ChipperF1
02-07-2003, 09:18 AM
At the halfway mark in the conference season, elfdenmom and John Henry are loading up their Winchester for the Texas Range War. swok and Jennifer are riding the Sooner Schooner Rollercoaster. Jimi's whaling away as Kansas State "Gets Experienced" in high level engagement. Iowa State fans are blaming fewer referees these days. Missouri is making a run, and Baylor.....they're still Baylor.
Nebraska for the third straight year is looking at another 11th place finish. The Huskers still suck, but we kind of knew they would.
The good news is that at some level they are better than last year, and much better than last years end of season report card.
Chipper's Midseason Grades
Junior Forward Alexa Johnson.
She's the team's leading scorer this year, and has been the leading scorer in four conference contests. Her game is a world better than last season. She's stronger, quicker. Her shot is better (although her shooting has been rather lousy in the conference slate). Overall she has upgraded her game.
But, she doesn't rate higher than a C+. Frankly, I expected more. During the preseason, she was the one who was very outspoken about the players who left the team, calling out teammates, and basically claim a leadership role. I give credit for that. But faith without works is dead, as Alexa doesn't have enough works to equal calling people out.
When you strive to put the "C" on your gear and be a team leader, you better be producing. Missing chippies inside and still being a weak leak defensively is not showing leadership timber. Plus, Alexa has the tendency to give up defensively instead hanging in and fighting.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: C+ (She's better than last year, but Alexa has to kick it up another level.)
Senior Guard Margaret Richards.
Margaret is proof that one can be born again.
Since coming to Nebraska, I've termed Richards as every disparaging thing you can say about a basketball player.
Richards has been lazy, uncaring, showing little preparation or ability. For two years she's been the prototype waste of a scholarship.
That Margaret Richards is no more. This year, this kid has gotten it together. I'd want this player next to me in a foxhole.
Her talent is coming out because for first time, she's prepared to play and she has the desire. She's averaging 15 points per game. She's making play defensively. She's going after rebounds. She's making passes. Richard is the best playmaker on the ballclub right now.
On the downside, she's fundamentally weak. She's way behind were she should be in her development, but there's still a ton of upside.
But she get a much improved grade, in fact its a 180 degree turnaround. I hope she does graduate in August, so she can get that last year of eligibility back. Another year of hard work and fine play could land this kid in the WNBA.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: B+ (Still has defensive and fundamental issues, but her new attitude gets an "A" in my book. I was wrong about Margaret.)
Senior Center Amanda Cleveland.
The Comeback Continues with her getting more minutes and more chances to show what she can do.
Amanda has responded about the way I expected. She's done the best she can with what she has. She's still very raw, and sometime makes some good plays.
Her downside is that she still plays somewhat tentative and unaggressive. At times she shies away when she shouldn't be giving at inch. Her rebounding is solid, but could be better.
Overall she gets a solid grade, because this kid has largely responded and improved her game.
I'd love to write her autobiography. If you ever want to teach a young ballplayer how far perserverance and heart can take a person. Point Amanda Cleveland out to the kid.
Chipper Preseason Grade: C+ (Has to stay aggressive on both ends of the floor.)
Senior Guard Shahidrah Roberts.
She was injured most of last season, but was starting to get it. This season she's played, but as stayed about the same.
Shah is better prepared for extended duty, but still hasn't worked out the rough spots. Her ballhandling is weak, but then again that's a teamwide problem. Her passing has improved. She's still a poor outside shooter and doesn't finish well inside. Defensively, she's solid this year but has to concentrate on it more.
Overall, Shah's about as good as she can get. But again, if Shah had been focus early in her career she'd be farther along.
Chipper's Preseason Grade: C (Adequate, but the replacements coming next season will most likely be better.)
Sophomore guard Jina Johansen.
The team's split-personality starting quarterback.
Some games she's Jina. The 5'5" pixy (don't let the program fool you, she's 5'5".) who can run the "slow-slow" offense and get people in position to make plays. She knows her role and plays it. On the other end she gets at it. Not as quick as a lot of people she guards, but gives a run and makes some play in there. In a zone defense she's valuable in the "help" role.
Some games she's "Jamaal" (an unflattering reference to the worst darn quarterback Nebraska football has ever had.) Takes 15 seconds to get the ball across the timeline under pressure. Throws back passes. Misses shots and loses confidence and won't shot the ball which carrys over into her defensive effort. An unconfident, scared, sissy-candypants basketball player.
Both sides of Jina Johansen have shown up. She has 49 assists in conference play, however she's had as many turnovers as assists in half her conference outings and his shooting 34% from the field. At times she's shown a lack of confidence and passed up well set up shooting opportunities.
When she's feeling it, Jina is very solid. When she can play her role. She does well.
Jina is in a very difficult position. Point guard in this league calls for a certain level of talent. Unfortunately, Jina doesn't have it. Her athletic ability is not up to the Big 12 standard at this time. Jina vs. Erin Grant or Nina Norman would be Hitchcockian in its gruesomeness. It would need to be censored because it would be that bad.
But Jina has a lot of scrap to her. That I like. This kid will not give up. That I like. But she has to keep her confidence and continue to push. In a few conference games, she's lost that confidence and your quarterback can't do that.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: C (She has to keep it together better when its not going well)
Senior Forward Laura Pilakowski.
Another Volleyball import. Another All-American Volleyball import.
The difference is THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY A DECENT BASKETBALL PLAYER!!!!
Laura hasn't played high competitive basketball since High School. Yet she was an all-stater in High School. In nine games, she's been rusty, but she's also been a fighter. I'll never forget the hustle she showed her first two games. Didn't know the plays yet. Wasn't on the same page yet, but she made plays.
She's not up to speed. Her shooting is streaky. She can be a turnover machine at times, but her ballhandling is better than you'd expect. Like most of our interior players she misses chippies inside, but she is also the most aggressive frontcourt player on the team.
Overall, It's sad Laura can't play one more year. I would be interested to see what improvement she could make in a full season dedicated solely to basketball. Not saying, I'd trade her sterling career on the Volleyball court, but even in this limited time, there's a lot of upside to her as a basketball player.
Plus, her energy has NEVER waned even when its all gone to hell. Would you expect anything less from someone nicknamed "Tigger"?
Chipper's Midseason Grade: B+ (Her effort grade is an "A" those. Why was she a great volleyball player? Talent, Tenacity and Work. She's showing the same in basketball.)
Junior Forward Griechaly Cepero
Griechaly is one of the best athletes ever to wear a Cornhusker uniform in any sport. A three-time Volleyball All-American. On the short list of Olympic prospect for 2004 and 2008. On a Volleyball court, there is nothing Griechaly can't do.
On a Basketball court, there is nothing Griechaly can do.
Cepero on the court is painful to watch. She's a terrible ballhandler. This kid can't dribble. She doesn't pass well. Her shooting is lousy. Her foul shooting makes Shaq look good, and against Iowa State and Kansas, her free throw shooting helped the other team a great deal. 35% from the field, 55% from the line.
Defensively, she can block shots with those long arms and her 6'2" frame. The instruments that make her deadly in Volleyball make her potential defensive threat. The problem is, her lack of focus. You can tell when she's bored out there. I just don't see the fire all the time.
Chipper's Preseason Grade: D (Still hasn't gotten better or gotten better focus.)
walk on freshman guards Jessie Runty, Kala Sledge and Lacey Hanson.
These three probably won't get scholarships next season. But I hope there's always a place on the ballclub for them all. Sledge and Hanson have played some as Jina Johansen backups and they've actually rallied to the challenge. Runty is a little more valuable because of her shooting and in the second half, she should see more time. Runty is hitting 36% from three-point range. She can hit long ball, she just needs more chances to do it, and with the games to come Connie may just work her into the mix. Runty could be getting a scholarship audition over the next few weeks. One thing I do know, I'd take Runty over the last person who wore #11 in a heartbeat for her attitude alone.
All three of these kids jumped on an opportunity and they are running with it, and they've shown a lot of heart and honor to do it.
Are they Big 12 caliber players? No. But, this team would be a lot poorer without them.
Chipper Preseason Grade: C+ (D on talent, A for the effort they've given and the challenge and committment they've shown.)
Head Coach Connie Yori, Assistants Amy Stephens, Jim Filar and Angela Timmons.
This coaching staff thus far as done about as well as they can. I believe that.
In October this team was hopeless. In February, this team is better than they would be under Paul Sanderford.
They've had to start from zero. Getting the kids to play, they've done that. This team wants to play basketball, you didn't that last year.
I look at the improvement I've seen in kids. Margaret Richards' turnaround. Alexa Johnson. Amanda Cleveland getting the chance to play. The improvement in Katie Morse before she got hurt. Coaching played a big part in that. Coach Yori and the crew have fostered a spirit of acheievement. Its something I've been ranting about for two years, I've seen it.
My only knock on the staff is that at times they've gotten too conservative. I look at key points in the Iowa State and Kansas game where Nebraska needed to attack and the coaches stayed with a read-react strategy. At Creighton Connie Yori was a riverboat gambler. If she saw openings, she'd call for an attack profile. She needs to do that more even with the limited talent Nebraska has.
But what they've done with the limited talent is worthy of a high grade in my book. The record doesn't show it, but this is better group of people than last years horror show.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: B+ (They've done a lot with very little. The only reason they don't get an A is for the close losses AND the team quitting against Baylor. That is as much a coaching failure as a player failure.)
Overall Team Grade: If one judges strictly on records, they still get an "F" or a "D"
But judging 100% on 8-10, 1-7 is cold and unfair in this case.
This team has shown a lot more than I thought they had. I've ridden this team, perhaps too harshly. After sitting through last year and hating Nebraska womens basketball, I have a team I can wrap my arms around.
I'm proud of these kids. They could have folded the tent the way the men's team currently is. They haven't.
Sometimes you can have a worst record in sports, but be a better team. This is that kind of year.
Even in their bad moments, they haven't embarassed the uniform
Thus, this team gets a very solid "C".
Now next up..Missouri.
And this team is coming in Red Hot!
What happens in MU-NU games is unknowns for Missouri have a coming out party. Stretch James did that last time we played.
The entire league knows who this kid is now. She's averging nearly 12 a game in conference play. With Kerensa Barr averging that much plus controlling the outside and Evan Unrau at a 15-a-game clip, plus the all around play both of them bring, the Tigers have a trio that can hurt you.
For Nebraska to win, we have to win the outside game at both ends. Margaret and Jina have to gird their loins for defensive combat. We have to force errant passes and give the interior a fighting chance against Unrau and James. The strength of Missouri is that inside game, and run into one of our weakness.
Inside the word has to be aggression. Laura, Amanda, Alexa and Griechaly have to contest shots and contest rebounds. In the last five games, Nebraska hasn't been aggressive on the boards. We have to fight hard for every break in this game. Its a winnable contest. I don't believe Missouri that much better than us. If Nebraska plays hard-nosed and wins opportunities at home, we can get a win here.
Offensively, its simple. WE GOTTA START ATTACKING THE BASKET. The biggest reason why we are hitting shots is because we are close in, we put up to many fadeaways, weak chances. WE HAVE TO GO TO HOLE HARD! At the very least get fouls. If we can get a lot of foul shoots, we'll hit a good number of them, even if we are bad foul shooting team. When you are fundamentally weak, you have get volume. We need more shots and hit more, and we need to play aggressive.
OVERALL OUTLOOK:
I'm not willing to shovel dirt on it. It's Missouri, not Texas Tech. These kids aren't Kansas State. They have three very solid players, probably three more than us.
But, I've seen what Nebraska can do when they want to do it. The Husker should be 3-5 right now. The Husker just need to come together and decide to either return victorious or die trying.
Yes swok, a little Spartan will can go a long way. If the team gets this attitude, they can win this game.
Nebraska 65, Missouri 63.
--ChipperF1 http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif
Nebraska for the third straight year is looking at another 11th place finish. The Huskers still suck, but we kind of knew they would.
The good news is that at some level they are better than last year, and much better than last years end of season report card.
Chipper's Midseason Grades
Junior Forward Alexa Johnson.
She's the team's leading scorer this year, and has been the leading scorer in four conference contests. Her game is a world better than last season. She's stronger, quicker. Her shot is better (although her shooting has been rather lousy in the conference slate). Overall she has upgraded her game.
But, she doesn't rate higher than a C+. Frankly, I expected more. During the preseason, she was the one who was very outspoken about the players who left the team, calling out teammates, and basically claim a leadership role. I give credit for that. But faith without works is dead, as Alexa doesn't have enough works to equal calling people out.
When you strive to put the "C" on your gear and be a team leader, you better be producing. Missing chippies inside and still being a weak leak defensively is not showing leadership timber. Plus, Alexa has the tendency to give up defensively instead hanging in and fighting.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: C+ (She's better than last year, but Alexa has to kick it up another level.)
Senior Guard Margaret Richards.
Margaret is proof that one can be born again.
Since coming to Nebraska, I've termed Richards as every disparaging thing you can say about a basketball player.
Richards has been lazy, uncaring, showing little preparation or ability. For two years she's been the prototype waste of a scholarship.
That Margaret Richards is no more. This year, this kid has gotten it together. I'd want this player next to me in a foxhole.
Her talent is coming out because for first time, she's prepared to play and she has the desire. She's averaging 15 points per game. She's making play defensively. She's going after rebounds. She's making passes. Richard is the best playmaker on the ballclub right now.
On the downside, she's fundamentally weak. She's way behind were she should be in her development, but there's still a ton of upside.
But she get a much improved grade, in fact its a 180 degree turnaround. I hope she does graduate in August, so she can get that last year of eligibility back. Another year of hard work and fine play could land this kid in the WNBA.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: B+ (Still has defensive and fundamental issues, but her new attitude gets an "A" in my book. I was wrong about Margaret.)
Senior Center Amanda Cleveland.
The Comeback Continues with her getting more minutes and more chances to show what she can do.
Amanda has responded about the way I expected. She's done the best she can with what she has. She's still very raw, and sometime makes some good plays.
Her downside is that she still plays somewhat tentative and unaggressive. At times she shies away when she shouldn't be giving at inch. Her rebounding is solid, but could be better.
Overall she gets a solid grade, because this kid has largely responded and improved her game.
I'd love to write her autobiography. If you ever want to teach a young ballplayer how far perserverance and heart can take a person. Point Amanda Cleveland out to the kid.
Chipper Preseason Grade: C+ (Has to stay aggressive on both ends of the floor.)
Senior Guard Shahidrah Roberts.
She was injured most of last season, but was starting to get it. This season she's played, but as stayed about the same.
Shah is better prepared for extended duty, but still hasn't worked out the rough spots. Her ballhandling is weak, but then again that's a teamwide problem. Her passing has improved. She's still a poor outside shooter and doesn't finish well inside. Defensively, she's solid this year but has to concentrate on it more.
Overall, Shah's about as good as she can get. But again, if Shah had been focus early in her career she'd be farther along.
Chipper's Preseason Grade: C (Adequate, but the replacements coming next season will most likely be better.)
Sophomore guard Jina Johansen.
The team's split-personality starting quarterback.
Some games she's Jina. The 5'5" pixy (don't let the program fool you, she's 5'5".) who can run the "slow-slow" offense and get people in position to make plays. She knows her role and plays it. On the other end she gets at it. Not as quick as a lot of people she guards, but gives a run and makes some play in there. In a zone defense she's valuable in the "help" role.
Some games she's "Jamaal" (an unflattering reference to the worst darn quarterback Nebraska football has ever had.) Takes 15 seconds to get the ball across the timeline under pressure. Throws back passes. Misses shots and loses confidence and won't shot the ball which carrys over into her defensive effort. An unconfident, scared, sissy-candypants basketball player.
Both sides of Jina Johansen have shown up. She has 49 assists in conference play, however she's had as many turnovers as assists in half her conference outings and his shooting 34% from the field. At times she's shown a lack of confidence and passed up well set up shooting opportunities.
When she's feeling it, Jina is very solid. When she can play her role. She does well.
Jina is in a very difficult position. Point guard in this league calls for a certain level of talent. Unfortunately, Jina doesn't have it. Her athletic ability is not up to the Big 12 standard at this time. Jina vs. Erin Grant or Nina Norman would be Hitchcockian in its gruesomeness. It would need to be censored because it would be that bad.
But Jina has a lot of scrap to her. That I like. This kid will not give up. That I like. But she has to keep her confidence and continue to push. In a few conference games, she's lost that confidence and your quarterback can't do that.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: C (She has to keep it together better when its not going well)
Senior Forward Laura Pilakowski.
Another Volleyball import. Another All-American Volleyball import.
The difference is THIS ONE IS ACTUALLY A DECENT BASKETBALL PLAYER!!!!
Laura hasn't played high competitive basketball since High School. Yet she was an all-stater in High School. In nine games, she's been rusty, but she's also been a fighter. I'll never forget the hustle she showed her first two games. Didn't know the plays yet. Wasn't on the same page yet, but she made plays.
She's not up to speed. Her shooting is streaky. She can be a turnover machine at times, but her ballhandling is better than you'd expect. Like most of our interior players she misses chippies inside, but she is also the most aggressive frontcourt player on the team.
Overall, It's sad Laura can't play one more year. I would be interested to see what improvement she could make in a full season dedicated solely to basketball. Not saying, I'd trade her sterling career on the Volleyball court, but even in this limited time, there's a lot of upside to her as a basketball player.
Plus, her energy has NEVER waned even when its all gone to hell. Would you expect anything less from someone nicknamed "Tigger"?
Chipper's Midseason Grade: B+ (Her effort grade is an "A" those. Why was she a great volleyball player? Talent, Tenacity and Work. She's showing the same in basketball.)
Junior Forward Griechaly Cepero
Griechaly is one of the best athletes ever to wear a Cornhusker uniform in any sport. A three-time Volleyball All-American. On the short list of Olympic prospect for 2004 and 2008. On a Volleyball court, there is nothing Griechaly can't do.
On a Basketball court, there is nothing Griechaly can do.
Cepero on the court is painful to watch. She's a terrible ballhandler. This kid can't dribble. She doesn't pass well. Her shooting is lousy. Her foul shooting makes Shaq look good, and against Iowa State and Kansas, her free throw shooting helped the other team a great deal. 35% from the field, 55% from the line.
Defensively, she can block shots with those long arms and her 6'2" frame. The instruments that make her deadly in Volleyball make her potential defensive threat. The problem is, her lack of focus. You can tell when she's bored out there. I just don't see the fire all the time.
Chipper's Preseason Grade: D (Still hasn't gotten better or gotten better focus.)
walk on freshman guards Jessie Runty, Kala Sledge and Lacey Hanson.
These three probably won't get scholarships next season. But I hope there's always a place on the ballclub for them all. Sledge and Hanson have played some as Jina Johansen backups and they've actually rallied to the challenge. Runty is a little more valuable because of her shooting and in the second half, she should see more time. Runty is hitting 36% from three-point range. She can hit long ball, she just needs more chances to do it, and with the games to come Connie may just work her into the mix. Runty could be getting a scholarship audition over the next few weeks. One thing I do know, I'd take Runty over the last person who wore #11 in a heartbeat for her attitude alone.
All three of these kids jumped on an opportunity and they are running with it, and they've shown a lot of heart and honor to do it.
Are they Big 12 caliber players? No. But, this team would be a lot poorer without them.
Chipper Preseason Grade: C+ (D on talent, A for the effort they've given and the challenge and committment they've shown.)
Head Coach Connie Yori, Assistants Amy Stephens, Jim Filar and Angela Timmons.
This coaching staff thus far as done about as well as they can. I believe that.
In October this team was hopeless. In February, this team is better than they would be under Paul Sanderford.
They've had to start from zero. Getting the kids to play, they've done that. This team wants to play basketball, you didn't that last year.
I look at the improvement I've seen in kids. Margaret Richards' turnaround. Alexa Johnson. Amanda Cleveland getting the chance to play. The improvement in Katie Morse before she got hurt. Coaching played a big part in that. Coach Yori and the crew have fostered a spirit of acheievement. Its something I've been ranting about for two years, I've seen it.
My only knock on the staff is that at times they've gotten too conservative. I look at key points in the Iowa State and Kansas game where Nebraska needed to attack and the coaches stayed with a read-react strategy. At Creighton Connie Yori was a riverboat gambler. If she saw openings, she'd call for an attack profile. She needs to do that more even with the limited talent Nebraska has.
But what they've done with the limited talent is worthy of a high grade in my book. The record doesn't show it, but this is better group of people than last years horror show.
Chipper's Midseason Grade: B+ (They've done a lot with very little. The only reason they don't get an A is for the close losses AND the team quitting against Baylor. That is as much a coaching failure as a player failure.)
Overall Team Grade: If one judges strictly on records, they still get an "F" or a "D"
But judging 100% on 8-10, 1-7 is cold and unfair in this case.
This team has shown a lot more than I thought they had. I've ridden this team, perhaps too harshly. After sitting through last year and hating Nebraska womens basketball, I have a team I can wrap my arms around.
I'm proud of these kids. They could have folded the tent the way the men's team currently is. They haven't.
Sometimes you can have a worst record in sports, but be a better team. This is that kind of year.
Even in their bad moments, they haven't embarassed the uniform
Thus, this team gets a very solid "C".
Now next up..Missouri.
And this team is coming in Red Hot!
What happens in MU-NU games is unknowns for Missouri have a coming out party. Stretch James did that last time we played.
The entire league knows who this kid is now. She's averging nearly 12 a game in conference play. With Kerensa Barr averging that much plus controlling the outside and Evan Unrau at a 15-a-game clip, plus the all around play both of them bring, the Tigers have a trio that can hurt you.
For Nebraska to win, we have to win the outside game at both ends. Margaret and Jina have to gird their loins for defensive combat. We have to force errant passes and give the interior a fighting chance against Unrau and James. The strength of Missouri is that inside game, and run into one of our weakness.
Inside the word has to be aggression. Laura, Amanda, Alexa and Griechaly have to contest shots and contest rebounds. In the last five games, Nebraska hasn't been aggressive on the boards. We have to fight hard for every break in this game. Its a winnable contest. I don't believe Missouri that much better than us. If Nebraska plays hard-nosed and wins opportunities at home, we can get a win here.
Offensively, its simple. WE GOTTA START ATTACKING THE BASKET. The biggest reason why we are hitting shots is because we are close in, we put up to many fadeaways, weak chances. WE HAVE TO GO TO HOLE HARD! At the very least get fouls. If we can get a lot of foul shoots, we'll hit a good number of them, even if we are bad foul shooting team. When you are fundamentally weak, you have get volume. We need more shots and hit more, and we need to play aggressive.
OVERALL OUTLOOK:
I'm not willing to shovel dirt on it. It's Missouri, not Texas Tech. These kids aren't Kansas State. They have three very solid players, probably three more than us.
But, I've seen what Nebraska can do when they want to do it. The Husker should be 3-5 right now. The Husker just need to come together and decide to either return victorious or die trying.
Yes swok, a little Spartan will can go a long way. If the team gets this attitude, they can win this game.
Nebraska 65, Missouri 63.
--ChipperF1 http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif