Point on "Bigs" Well Taken

Point on "Bigs" Well Taken
by dillon77 (2019-10-04 08:23:22)
Edited on 2019-10-04 08:26:30

In reply to: Only one issue with what you say ... posted by NDoggie78

We don't seem to have a lot of them and this year don't seem to be going after any beyond Nat Marshall.

Muffet said in an interview awhile back that it's hard to find traditional posts these days because everyone wants to face the basket, step out of the paint and shoot the jumper, even the three pointer. (See Elena Della Donne, Emma Meesseman and Stewie are primne pro examples and with the Irish Erin Boley, Danielle Cosgrove).

I think MM can still get forwards/wings who can venture out on offense and play tough underneath, with players like Kat Westbeld, Sam Brunelle and possibly Maddy Westbeld. But I agree, finding the post element is hard and will have to be addressed in next year's recruiting because who knows if Mik Vaughn takes that extra year or not.

Speaking of Maddy, btw, she initially defined herself as a wing, but she seems to be growing in the "forward" aspects of the position:

Mark Lewis, of Blue Star Media, wrote about this following her appearance in Washington, D.C. this summer:

"Madeline Westbeld – 2020 – 6-2 – Forward – Sports City U – Reaching a new level…Depth to her game is exceptional…Combination of size, strength, refined skills and awareness…Challenges defenders inside and out…Touch and range require closing out on the catch…Physically holding her own with posts carrying much more bulk…Contains her emotions on both good and bad plays…Stays focused when challenged…Confidence only magnifies the advance in her game."

So, I think she could handle the forward element (based on Lewis' report, and I trust his judgement), but we do need to find the bigs who can anchor the "waaay down" aspects of the paint. We already knew this, but Turners and Shepards are not a dime a dozen. I'd say that might be an area to look beyond U.S. borders -- not all Euros are three-point houds. Think of Emese Hof at Miami.

International Post

Great info as usual. Easy to understand. I agree with going after
international players. Not like Syracuse, Oregon and other schools. But
there is a time to make changes. My question is MM ready to really look
into taking international players. I know in the past she was vocal about
there is no need when she get get what she wants stateside. But she has
struggled with pure post for a few years now.

...One thing I have noticed is there is more to UCONN and ND than a
basketball rivalry. I see a lot of similarities in Geno and MM. Now that
Geno is going international. Will MM follow suit. I think so. She wants
to win and hates losing. So I feel she will at least look into more than
she has in the past.

...We are not Oregon or Syracuse. They are good schools do not get me
wrong. They just do not have the entry requirements as ND. Does Stanford
recruit internationally. I do not think so. The only other P5 schools
that I can think of that have just as hard entry standards are
Vanderbilt and Rice.

...I do not think Michaela will mend jumping on a plane once in a while
for Finland, France, England, Germany or Australia and others. I am sure
there are a few women catholic basketball players that would not mind
going to the US for 4 years to play college basketball at the top and
most prestigious University in the US.

...I really do like what I have read about the post from Canada. Sorry
I am really bad with names. The girl from Finland also sounds good. But she
seems set on going pro. I also like what I have read about Destiny Adams.
There is a player from up the road from OU in Oklahoma that sounds good
also. I believe she either tried out or made the national team. I believe
Here last name is Moore. Same as the town she lives in. She may be
difficult to pry away from OU or Texas. I use to live in that area. Good
players are sometimes difficult to get away from the area.

SEG/Chief

FYI - Stanford

had two players from Canada and one from Australia [post player] on it's roster last season

The Canadians Return & an English Ex-Pat Joins Them

Hannah Jump has English citizenship (and in fact plays for the national team) but spent the teen years of her life a stone's throw from The Farm, playing against Haley Jones. The Jump is somewhat apt: she's not a leaper, but a great jump shooter. Zone buster type.