2003-2004: Maria Villarroel and Dionnah Jackson to go with Caton? I liked OU women's basketball, but this was the team that made me fall in love with OU women's basketball. I still don't believe that title run through the Big Twelve tournament, knocking off A&M, Colorado, Kansas State, and Texas, the latter three being among the best teams in the nation. It took that long for Maria to understand Sherri, and that may have been the best exhibition of Sherri-Coale-Basketball once they did. During the tournament, that team was blazing fast. Was DRob really faster than Maria? On the breakaway, I'm not so sure. Maria was a streak.
2001-2002: Some people think of OU having had three players drafted. With all due respect, UConn had four, and two of them are still in the pros. That UConn team was recently acknowledged to be the greatest in UConn history, and it took that team to beat OU. And, no, OU's superstars weren't quite the stars that UConn's were. OU players were good, but Diana Tauresi and Sue Bird may be the best two in history---for now. Yet, OU was a match for them. The greatest team in history wasn't that much better than OU.
2012-2013: You lose your two best players, your interior players, supposedly five of your top seven, and you make it to the Sweet Sixteen, the same as Baylor? What's not to love. That was the most dedicated team that came together we have ever had. This was a coaching masterpiece. How far could this team have gone with Kaylon, Whitney, and Maddie?
These three teams kind of stand out to me. But, I think that these also reflect who Sherri is as a coach more than most. I think Sherri would prefer to have that running team that emerged late in 2004, only with a little more talent and maybe arriving early enough to come together a little better. Wonder how good we might have been if Maria had understood?
I think this is the team that Sherri would like to put together. I'm fascinated by who she has been recruiting. Just looking at the freshmen and sophomore classes right now is interesting.
2001-2002: Some people think of OU having had three players drafted. With all due respect, UConn had four, and two of them are still in the pros. That UConn team was recently acknowledged to be the greatest in UConn history, and it took that team to beat OU. And, no, OU's superstars weren't quite the stars that UConn's were. OU players were good, but Diana Tauresi and Sue Bird may be the best two in history---for now. Yet, OU was a match for them. The greatest team in history wasn't that much better than OU.
2012-2013: You lose your two best players, your interior players, supposedly five of your top seven, and you make it to the Sweet Sixteen, the same as Baylor? What's not to love. That was the most dedicated team that came together we have ever had. This was a coaching masterpiece. How far could this team have gone with Kaylon, Whitney, and Maddie?
These three teams kind of stand out to me. But, I think that these also reflect who Sherri is as a coach more than most. I think Sherri would prefer to have that running team that emerged late in 2004, only with a little more talent and maybe arriving early enough to come together a little better. Wonder how good we might have been if Maria had understood?
I think this is the team that Sherri would like to put together. I'm fascinated by who she has been recruiting. Just looking at the freshmen and sophomore classes right now is interesting.
