carolann
11-17-2007, 12:48 PM
It seems to me that we've fallen short on making pre-season lists and making outrageous predictions this year. I don't like this. We deserve the chance to look foolish in the Spring. To do that, it is best to start in the previous fall if not sooner. I'm going to start by encouraging people to predict the performances of freshmen who they may or may not have seen play yet using resources such as dubious recruiting service reports and the glowing statements made by coaches on signing day. Add to that some fabulous statistics in early season games, preferably against weak opponenents.
Using all of the resources mentioned above, I have concluded that regardless of prospect rankings by recruiting outfits, it looks like just about all Big 12 teams have brought in players that are going to help their programs sooner rather than later.
The coaches preseason FOY choice was Tyra White at Texas A&M. Alas, we won’t find out how astute the coaches were. White is out for the season with a torn ACL. It will be at least next year before we know if White can be the piece that completes the puzzle for A&M.
Now, it is hoopscoopers’ turn to pump up their candidates for FOY and an All Big-12 Freshman Team. We have a little advantage over the coaches since a few games have already gone by. But, it is still early, and most freshmen haven’t been really tested yet or had a chance to settle in.
I had some kind of ambition like trying to highlight the most promising freshmen for each team. That’s not going to happen. I’m too slow and I don’t have enough free time. Instead, I’ve put forward profiles of a few players who have hit the floor running. It is up to my fellow hoopscoopers to pump up the great freshmen whom I’ve completely ignored. (B Spears at Colorado, anyone?)
Missouri
Candidate - To open her college career, Shakara Jones, the 2007 Miss Show-Me Basketball, scored 27 points and picked up 14 rebounds, 1 assist (4 to) and 1 steal in a home game against Murray State. She hit 11 of 14 shots and made 4 out of 5 from the line. Against Eastern Illinois, Jones had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 38 minutes. Jones joins a team that was in the bottom part of the Big 12 conference last year and lost its best players to graduation! Missouri appeared to recruit well for 2007/2008, but has already lost 2 players who signed last fall. Danielle Adams, a nationally ranked player, is playing at a junior college this year. I don’t know what happened to Heidi Brandenburg, a 6-3 center from Garland, Texas. She appeared on the Missouri roster in September and then disappeared. Missouri had to find another guard to sign last spring and added a former volleyball player to the roster this fall. Blue Star ranked Jones as the #98 prospect in her class.
Outlook – Jones’ 38 minutes against Eastern Illinois says a lot about Missouri’s team this year. Mizzou has to play its best horses for most of the game to pull off a win against a weak out-of-conference team. Playing the forward spot, Missouri is going to be looking for Jones to score and rebound from the get go. She’ll likely start and play major minutes all year. One wonders how a freshman will stand up to those kind of minutes through the 2 games a week Big 12 schedule. Jones looks like a likely all-freshman team pick. If she can hold up against Big 12 competition and the longer collegiate season, she could be a legitimate FOY candidate. Anyway, the Tigers need a few more players of Jones’ quality.
Oklahoma
Candidate – Danielle Robinson came to OU from San Jose, California. When looking at Robinson, we have the advantage of having seen her in action against top competition on television. Robinson has put up impressive statistics beginning with 14 points, 4 assists, 4 steals and only 2 turnovers against Tennessee. What’s more, Robinson came in and was a strong leader for a team that was struggling in Knoxville. In other games, Robinson scored 15 points against No. 3 Maryland, 12 against Oklahoma Christian and 18 against Henderson State. Beyond statistics, watching Robinson, one can clearly see that she has the physical attributes, the basketball skills, and the mentality to play with and against the best. Robinson has been coming off the bench, but it is hard to imagine that continuing for long. Robinson could be the engine that helps the OU train over the mountain. If the younger players and the established players can fit together, and especially if Jenny Vining settles in and begins to display the shooting skills we’ve heard about, OU could have a great year.
Outlook: Robinson is looking like a solid FOY candidate and almost a lock for a Big 12 all freshman team. All she has to do is keep doing what she’s doing and avoid getting injured
Oklahoma State
Candidate - Kristen Hernandez from Duncanville, Texas had an impressive 25 points on 9 of 10 shooting in only 18 minutes in her first official college game, which was at OSU against Air Force. She also added 3 rebounds, and 1 steal.
Outlook – She looks like a good player for OSU, but she’s probably not a serious candidate for FOY. I admit I don’t know how good she really is, but she joins an OSU team that returns last year’s FOY, pg Andrea Riley, and Danielle Green, a quality off-guard. I’ll be looking to see how Hernandez does in games against stronger opponents.
Texas
Candidate – The surprise fabulous freshman from Texas is Kristen Nash. A couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t going to include a Texas player as a FOY candidate or even on a top 5 freshmen list for the Big 12. Most Texas fans I knew were most pumped about Rentschler who was reported to a physical player AND an excellent shooter with good fundamental basketball skills. Rentschler has not been disappointing. I love her game. She is everything she was reported to be and I love the presence with which she plays.
Fate, however, has played another card, creating an unexpected need on the perimeter that Kathleen Nash has stepped up to meet. Injuries continue to hurt the Horns as shooting guard Erika Arriaran, forward Niqky Hughes, and guard Crystal Boyd (a junior who has yet to really have a chance on the court,) are all out for at least another 4 to 6 weeks. That left Texas with no guard depth at all. Williams could possibly play the 3, but seems more comfortable so far at the 4. Kathleen Nash at 6’2” gives Texas a tall guard to play the three. In 2 games, Nash is averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. The rebounding numbers are big on a team that has not been a great rebounding team the past couple of years. Beginning tomorrow against Tennessee, we’ll see how well Nash can play with the big kids.
Outlook – If Nash can produce against Big 12 competition, she could be a surprise all Big 12 freshman. In any case, I think Nash can become an important player for Texas. Nash is a player who did not decide to choose basketball over volleyball until late in her junior year of high school. Also, I think she played more inside in high school and needs more time playing on the perimeter.
Texas A&M
Candidate - Point Guard, Sydney Colson, earned a more than respectable Hoopla score of 12 in 22 minutes in her official college debut. More important, she came through in an opening game played on the road against a good SMU team in which the Aggies were struggling. A&M shot 38.1% for the game. Colson shot 44%. In 2 games, Colson is average 12.5 points, 3 assists, and 2.5 steals. Her teammates have already given Colson a vote of confidence by making her a team co-captain as a freshman.
Outlook – Keep an eye on this one. At first glance, her chances for FOY would seem to be reduced since she is a point guard (or combo?) on a team with an all-conference senior point guard and an all-conference shooting guard. But, Sydney could be something special.
Using all of the resources mentioned above, I have concluded that regardless of prospect rankings by recruiting outfits, it looks like just about all Big 12 teams have brought in players that are going to help their programs sooner rather than later.
The coaches preseason FOY choice was Tyra White at Texas A&M. Alas, we won’t find out how astute the coaches were. White is out for the season with a torn ACL. It will be at least next year before we know if White can be the piece that completes the puzzle for A&M.
Now, it is hoopscoopers’ turn to pump up their candidates for FOY and an All Big-12 Freshman Team. We have a little advantage over the coaches since a few games have already gone by. But, it is still early, and most freshmen haven’t been really tested yet or had a chance to settle in.
I had some kind of ambition like trying to highlight the most promising freshmen for each team. That’s not going to happen. I’m too slow and I don’t have enough free time. Instead, I’ve put forward profiles of a few players who have hit the floor running. It is up to my fellow hoopscoopers to pump up the great freshmen whom I’ve completely ignored. (B Spears at Colorado, anyone?)
Missouri
Candidate - To open her college career, Shakara Jones, the 2007 Miss Show-Me Basketball, scored 27 points and picked up 14 rebounds, 1 assist (4 to) and 1 steal in a home game against Murray State. She hit 11 of 14 shots and made 4 out of 5 from the line. Against Eastern Illinois, Jones had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 38 minutes. Jones joins a team that was in the bottom part of the Big 12 conference last year and lost its best players to graduation! Missouri appeared to recruit well for 2007/2008, but has already lost 2 players who signed last fall. Danielle Adams, a nationally ranked player, is playing at a junior college this year. I don’t know what happened to Heidi Brandenburg, a 6-3 center from Garland, Texas. She appeared on the Missouri roster in September and then disappeared. Missouri had to find another guard to sign last spring and added a former volleyball player to the roster this fall. Blue Star ranked Jones as the #98 prospect in her class.
Outlook – Jones’ 38 minutes against Eastern Illinois says a lot about Missouri’s team this year. Mizzou has to play its best horses for most of the game to pull off a win against a weak out-of-conference team. Playing the forward spot, Missouri is going to be looking for Jones to score and rebound from the get go. She’ll likely start and play major minutes all year. One wonders how a freshman will stand up to those kind of minutes through the 2 games a week Big 12 schedule. Jones looks like a likely all-freshman team pick. If she can hold up against Big 12 competition and the longer collegiate season, she could be a legitimate FOY candidate. Anyway, the Tigers need a few more players of Jones’ quality.
Oklahoma
Candidate – Danielle Robinson came to OU from San Jose, California. When looking at Robinson, we have the advantage of having seen her in action against top competition on television. Robinson has put up impressive statistics beginning with 14 points, 4 assists, 4 steals and only 2 turnovers against Tennessee. What’s more, Robinson came in and was a strong leader for a team that was struggling in Knoxville. In other games, Robinson scored 15 points against No. 3 Maryland, 12 against Oklahoma Christian and 18 against Henderson State. Beyond statistics, watching Robinson, one can clearly see that she has the physical attributes, the basketball skills, and the mentality to play with and against the best. Robinson has been coming off the bench, but it is hard to imagine that continuing for long. Robinson could be the engine that helps the OU train over the mountain. If the younger players and the established players can fit together, and especially if Jenny Vining settles in and begins to display the shooting skills we’ve heard about, OU could have a great year.
Outlook: Robinson is looking like a solid FOY candidate and almost a lock for a Big 12 all freshman team. All she has to do is keep doing what she’s doing and avoid getting injured
Oklahoma State
Candidate - Kristen Hernandez from Duncanville, Texas had an impressive 25 points on 9 of 10 shooting in only 18 minutes in her first official college game, which was at OSU against Air Force. She also added 3 rebounds, and 1 steal.
Outlook – She looks like a good player for OSU, but she’s probably not a serious candidate for FOY. I admit I don’t know how good she really is, but she joins an OSU team that returns last year’s FOY, pg Andrea Riley, and Danielle Green, a quality off-guard. I’ll be looking to see how Hernandez does in games against stronger opponents.
Texas
Candidate – The surprise fabulous freshman from Texas is Kristen Nash. A couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t going to include a Texas player as a FOY candidate or even on a top 5 freshmen list for the Big 12. Most Texas fans I knew were most pumped about Rentschler who was reported to a physical player AND an excellent shooter with good fundamental basketball skills. Rentschler has not been disappointing. I love her game. She is everything she was reported to be and I love the presence with which she plays.
Fate, however, has played another card, creating an unexpected need on the perimeter that Kathleen Nash has stepped up to meet. Injuries continue to hurt the Horns as shooting guard Erika Arriaran, forward Niqky Hughes, and guard Crystal Boyd (a junior who has yet to really have a chance on the court,) are all out for at least another 4 to 6 weeks. That left Texas with no guard depth at all. Williams could possibly play the 3, but seems more comfortable so far at the 4. Kathleen Nash at 6’2” gives Texas a tall guard to play the three. In 2 games, Nash is averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. The rebounding numbers are big on a team that has not been a great rebounding team the past couple of years. Beginning tomorrow against Tennessee, we’ll see how well Nash can play with the big kids.
Outlook – If Nash can produce against Big 12 competition, she could be a surprise all Big 12 freshman. In any case, I think Nash can become an important player for Texas. Nash is a player who did not decide to choose basketball over volleyball until late in her junior year of high school. Also, I think she played more inside in high school and needs more time playing on the perimeter.
Texas A&M
Candidate - Point Guard, Sydney Colson, earned a more than respectable Hoopla score of 12 in 22 minutes in her official college debut. More important, she came through in an opening game played on the road against a good SMU team in which the Aggies were struggling. A&M shot 38.1% for the game. Colson shot 44%. In 2 games, Colson is average 12.5 points, 3 assists, and 2.5 steals. Her teammates have already given Colson a vote of confidence by making her a team co-captain as a freshman.
Outlook – Keep an eye on this one. At first glance, her chances for FOY would seem to be reduced since she is a point guard (or combo?) on a team with an all-conference senior point guard and an all-conference shooting guard. But, Sydney could be something special.