[chimera]

2. Nivar looks like a scoring combo guard. Her handle is pretty good, but she's does not seem to be instinctively a PG. She could bring the ball up against a team that wasn't pressing, but I think she looks like a scorer in waiting. Great offensive midset.

3. I'm not convinced that Coach Tara thinks that Harriel has developed enough to get more minutes playing PG. I probably agree at this point, but she's a player who could see more minutes if she improves over the season.

4. Bosgana is having a breakout year even though part of the problem is that Jump ends up taking her minutes. This raises an interesting issue for next year if Jump comes back for a COVID year. Bosgana has good length and can defend quicker players even though she's still not always positionally sound, her outside shot looks vastly improved, and she can drive to the basket. Would love to see her get more regular rotation minutes.

5. Betts is being played situationally because she's a defensive liability when guarding someone who can run on her. Imagine for instance if she had to guard Brink. Brink would destroy her up and down the court. She'll get good minutes against teams where she can post-up inside and defend a bigger player. Again, so much upside here.

6. Demetre also has some lateral mobility issues, but generally speaking, she's a great shooter. She and Betts are currently unable to match up defensively against some players. So, when the rotation shrinks against a talented team, the rotation looks like Brink, Jump, Iriafen, Jones, Lepolo, Belibi, and Nivar. All of those players can be on the floor against basically all teams. Arguably, Bosgana is moving into the rotation. Emma-Nnopu is getting hustle minutes but is still offensively challenged and a little shaky when she has to put the ball on the floor. Prechtel, Betts, and Demetre get rotation minutes if they match up well. Prechtel is the most interesting because she can play 30 minutes or 5 depending on the situation. We know she's a difference maker when her shot is falling, and she sets big screens better than pretty much anyone else.

7. I don't think Coach Tara will be unhappy if 2 seniors return for their COVID year.

8. The coaches haven't figured out some substitution problems: (a) if teams can shut Jump down, what combination of players gives us another outside shooter? (b) why does the offense go stagnant sometimes? © when Brink goes to the bench, what's the most effective group that maintains an inside presence and can score? (d) Which combination of players works best to allow Jones to attack the basket without getting doubled? (e) the rotation is much shorter and precarious when a quick athletic team mostly forces Prechtel, Betts, and Demetre to the bench. Which other players need to contribute more? (f) this year, can we avoid the 3rd quarter meltdowns? To me, I think developing Nivar into a more reliable scorer and giving Bosgana situational minutes to be creative are the most interesting solutions to some of these questions.

Both your posts are fantastic.  Thanks for taking the trouble.

[chimera]

2. Nivar looks like a scoring combo guard. Her handle is pretty good, but she's does not seem to be instinctively a PG. She could bring the ball up against a team that wasn't pressing, but I think she looks like a scorer in waiting. Great offensive midset.

3. I'm not convinced that Coach Tara thinks that Harriel has developed enough to get more minutes playing PG. I probably agree at this point, but she's a player who could see more minutes if she improves over the season.

4. Bosgana is having a breakout year even though part of the problem is that Jump ends up taking her minutes. This raises an interesting issue for next year if Jump comes back for a COVID year. Bosgana has good length and can defend quicker players even though she's still not always positionally sound, her outside shot looks vastly improved, and she can drive to the basket. Would love to see her get more regular rotation minutes.

5. Betts is being played situationally because she's a defensive liability when guarding someone who can run on her. Imagine for instance if she had to guard Brink. Brink would destroy her up and down the court. She'll get good minutes against teams where she can post-up inside and defend a bigger player. Again, so much upside here.

6. Demetre also has some lateral mobility issues, but generally speaking, she's a great shooter. She and Betts are currently unable to match up defensively against some players. So, when the rotation shrinks against a talented team, the rotation looks like Brink, Jump, Iriafen, Jones, Lepolo, Belibi, and Nivar. All of those players can be on the floor against basically all teams. Arguably, Bosgana is moving into the rotation. Emma-Nnopu is getting hustle minutes but is still offensively challenged and a little shaky when she has to put the ball on the floor. Prechtel, Betts, and Demetre get rotation minutes if they match up well. Prechtel is the most interesting because she can play 30 minutes or 5 depending on the situation. We know she's a difference maker when her shot is falling, and she sets big screens better than pretty much anyone else.

7. I don't think Coach Tara will be unhappy if 2 seniors return for their COVID year.

8. The coaches haven't figured out some substitution problems: (a) if teams can shut Jump down, what combination of players gives us another outside shooter? (b) why does the offense go stagnant sometimes? © when Brink goes to the bench, what's the most effective group that maintains an inside presence and can score? (d) Which combination of players works best to allow Jones to attack the basket without getting doubled? (e) the rotation is much shorter and precarious when a quick athletic team mostly forces Prechtel, Betts, and Demetre to the bench. Which other players need to contribute more? (f) this year, can we avoid the 3rd quarter meltdowns? To me, I think developing Nivar into a more reliable scorer and giving Bosgana situational minutes to be creative are the most interesting solutions to some of these questions.

Both your posts are fantastic.  Thanks for taking the trouble.