Sug named Lieberman Semi-Finalist

After not even being named on the 20-person watch list released by the selection committee in October, Sug has played her way to the 10 semifinalists announced today. It would be shocking if Ionescu doesn’t repeat but the Texas staff is trying to capitalize. No other Big 12 PG made the list.

 

Congrats to Sug!
Unfortunately, I think there is no way that Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu doesn't repeat this year. But Sug is laying the groundwork for an even deeper run next season as the elite PG in the nation in 2020.

The semifinalists:The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Basketball Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Narrow Watch List for 2019 Nancy Lieberman Award

 

The finalists:

• Presley Hudson - Central Michigan (2015, NR)
• Crystal Dangerfield - Connecticut (2016, #1 PG, #3 Overall)
• Kelly Campbell - DePaul (2016, NR)
• Natisha Hiedeman - Marquette (2015, NR)
• Sabrina Ionescu - Oregon (2016, #1 G, #4 Overall)
• Destiny Slocum - Oregon St. (2016, #3 PG, #7 Overall)
• Tyasha Harris - South Carolina (2016, #9 PG, #28 Overall)
• Tiana Mangakahia - Syracuse (2016, NR - Australia)
• Sug Sutton - Texas (2016, #2 PG, #6 Overall)
• Chennedy Carter - Texas A&M (2017, #2 PG, #6 Overall)

Rankings may not always be the end-all-be-all but ESPN was pretty good in these classes - class and rank in ().

DePaul, Central Michigan and Marquette doing what successful mid-major programs have to do to be successful - find overlooked/under-recruited prospects who really fit their system and develop them.

I don’t know how similar their games are but I’m going to hope Texas can duplicate the success with Isabel Palmer that other programs have had with Aussie PGs, Syracuse and Baylor immediately come to mind.

 

Another note regarding Ionescu - she will be eligible to leave early for the WNBA draft after this season but the Oregon HC and Ionescu have said that decision hasn’t been made. A well-known NBA agent was reported to be sitting beside Sabrina’s mom yesterday during the runaway victory over Stanford. If the Ducks win it all, I wouldn’t be surprised if she left.

 

I remember that Sug was highly ranked coming out of HS, but #2 PG to Ionescu's #1!
Would love to see them go head to head, say in the national championship game.

 

I am so proud that Sug's game is being recognized like this. She has gotten so good.

 

Short piece on Sug from her hometown paper (St Louis Post-Dispatch)...

Area college athletes: Parkway North product Sutton thriving with Longhorns

 

It's great to see positive writeups like that. It can only help expand the Horns' recruiting base.