

Dungee, FR

McKenna, JR

I don't know where to put Ijeoma yet. I also don't know where to put any other potential recruits for 2016.

I think the first eight that are mentioned will all be better, at least at their roles, than anyone that we had this year. McKenna may join that group if she develops a bit.

 

[SoonerNorm]

If I have my graduation dates right, etc., that means in two season you don't think seniors Manning, Little or junior Carter are starting. Do I have that right?

Actually that's not far-fetched.

Manning hasn't proven she's going to be a starter yet. Most of us just think she will be the next year and perhaps the year after.

Little and Carter are either smoking hot or ice cold. Little can play better defense than Carter. If you are right, this is possible the starting lineup -- and if I have my graduation dates right --in 2016-17, but who takes the point and the 3? And where does Ojmidge fit in, if she does?

5 -- Mulkey or Vivi
4 -- Mulkey or Vivi
3 -- ????????? (I cant see who fits here.)
2-- Dungee
1 -- Penzo (wouldn't that be a big stretch?)

Of course, if we got Wilsom the 1,2,3 get get ALLLLLLL switched around because you would want Dungee and Wilson on the floor at the same time.

But then what do you do with Ortiz? She might bit at the 3 because of her shooting ability and driving ability but she'd be awfully short on the boards. She's also a starter this year so she doesn't fit into your scenario.

Are you guessing we get a top-notch 3 or 4 next year?

In the absence of injuries, I don't think ViVi will be a starter. After Kaylon graduates we will see Mulkey from day one. I am not convinced Dungee will start over Gioya or Little. Could Wilson? I'm not sure she would either as a freshman. I look for Gioya and Peyton to be back strong this fall. IMHO

 

[j2d2]

Wild cards:
Injuries
Ej.
Has she been able to practice any? Did she get well enough to work with the team much?

 

[SoonerNorm]

Wild cards:
Injuries
Ej.
Has she been able to practice any? Did she get well enough to work with the team much?

She is still in high school. I expect her to arrive in June or so.

 

[womenssports]

I'm not sure whom you are asking the question of. If I had to guess, I think the most likely starters in 2016-2017 in order might be:

Gabbi, JR
Manning, SR (JR, if med redshirt)
Vivi, JR or Mulkey, FR

Carter, SR, Little, SR, Penzo, SOPH in a dead heat

Dungee, FR

McKenna, JR

I don't know where to put Ijeoma yet. I also don't know where to put any other potential recruits for 2016.

I think the first eight that are mentioned will all be better, at least at their roles, than anyone that we had this year. McKenna may join that group if she develops a bit.

Just to be clear, these eight will be the ones competing for playing time? And you have Maddie competing with Gabbi for the point?
Dungee playing the 4?
Mckenna in the 8 as a 4 or 5?

This leaves EJ out. Is that because she is a question mark or you don't believe from what you know that she will be among the top 8?

Maddie would be a redshirt senior and I don't see her giving that up, especially since she is buds with Peyton who would be a red-shirt senior. She is shown as a red shirt sophomore this year. OH, so am thinking you think there is a possiblity she will apply for another red shirt season. Get it now.
I believe it is very probable that she would qualify for the extra season if she applied but do not see her doing that. UNLESS, she starts to get so good that she thinks with another year of college play she might be able to play overseas and/or in the W. Otherwise, believe she would be burnt out at this level. Just conjecture.