[joemontes]

I think the schedule will be quite good for us if any of our freshmen show themselves to be stars who can start in their first year.  I say that because we have a less challenging out-of-conference schedule than usual, and because the top 3-4 teams not named Stanford in the Pac 12 only appear once each on our regular league schedule.  Even with a slow start and even if we drop some games we have a reasonable path toward a top 4 seed in the Pac 12 tourney, and I think that may become the first really good test of how our team chemistry and our new players are meshing and developing.  Can we compete with UCLA and Utah in particular?  Can we hold off Colorado or a rising Washington? 

The schedule gives plenty of time for the team to "get by" while the freshmen develop and become prepared for bigger roles than freshmen usually get.  One of them has to become good enough to play major minutes by the Pac 12 tournament.  And if they have that level of excellence to earn starting roles, they should have plenty of time to develop it and to show it.

And let's face it, with Brink and Jump both gone after this year, we sure as heck had better have one or more starting-caliber players coming out of our frosh class.  If that turns out not to be true, then WBB at Stanford is going to look quite different than it has for the last 25 years.

Ogden is, by consensus and ranking, the most likely of the three to jump into such a role.  But we have been surprised before by players like Lepolo, Lili Thompson, etc. who were not discussed much in the pre season hype and became key parts of the team early in their careers.  And so I am eager to see Agara and Clardy play against tough competition, too.

On top of a positive revelatory freshman season from OGDEN, AGARA and/or CLARDY, in order for Stanford to thrive this season, IRIAFEN, DEMETRE and BOSGANA have to have breakout seasons as primetime scorers.  BRINK and JUMP and the PG skills of LEPOLO are already a given. Also, who will be this year's capable back-up at PG?  Last year, it was LEPOLO and JONES alternating at PG, so no problem.

[joemontes]

I think the schedule will be quite good for us if any of our freshmen show themselves to be stars who can start in their first year.  I say that because we have a less challenging out-of-conference schedule than usual, and because the top 3-4 teams not named Stanford in the Pac 12 only appear once each on our regular league schedule.  Even with a slow start and even if we drop some games we have a reasonable path toward a top 4 seed in the Pac 12 tourney, and I think that may become the first really good test of how our team chemistry and our new players are meshing and developing.  Can we compete with UCLA and Utah in particular?  Can we hold off Colorado or a rising Washington? 

The schedule gives plenty of time for the team to "get by" while the freshmen develop and become prepared for bigger roles than freshmen usually get.  One of them has to become good enough to play major minutes by the Pac 12 tournament.  And if they have that level of excellence to earn starting roles, they should have plenty of time to develop it and to show it.

And let's face it, with Brink and Jump both gone after this year, we sure as heck had better have one or more starting-caliber players coming out of our frosh class.  If that turns out not to be true, then WBB at Stanford is going to look quite different than it has for the last 25 years.

Ogden is, by consensus and ranking, the most likely of the three to jump into such a role.  But we have been surprised before by players like Lepolo, Lili Thompson, etc. who were not discussed much in the pre season hype and became key parts of the team early in their careers.  And so I am eager to see Agara and Clardy play against tough competition, too.

On top of a positive revelatory freshman season from OGDEN, AGARA and/or CLARDY, in order for Stanford to thrive this season, IRIAFEN, DEMETRE and BOSGANA have to have breakout seasons as primetime scorers.  BRINK and JUMP and the PG skills of LEPOLO are already a given. Also, who will be this year's capable back-up at PG?  Last year, it was LEPOLO and JONES alternating at PG, so no problem.