(03-24-2015 08:31 AM)Rocket Pirate Wrote:  

(03-23-2015 08:09 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  I know that the "expectations" thing doesn't always work out...and Inma falls into the category of an "unreplaceable" player--but I expect this young Lady Rockets team to be quite a bit better next season.

I don't agree that Inma is "unreplaceable," but I do agree that next year's team will be better. Inma had a very good career and will be missed next year, but I think her tangibles can be replaced, especially with the talent on the roster and incoming freshmen.

Yeah, what I meant but didn't communicate effectively was that Inma's "intangibles" are in the "unreplaceable" category...yes, there will be new talent on the floor, maybe even the "next Naama" or "next Inma" or "next Dana", etc...but players of that caliber are memorable for a reason. We fill spots on the roster/floor, but we don't necessarily "replace" them that easily, imo

(03-24-2015 06:25 AM)falconplucker Wrote:  

(03-23-2015 10:51 PM)Toledo Football 1st Wrote:  Say what you want about the Rockets. Say what you want about Michigan. This game comes down to two words: Katelynn Flaherty.

She was on fire and came off the bench to score 21. Siera Thompson also came off the bench and scored 20. Toledo's bench scored 4.

She is to Michigan what Naama was for us, a game changer. There was nobody else like Flaherty on the floor, just as there was rarely, if ever, anyone else like Naama on the floor. Flaherty isn't on the floor and it's a different ballgame.

(03-24-2015 08:31 AM)Rocket Pirate Wrote:  

(03-23-2015 08:09 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  I know that the "expectations" thing doesn't always work out...and Inma falls into the category of an "unreplaceable" player--but I expect this young Lady Rockets team to be quite a bit better next season.

I don't agree that Inma is "unreplaceable," but I do agree that next year's team will be better. Inma had a very good career and will be missed next year, but I think her tangibles can be replaced, especially with the talent on the roster and incoming freshmen.

There was no player of this year's team who was consistently looking to set up teammates for easy baskets other than Inma. She had more assists than the next two biggest assist players on the team. And her assists/turnover ratio was dramatically better than those other players who had as many turnovers as assists. So I don't see who is the point guard next year. If there had been a natural alternative this year there would have been no need to have Inma play that role.

(03-24-2015 12:12 PM)temoxley Wrote:  

(03-24-2015 08:31 AM)Rocket Pirate Wrote:  

(03-23-2015 08:09 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  I know that the "expectations" thing doesn't always work out...and Inma falls into the category of an "unreplaceable" player--but I expect this young Lady Rockets team to be quite a bit better next season.

I don't agree that Inma is "unreplaceable," but I do agree that next year's team will be better. Inma had a very good career and will be missed next year, but I think her tangibles can be replaced, especially with the talent on the roster and incoming freshmen.

There was no player of this year's team who was consistently looking to set up teammates for easy baskets other than Inma. She had more assists than the next two biggest assist players on the team. And her assists/turnover ratio was dramatically better than those other players who had as many turnovers as assists. So I don't see who is the point guard next year. If there had been a natural alternative this year there would have been no need to have Inma play that role.

Brenae Harris would be the logical choice to be the primary ballhandler next year, but I think your overall point is a good one. I don't think Coach Cullop has come close to replacing Naama and it's been a couple years since she has even been on the court. Inma was playing way out of position at point guard (she's at her best in a SF/third guard role), but she's the best all-around player and best decision maker on the team.

That's been one of my frustrations with this team. There didn't seem to be a plan for the post-Naama days. Andola and Inma have stepped into the PG role and played well (which is why I am not concerned with somebody like Brenae doing the same next year), but the rest of the roster has been a turbulent mess. With the returning players and the incoming freshmen, the talent will be there in the fall.

Next year's roster will be more balanced than any since the NIT championship team. The two big questions are how well with the talent on the current roster develop in the offseason and how will the rotation come together?

Although Inma played point for a while, it seemed to me that the last 10 games or so Inma was not really playing a true point position. She and Harris seemed to share the ball handling duty over that stretch and Harris did a fine job - heck she had an 11 assist game. So I think we have a fine #1 PG in Harris going into the season. Bravo-Harriott showed signs to near the end of the season with some beautiful dishes, so she could switch in at point as well. Newcomers Boyd, St. Fort & Printz are all also potential candidates to get time at that position too. We were all spoiled by Naama, but PGs like that don't come around that often. I think we will be ok next season in that regard - we'll find out.

(03-24-2015 07:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  Although Inma played point for a while, it seemed to me that the last 10 games or so Inma was not really playing a true point position. She and Harris seemed to share the ball handling duty over that stretch and Harris did a fine job - heck she had an 11 assist game. So I think we have a fine #1 PG in Harris going into the season. Bravo-Harriott showed signs to near the end of the season with some beautiful dishes, so she could switch in at point as well. Newcomers Boyd, St. Fort & Printz are all also potential candidates to get time at that position too. We were all spoiled by Naama, but PGs like that don't come around that often. I think we will be ok next season in that regard - we'll find out.

Boyd was the year-too-late replacement for Dola was she not? Hope she and Printz are quick because EMU is going to be tough next year. Speed kills. St. Fort is a wing type, no?

(03-24-2015 07:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  Although Inma played point for a while, it seemed to me that the last 10 games or so Inma was not really playing a true point position. She and Harris seemed to share the ball handling duty over that stretch and Harris did a fine job - heck she had an 11 assist game. So I think we have a fine #1 PG in Harris going into the season. Bravo-Harriott showed signs to near the end of the season with some beautiful dishes, so she could switch in at point as well. Newcomers Boyd, St. Fort & Printz are all also potential candidates to get time at that position too. We were all spoiled by Naama, but PGs like that don't come around that often. I think we will be ok next season in that regard - we'll find out.

I agree that Inma was not playing as a pure point guard but she certainly was by far the most effective player on the team sharing the basketball. Her 166 assists is more than the next three players on the team combined! I don't personally see B-H as a point guard. She needs to continue to develop her skills to become a potent scoring threat. Also note her assist/turnover ratio was negative this year. Harris seem to me to be the logical person to take on the point guard duties but, no disrespect to her, I just don't see her as accomplished at setting up her teammates as Inma was. My original post was responding to one where someone mentioned that as good as Inma was no one beyond replacing them. IMO Inma's vision on the court and unselfishness to distribute the basketball was her most valuable asset and will be the most difficult to replace.

All the newcomer discussion is of course pure speculation. I remember a couple of years ago we had a three star recruit from Chicago who was going to do big things and didn't and we had Cat Wells who couldn't even get to the first game in uniform. So lets see where the freshman settle into the rotation. I hope you all are right but its a little like baseball spring training. Before the season everybody has world series potential.