2020 Recruiting - WBB

I am going to step out there at high risk with an observation. Be gentle as I am very sensitive. Since Goforth mentioned “guy” in her statement, I noticed that all three programs in her final cut are led by guys. It is unfortunate that there are not enough outstanding women coaches out there but that is the reality in my fair and biased opinion. And as noted in a previous note of mine, a LOT of players prefer male coaches. It used to be that coaching women’s basketball was viewed as a second tier calling. Not so much anymore as I believe I saw somewhere that 60% of head coaches were men. Gary Blair......never any question that he is a top coach and a really good guy. I can’t question when a player wants to play for him. I believe the past and present UT culture would never allow a male women’s basketball head coach. So we are where we are with Aston. I agree the National momentum Aston had has almost disappeared. Until better evidence presents itself, Texas is relegated to tier 2 or 3 contenders for the top recruits. The Oregon State coach just signed a 6-9” Slovokian star. He will have two 6’-9”, a 6’-7”, a 6’-6” players next year. And that doesn’t count a 6’-5” Taylor Jones from Texas. I am hopeful Aston pulls off the turnaround. If not, then in year 8 or 9 or 10, I hope nthe next coach will be a male coach like Moore at NC State or other. I am all for promoting women into head coaching positions, but if there is not a standout that can stand up to Baylor, then I say go get the best coach. With softball going male and seeing that turnaround in one year, I offer that it can be done by CDC in women’s basketball as well. Hook Em

 

Calm down and let the process play out.

 

For sure today was an "overreaction Saturday" for me. Perhaps it had to do with the anxiety and accompanying high blood pressure of watching the Stars hold on this afternoon in a nail-biter. Or the earlier unequalled thrill of my 6 year old grandson score the only 2 goals for his soccer team. So I willingly take your offer of "calming down". However, one last comment of the day prior to watching the Rangers escalate my anxiety again tonight. That comment relates to ".....let the process play out". I like that suggestion. I liked it much better when I was young. With amusement I have read or listened to alumni and fans expressing patience..... or their lack thereof. I now believe some of the ability comes with aging. As I come to grips with my mortality (and my health is wonderful compared to most 72 year old men), my patience and ability to be happy to "let the process play out" is increasingingly questionable. I want to watch the women's basketball program exceed all expectations again before I kick the bucket. Waiting until the new arena opens...….. and expectations for Shaka and Aston to put good products on the floor and butts in the seats may be my initial limit of patience. Of course, I have no say in any of this so the process will play out as it must. However, I do have some say in my happiness with any support I give. For sure, the last decade (or two or three hopefully) of my renting air will for sure be happy. kurupt.....appreciate the comments. Now on to the team that REALLY needs my attention...…..the Rangers tonight.

 

I understand your angst when it comes to the recruiting maybe not being what it’s been. I’m also a little concerned about the perception/reality that’s out there right now about Coach Aston and the program. But I’m going to take a wait and see approach and see where we stand when recruiting for 2020 really starts to pick up.

 

Wow. Gender is neither the problem or the solution to any problem the Texas program may have. I can rattle off plenty of female coaches to rival the accomplishments of Blair, Rueck, and Neighbors. Maybe Goforth prefers male coaches or maybe it just happens that all three schools have male coaches. I am not as concerned about recruiting for reasons I am not patient enough to type on my phone tonight. Mainly Texas needs to have a good season. Recruiting in WBB can turn on a dime. And do not forget, the elite 8 team benefitted from the contributions of players not even in the top 100 of recruiting lists.

 

Absolutely, hoopsalot. But since the subject of gender was broached, it should be made clear that most recruits have a long list of considerations they take into account when making a decision, and gender of the HC is seldom on that list. Not low on the list, but simply not there at all. For those whom gender does matter, the vast majority are looking for programs led by women. Are there some who might prefer a male HC? Perhaps, but they are few and far between. Bottom line, most could care less about gender at all, and when they decide to attend a program led by a woman, or man, they're doing so for other reasons. And don't forget, players will end up spending time with a long list of assistants and other staff on a daily basis. Every staff in this country reflects great diversity with respect to gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation. And rightly so. It's sad this issue was even broached as it harkens back to a dark and sordid history of negative recruiting. Several decades ago there were coaches (some still active today) that liked to imply young women were "safer" at male led programs (namely their own) than they might be elsewhere. Sick. Fortunately, those days are over, and in the rare instance someone takes that tack today, their efforts are doomed to fail. Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

Texas men offer Deja Kelly's boyfriend, 2020 SF from Duncanville, Micah Peavy:

 

New 2020 offer - don’t remember seeing her name before. 6’ 2” F Elyssa Coleman from Atascocita.

 

Girls Basketball: ACL injury can’t stop Atascocita’s Coleman on the court

 

I like her .

 

Elyssa must have impressed at a recent tourney:

 

Considering her injury and the timing of the big AAU/EYBL events aligning with the first open eval period, might have been a case where some of these coaches are seeing her healthy for the first time in quite a while.

I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few offers go out over the next few weeks after the entire staff has gotten back to Austin and had a chance to regroup.

 

On ESPNW today, a good article on Ware from North Dakota. Here is part. Looks like Nebraska might have an inside track.

There's also rarely a day when Ware isn't working on one of her two sports. She already has won three North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year awards -- two in basketball and one in volleyball. She also has won five state titles, including three in volleyball.

She is the No. 38 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Super 60 for the 2020 class. Last month, she announced her 10 college finalists: Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, Iowa, LSU, Minnesota, Nebraska, NC State, Oregon and Texas.

"We've had a lot of different colors in our gym," Century basketball coach Ron Metz said in reference to all the coaches who have made the trek to Bismarck to recruit Ware. "I've been coaching for 12 years, and I haven't seen anyone who can impact the game on both sides like she can."

Ware said she wants to play basketball and volleyball in college, and coaches at the schools recruiting her say they're on board. Two weeks ago, she took her first official visit, to Nebraska, and she had breakfast with the Nebraska basketball and volleyball coaches.

After breakfast, she toured the volleyball facilities with coach John Cook, who has led Nebraska to four volleyball national titles. Then she visited the basketball facilities with South Dakota native and Cornhuskers basketball coach Amy Williams.

Ware, who has yet to decide on the other colleges that will get her four remaining official visits, said she's grateful for the opportunity to play both sports.

"Colleges are giving me the option," said Ware, who is interested in majoring in business, management or communications. "At first I thought I would've decided by now which sport I wanted to play in college. But I can't decide.

"On my visit [to Nebraska], they mapped it out, and [playing both] seems doable. It's kind of rare to play both. I like that -- it makes it special."

 

According to ESPNW, the Polish point guard Anna Mukurat committed to UCONN. She joins Croatian point guard Nika Muhl.

 

The news is even better for UConn--Mukurat is eligible to play this upcoming season.

 

Another player for UCONN per ESPNW. Also Coombs is transferring to Georgia. Her leaving UCONN was announced last month and her destination today. She is from Atlanta.

STORRS, Conn. -- The UConn women's basketball team has added Evelyn Adebayo, a graduate transfer from Murray State, to its roster for next season. The 6-foot-1 forward becomes the third member of the 2019 recruiting class, joining wing Aubrey Griffin from Ossining, New York, and guard Anna Makurat from Poland, who signed a letter of intent Tuesday. Adebayo had 19 double-doubles last season and averaged 18.2 points and 11.4 rebounds for the Racers. She is from London and played for Great Britain in the 2015 U20 European Championship. She spent her first two collegiate seasons at Gardner-Webb.

 

I still can't tell if we remain under consideration by Jordyn Merritt. I recall we offered like after her freshman season. But, her tweets indicated home visits with schools like Mizzou, Kentucky, and Florida; don't recall her tweeting about our coaches doing an in-home visit.

 

So, this may not mean anything at all but Deja Kelly is in the 4th picture here with Longhorn shorts on.

 

According to ESPNW today, the recruiting rankings have been updated for 2019-22. For 2019, Celeste Taylor is now 40. Seems like she was about 10-12 a couple of years ago. Of course our other 2 recruits are international so are not on this list. For 2020 top 60 list, the featured mover was Angel Reese moving up to number 2. Some others are C Clark at 4, Andrews at 7, Gusters at 9, D Kelly at 20, J Merritt at 26, L Ware at 29, D Gaston at 34, H Turner at 40, S Hollie at 60. Of note is that Hollie is the only 3 star on the list of top 60. There are others on this list that have been mentioned Texas but not a real possibility in my fair and biased opinion. For 2021, the list is of top 25. The only Texans on the list are R Harmon at 21 and J Malone at 23. A lot of Texans on the 2020 lists but very sparse for 2021-2022. Of course it is early so that could change a lot. One early observation is that 2020 is very critical to Texas success for a variety of reasons, with only one being an apparent lack of home grown talent and would have to go out of state. Again very early but it is not too early to identify the big dogs for the outer years as the AAU circuit is heavy with the top players.

 

I remain bullish on Celeste Taylor! She did not shoot well in either All-American game, but she started in both games. She did not star in the International games she played in but she made two age-group teams over some flashier players (making the under 19 team I view as a tall order as she will be competing against some rising college sophomores as well as some blazing young stars). I do not expect Taylor to score a lot early but I expect her to be a key player nonetheless. I have no idea what to think of recruiting right now but I think the team just needs a couple of key pieces to fall into place. Having Collier and Prince in the front court is a great start for any team.

 

Our coaches are out on the road again.

 

Have to assume Karen Aston will be the coach in Colorado with the U19 Trials going on.

 

That's correct. Karen will be in Colorado Springs with Celeste Taylor and uncommitted 2020 recruit Caitlin Clark.

There are two big AAU events in Texas this weekend; Queen of the South tourney in Mansfield and the Battle of H-Town in Houston.

Notable recruits that will be participating in the Queen of the South tournament will be Harmoni Turner, Sarah Andrews, Hannah Gusters, Myra Gordon, Elana Eaton, Kendall Brown, Ashlon Jackson and Deyona Gaston. Turner and Andrews will go head-to-head as DFW Elite competes against ProSkills. Even though they are both from the DFW area, I think this is the first meeting between Turner and Andrews.

Although it's an privilege for Aston to be at the U19 USA Trials, it's unfortunate timing that such a star-studded AAU tourney is being held in Dallas the same weekend. I would guess that Tiffany Jackson will be in attendance for the Horns for that tourney.

Another big AAU tournament, The Battle of H'Town, will be held in Houston this weekend. Aaliyah Moore, Rory Harmon, Kyndall Hunter and Jada Malone are a few of the recruits that will be participating.

 

Looks like Sarah Andrews and the Nike Pro Skills team had a great game against Harmoni Turner and DFW Elite in the Queen of the South tournament.

 

Elyssa Coleman getting some praise when grouped with Gusters:

 

We need Andrews! Would step right in next year for Sug.