RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
BosCard - 11-07-2025
(11-07-2025, 08:09 PM)stopandpop Wrote: (11-07-2025, 09:29 AM)BobK Wrote: Eschmeyer is outstanding. However she has a lot to learn about posting up. It’s not that the guards can’t pass it’s the posting. That said she will and then Will be a monster
Love her blocks and like the poster said stays vertical
Respectfully disagree. Eschmeyer (already) is posting in the block more forcefully than Brink (Alex has a stronger frame). She's posting and holding her post longer than Brink ever did and on top of that, she'll often run to the other block (on the other side of the basket) and post there. If you're watching the game on TV or via stream, what you're probably not seeing is that Stanford's guards are not even looking inside. Their eyes are looking out on the perimeter to pass to an available player. I am seeing all of this up close. It's the guards' fault.
Ogden passes into the post probably better than anyone else on the team. Could be part of why she starts (along with defense) but her hesitancy on offense might limit her playing time.
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
stopandpop - 11-07-2025
What's happened to Kennedy Umeh? Is she injured or getting back in shape from an injury? In the pre-season practice videos that were posted, she seemed more fit, agile and more aggressive than last year. I was convinced she would play significantly big minutes; even perhaps starting at center. Does anyone know what's going on?
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
crackpot - 11-07-2025
(11-07-2025, 08:15 PM)stopandpop Wrote: What's happened to Kennedy Umeh? Is she injured or getting back in shape from an injury? In the pre-season practice videos that were posted, she seemed more fit, agile and more aggressive than last year. I was convinced she would play significantly big minutes; even perhaps starting at center. Does anyone know what's going on?
I thought I heard someone mumble something about a shoulder injury. Or I dreamt that last night, I'm not sure.
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
TonyLima - 11-07-2025
(11-07-2025, 08:15 PM)stopandpop Wrote: What's happened to Kennedy Umeh? Is she injured or getting back in shape from an injury? In the pre-season practice videos that were posted, she seemed more fit, agile and more aggressive than last year. I was convinced she would play significantly big minutes; even perhaps starting at center. Does anyone know what's going on?
Good question. And thanks for the reminder.
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
BobK - 11-07-2025
Umeh is injured per chalk talk didn’t seem serious.
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
martyup - 11-08-2025
Now that we've seen this team play two games. When she's healthy, where does Umeh fit in?
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
TheWildJacko - 11-08-2025
I think when she gets healthy it will be good for her to spell some of the posts for a few minutes here and there. It'd be nice to have them play fewer than 30 min/game if possible. She's athletic and powerful so I can definitely see a place for her on the court. Plus, she provides more fouls to give, which may be critical against better/bigger teams who may find some success at getting us into foul trouble.
And who knows—she looked promising in her freshman season so she may turn out to be much better than we expect.
jonnyss -
jonnyss - 11-08-2025
we can use another wing. carly seems promising.
RE: jonnyss -
joemontes - 11-08-2025
(11-08-2025, 11:41 AM)jonnyss Wrote: we can use another wing. carly seems promising.
A dependable natural W/SF - that's what Stanford WBB is really missing right now.
That's OGDEN's (a former Top 10 recruit per ESPN) natural position, but she is underperforming/inconsistent.
If OGDEN just lives up to the hype of her former #10 national ranking, we can even have Final 4 aspirations this season because the Big BIG 3 (AGARA/ESCHMEYER/SOMFAI) and the Big SMALL 3 (CLARDY/LEPOLO/SWAIN) have pretty much solidified Stanford's PF/C and SG/PG positions.
Moreover, either AGARA or SOMFAI can do parttime duty at W/SF.
Then STEVENSON and UMEH can contribute some minutes at PF/C while IJIWOYE can come in primarily for defensive purposes at SG/PG.
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
BostonCard - 11-08-2025
Seems a bit premature to be proclaiming that this team has final four aspirations. Let’s see what happens when we play a good team.
BC
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
joemontes - 11-08-2025
(11-08-2025, 02:13 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Seems a bit premature to be proclaiming that this team has final four aspirations. Let’s see what happens when we play a good team.
BC
It's really a big IF when it comes to OGDEN delivering BIG-time for Stanford at the Wing/SF position.
And then, there's the coaching of Kate PAYE and staff, which I feel is the much bigger question because Stanford definitely has the talent/potential.
RE: WBB: Stanford 79 -- Santa Clara 58 -
BostonCard - 11-08-2025
First of all, we are talking about a team who is going to depend a lot on true freshmen. Even if Ogden wound up being a very good wing/SF, that’s a lot to put on the shoulders of freshmen.
Second of all, while we are talking about a very good recruiting class, but only one of the players is a top-10 player. Final four teams typically will have multiple top-10 recruits, and at least one who is among the top 2 or 3 players in the country.
There’s a reason we were not ranked at all in the pre-season poll.
I think it is realistic to hope to be NCAA tournament bound this year. A “stretch” goal might be to wind up in the top-25 and make it into the sweet 16. I think that even thinking about a final four is borderline delusional and it’s not just about Kate Paye and her staff. I bet you that if we lined up the 5 to 8 best players by recruiting ranking of each team and compared them, Stanford would not be amongst the top-10 teams in the country.
BC