[81alum]

We went from 12 years of the triangle to a motion offense to accommodate Amber and Lili, to a lot of pick and rolls, and it has continued to evolve.  Now comes word that it will change again, but there is no hint what it is changing to:

“Tara obviously knows what she is doing and has been doing it for a few years now,” deadpanned senior Kaylee Johnson. “I think it is a good idea because it’s a very different team. I don’t know if we would win if we did the same things that we did last year. I think not trying to force us to be the same team as last year, force people into the same roles, this allows us to really optimize what we have and try to fit people into roles that will make them most successful. We’re all learning different things, a newer system, and I’m excited. I really like it and I think that we’re all committed to it and really invested to try to make this work. I’m excited to see how much we have improved from the first few practices in the summer, to Italy to now. I think it’s looking promising.”

https://stanford.rivals.com/news/cardina...s-progress

So the question is...given our personnel, what kind of offense do you think Tara will design around this team?  Alanna and Britt and DiJonai appear to be the three offensive centerpieces now--what system will get them the most opportunities?

For example, Britt is most effective as a slasher.  She is going to need an offense that opens up lanes for her--that can kill the zone and prevent defenses from packing into the paint to deny her the ability to drive on the basket.  How will Tara accomplish this?  Even with Karlie we have seen that shooting treys is not a reliable way to unclog the paint, and the Italy results were not at all encouraging when it comes to three point shooting.

So what new offense will Tara dial up for this year?  Will it be a radical change?  In past years we have seen Tara throw in a little Princeton and--most radically--a 5 out motion offense--but only situationally for particular opponents.

This might help to explain the 1-4 Italy results--Tara may have been playing with a brand new system and figuring out how to build it around her talent.  It is all hush-hush but I doubt that other teams had scouts following our team around Italy.

[81alum]

We went from 12 years of the triangle to a motion offense to accommodate Amber and Lili, to a lot of pick and rolls, and it has continued to evolve.  Now comes word that it will change again, but there is no hint what it is changing to:

“Tara obviously knows what she is doing and has been doing it for a few years now,” deadpanned senior Kaylee Johnson. “I think it is a good idea because it’s a very different team. I don’t know if we would win if we did the same things that we did last year. I think not trying to force us to be the same team as last year, force people into the same roles, this allows us to really optimize what we have and try to fit people into roles that will make them most successful. We’re all learning different things, a newer system, and I’m excited. I really like it and I think that we’re all committed to it and really invested to try to make this work. I’m excited to see how much we have improved from the first few practices in the summer, to Italy to now. I think it’s looking promising.”

https://stanford.rivals.com/news/cardina...s-progress

So the question is...given our personnel, what kind of offense do you think Tara will design around this team?  Alanna and Britt and DiJonai appear to be the three offensive centerpieces now--what system will get them the most opportunities?

For example, Britt is most effective as a slasher.  She is going to need an offense that opens up lanes for her--that can kill the zone and prevent defenses from packing into the paint to deny her the ability to drive on the basket.  How will Tara accomplish this?  Even with Karlie we have seen that shooting treys is not a reliable way to unclog the paint, and the Italy results were not at all encouraging when it comes to three point shooting.

So what new offense will Tara dial up for this year?  Will it be a radical change?  In past years we have seen Tara throw in a little Princeton and--most radically--a 5 out motion offense--but only situationally for particular opponents.

This might help to explain the 1-4 Italy results--Tara may have been playing with a brand new system and figuring out how to build it around her talent.  It is all hush-hush but I doubt that other teams had scouts following our team around Italy.

[81alum]

I just transcribed Tara off of this video, and you can read quite a bit between the lines:

"Obviously we have a very young new team but I am trying to look at what would be best for our team down the road this year, next year, the year after--and take advantage of the great players that we have.  I know we want to play an up-tempo game, and every year we are trying to play a deep team, and this year could be..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV39IXvPE8Y

It sounds as if whatever new offense she is installing has an eye on developing the recent entering classes for a year or two into the future.  So maybe she is building around them and we will see more youth this year than normal.  I hate to call it a rebuilding year...but maybe it is.

[81alum]

I just transcribed Tara off of this video, and you can read quite a bit between the lines:

"Obviously we have a very young new team but I am trying to look at what would be best for our team down the road this year, next year, the year after--and take advantage of the great players that we have.  I know we want to play an up-tempo game, and every year we are trying to play a deep team, and this year could be..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV39IXvPE8Y

It sounds as if whatever new offense she is installing has an eye on developing the recent entering classes for a year or two into the future.  So maybe she is building around them and we will see more youth this year than normal.  I hate to call it a rebuilding year...but maybe it is.

[BobK]

Only two Srs this year and Kaylee isn't or at least hasn't been an offensive threat. 
Tara lives the Frosh.  As we see from the quotes above.

[BobK]

Only two Srs this year and Kaylee isn't or at least hasn't been an offensive threat. 
Tara lives the Frosh.  As we see from the quotes above.

[81alum]

Only two Srs this year and Kaylee isn't or at least hasn't been an offensive threat. 
Tara lives the Frosh.  As we see from the quotes above.

So, Bob, what kind of offense will she use for this new group?  Has to be one that is especially good for developing the frosh--Dodson, Moschkau, Williams and Jerome, while giving Smith, McPhee, and Carrington leading roles for now.  Which frosh is good enough to build a team offense around?  Does this mean she thinks she has a player that will start for four years?

[81alum]

Only two Srs this year and Kaylee isn't or at least hasn't been an offensive threat. 
Tara lives the Frosh.  As we see from the quotes above.

So, Bob, what kind of offense will she use for this new group?  Has to be one that is especially good for developing the frosh--Dodson, Moschkau, Williams and Jerome, while giving Smith, McPhee, and Carrington leading roles for now.  Which frosh is good enough to build a team offense around?  Does this mean she thinks she has a player that will start for four years?

[BobK]

Hope we get an Open practice. If not see you November 4. 

My guess lots of strong rebounding and running    Like the 90s

[BobK]

Hope we get an Open practice. If not see you November 4. 

My guess lots of strong rebounding and running    Like the 90s

[BostonCard]

Haven't we been trying to do more running for a few years now?

BC

[BostonCard]

Haven't we been trying to do more running for a few years now?

BC

[BobK]

Some. BC. I'm think much more

[BobK]

Some. BC. I'm think much more

[BostonCard]

My sense (and I don't follow as closely as many) is that Tara planned to run more, but it just didn't work.  I don't know why that was.

BC

[BostonCard]

My sense (and I don't follow as closely as many) is that Tara planned to run more, but it just didn't work.  I don't know why that was.

BC

[UltimateCard]

My guess lots of strong rebounding and running    Like the 90s

The 90s would be good...especially '90 and '92!  :P

[UltimateCard]

My guess lots of strong rebounding and running    Like the 90s

The 90s would be good...especially '90 and '92!  :P

[triangle2]

So the question is...given our personnel, what kind of offense do you think Tara will design around this team?  Alanna and Britt and DiJonai appear to be the three offensive centerpieces now--what system will get them the most opportunities?

With a slasher and a great high post player who can receive the ball at the elbow, the old UCLA 1-4 high motion set seems promising...

[triangle2]

So the question is...given our personnel, what kind of offense do you think Tara will design around this team?  Alanna and Britt and DiJonai appear to be the three offensive centerpieces now--what system will get them the most opportunities?

With a slasher and a great high post player who can receive the ball at the elbow, the old UCLA 1-4 high motion set seems promising...

[2006alum]

That makes a lot of sense to me. Even our top returning players - McPhee, Smith, and Carrington - are athletic, higher tempo, slash to the basket type players. From what I saw of the McDonald's game with Williams and Dodson, they are both pretty fast and athletic as well. This will be a very, very different team from the brainier, more technically sound teams we've had in the past (I'm thinking of players like Bonnie Samuelson, Amber Orrange, Jeanette Pohlen, etc.). I'm guessing sloppier games (i.e. more turnovers) and fewer assists, but also more O boards and hot streaks, which more or less maps onto what the box scores from the Italy games reflected. I would not be at all surprised if we win some games we probably should lose (i.e. Baylor, Uconn, Tennessee) and also lose some games we probably should win against the lower half of the Pac-12. It'll be a fun and interesting season to watch given the amount of talent at disposal.

[2006alum]

That makes a lot of sense to me. Even our top returning players - McPhee, Smith, and Carrington - are athletic, higher tempo, slash to the basket type players. From what I saw of the McDonald's game with Williams and Dodson, they are both pretty fast and athletic as well. This will be a very, very different team from the brainier, more technically sound teams we've had in the past (I'm thinking of players like Bonnie Samuelson, Amber Orrange, Jeanette Pohlen, etc.). I'm guessing sloppier games (i.e. more turnovers) and fewer assists, but also more O boards and hot streaks, which more or less maps onto what the box scores from the Italy games reflected. I would not be at all surprised if we win some games we probably should lose (i.e. Baylor, Uconn, Tennessee) and also lose some games we probably should win against the lower half of the Pac-12. It'll be a fun and interesting season to watch given the amount of talent at disposal.

[BobK]

The Pac 12 Poll

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2017/10/1...-poll.aspx

Stanford picked tied for second

[BobK]

The Pac 12 Poll

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2017/10/1...-poll.aspx

Stanford picked tied for second

[2006alum]

The Pac 12 Poll

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2017/10/1...-poll.aspx

Stanford picked tied for second

Seems about right, given all the changes. And Washington placing dead last at #12? Ouch. That does not suggest that Pac-12 coaches have much faith in the new coach...

[2006alum]

The Pac 12 Poll

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2017/10/1...-poll.aspx

Stanford picked tied for second

Seems about right, given all the changes. And Washington placing dead last at #12? Ouch. That does not suggest that Pac-12 coaches have much faith in the new coach...

[81alum]

The Pac 12 Poll

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2017/10/1...-poll.aspx

Stanford picked tied for second

I wonder if that poll under rates WSU.  This is the year when I think they could beat us--for the first time.  I hope it doesn't happen, but they had a ridiculous number of injuries last year and if everyone is healthy for them.....

Also, Oregon may very well perform better than UCLA, simply because it has much better coaching, although its talent is a little younger than UCLA's talent.

Washington dropped like a rock because they lost nearly all their key players and no one knows how the new coach will perform.

The good old days of Stanford treating the Pac 12 like a door mat, and us complaining that our league never gave us enough competition to get ready for the NCAAs, are emphatically over.  After following Bob's run down of the competition, it sure seems like on  a given day any one of six other Pac 12 teams could give us a very serious challenge--particularly with our level of inexperience. 

I'm not sure if any other league in the country right now has this level of competition in WBB.  Does the SEC have 7 quality teams?  The ACC?

[81alum]

The Pac 12 Poll

http://www.gostanford.com/news/2017/10/1...-poll.aspx

Stanford picked tied for second

I wonder if that poll under rates WSU.  This is the year when I think they could beat us--for the first time.  I hope it doesn't happen, but they had a ridiculous number of injuries last year and if everyone is healthy for them.....

Also, Oregon may very well perform better than UCLA, simply because it has much better coaching, although its talent is a little younger than UCLA's talent.

Washington dropped like a rock because they lost nearly all their key players and no one knows how the new coach will perform.

The good old days of Stanford treating the Pac 12 like a door mat, and us complaining that our league never gave us enough competition to get ready for the NCAAs, are emphatically over.  After following Bob's run down of the competition, it sure seems like on  a given day any one of six other Pac 12 teams could give us a very serious challenge--particularly with our level of inexperience. 

I'm not sure if any other league in the country right now has this level of competition in WBB.  Does the SEC have 7 quality teams?  The ACC?

[BobK]

https://mobile.twitter.com/stanfordwbbbl...9032943616

The leader

[BobK]

https://mobile.twitter.com/stanfordwbbbl...9032943616

The leader

[BobK]

More good news:

http://www.espn.com/womens-college-baske...-year-deal

[BobK]

More good news:

http://www.espn.com/womens-college-baske...-year-deal

[81alum]

Hip, Hip, Hoorah!

This is very, very, very good news.  I have been deeply worried for the last couple of years that Tara might retire sooner rather than later.  Pivec hinted strongly that this was a consideration for her when she chose OSU over us.  I think our opponents have been exploiting the uncertainty in some recruiting battles. 

And now we can put that to rest for a good while.  She really is having a good time coaching, and with one of the best incoming classes in many years, she is going to have considerable talent to work with over the life of her new contract.

[81alum]

Hip, Hip, Hoorah!

This is very, very, very good news.  I have been deeply worried for the last couple of years that Tara might retire sooner rather than later.  Pivec hinted strongly that this was a consideration for her when she chose OSU over us.  I think our opponents have been exploiting the uncertainty in some recruiting battles. 

And now we can put that to rest for a good while.  She really is having a good time coaching, and with one of the best incoming classes in many years, she is going to have considerable talent to work with over the life of her new contract.

[mbdude]

https://stanford.rivals.com/news/more-th...ersatility

[mbdude]

https://stanford.rivals.com/news/more-th...ersatility

[81alum]

That is a fascinating piece and gives us quite a few tantalizing hints....

"Positionless basketball" in which the bigs drag defenders out of the paint to open up space.  This will work against man, but to make it work against zone the bigs have to hit treys, and that apparently has been a point of emphasis during the off season.

Fingall has focused on improving her shot.  Good!

Coffee gets pretty high praise.  Is it possible she will get a significant number of minutes?

We will at some point or another see Dodson dunk in a game.

Jerome seems to be learning the 4 and the 3 and could become Alanna's back up, by the sound of it.

Interesting stuff...watching Tara put together the jigsaw is half the fun of it, especially during this time of year!

[81alum]

That is a fascinating piece and gives us quite a few tantalizing hints....

"Positionless basketball" in which the bigs drag defenders out of the paint to open up space.  This will work against man, but to make it work against zone the bigs have to hit treys, and that apparently has been a point of emphasis during the off season.

Fingall has focused on improving her shot.  Good!

Coffee gets pretty high praise.  Is it possible she will get a significant number of minutes?

We will at some point or another see Dodson dunk in a game.

Jerome seems to be learning the 4 and the 3 and could become Alanna's back up, by the sound of it.

Interesting stuff...watching Tara put together the jigsaw is half the fun of it, especially during this time of year!

[BosCard]

I really liked the "she can leap out of the gym" comment about Dodson.  I thought one of our weaknesses last year was rebounding.  We would play great defense, force the opponent into a bad shot and then given them a whole new shot clock because of an inability to secure the defensive rebound.  On the offensive side, we had one of our best rebounders (McCall) taking a lot of shots vs say this year with McPhee, Carrington or Smith taking the initial shot and the uber-athletic Dodson hopefully there on the weak side for the offensive rebound and putback.  One of the things that made Chiney O such a great player was her amazing offensive rebounding ability.

[BosCard]

I really liked the "she can leap out of the gym" comment about Dodson.  I thought one of our weaknesses last year was rebounding.  We would play great defense, force the opponent into a bad shot and then given them a whole new shot clock because of an inability to secure the defensive rebound.  On the offensive side, we had one of our best rebounders (McCall) taking a lot of shots vs say this year with McPhee, Carrington or Smith taking the initial shot and the uber-athletic Dodson hopefully there on the weak side for the offensive rebound and putback.  One of the things that made Chiney O such a great player was her amazing offensive rebounding ability.