Hampton's Monnazjea Finney-Smith's reaction to her bro, Dorian, making the final roster of the Dallas Mavericks.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Comings and Goings: Old Dominion: 2016-17
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| Jessica Munoz |
Our Comings and Goings series continues with a preview of what figures to be the best Old Dominion team in several years.
The series thus far:
VCU: Comings and Goings
Goings
Laquanda Younger - A key contributor from 3-point range her first three seasons, Younger appeared in just 14 games last season before shutting it down with back problems.
Trina Patterson - Barefoot nabbed the veteran Patterson off the staff of mighty Stanford in 2013. But as a three-time former Division I head coach, from the day Patterson arrived it seemed only a matter of time before school No. 4 would offer up its main job. That time came last April, when UNC Greensboro tabbed Patterson to replace Wendy Palmer as the Spartans head coach.
Comings
Manaya Jones - A 6-4 post player and arguably the most highly touted true freshman Barefoot has lured to ODU (former point guard GG Goodhope got a lot of national recruiting love, too). The Lady
Monarchs are well-stocked with veteran bigs, but if Jones can catch on quickly, her ability to score in the low box could earn her minutes right away.
Jessica Munoz - The 6-2 forward totaled more than 2,000 points and 1,200 rebounds in her high school career, and already Barefoot has raved about her versatility. Now, to be fair, Barefoot raves about every player she's coached. But after watching Munoz at a recent practice, we see the coach's point.
Carley Brew - The 6-0 forward saw limited minutes as a freshman at JMU and transferred midway through 2015-16. Her meager JMU stats (8 points, 13 rebounds on the season) tell us little, but here's what her Philadelphia Belles AAU coach, Sean Costello, told us about Brew prior to her arrival in Harrisonburg: "The best way to describe Carley is she plays like a football player. She was on a loaded team with some really good players, and Carley played harder than any of them. Super, super aggressive, and can jump out of the gym. A rebounding machine." Brew will be eligible to play at ODU after the first semester.
Kelly Loftus - A two-time All-CAA pick (third team) and Hofstra's leading scorer the past two seasons who transferred after three seasons with the Pride. Loftus will sit out this season and has just the 2017-18 season to play. Still, this is an excellent get for Old Dominion.
Ashley Langford - Former Naval Academy assistant and ex-Tulane point guard supreme replaces Patterson on the ODU staff. Regarded as an ace recruiter.
Old Dominion fans, this could be the season you've been waiting for.
Once perennial NCAA tournament qualifiers, the recent-vintage Lady Monarchs haven't earned invites to the sport's marquee event since 2008. But as Barefoot approaches her sixth season, several factors - an impact star (Jennie Simms) surrounded by a loaded veteran roster and the momentum from a red-hot finish in 2015-16 among them - suggest this should easily be the best ODU squad in years.
Take another look at that "goings" section. That's right, the Lady Monarchs return essentially their entire 2015-16 team, the same cast of characters that played at a Top-50 level down the stretch and came within a game of winning the Conference USA tournament title.
And this doesn't include redshirt junior forward Odegua Oigbokie, a part-time starter her first two seasons before sitting out last season with a knee injury, and point guard Makayla Timmons, who started 11 games last year before also succumbing to a knee injury. Or the promising newcomers.
In each of the past three seasons, it's taken the Lady Monarchs about 20 games to play consistent winning basketball from game to game, in large part because each time, Barefoot has had to either force-feed minutes to true freshmen or nurse someone in a new role.
This season, practices figure to be ultra-competitive, and every minute should be earned. As a result, barring injuries, there's no excuse for coming to a slow boil in 2016-17. If this team needs two-thirds of a season to find itself, something is seriously wrong.
Of course, for all of ODU's depth, the team's outlook wouldn't look nearly as rosy if the do-it-all Simms, a two-time first-team all-conference pick, had elected to forego her redshirt senior season and turn pro. But after what she said was careful deliberation, Simms opted to return - largely because of a strong bond with her head coach.
"I want to win a championship under Coach Barefoot," Simms said.
Whether the Lady Monarchs can deliver that elusive title will hinge in part upon the quality of help Simms receives, particularly on offense. For while Simms averaged a robust 21.3 ppg, no other ODU player averaged in double figures (although Destinee Young came close at 9.9 ppg). And this isn't just a one-year deal, either - Simms was ODU's only double-digit scorer in 2014-15, as was Shae Kelley in 2013-14.
We're pretty confident the Lady Monarchs will play their usual physical, well-schemed defense, and Barefoot's recent teams typically can rebound with virtually anyone. But for this team to max out, it would help if one or two players could consistently relieve Simms of some of the scoring load.
Young, a senior forward, is a prime candidate for a offensive breakout, as are junior 3-point shooter deluxe "Downtown" Keyana Brown and first-team all-interview senior forward Ije Ajemba. Also keep an eye on sophomore guard Gianna Smith, who in freshman flashes showed that she knows how to get hers. And while we're not sure how many points she'll deliver, we're intrigued by the way Barefoot and Simms paid glowing tribute to the improvement in junior guard Ashley Jackson, who after two tough seasons is now in tip-top shape and ready to fight for a spot.
With all this going for ODU, the floor for this team should be as a strong C-USA contender and a surefire WNIT squad. And the ceiling? Well, after eight straight years of sitting out the NCAAs, if things break right a return to the national tournament is a distinct possibility.
Season opener: Norfolk State on Nov. 18
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Comings and Goings: VCU 2016-17 season
Back from more Comings and Goings, this time from Virginia Commonwealth.
Clock is ticking toward the season so know you're eager for more. Old Dominion is up next.
The series thus far:
Goings:
Jessica Ogunnorin - A 6-foot-1 forward from Greece (by way of Stony Brook), she pulled down a team-high 223 rebounds as a graduate student last year. Averaged 5.7 points.
Adaeze Alaeze - The Rams' leading scorer last year at 11.6 points as a senior. A 5-10 swing player from Baltimore is starting her professional playing career in Spain.
Chadarryl Clay - A 5-foot-8 guard who scored 5.7 points per game last year as a senior. Now enrolled in pharmacy school at VCU, she will not return for her final year of eligibility.
Melanie Royster - The fifth-year senior who scored 7 points in limited playing time last year has graduated.
Comings
Nyra Williams - Diminutive point guard (as in 5-5) from Hampton who scored 1,000 points in her
career at Bethel High School and took MVP honors at the 2015 She Got Game Classic in D.C. Not to be confused with Niya Johnson.
Niya Johnson - Native of Brooklyn. A 5-8 shooting guard who averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds as a high school senior. Not to be confused with Nyra Williams.
Jailyn Maddox - A 5-10 guard from (sweet home) Alabama. Made a name for herself in here hometown of Hoover both on and off the court, winning honors for her volunteer and charity work.
Mooriah Rowser - Dynamic 5-9 guard transfers to VCU after a solid career at Memphis. A grad student with one year of eligibility left after averaging 11 points last year for the Tigers. Came out of a prep powerhouse (St. John's College High in Rockville, Md.). Earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and is now pursuing a master's in computer and information systems security.
Danielle Hammond - A 6-4 center from scenic Bryn Mawr, Pa. Also starred in volleyball. Averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks as a high school senior. An aggressive shot swatter under the defensive basket.
No doubt the Rams will miss leading scorer Adaeze Alaeze, but expect Beth O'Boyle's program to continue on the upswing after last season's run to the Atlantic 10 tournament's semifinals followed by an achingly close loss to Virginia in the first round of the WNIT.
Camille Calhoun is healthy again after tearing her ACL. O'Boyle says the 6-foot junior is progressing well in drills; if she can overcome the mental hurdle of rebounding from such a serious injury, she could be the Rams' best offensive weapon. Calhoun averaged 11.3 ppg through seven games last fall before hurting her knee in December.
Mooriah Rowser gives VCU another scoring option. She's a versatile playmaker who's capable of taking it off the bounce or shooting the 3. She shot 44 percent from the field and drained 35 3-pointers at Memphis; her experience makes her an immediate impact player.
Isis Thorpe, Ashley Pegram and Keira Robinson also return along with Curteeona Brelove. All benefitted from the Rams state-of-the-art practice facility that requires a fingerprint to enter any hour of the day. Thorpe is set to become the all-time leader in 3-pointers at VCU. With 185 in her career, she is 11 shy of the record.
Point guard GG Goodhope, hampered by a foot injury and out for the first nine games of last season, will look to finish out her senior year with a bang as a distributor who isn't shy about shooting.
Among the newbies, Hammond is an intriguing matchup who is able to shoot the 15-footer. "She's great to watch," O'Boyle said. "You don't necessarily see big post players do a lot of the things she does."
Johnson tore her ACL last year and continues to rehab from surgery. Maddox comes from a powerhouse high school program. Hoover is the largest high school in Alabama with more than 2,700 students. Ever tune into the MTV reality show "Two-A-Days?" That's Hoover!
Williams was a true point guard in high school and will benefit from playing behind Goodhope and Robinson.
Don't sleep on these Rams. They won 23 games a year ago and look to make inroads in a competitive A-10. Minnesota is on the sked, too; the game will pit O'Boyle against VCU's last coach, Marlene Stollings, whose recruits include Thorpe, Robinson and Calhoun.
Season opener: Coppin State, Nov. 11
Clock is ticking toward the season so know you're eager for more. Old Dominion is up next.
The series thus far:
Goings:
Jessica Ogunnorin - A 6-foot-1 forward from Greece (by way of Stony Brook), she pulled down a team-high 223 rebounds as a graduate student last year. Averaged 5.7 points.
Adaeze Alaeze - The Rams' leading scorer last year at 11.6 points as a senior. A 5-10 swing player from Baltimore is starting her professional playing career in Spain.
Chadarryl Clay - A 5-foot-8 guard who scored 5.7 points per game last year as a senior. Now enrolled in pharmacy school at VCU, she will not return for her final year of eligibility.
Melanie Royster - The fifth-year senior who scored 7 points in limited playing time last year has graduated.
Comings
 |
| Camille Calhoun returns! |
Nyra Williams - Diminutive point guard (as in 5-5) from Hampton who scored 1,000 points in her
career at Bethel High School and took MVP honors at the 2015 She Got Game Classic in D.C. Not to be confused with Niya Johnson.
Niya Johnson - Native of Brooklyn. A 5-8 shooting guard who averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds as a high school senior. Not to be confused with Nyra Williams.
Jailyn Maddox - A 5-10 guard from (sweet home) Alabama. Made a name for herself in here hometown of Hoover both on and off the court, winning honors for her volunteer and charity work.
Mooriah Rowser - Dynamic 5-9 guard transfers to VCU after a solid career at Memphis. A grad student with one year of eligibility left after averaging 11 points last year for the Tigers. Came out of a prep powerhouse (St. John's College High in Rockville, Md.). Earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and is now pursuing a master's in computer and information systems security.
Danielle Hammond - A 6-4 center from scenic Bryn Mawr, Pa. Also starred in volleyball. Averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks as a high school senior. An aggressive shot swatter under the defensive basket.
No doubt the Rams will miss leading scorer Adaeze Alaeze, but expect Beth O'Boyle's program to continue on the upswing after last season's run to the Atlantic 10 tournament's semifinals followed by an achingly close loss to Virginia in the first round of the WNIT.
Camille Calhoun is healthy again after tearing her ACL. O'Boyle says the 6-foot junior is progressing well in drills; if she can overcome the mental hurdle of rebounding from such a serious injury, she could be the Rams' best offensive weapon. Calhoun averaged 11.3 ppg through seven games last fall before hurting her knee in December.
Mooriah Rowser gives VCU another scoring option. She's a versatile playmaker who's capable of taking it off the bounce or shooting the 3. She shot 44 percent from the field and drained 35 3-pointers at Memphis; her experience makes her an immediate impact player.
Isis Thorpe, Ashley Pegram and Keira Robinson also return along with Curteeona Brelove. All benefitted from the Rams state-of-the-art practice facility that requires a fingerprint to enter any hour of the day. Thorpe is set to become the all-time leader in 3-pointers at VCU. With 185 in her career, she is 11 shy of the record.
Point guard GG Goodhope, hampered by a foot injury and out for the first nine games of last season, will look to finish out her senior year with a bang as a distributor who isn't shy about shooting.
Among the newbies, Hammond is an intriguing matchup who is able to shoot the 15-footer. "She's great to watch," O'Boyle said. "You don't necessarily see big post players do a lot of the things she does."
Johnson tore her ACL last year and continues to rehab from surgery. Maddox comes from a powerhouse high school program. Hoover is the largest high school in Alabama with more than 2,700 students. Ever tune into the MTV reality show "Two-A-Days?" That's Hoover!
Williams was a true point guard in high school and will benefit from playing behind Goodhope and Robinson.
Don't sleep on these Rams. They won 23 games a year ago and look to make inroads in a competitive A-10. Minnesota is on the sked, too; the game will pit O'Boyle against VCU's last coach, Marlene Stollings, whose recruits include Thorpe, Robinson and Calhoun.
Season opener: Coppin State, Nov. 11
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Comings and Goings: Virginia Tech 2016-17
We continue to work our way through the state with a look at Virginia Tech. Coming up next in the series: VCU
The series:
Goings
Hannah Young: Started all 31 games; her 31 mpg was tops on the team; averaged 10.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg
Taijah Campbell: Started 24 games; averaged 4.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg;
Samantha Hill: Started all games and averaging 4.5 ppg, shooting 38 percent from 3
Alana Gilmer: transferred to Marist after scoring just 21 points all of last season
Khadedra Croker: no longer on the roster after two seasons as a Hokie; transferred to Norfolk State and will sit out the 2016-17 season
Kelly Koshuta: the sparingly-used forward has transferred to JMU; a five-star recruit from James Madison High who played in seven games
Tara Nahodil: scored just eight points last year and has graduated
Heidi Brown: the walk-on is no longer on the roster
Jaiden McCoy: Freshman from Knoxville, Tenn., was reportedly at school to start the fall semester and has left
Comings
Kenny Brooks: the architect of a dynasty at James Madison starts his first season as head coach at Virginia Tech, replacing Dennis Wolff
Jen Brown: Brooks' longtime assistant at JMU remains by his side
Shawn Popple: an assistant to Brooks who comes to Tech from Furman
 |
| Dianda Darosa |
Diandra Darosa, 5-7 junior guard: Coveted by Louisville and Syracuse, the point guard led ASA College to the national championship and averaged 14.1 ppg and 5.4 apg last season; played alongside Cheridene Green at ASA; Green has signed with Tennessee. Scored 22 with four assists and six steals in championship game loss to Hartford Community College
Kendyl Brooks, 5-8 freshman guard: Kenny's eldest; will redshirt the 2016-17 season; led Spotswood High to a state title her senior year
Kaela Kinder, 5-10 freshman guard; 3-star recruit from Christ the King High
Erin Garner 6-3 forward: Transfer from Georgia Tech is eligible for this season after attending Florida International; set record for blocks at Trenton Catholic High in Philadelphia
Genesis Parker, 5-9 Freshman guard; 4-star ESPN recruit ranked 62nd in her class; from Stonewall Jackson High
Michelle Berry, 6-2 sophomore forward: transfer from Cal Fullerton who will sit out 2016-17 season due to NCAA transfer rules
If you're in Blacksburg, it must feel like Christmas. What Brooks did 140 miles up I-81 is nothing shy of remarkable in his 14 years there. The Dukes earned 11 postseason berths and six NCAA bids under the JMU alum and boast two players in the WNBA in Tamera Young and Jazmon Gwathmey. But his greatest asset is developing talent. Consistently, players entered JMU's program -- Kirby Burkholder and Nikki Newman, for example -- with modest expectations and graduated as star performers for an NCAA tournament team. Year after year we saw Brooks transform recruits many schools shied away from into top-notch talent, including Gwathmey, who ended her season a starter for the WNBA's San Antonio Stars.
Can you tell we're excited to see what he'll do in the ACC?
We're not expecting earth-shattering changes just yet at Tech, but a core group returns that looks to build on last season's big wins against Tennessee and Virginia (twice). Hokie fans saw flashes of brilliance from players including Vanessa Panousis (21 points on 5-of-8 3-point shooting in Knoxville), Sidney Cook (23 points, 14 rebounds at Virginia) and Rachel Camp (29 points against Elon in the WNIT). Finding consistency will be the challenge this season for those players learning under a new coach. Brooks will also look to create more long ball looks for Panousis to create the kind of sizzling numbers she put up against the Lady Vols.
Darosa is a likely contributor, and though she's walking in a boot now due to a stress fracture in her shin, Brooks is hopeful she will mend quickly.
Brooks see scrappiness and experience but notes Tech lacks depth in the post, though Berry will be able to provide a body in practice while she awaits eligibility.
Expect redshirt sophomore Regan Megarity to see good minutes after an injury-plagued career thus far.
"She'll be a focal point of what we'll do. We'll utilize her size and quickness," Brooks said.
Tech's X factor? Brooks singles out point guard Chanette Hicks, who started 27 games last year as a freshman and averaged 4.1 assists with a single-season school-record 91 steals. (She also set a rookie single-season school record for assists with 134.)
"She looks like a young Muff Mickens," Brooks said, high praise indeed. JMU's Angela "Muff" Mickens finished her career in Harrisonburg last season ranking second all-time in assists with 669.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. UNC Asheville
Comings and Goings: Virginia Tech 2016-17
We continue to work our way through the state with a look at Virginia Tech. Coming up next in the series: VCU
The series:
Goings
Hannah Young: Started all 31 games; her 31 mpg was tops on the team; averaged 10.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg
Taijah Campbell: Started 24 games; averaged 4.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg;
Samantha Hill: Started all games and averaging 4.5 ppg, shooting 38 percent from 3
Alana Gilmer: transferred to Marist after scoring just 21 points all of last season
Khadedra Croker: no longer on the roster after two seasons as a Hokie; transferred to Norfolk State and will sit out the 2016-17 season
Kelly Koshuta: the sparingly-used forward has transferred to JMU; a five-star recruit from James Madison High who played in seven games
Tara Nahodil: scored just eight points last year and has graduated
Heidi Brown: the walk-on is no longer on the roster
Jaiden McCoy: Freshman from Knoxville, Tenn., was reportedly at school to start the fall semester and has left
Comings
Kenny Brooks: the architect of a dynasty at James Madison starts his first season as head coach at Virginia Tech, replacing Dennis Wolff
Jen Brown: Brooks' longtime assistant at JMU remains by his side
Shawn Popple: an assistant to Brooks who comes to Tech from Furman
|
| Dianda Darosa |
Diandra Darosa, 5-7 junior guard: Coveted by Louisville and Syracuse, the point guard led ASA College to the national championship and averaged 14.1 ppg and 5.4 apg last season; played alongside Cheridene Green at ASA; Green has signed with Tennessee. Scored 22 with four assists and six steals in championship game loss to Hartford Community College
Kendyl Brooks, 5-8 freshman guard: Kenny's eldest; will redshirt the 2016-17 season; led Spotswood High to a state title her senior year
Kaela Kinder, 5-10 freshman guard; 3-star recruit from Christ the King High
Erin Garner 6-3 forward: Transfer from Georgia Tech is eligible for this season after attending Florida International; set record for blocks at Trenton Catholic High in Philadelphia
Genesis Parker, 5-9 Freshman guard; 4-star ESPN recruit ranked 62nd in her class; from Stonewall Jackson High
Michelle Berry, 6-2 sophomore forward: transfer from Cal Fullerton who will sit out 2016-17 season due to NCAA transfer rules
If you're in Blacksburg, it must feel like Christmas. What Brooks did 140 miles up I-81 is nothing shy of remarkable in his 14 years there. The Dukes earned 11 postseason berths and six NCAA bids under the JMU alum and boast two players in the WNBA in Tamera Young and Jazmon Gwathmey. But his greatest asset is developing talent. Consistently, players entered JMU's program -- Kirby Burkholder and Nikki Newman, for example -- with modest expectations and graduated as star performers for an NCAA tournament team. Year after year we saw Brooks transform recruits many schools shied away from into top-notch talent, including Gwathmey, who ended her season a starter for the WNBA's San Antonio Stars.
Can you tell we're excited to see what he'll do in the ACC?
We're not expecting earth-shattering changes just yet at Tech, but a core group returns that looks to build on last season's big wins against Tennessee and Virginia (twice). Hokie fans saw flashes of brilliance from players including Vanessa Panousis (21 points on 5-of-8 3-point shooting in Knoxville), Sidney Cook (23 points, 14 rebounds at Virginia) and Rachel Camp (29 points against Elon in the WNIT). Finding consistency will be the challenge this season for those players learning under a new coach. Brooks will also look to create more long ball looks for Panousis to create the kind of sizzling numbers she put up against the Lady Vols.
Darosa is a likely contributor, and though she's walking in a boot now due to a stress fracture in her shin, Brooks is hopeful she will mend quickly.
Brooks see scrappiness and experience but notes Tech lacks depth in the post, though Berry will be able to provide a body in practice while she awaits eligibility.
Expect redshirt sophomore Regan Megarity to see good minutes after an injury-plagued career thus far.
"She'll be a focal point of what we'll do. We'll utilize her size and quickness," Brooks said.
Tech's X factor? Brooks singles out point guard Chanette Hicks, who started 27 games last year as a freshman and averaged 4.1 assists with a single-season school-record 91 steals. (She also set a rookie single-season school record for assists with 134.)
"She looks like a young Muff Mickens," Brooks said, high praise indeed. JMU's Angela "Muff" Mickens finished her career in Harrisonburg last season ranking second all-time in assists with 669.
Season opener: Nov. 11 vs. UNC Asheville
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