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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 04/17/21 6:19 am ::: South Carolina 2021-22 Thread |
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Turns out the lone departing senior from the 2020-21 team isn't departing after all.
Elisia "Lele" Grissett has chosen to return to the team and take advantage of her free 2nd senior season of eligibility for 2021-22. Grissett was a career reserve for South Carolina who suffered a lower-leg injury in the 2021 SEC Tournament that South Carolina won, and was not able to participate in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Her team advanced to the Final Four without her, and was within 1 point - with the ball in their hands and make-able layups in their closing seconds - of beating eventual national champion Stanford and playing for the title themselves.
Grissett appeared in 25 games in 2020-21 with one start, averaging 19.2 minutes per game, with 6.7 ppg and 4.2 rpg.
With the Grissett redux, the Gamecocks look to return their entire 11-player roster of last season intact, and add the #1 ranked 2021 class of 4 players, to give Head Coach Dawn Staley a full roster of 15 players to manage. She'll get plenty of practice managing a large group of "stars" on one team this off-season, with her USA national team duties....
Last edited by Conway Gamecock on 04/22/21 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 04/17/21 6:38 am ::: |
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The projected depth should go like this:
1. (PG):
5-7 Sr. D. Henderson
5-8 Fr. R. Johnson
5-9 Sr. D. Littleton
5-8 Jr. O. Thompson
2. (SG):
5-9 Jr. Z. Cooke
6-0 Fr. S. Rivers
6-1 So. E. Russell
5-9 Sr. D. Littleton
5-8 Jr. O. Thompson
3.(SF/W):
6-1 Jr. B. Beal
6-2 Sr. L. Grissett
5-11 Fr. A. Hall
6-1 So. E. Russell
6-0 Fr. S. Rivers
4. (F):
6-2 Sr. V. Saxton
6-2 Sr. L. Grissett
6-3 Fr. S. Feagin
6-4 Jr. L. Amihere
6-1 Sr. E. Wesolek
5. (C/P):
6-5 Jr. A. Boston
6-4 Jr. L. Amihere
6-3 Fr. S. Feagin
6-1 Sr. E. Wesolek
The incoming freshmen most likely will not earn starting jobs over veteran starters, but if they make immediate impacts they will still get ample playing time off the bench of upwards of 20 mpg to above.
An example of this may be when Alaina Coates and then A'ja Wilson joined the team: Elem Ibiam won (and rightfully earned) the starting role at the 5 in Coates' freshman season in 13-14, but only averaged 23.4 mpg to allow Coates to play 19.6 mpg at the spot (there were a few brief instances where both were on the floor at the same time). Yet Coates averaged more ppg and rpg that season than Ibiam did.
For the next season in 14-15, Wilson was now on the team, and she and Coates continued to come off the bench. Alieghsa Welch, who was now rotating with Wilson, had averaged 30.0 mpg the previous 2 seasons, but averaged 26.3 mpg that season, and Ibiam's average dropped down even more to just 16.3 mpg, despite being the starter at the 5 all season.
Wilson was the 2nd leading scorer that season after Tiffany Mitchell, and Coates was the 3rd leading scorer - both were the top two leading shot-blockers, and Coates and Wilson had the 1 and 2 rebounding averages for the team, respectively. So here is a great example of starts not mattering so much as minutes played.
Our incoming freshmen won't even have to start games to make great impacts to the games. The great thing here is, Henderson and Cooke will have talented reserves to spell them in games that shouldn't impede the game's production, Beal and Saxton will continue to have reserves to push them, and Boston and Amihere will have a third option in Feagin at the 4 & 5.
This should help Boston since she seems to get worn down so much in games - perhaps now she can stay fresher late in games when her poise will be needed so much.....
The team will have more experience now for next season in terms of NCAA Tournament play: Grissett played in the Elite Eight as a freshman, and a Sweet Sixteen as a sophomore, but missed last season's Final Four. Henderson, Saxton, and Wesolek now have experiences as part of Sweet Sixteen and Final Four teams, and now the class of Boston, Cooke, Beal, Amihere, and Thompson also have Final Four experience. So lets see what happens next season....
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 11215
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Posted: 04/17/21 11:59 am ::: |
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A note: Raven Johnson and Saniya Rivers were our top two players in nation at MaxPreps.
And Feagin is really good.
_________________ Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 04/30/21 12:05 am ::: |
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Well, I now understand that seniors who return to play the extra covid year ALSO do NOT count against the 15 scholarship maximum, so technically even though Grissett is returning for a 5th year of eligibility, the roster still only officially has 14 scholarship players, not 15. So there's still an opening....
I have zero idea if the staff is even considering adding anyone via the portal - as it is, the team is going to be a tough juggle for everyone to get satisfactory playing time. And we don't have any glaring holes in the lineup, especially if the freshmen are able to contribute from the perimeter....
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scfastpitch
Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 616
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Posted: 04/30/21 7:21 am ::: |
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Some murmurs on a gamecock message board about a possible transfer in . The name Kamilla Cardoso immediately came up , but that may be wishful thinking on our part . I think the theory was that she could split time with Boston for a year and then Boston would go pro . And it would keep Uconn from getting Cardoso (lol ) .
edit - I just looked up Boston's age . She only turns 20 in December . So she won't be going pro after her junior season unless the WNBA changes their age minimum , or she gets her degree in three years .
Last edited by scfastpitch on 04/30/21 8:49 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ucbart
Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 2829 Location: New York
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Posted: 04/30/21 7:27 am ::: |
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ClayK wrote: |
A note: Raven Johnson and Saniya Rivers were our top two players in nation at MaxPreps.
And Feagin is really good. |
Are any of these players, shooters?
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 11215
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Posted: 04/30/21 8:55 am ::: |
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ucbart wrote: |
ClayK wrote: |
A note: Raven Johnson and Saniya Rivers were our top two players in nation at MaxPreps.
And Feagin is really good. |
Are any of these players, shooters? |
Johnson is a point guard who is a good three-point shooter, but she's not a bomber.
Rivers just scores. Feagin is a four.
_________________ Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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scfastpitch
Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 616
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purduefanatic
Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 2819 Location: Indiana
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Posted: 04/30/21 10:27 am ::: |
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Man oh man, that is a STACKED team. If everyone buys in (which I think Dawn Staley does a good job of creating that one for all atmosphere), they could be scary good.
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Gamecock1
Joined: 02 Dec 2018 Posts: 55
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Posted: 04/30/21 12:39 pm ::: |
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purduefanatic wrote: |
Man oh man, that is a STACKED team. If everyone buys in (which I think Dawn Staley does a good job of creating that one for all atmosphere), they could be scary good. |
Dawn has been very good at keeping players who buy into the system...and not their own needs to be the "go to" player. The fact that so many different players lead the team in scoring each game is proof they all buy in. Cardoso knows what she is walking into and her role....
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purduefanatic
Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 2819 Location: Indiana
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Posted: 04/30/21 1:48 pm ::: |
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Gamecock1 wrote: |
purduefanatic wrote: |
Man oh man, that is a STACKED team. If everyone buys in (which I think Dawn Staley does a good job of creating that one for all atmosphere), they could be scary good. |
Dawn has been very good at keeping players who buy into the system...and not their own needs to be the "go to" player. The fact that so many different players lead the team in scoring each game is proof they all buy in. Cardoso knows what she is walking into and her role.... |
Completely agree. Gamecock fans should be even more excited than they were.
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 04/30/21 2:50 pm ::: |
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I find it hard to believe none of those players will chose to transfer out. I mean it's fun to be on a championship quality team...but maybe not so much fun if you never get to play.
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 04/30/21 4:18 pm ::: |
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Pretty insane to get Cardosa. OK, I need to adjust the projected depth chart:
1. (PG):
5-7 Sr. D. Henderson
5-8 Fr. R. Johnson
5-9 Sr. D. Littleton
5-8 Jr. O. Thompson
2. (SG):
5-9 Jr. Z. Cooke
6-0 Fr. S. Rivers
6-1 So. E. Russell
5-9 Sr. D. Littleton
5-8 Jr. O. Thompson
3.(SF/W):
6-1 Jr. B. Beal
6-2 S-Sr. L. Grissett
5-11 Fr. A. Hall
6-1 So. E. Russell
6-0 Fr. S. Rivers
4. (F):
6-2 Sr. V. Saxton
6-2 S-Sr. L. Grissett
6-3 Fr. S. Feagin
6-4 Jr. L. Amihere
6-1 Sr. E. Wesolek
5. (C/P):
6-5 Jr. A. Boston
6-7 S-So. K. Cardoso
6-4 Jr. L. Amihere
6-3 Fr. S. Feagin
6-1 Sr. E. Wesolek
I agree this is a LOT of talent and playing time will be quite the headache, but then it was going to be so BEFORE Cardoso's addition. We'll have Henderson, Littleton, Saxton, and Wesolek as seniors, and Grissett as a super-senior. So that's 5 players that will depart the team after next season, including (3) 4s that would ease the pressure in the post play.
I'm seeing a 2-deep of Boston and Cardoso at the 5, and a 3-deep of Saxton, Amihere and Feagin at the 4. Grissett can fill in at the 4, 3, and even a bit at the 2 against really BIG opponents, like Tennessee.....
But this is just crazy......
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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Posted: 04/30/21 4:42 pm ::: |
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What a team. With Grissett returning and Cardoso transferring in, I can't help feeling like Amihere and Feagin are the "losers" in terms of individual playing time. For a freshman that's understandable, but for Amihere as a talented upperclassman who has contributed a lot in the past, I wonder what she's thinking. Can Amihere play the 3 at all?
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GlennMacGrady
Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 8264 Location: Heisenberg
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Posted: 04/30/21 5:00 pm ::: |
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Logical (to me) analysis: South Carolina . . .
(1) came within one point of the NC game, by missing a last second putback against Stanford, and probably would have beaten Arizona for the NC;
(2) has every player returning;
(3) has the top rated freshman class entering; and
(4) has signed the top 6-7 player in the nation as a sophomore transfer.
Therefore: South Carolina has to be the pre-season favorite to win the NC in 2022 . . . at least. |
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Cooper2009
Joined: 04 Nov 2017 Posts: 197 Location: Atlanta
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Posted: 04/30/21 11:53 pm ::: |
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GlennMacGrady wrote: |
Logical (to me) analysis: South Carolina . . .
(1) came within one point of the NC game, by missing a last second putback against Stanford, and probably would have beaten Arizona for the NC;
(2) has every player returning;
(3) has the top rated freshman class entering; and
(4) has signed the top 6-7 player in the nation as a sophomore transfer.
Therefore: South Carolina has to be the pre-season favorite to win the NC in 2022 . . . at least. |
If not 23 and 24... it’s crazy
And everyone thought UConn loaded up. Geesh.
_________________ Nared.
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Milks26
Joined: 25 Mar 2021 Posts: 830
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Posted: 05/01/21 9:51 am ::: |
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myrtle wrote: |
I find it hard to believe none of those players will chose to transfer out. I mean it's fun to be on a championship quality team...but maybe not so much fun if you never get to play. |
If someone do transfer out Russell and Littleton can go. Weslok and Thompson don't play much but they were never going to play pro ball - why not relax get a good education and rings on your fingers.
Even if they do stay with the freshies and Cardosa the starters won't get run into the ground like last year (especially Henderson) - just like the 2019 team bench players are equally good.
I can't wait to see this live.
Those concern about Aimhere she'll get playing time. Kid has improved from where she was as a freshmen.
_________________ ~College WBB & the "W' need other tv networks covering the important stuff...Espn is beyond tired~
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Gamecock1
Joined: 02 Dec 2018 Posts: 55
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Posted: 05/01/21 10:52 am ::: |
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myrtle wrote: |
I find it hard to believe none of those players will chose to transfer out. I mean it's fun to be on a championship quality team...but maybe not so much fun if you never get to play. |
This is why they stay. It's not all about basketball... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05HFJMtc2Ok
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 05/01/21 12:53 pm ::: |
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Gamecock1 wrote: |
myrtle wrote: |
I find it hard to believe none of those players will chose to transfer out. I mean it's fun to be on a championship quality team...but maybe not so much fun if you never get to play. |
This is why they stay. It's not all about basketball... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05HFJMtc2Ok |
I can understand the bottom of the bench being happy just being on a championship team. It's the ones in the middle who could be starters on other teams where I would think the issues could be. After all, every player on a D1 team was at some point the star of their HS team. It's not easy going from star to bench sitter.
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 05/01/21 10:09 pm ::: |
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myrtle wrote: |
Gamecock1 wrote: |
myrtle wrote: |
I find it hard to believe none of those players will chose to transfer out. I mean it's fun to be on a championship quality team...but maybe not so much fun if you never get to play. |
This is why they stay. It's not all about basketball... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05HFJMtc2Ok |
I can understand the bottom of the bench being happy just being on a championship team. It's the ones in the middle who could be starters on other teams where I would think the issues could be. After all, every player on a D1 team was at some point the star of their HS team. It's not easy going from star to bench sitter. |
It's a valid concern. I mean, Connecticut has also loaded up their roster for next season. They will have 10 former ESPN 5-stars in their lineup, and that doesn't include the Ohio State grad transfer who was not rated due to being an international player.
And yet South Carolina will have four MORE former 5-stars on its roster next season than what CT will have!! Just says how much depth USC has.
But when you look at each program, it is Auriemma who has the history of playing a 7-player rotation when there's a lot on the line. The reserves get their playing time mostly against AAC/BE competition that CT typically goes undefeated against and wins by an average of 40+ MOV. So that's not so much of a risk there.
Dawn has historically played most of her roster whether it's OOC or SEC play, except in the games where we struggle to have much of a lead. Even if there's a 18-20 pt spread by the 4th, she's notorious for emptying the bench and letting them play most of the 4th Period, even if it means uglying up the game of ending up winning by 10-15 pts because the opponent started scoring on us.
She's also been more loyal to upper-class players in the starting lineup even when a proven better producing player comes along, as we've seen with Alaina Coates and A'ja Wilson early in their careers.
But a 12-player roster is typically the optimal size: you want to have enough practice players to run full practices, and you want to have options in case a player or two become injured and lost for considerable time. 12 players means you should have at least a solid back-up for every position, plus 1-2 more that can swing across at least 2 positions for emergencies.
South Carolina will have 16 players on next season's roster - that's going to be pretty hard to manage for the staff - in BOTH making sure all get good preparation for the schemes, and for getting everyone the playing time that will make them happy.
But this is just mostly for 2021-22. Five (5) players will be slated to leave via graduation after next season, and 3 of those will be post players. That will open up the logjam a bit going forward....
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PG4ever
Joined: 14 May 2020 Posts: 431
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Posted: 05/02/21 7:43 am ::: |
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Gamecock1 wrote: |
myrtle wrote: |
I find it hard to believe none of those players will chose to transfer out. I mean it's fun to be on a championship quality team...but maybe not so much fun if you never get to play. |
This is why they stay. It's not all about basketball... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05HFJMtc2Ok |
Thanks for sharing this! Really touching to hear the way Aliyah's mom talked about her (episode 2). Like you said, it's not all about basketball.
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 05/13/21 9:39 pm ::: |
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The 2021 WBCA High School Coaches’ All-America team was announced Tuesday May 11th by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
The WBCA presents the Player of the Year award annually to the top player in five of the six WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions II, and III, NAIA, two-year college and high school). The Player of the Year and the 10-member Coaches’ All-America team in each division are selected by a committee of WBCA member coaches in that division. The Wade Trophy is presented to the best player in NCAA Division I.
The 2021 WBCA High School Player of the Year was Raven Johnson of Westlake High School in Atlanta. Johnson, a 5-foot-9 point guard, led Westlake to four consecutive Georgia High School Association state championships and a 110-4 record in her four-year high school career, never losing a game in Georgia. She averaged 15.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 5.8 assists per game for the Lions, which finished this season 20-0. Johnson will play collegiately for head coach Dawn Staley at the University of South Carolina.
Johnson headlines the 10-player All-America team. With her are two other future South Carolina Gamecocks:
F Sania Feagin of Forest Park High School (GA) - 17.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.6 bpg
G Saniya Rivers of Eugene Ashley High School (NC) - 36.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 5.3 spg, 5.1 apg, 1.4 bpg
The other 7 WBCA High School Coaches' All-Americans:
G Sonia Citron of Ursuline School (NY) - (Notre Dame)
F Brooke Demetre of Mater Dei High School (CA) - (Stanford)
G Caroline Ducharme of Noble and Greenough School (MA) - (Connecticut)
F Teonni Key of Cary High School (NC) - (North Carolina)
F Aaliyah Moore of Moore High School (OK) - (Texas)
G Payton Verhulst of Bishop Miege High School (KS) - (Louisville)
F Jersey Wolfenbarger of Northside High School (AR) - (Arkansas)
Also Aubryanna Hall, a 4th signee for the Gamecocks, is an WBCA All-American honorable mention......
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 11215
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Posted: 05/14/21 9:53 am ::: |
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Caroline Ducharme is a very good player but did not play a single high school game this year -- and is a "high school all-American"?
_________________ Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā
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Conway Gamecock
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 Posts: 1901 Location: Here
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Posted: 05/14/21 1:06 pm ::: |
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ClayK wrote: |
Caroline Ducharme is a very good player but did not play a single high school game this year -- and is a "high school all-American"? |
That's interesting - I was going to put the girls' senior year stats besides their names like I did with the USC girls, but several I could not find any. So I decided not to - guess this explains why I couldn't find Ducharme's stats - I think hers was the first stats I could not find.
They had Azzi Fudd in the running for the Naismith's High School POTY trophy and won the Morgan Wooten POTY, despite only playing 2 official high school games. At least she played games.
I guess that doesn't really matter anymore, despite Naismith's sponsor Jersey Mike's saying:
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“These finalists represent the nation’s top high school girls players and coaches who have enjoyed remarkable success this season, despite the challenges brought on in a global pandemic, through their play on the court or their leadership from the sidelines,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club." |
lmao.....
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