[TheFarm07]

[quote author=TheFarm07 link=topic=9893.msg88546#msg88546 date=1398537601]
[quote author=Jskass link=topic=9893.msg88535#msg88535 date=1398529210]
Agreed. Plus one has to think we will get some strong 2015 talent that isn't top ten but has a lot of heart such as hopefully Faith Suggs and Erica O. I agree that hopefully KLS realizes it's a 40 year decision, not just 4 and for the NCs.

Other challenge is where has all the height gone? Most of the players who are interested in us these days seem to be guards or wings!

Seems like we have the opposite problem from a couple years ago, when our best players were posts and forwards and we were struggling to find the right guards to complement them.  Probably cost us the 2011 national semi against Texas A&M.  No one to match up against the speed of Colson and Carter.  That one still hurts.  We had the best team to win the title that year.  Both Ogwumike sisters, Pederson, Pohlen...
[/quote]
And of course the loss to Tennessee in the 2008 National Championship that was defined by their ability to press and cause us to make turnovers, since we lacked the quick guard play we needed.  I remember Candice bringing the ball up court herself much of the time.  We were good enough to defeat UConn, and after that game Geno commented "I knew how to defeat Stanford, but due to injuries we just did not have the depth to press them."  Tennessee listened and pressed us.  We had 25 turnovers in that game. 

Yes, I would say things are swinging the other way, and having the great posts has become the problem rather than having the point guards. 

Erica McCall still may become a superstar, and if she does we won't be quite so concerned.  She had  2,655 points in high school, and 1986 rebounds, and 983 blocked shots, plus she grew up with a basketball coach dad, so she clearly knows how to play.  Remember that Geno went all out to get her, and she chose Stanford.  Geno, by the way, did not get anyone that year rated higher than McCall.  I don't think Geno and Tara were both wrong about her talent, so I do expect to see a great deal more from her next year.  Tara always says that the greatest improvement that players make in their career is usually between their freshman and sophomore years, so we might see a break out year for Erica now that she will get ample opportunities.
[/quote]

Thanks for bringing up the '08 national title game against Tennessee.  I still remember all the full court presses Summitt had against us and couldn't figure out why we couldn't break those presses.

Hmmm, I knew McCall was considering UConn, but I didn't know Geno was so primed on her.  Hopefully, this past year working with Chiney will reap tons of benefit over the next 3 years, because as of now, she is our top inside threat.  As you said, she will have all the chances this year.

I know the season is 6 months away, but I'm excited to see the development of the team beyond reliance on Chiney these last 2 years.  It has to be a team effort from all 5 players if we are going to hold Cal, UCLA with their #1 recruiting class, USC, UW and Arizona State for the Pac-12 title.

[TheFarm07]

[quote author=TheFarm07 link=topic=9893.msg88546#msg88546 date=1398537601]
[quote author=Jskass link=topic=9893.msg88535#msg88535 date=1398529210]
Agreed. Plus one has to think we will get some strong 2015 talent that isn't top ten but has a lot of heart such as hopefully Faith Suggs and Erica O. I agree that hopefully KLS realizes it's a 40 year decision, not just 4 and for the NCs.

Other challenge is where has all the height gone? Most of the players who are interested in us these days seem to be guards or wings!

Seems like we have the opposite problem from a couple years ago, when our best players were posts and forwards and we were struggling to find the right guards to complement them.  Probably cost us the 2011 national semi against Texas A&M.  No one to match up against the speed of Colson and Carter.  That one still hurts.  We had the best team to win the title that year.  Both Ogwumike sisters, Pederson, Pohlen...
[/quote]
And of course the loss to Tennessee in the 2008 National Championship that was defined by their ability to press and cause us to make turnovers, since we lacked the quick guard play we needed.  I remember Candice bringing the ball up court herself much of the time.  We were good enough to defeat UConn, and after that game Geno commented "I knew how to defeat Stanford, but due to injuries we just did not have the depth to press them."  Tennessee listened and pressed us.  We had 25 turnovers in that game. 

Yes, I would say things are swinging the other way, and having the great posts has become the problem rather than having the point guards. 

Erica McCall still may become a superstar, and if she does we won't be quite so concerned.  She had  2,655 points in high school, and 1986 rebounds, and 983 blocked shots, plus she grew up with a basketball coach dad, so she clearly knows how to play.  Remember that Geno went all out to get her, and she chose Stanford.  Geno, by the way, did not get anyone that year rated higher than McCall.  I don't think Geno and Tara were both wrong about her talent, so I do expect to see a great deal more from her next year.  Tara always says that the greatest improvement that players make in their career is usually between their freshman and sophomore years, so we might see a break out year for Erica now that she will get ample opportunities.
[/quote]

Thanks for bringing up the '08 national title game against Tennessee.  I still remember all the full court presses Summitt had against us and couldn't figure out why we couldn't break those presses.

Hmmm, I knew McCall was considering UConn, but I didn't know Geno was so primed on her.  Hopefully, this past year working with Chiney will reap tons of benefit over the next 3 years, because as of now, she is our top inside threat.  As you said, she will have all the chances this year.

I know the season is 6 months away, but I'm excited to see the development of the team beyond reliance on Chiney these last 2 years.  It has to be a team effort from all 5 players if we are going to hold Cal, UCLA with their #1 recruiting class, USC, UW and Arizona State for the Pac-12 title.