RebKell's Junkie Boards

[ripleydc]

Congratulations to the USA team!

Gold medal!

Yes, Powers is an awesome player!!!

[GlennMacGrady]

Box score:

http://www.gwangju2015.com/IRS/eng/bk/engbk_basketball_results_women_w400_1_01.htm

FSU's Adut Bulgak had 15 points and 16 rebounds for Canada.

Will someone please explain Nina Davis. She was a multiple first team All-American last year as a college sophomore at Baylor, yet seemed to be a mediocre player on this WUG team (though I haven't seen the final cumulative stats.)

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/MagicBusBasketball

[dtsnms]

[Ladyvol777]

Congratulations to the USA... so proud of these young Ladies.

[ArtBest23]

[ArtBest23]

[dtsnms]

[ArtBest23]

[dtsnms]

[Howee]

Ya, Nina Davis' lack of playing time is odd. Wasn't she the Big 12 POY, or the tourney MVP? I just know she's been a tremendous player on a strong Baylor team. Odd.

_________________
Oregon: Go Ducks!
"Inévitablement, les canards voleront"

[ClayK]

[ArtBest23]

There would probably be fewer raised eyebrows if USA basketball had no history of choices that appeared political or otherwise strange.

I saw on a different board a discussion of the fact that the two players with the most minutes on the U19 team yesterday happened to be the two players for team coaches. Fair or not, people notice those patterns.

[dtbtbtb]

Davis is an interesting player when considering her potential for the next level. While she is great in college, will her limited range and size be an obstacle? It seems that for the WUG, the coaches preferred to go with a bigger players (McCall and Powers) at the 3 and 4 positions...

[ArtBest23]

[PickledGinger]

[ArtBest23]

[dtbtbtb]

[Howee]

[awhom111]

Kansas and friends impressively managed to win the Men's tournament, so it will be interesting to see if they continue to go with that format in 2017. There are no Pan American Games in 2017, so there should be no handicap to the United States sending their strongest team in that year on the Women's side.

On the subject of nepotism, no claims can be made for that happening with the Men's Pan American Games team. Tad Boyle did not get Josh Scott on the roster. Committee member Matt Painter did not get Isaac Haas on the roster. The only tie that anyone had was Melo Trimble being on the roster with Mark Turgeon as an on court practice coach.

[GlennMacGrady]

Nina Davis was voted one of the five best college players in America just three months ago by both the AP and Wooden. Yet she played only 10.5 minutes a game in WUG, averaging 5.0 ppg and 2.8 rpg.

I guess the WUG coaches don't agree with the AP or Wooden.

It didn't surprise me that Aerial Powers was a better scorer, but it sure surprised me that Erica McCall was. And they both were great rebounders.

The seemingly much maligned (here) Mercedes Russell led the team in rebounding and was third in both scoring and minutes.

Link to PDF stats:

http://www.usab.com/womens/world-university-games/stats.aspx

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/MagicBusBasketball

[Oldfandepot2]

Russell played well but the wider lanes in international played exposed a weakness in the more traditional back to the basket post player. The Japanese were able to penetrate at will against the slower post players of the USA. I am surprised that Joe did not stay with the smaller line up of Davis, Weise, Williams and Powers where he experienced great success especially on defense. With that line up although they may have sacrificed size they would still have had superior talent on the floor and I beileve would have neutralized Japan's ability to penetrate to a much greater degree.

Russell played well on the offensive end but had difficulty on defensive end. The arrival of the more mobile stretch players in Stewart, Stevens, Turner and Wilson will provide the size, quickness and the athleticism to play on both ends of the court particularly on the defense where they can more readily stop penetration.

I am extremely happy they won the gold and looking forword to continued success. I believe the USA must continue in order to repeat their success adjust to the international court and rules. The WUG was an invaluable experience for the players, the coaches and for the USAB as an organization.

_________________
Cave Canem!
We must listen to each other no matter how much it hurts. Bishop Desmond Tutu.

[ClayK]

I've never understood why USA Basketball loves Erica McCall, but whatever she does in practice for them seems to impress the coaches.

Whatever Nina Davis didn't do in practice must have had an impact as well, because the prorated stats (roughly -- I did it in my head) aren't that different. Davis didn't get to the line as much, but turned the ball over way less.

The only thing I can think of is that USA Basketball is thinking about who might be able to play for the National Team, and maybe they feel that Davis is just too small to be a four at the elite international level. But that's just a guess ...

_________________
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[ArtBest23]

[Nixtreefan]

First of all, I want to apologize to those I may have thought were over reacting to some of USAs picks, playing time and other stuff. I am actually starting to hear and see what people have been telling me for quite some time. The more you hear and the more I see certain players, one can start to make better judgement calls. As far as McCall goes, I too am baffled. She is NOT 6' 3", she is very undersized in the PAC, so that argument doesn't seem to fly. She is a hard worker so may come across as a better hustle player in practice as Clay alludes to but she has many flaws. She can appear more athletic when players are smaller as many of them were in this tournament but at the college level she makes the same moves and mistakes over and over - takes jump shots at bad times and rarely makes them, will force up lay ups when doubled etc. She is probably the worst decision maker on her team.

It seems that the whole college coach coaching players at this age causes too much conflict. A lot of my friends that coach at the college level are livid right now. Their arguments seem to be more valid that it is being used to enhance recruiting, cause conflict for other coaches and validate agendas which can be wide ranging. Lots of solutions have been thrown out there including non D1 coaches coaching etc. there are some good coaches at these other levels, but the question is why not take out the cause for many complaints?

[patsweetpat]