T'ona Edwards

[SoonerNorm]

One thing she is developing is to start driving in, then slow and pass the ball to a guard on the outside for an often open shot. She did that 2 or 3 times against ISU.

I think she just thinks a bit faster than she plays. that is why she makes the ill advised passes.

Norm, you are right about 2 defenders being several feet away on that inbounds play - but they were too far away to interfere with a quick pass to Maddie - who was within 5 feet of TT. Obviously the pass would have gotten to Maddie well before they could have moved over there. Their plan was to intentionally foul anyway. She should have made that pass. I'm still puzzled why she did not do that.

I'm afraid you're mistaken. One defender would have very possibly intercepted the pass. Slow down the replay and watch again.

 

[sybarite]

I'm afraid you're mistaken. One defender would have very possibly intercepted the pass. Slow down the replay and watch again.

Look again. I watched several times. Since you made this post, I have watched it about ten times.

At first, Maddie is wide open. After T'Ona looked over, they jumped toward Maddie, but were not anywhere close. By the time she switched off Maddie, one was in the passing lane, possibly. The other was of no interest.

When T'Ona switched off and toward the middle, they both jumped there, one being in a much better position to stop an entry to the middle. The one that did stop it was over the back, leaving a scrum. T'Ona looked too long at where she was going to throw it.

 

[35TangoTango]

You guys have looked at it repeatedly in slow motion and can't all agree on the proper pass in that situation. T'ona or any other player gets one look at full speed. No time to stop and assess. That's why turnovers happen on any team.

 

[SoonerNorm]

You guys have looked at it repeatedly in slow motion and can't all agree on the proper pass in that situation. T'ona or any other player gets one look at full speed. No time to stop and assess. That's why turnovers happen on any team.

Agreed. All T'ona saw was a player moving quickly into the passing lane and her decision making time was a split second.

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

So this is the argument for her throwing into a pack with one OU player totally covered by 2 ISU players. It was a bad decision - and the ball was stolen.

I think that is why Sherri switched on the next inbound to having TT on the floor instead of the in-bounder position. Obviously, with TT only at 51% on Free Throws, the best place for her was as the in-bounder, but you cannot gamble on another horrible decision.

Obviously ISU knew that - and fouled her as soon as she touched the ball. She hit one of two (50%).

 

[sybarite]

OK. It is worse than I had thought. I studied it again. But, this time, I paid attention to the camera that was behind T'Ona, a camera that showed the court as she saw it.

Maddie was completely open. Two people began to move toward her. But, T'Ona barely glanced at Maddie before taking a couple of steps to her right, placing her in a position where she was right on the right side of the lane. There was only one problem. There was no OU player to throw it to.

I first thought someone was going over Peyton's back. No. Peyton was behind an Iowa State player (Blaskowsky?). T'Ona tossed it right to the Iowa State player. If anything, Peyton was over her back trying to knock the ball away from her. The two players who had been over toward Maddie offered a three-man circle with no way to get a pass inbounds to an OU player.

I don't think it was a split decision. I think she had made up her mind where she wanted to go with the ball. She barely glanced over to Maddie, and stepped to where she wanted to throw it, although no OU player was there. Gabbi had been in that area, but she began to streak out toward midcourt as though to give an outlet, curling around another IS player.

Do you inbounds it under an opponent's basket? I think T'Ona screwed that one up.

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

OK. It is worse than I had thought. I studied it again. But, this time, I paid attention to the camera that was behind T'Ona, a camera that showed the court as she saw it.

Maddie was completely open. Two people began to move toward her. But, T'Ona barely glanced at Maddie before taking a couple of steps to her right, placing her in a position where she was right on the right side of the lane. There was only one problem. There was no OU player to throw it to.

I first thought someone was going over Peyton's back. No. Peyton was behind an Iowa State player (Blaskowsky?). T'Ona tossed it right to the Iowa State player. If anything, Peyton was over her back trying to knock the ball away from her. The two players who had been over toward Maddie offered a three-man circle with no way to get a pass inbounds to an OU player.

I don't think it was a split decision. I think she had made up her mind where she wanted to go with the ball. She barely glanced over to Maddie, and stepped to where she wanted to throw it, although no OU player was there. Gabbi had been in that area, but she began to streak out toward midcourt as though to give an outlet, curling around another IS player.

Do you inbounds it under an opponent's basket? I think T'Ona screwed that one up.

Excellent analysis, Syb.

That is what I saw live during the game. I realize I may have an advantage over some since I have spent a lot of time on the court, and have spent a good number of times in that same end line spot for the inbounds play.

TT made a very bad decision. I like lots of things about her, but she still seems to struggle with seeing the court. However, that has improved and will likely continue to get better over time. I still question if she may have decided not to pass it to Maddie from the get-go. Then time was running out and she had to do something so she just gambled - and lost.

The one thing that would help immensely would be her to get in the gym and start hitting free throws. Even if it takes an hour and a half per day.

 

[sybarite]

I get the impression that Sherri is trying to work in a group that she considers her best athletes who are ready for primetime, just to see if they can work out a fit. Derica last contributed against Texas. Since then, I think she has about twelve minutes and zero points. I think Sherri is looking at this group for a tournament team:
P Kay Kay, Vivi
F Maddie
G Peyton
G Gioya
PG Gabbi, T'Ona

I think she is looking for any combination of these, depending on who has a hot hand, or makes the fewest mistakes. I don't think she has been happy with the flow of the offense in the first half of any of our recent games. We had to fight back against TCU, Texas, West Virginia, and Iowa State. We were practically two different teams.

T'Ona presents some offensive liabilities. But, her defense is better than Gabbi's, and it is our defense that has provided the flow for the comebacks in each of these games. We don't seem to be getting a flow from our sets due to a lack of movement. It is beginning with our defense, of which T'Ona is a key part.

In each of our "runs" against Iowa State, there was at least one steal and a breakaway layup that was key to the extension of the lead. Twice, it was Peyton running down the court at full speed with a feed from Maddie. It was the ball-hawking of Peyton, Maddie, and T'Ona that fueled these turnovers.

There are turnovers, and there are turnovers. Sherri doesn't mind turnovers that are a decent attempt to get some improvement in position. She does mind careless or thoughtless turnovers. T'Ona still makes mistakes, even as a junior, but she has to get out there and see what doesn't work. She also causes turnovers. Her turnovers tend to be the type that irritate me. But, she also makes really good plays that offset them.

Since they tend to make things happen, you really want Peyton, Gioya, and Maddie on the court. They can provide offense. When they get in a flow, they can offset having T'Ona's lack of a shot on the floor.