[stopandpop]

I saw Harriell twice in HS    Loved her game.    Never saw her play point however.

How many of our guards have played point competitively in the past?  After all, we are going to need more than ONE point guard.

Emma-Nnopu doubtful ?
Lepolo YES
Nivar "combo-guard" ?
Bosgana doubtful ?
Papadaki ?
Jones  YES
Green ?
Harriel ?
Jump doubtful ?

Williams came in as a combo-guard, so we can hope that Nivar is the next Williams.

While we are on the subject, when was the last time a freshman played point guard?  Was that Candice Wiggins? (EDIT: Sniezek started 9 games as a freshman, but I am looking for the last time a freshman became a regular starting point guard.  Lili Thompson had more assists that year.)

I think we will see a lot of Jones at point, especially early in the year, while other points come along.  I find it hard to believe that Nivar or Lepolo can be starting at point anytime soon--Tara puts so much weight on experience and on learning our system.   That would demand an enormous basketball brain and nerves of steel that few freshmen will have.  If we played a loosey-goosey style and improvisational offense, then that would be something else.  But Tara's offenses, with Princeton elements, demand discipline.  On the other hand, in the Princeton about four players can set up the plays, and the role of point to initiate the offense is reduced. 

The main problem then remains ball handling against the press, and the Princeton doesn't help that one little bit.  In fact, the Princeton thrives on lots of time to keep the players in motion until the defense makes a mistake, and the longer it takes to bring the ball up court the less time for running the offense.  Opponents have already figured that out and they press us to consume clock as much as to force turnovers.  So the Princeton really demands a solid, quick, and reliable method for bringing the ball up court.  Remember, when the Princeton was first developed there was no shot clock, and thus the shot clock limits its effectiveness.  The defense only has to survive a couple of plays without making a mistake, instead of motion ad infinitum.  Bring the ball up slowly and there is only time for 1 or 2 options instead of 3 or 4, and that dramatically limits it.  So maybe it is time to ditch the Princeton, go back to the triangle or something else that more prominently features our plethora of great "bigs".

If Jones does play a lot of point and we go with a "big" lineup, I keep thinking that maybe Tara will try out a different kind of defense designed to make us less vulnerable to slashers.  Could this be the year of the zone?

I just get the feeling that change is in the air, whether offensive or defensive.  Hard to see us running everything the same as we did last year with such different personnel this year.

Some very excellent points.  Yes, Haley will be bringing up the ball, but with her high dribble, she has had trouble with smaller, quick guards defending her before and even after she crosses midcourt. Still, Haley is our best bet right now, but I worry about being pressed and how that impacts her amazing offensive game.

You're right about the Princeton offense limiting opportunities with the shot clock winding down and many instances where we rushed shots or made ill-advised drives to a well-defended basket, but then again, we burned Texas with a number of backdoor plays in last season's regionals.  I am sure this vulnerability is not lost on Tara.  Some tweaks to the offense (for more early points opportunities) are needed.

While there is no Kiana Williams on the roster, I am hoping that Nivar or Harriel will become our #2 starting guard by Conference, even if Haley continues to be PG/point wing/forward.  Many teams pressured us on the perimeter and we had no one who could create their own offense, drive the ball, shoot, pass, etc.  We need five offensive threats to relieve that pressure which in turn gives Haley more operating room and takes away potential double-teaming of Brink.

Would be great to see Nivar and/or Harriel demonstrating such skills in those early non-conference games before we face South Carolina.  The Gamecocks are going to continue to pressure and disrupt our perimeter players whoever we throw out there.  With quick ball handling and the ability to create, we can turn that pressure into an advantage.

Part of the mystery and excitement with less than a month to go!

[stopandpop]

I saw Harriell twice in HS    Loved her game.    Never saw her play point however.

How many of our guards have played point competitively in the past?  After all, we are going to need more than ONE point guard.

Emma-Nnopu doubtful ?
Lepolo YES
Nivar "combo-guard" ?
Bosgana doubtful ?
Papadaki ?
Jones  YES
Green ?
Harriel ?
Jump doubtful ?

Williams came in as a combo-guard, so we can hope that Nivar is the next Williams.

While we are on the subject, when was the last time a freshman played point guard?  Was that Candice Wiggins? (EDIT: Sniezek started 9 games as a freshman, but I am looking for the last time a freshman became a regular starting point guard.  Lili Thompson had more assists that year.)

I think we will see a lot of Jones at point, especially early in the year, while other points come along.  I find it hard to believe that Nivar or Lepolo can be starting at point anytime soon--Tara puts so much weight on experience and on learning our system.   That would demand an enormous basketball brain and nerves of steel that few freshmen will have.  If we played a loosey-goosey style and improvisational offense, then that would be something else.  But Tara's offenses, with Princeton elements, demand discipline.  On the other hand, in the Princeton about four players can set up the plays, and the role of point to initiate the offense is reduced. 

The main problem then remains ball handling against the press, and the Princeton doesn't help that one little bit.  In fact, the Princeton thrives on lots of time to keep the players in motion until the defense makes a mistake, and the longer it takes to bring the ball up court the less time for running the offense.  Opponents have already figured that out and they press us to consume clock as much as to force turnovers.  So the Princeton really demands a solid, quick, and reliable method for bringing the ball up court.  Remember, when the Princeton was first developed there was no shot clock, and thus the shot clock limits its effectiveness.  The defense only has to survive a couple of plays without making a mistake, instead of motion ad infinitum.  Bring the ball up slowly and there is only time for 1 or 2 options instead of 3 or 4, and that dramatically limits it.  So maybe it is time to ditch the Princeton, go back to the triangle or something else that more prominently features our plethora of great "bigs".

If Jones does play a lot of point and we go with a "big" lineup, I keep thinking that maybe Tara will try out a different kind of defense designed to make us less vulnerable to slashers.  Could this be the year of the zone?

I just get the feeling that change is in the air, whether offensive or defensive.  Hard to see us running everything the same as we did last year with such different personnel this year.

Some very excellent points.  Yes, Haley will be bringing up the ball, but with her high dribble, she has had trouble with smaller, quick guards defending her before and even after she crosses midcourt. Still, Haley is our best bet right now, but I worry about being pressed and how that impacts her amazing offensive game.

You're right about the Princeton offense limiting opportunities with the shot clock winding down and many instances where we rushed shots or made ill-advised drives to a well-defended basket, but then again, we burned Texas with a number of backdoor plays in last season's regionals.  I am sure this vulnerability is not lost on Tara.  Some tweaks to the offense (for more early points opportunities) are needed.

While there is no Kiana Williams on the roster, I am hoping that Nivar or Harriel will become our #2 starting guard by Conference, even if Haley continues to be PG/point wing/forward.  Many teams pressured us on the perimeter and we had no one who could create their own offense, drive the ball, shoot, pass, etc.  We need five offensive threats to relieve that pressure which in turn gives Haley more operating room and takes away potential double-teaming of Brink.

Would be great to see Nivar and/or Harriel demonstrating such skills in those early non-conference games before we face South Carolina.  The Gamecocks are going to continue to pressure and disrupt our perimeter players whoever we throw out there.  With quick ball handling and the ability to create, we can turn that pressure into an advantage.

Part of the mystery and excitement with less than a month to go!