Stanford & Arizona in final 4. The way we competed in the Pac this year bodes well for the future.
WBB
- Thread starter Rich Lewis
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Great for the conference. Proud of both Stanford and Arizona. I wonder what Krystal is going to do? If she comes back, then I think this team will do very well next season. I am not sure if the team has a point guard if she doesn't come back. We will also have to see if the bench can be improve enough to rest the starting five. When Molina left, the team was never the same.
Someone on Brandx posted KL-W is coming back. There has been no announcement that I have founds so who knows.
if she doesn’t come back I think it would be a combination of CL-W and Teder. Not ideal. There’s a ton of players in the portal. I think we need to find someone.
if she doesn’t come back I think it would be a combination of CL-W and Teder. Not ideal. There’s a ton of players in the portal. I think we need to find someone.
If her sister doesn't come back, I think CL-W would have been the primary PG by default. I think they do need to find another PG in the portal regardless. Hopefully, the information regarding Krystal is correct.
It would be great to get that line-up together for another year. They get great shots but they are all just really raw. Especially Bella just needs a little finesse inside the paint, and Teder just needs to shoot more! They miss the change of gears that Molina brought, and hopefully they can find a solution because the offense gets bogged down at some point nearly every game. But regardless, this team is the best thing we have seen in a generation. Hopefully the HC is locked in for the foreseeable future.
Did we sign any other WBB players beyond the two early signees.
Ethridge Announces Two Additions in the Early Signing Period - Washington State University Athletics
PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University women's basketball head coach Kamie Ethridge announced the first two signees of the 2021 class on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
wsucougars.com
People were calling UConn/Baylor the championship game. It was a great game but neither get to Sunday.
They are two teams that know each other. McDonald has been phenomenal but Stanford is incredibly balanced. Hope it’s a good one.
They are two teams that know each other. McDonald has been phenomenal but Stanford is incredibly balanced. Hope it’s a good one.
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Those 2 at this point. I'm hoping we are trying to bring in a transfer but tough with the lineup basically set.Did we sign any other WBB players beyond the two early signees.
Ethridge Announces Two Additions in the Early Signing Period - Washington State University Athletics
PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University women's basketball head coach Kamie Ethridge announced the first two signees of the 2021 class on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Mafau's a bounce from the Bella'/Sarver class. She had a big first year in JC. Stats went dramatically down this year but could be COVID related and a broken year at the JC level. If Wallack adjust to the speed of the Pac 12 she looks like a really good one. Seems to do a bit of everything. Perimeter length, outside shooting.
I agree w everyone above what they said about Molina. I sure would like to find out what happened. I really thought she should have played more. KLW can be turnover prone sometimes. She will make a great play...then negate it with a turnover the next trip down the court.
I think a lot of it can be chalked up to the first yr playing with her and her quick one handed passes and should be fixable.
Taking better care of the ball should be a mantra for both the men and the women's teams
I think a lot of it can be chalked up to the first yr playing with her and her quick one handed passes and should be fixable.
Taking better care of the ball should be a mantra for both the men and the women's teams
All we really know for sure about Molina is she's not returning. When the reasons for departure aren't disclosed you just hope the person involved is ok.
I think part of the increased turnovers for KL-W were legs/mental fatigue and the scout catching up. I think legs was the bigger factor because more than a few passes were just off. KL-W had the transfer year but going from the Big Sky to the Pac 12 is a monster jump. If she returns I think she fixes it from year 1.
Bigger thing to me to think on is Ethridge's rotation philosophy. We aren't deep but she's never had much of a rotation since taking over. Even without Molina back we should be as deep as we ever have been under Ethridge. Need to get more from Sarver, Nankervis, Clarke, and Jones plus the 2 incoming players.
Yes- the rotation is pretty thin. I think a huge issue was the lack of the preseason, and starting game 1 in the conference. I think in general many women's coaches sub too much and just need to keep their best players on the court. But game in and game out we hit pockets of dead air where 4 or 5 minutes go by without a score, and that is when you need to change it up a little. I would also like to see a little more of Clarke!
I am curious to find of if the short bench was how she coaches, or if the short bench was because she did not think the players were good enough? If it is the latter, I hope that a few of those players improve enough to contribute, enabling Ethridge to rest the starters. I also believe that Mafua is going to be very good day one.
I’m wondering as well. I think some sub too much (Graves for instance) but we ran a few into the ground. I wonder in some cases if it’s defense. I think Jones could give us offense but can get exposed on defense. A bit of the same with Clarke.
I watched part of a game for Mafau. She seems pretty good from 3 but maybe a bit sloppy with the ball. I bet she gets time at 3 and maybe 4. She just seems to need to clean a few things up at the PAC 12 level.
I like Wallack as well. She’s deceptive but also seems to have a good 3 and solid fundamentals. I think she could get minutes at the 3 and 4 as well.
Definitely need an OOC next year.
A few names that might have a possible connection to Ethridge or current players. Mele Finau (G) from Northern Colorado entered the portal. Her sister plays at CU but Mele has only started at times for UNC.
Tera Reed (VCU) a 6'0" wing from Auckland, New Zealand is a Grad Transfer. Probably not a need position but pretty good player from the A-10.
Oregon's Taylor Chavez and Jaz Shelley entered the portal. Sounds like Chavez probably to Arizona. Shelley's an Aussie (not that Chainey has done much but good place to start?). There's something like 800 women's player in the portal. I believe WSU is the only Pac 12 program without a player in yet. The UW has 4 although maybe the new coach pulls them back in?
Tera Reed (VCU) a 6'0" wing from Auckland, New Zealand is a Grad Transfer. Probably not a need position but pretty good player from the A-10.
Oregon's Taylor Chavez and Jaz Shelley entered the portal. Sounds like Chavez probably to Arizona. Shelley's an Aussie (not that Chainey has done much but good place to start?). There's something like 800 women's player in the portal. I believe WSU is the only Pac 12 program without a player in yet. The UW has 4 although maybe the new coach pulls them back in?
These portals are crazy. Keeping track of who's doing what has to be a full time job. Kind of glad I don't follow recruiting that closely any more.
Wrong on Finau. Chavez to UA, Shelley to Nebraska. There's a guard in the portal with "down under" ties that makes some sense. Apparently we are looking.
Saw that on brandx. Strange year for Mafau. Her stats at the JC tanked a bit. I believe she was still an honorable mention JC AA but the drop off was pretty significant. Any idea where she landed?
I think Wallack looks pretty good. I just wonder how she does with the difference in talent out of the gate.
I think Wallack looks pretty good. I just wonder how she does with the difference in talent out of the gate.
I saw it on BX as well. As it was behind a paywall, I (probably like you as well) did not post it here. But, now that it has, I wonder why she asked for her release? Sometimes, things don't work out.
Regarding Wallack, I think having international experience playing for Canada's U16 National team should help with her transition. Her high school coach was also the former Canadian team National coach. So, I am guessing that her high school plays in a high level Canadian league .
Hopefully that's the case and Wallack and her transition. I have seen some games of her on the National team. She seems deceptive athletically so I might not be giving her the credit she deserves. She doesn't look athletic but each time I have watched video she actually seems to have solid quickness for her size. Good IQ and plays the wing and some high post. Good shooting mechanics as well.
I don't know that she's ever a "star" but a good complimentary player.
With freshman, you never know. She may be ready, or may not be ready the entire year. All she needs to do is be able to play 5-7 minutes a game and not hurt the team. We know the biggest weakness was depth. It would be good if the younger players on the team improve enough that Wallack is not needed, or if she does play, it is because she is good.
I think in general there is more uncertainty bringing in international players. Nearly every freshman is an unknown quantity. Even players from top US programs may be a product of their system and playing on a dominant team, and when you take away their outstanding teammates and their soft schedule they may not be exactly what you thought. That is about 100X with international players, IMO. Of course, the upside can be just as huge.
I think there are some things that do help in identifying if a player can make the transition. Did they come from a country with a good national team, and was that player on the national team.
Agree with both CO and 1990. Women's hoops is a bit different than the men's side in that even 4-star players on the women's side can take time to make an impact especially in a conference like the Pac 12. Wallack's high school was pretty dominant and I'm not sure provided a lot of competition. There have been 2 or 3 others from her school that have come to the states. One player went to Florida but I don't know how she's done.
I do think national team experience is significant let alone what CL-W came in with. Wallack has played on the national underage team and made it to the finals. I believe they were pretty much blown out by the US team but that experience alone is going to give her experience that should help.
I remember back in the fall I wasn't excited by the addition of Wallack. As I saw more of her through I thought she was better than at first and what we have been signing. I hope she can figure into the rotation potentially behind CL-W and maybe a bit for Ula. Also hope we can find another transfer that can compete to start and allow someone like Clarke more time to develop. Of course Cherilyn Molina coming back wouldn't hurt either but unfortunately that appears out.
I do think national team experience is significant let alone what CL-W came in with. Wallack has played on the national underage team and made it to the finals. I believe they were pretty much blown out by the US team but that experience alone is going to give her experience that should help.
I remember back in the fall I wasn't excited by the addition of Wallack. As I saw more of her through I thought she was better than at first and what we have been signing. I hope she can figure into the rotation potentially behind CL-W and maybe a bit for Ula. Also hope we can find another transfer that can compete to start and allow someone like Clarke more time to develop. Of course Cherilyn Molina coming back wouldn't hurt either but unfortunately that appears out.
Aussie PG (5-9”). Looks like a good shooter from what I have found. Mayne similar to KL-W in some ways? They need her to be to take the load off of KL-W.
Looks like a great pickup. That Tayah has been on a professional team for two years gaining experience is going to be invaluable. You see the same thing internationally in soccer. When she played club basketball this summer against players her own age, she dominated. Australia produces some of the best basketball players in the world. This is who Ethridge talked about when she said they had a commitment from another player that she could not talk about yet. She will not be eligible until the second semester. Here is the official site story.
wsucougars.com
Women's Basketball Signs Australian Standout Tayah Burrows - Washington State University Athletics
PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women's basketball team added more international flair to its backcourt on Tuesday, April 27, as head coach Kamie Ethridge
wsucougars.com
Sounds like she's taller than what I found (5'11" or 6'0"). I hadn't come across COVID preventing her from coming in last year. She would have definitely helped last year. Seems like another high IQ player which is great. A lot of praise from Ethridge:
"Tayah is exactly what we love in our point guards: tough, competitive, smart, feisty, skilled and relentless. Tayah brings an elite-skill-set to our guard game. Her ball handling, ability to score at all three levels and play-making ability will make her an impact player in the Pac-12. She has played at the highest level of Australian basketball and against older professionals. Her level of conditioning, fitness and competitiveness will make her an immediate contributor in our program."
"Tayah is exactly what we love in our point guards: tough, competitive, smart, feisty, skilled and relentless. Tayah brings an elite-skill-set to our guard game. Her ball handling, ability to score at all three levels and play-making ability will make her an impact player in the Pac-12. She has played at the highest level of Australian basketball and against older professionals. Her level of conditioning, fitness and competitiveness will make her an immediate contributor in our program."
