CSNbbs

Here’s to Hannah Noveroske benefitting from director of operations, Yolanda (Richardson) Swain’s influence.

A 6-5 center in WBB is equivalent to a 7-footer in MBB. Certainly an advantage to have if you craft it right.

One thing that Noveroske does bring to UT is the experience playing on a team that won 45 games in two (shortened) seasons, and made the Elite 8 this year. She played for a great coach and can bring some lessons from a winning culture to UT. I also noticed some postings from the IU coach praising her toughness, work ethic and team focus. Good qualities.

I did find a couple very brief video clips (below) of a couple plays she made at IU, one from each season. From those as well as some photos it does look like she has gotten more fit than her HS film showed. Granted, it's only 2 10 second clips, but she doesn't look as slow as the HS film. So, I am cautiously optimistic she can be a good contributor at UT over the next three seasons.

See #51 below. One bucket and a nice steal.

So, today Coach Stephens tweeted a Rocket blasting off gif along with "Let's Go", and the last time he did that, a day or two later we heard about the transfer from Indiana. So, if form holds, we might hear something else in the next day or two. Or not, I dunno.

And, it's the player I was thinking it might be!

Rockets sign 6'0 Freshman W Nan Garcia, transfer from Penn State. From Jeffersonville, IN. Played on Nike Gym Rats (Stephens' old AAU team), just like Khera Goss and Hannah Noveroske.

This is a good signing. She was very highly recruited. Signed in an 8 Freshman class at Penn State. Played in 13 games, averaging about 8 minutes per game, 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds. Penn St was not very good last year, but they did beat ranked OSU, and Garcia played 12 minutes in that game (0 points, 5 rebounds). Played 20 min against #8 Maryland and scored 6 points. She shot 46% from 3 on minimal attempts (6-13).

Originally from Puerto Rico, she has International experience playing on the Puerto Rican team. Has a bigger body, but was known as a big shooter. Could maybe fill that role of a true stretch 4 in the UT lineup.

https://utrockets.com/news/2021/5/11/wom...arcia.aspx
https://gopsusports.com/sports/womens-ba...rcia/10782

IMO, Cullop (on paper anyway) has gone a very good job this time around of acknowledging team weaknesses & filling those holes. Hopefully it all comes together on the court as well!

I didn't realize, but Garcia tore her ACL in January 2020, and so was likely really just starting to get back into form during the past season at PSU. That may have held back some of her playing time there. I checked and she had offers out of HS from Purdue, Illinois, Cinci, Xavier, Dayton, and several others, in addition to UT. Stephen's must have recruited her at Xavier.

Here are a couple articles on her from her HS days.
https://www.newsandtribune.com/sports/gi...7dc15.html
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sp...231441002/

And, like the IU transfer, found a couple very short clips of her at PSU:

Well, if nothing else, UT got much taller.

Leaving: Johnson 5'5, Davis 5'7, Colon 5'9, Morgan-Elliott 5'11
Joining: Jansen 5'9, Doherty 5'10, Garcia 6'0, Cook 6'2, Noveroske 6'5

There should be some good competition for minutes at the four and five positions. Morgan-Elliot would not have been good enough to see the floor on next year's team. Garcia, Mickonowicz, and Idowu will battle for minutes at the four. My guess is that one or more of those three also will be the primary back-up at the 5, depending on how good Noveroske turns out to be. I think that Cook will start at the 5. Mickonowicz has enough skills to play the 3, I think, but I expect Goss to continue to start at that position.

Barring injury, the Rockets should be a significantly improved team next year. I am still a bit concerned about a back-up point guard and general depth in the backcourt. We may need heavy minutes from Lockett and Wiard.

Kudos to northcoast for identifying Garcia in advance as a good possibility for the last scholarship.

Seeing these kinds of pictures always makes me try to estimate if the player is as tall as advertised. She looks a good 2" taller than Cullop, who, IIRC, was listed as 6'3 (at least back in college), but not much taller than Page, who was reportedly 6'2 back in her college/pro days. Anyway, looks like she is anxious to get on campus and get to work!

Looks like almost the whole team, except Doherty, is on-campus.

(06-27-2021 09:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like almost the whole team, except Doherty, is on-campus.

Identify the players in photo please.

(06-28-2021 04:11 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-27-2021 09:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like almost the whole team, except Doherty, is on-campus.

Identify the players in photo please.

Back Row L-R: Bolser, Idowu, Garcia, Lance, Lockett, Noveroske, Goss, Perdue, Copeland, Wiard, Cook
Front Row L-R: Curry, Mikonowicz, Barnes, Jansen
Not pictured: Doherty

(06-28-2021 06:50 AM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-28-2021 04:11 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-27-2021 09:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like almost the whole team, except Doherty, is on-campus.

Identify the players in photo please.

Back Row L-R: Bolser, Idowu, Garcia, Lance, Lockett, Noveroske, Goss, Perdue, Copeland, Wiard, Cook
Front Row L-R: Curry, Mikonowicz, Barnes, Jansen
Not pictured: Doherty

Thanks. If Garcia is 6-0 then Idowu has to be 6-2. But Idowu is 5 inches shorter than Bosler so she probably is her listed 5-11. Does that make Garcia 5-9? Confusing.

(06-28-2021 07:14 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-28-2021 06:50 AM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-28-2021 04:11 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-27-2021 09:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like almost the whole team, except Doherty, is on-campus.

Identify the players in photo please.

Back Row L-R: Bolser, Idowu, Garcia, Lance, Lockett, Noveroske, Goss, Perdue, Copeland, Wiard, Cook
Front Row L-R: Curry, Mikonowicz, Barnes, Jansen
Not pictured: Doherty

Thanks. If Garcia is 6-0 then Idowu has to be 6-2. But Idowu is 5 inches shorter than Bosler so she probably is her listed 5-11. Does that make Garcia 5-9? Confusing.

Yeah, I've played that game before and it's hard to really judge. Some of the players wearing flat shoes, some closer to the camera, some slouching.

I'm more encouraged by the bulk the team added between Bolser, Garcia, Noveroske and Cook. Rockets got pushed around a lot last season, so the added bulk is a welcome addition. And if Idowu and Mikonowicz have been working out to add some strength too, rebounding should improve a lot this year. Of course, they still have to learn to block out too.

(06-28-2021 05:00 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-28-2021 07:14 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-28-2021 06:50 AM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-28-2021 04:11 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-27-2021 09:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like almost the whole team, except Doherty, is on-campus.

Identify the players in photo please.

Back Row L-R: Bolser, Idowu, Garcia, Lance, Lockett, Noveroske, Goss, Perdue, Copeland, Wiard, Cook
Front Row L-R: Curry, Mikonowicz, Barnes, Jansen
Not pictured: Doherty

Thanks. If Garcia is 6-0 then Idowu has to be 6-2. But Idowu is 5 inches shorter than Bosler so she probably is her listed 5-11. Does that make Garcia 5-9? Confusing.

Yeah, I've played that game before and it's hard to really judge. Some of the players wearing flat shoes, some closer to the camera, some slouching.

I'm more encouraged by the bulk the team added between Bolser, Garcia, Noveroske and Cook. Rockets got pushed around a lot last season, so the added bulk is a welcome addition. And if Idowu and Mikonowicz have been working out to add some strength too, rebounding should improve a lot this year. Of course, they still have to learn to block out too.

As long as the bulk doesn't slow players down too much. Of course, we have never heard what Bosler's situation is.

Cullop will hesitate to play someone who is a defensive liability. That's where her emphasis lies. To get playing time, any post player has to be able to defend the pick and roll. That can be a challenge for tall, bulky players. Cook, Noveroske, Bolser, and Lance are all fighting over the same position, as none of them will ever get minutes at the four. Plus, Cullop will gladly back up the five position with a 5'10" power forward, as we have seen in the past. In other words, only one or two of the above four players will see the floor once conference play starts. My money is on Cook.