Italy Trip - Practices begin soon!

[DoreFan49]

The Italy trip is supposed to begin on August 5th.From what I’ve read, teams taking this opportunity for summer play can practice starting 10 days before and on days where they have no games. So practice will likely begin in the middle of this week.

Assuming all players are healthy and in good shape, this should give the coaching staff and the players a good glimpse of the possible future for this team next season. This will include determining the best roles for each of these players.

It is way too early to predict a starting lineup for the 2023-24 Commodores but it might be not too early to begin to make some observations about it.

I am no expert but here are a few of my observations about where the thirteen players might fit in to CSR’s plans. Some players may have multiple roles depending upon their development.

Here is I see it with regards to their possible positions,


Point guards

Jordyn Cambridge Gr
Jordyn Oliver Gr
Bella LaChance Sen
Madison Greene Fr

Shooting Guards

Iyana Moore Soph (Redshirt Junior)
Jada Brown Soph
Ryanne Allen Soph
Justine Pissott Soph
Aga Makurat Fr

Small forwards

Jordyn Oliver Gr
Jordyn Cambridge Gr
Madison Greene Fr

Forwards

Sacha Washington Jun
Aiyana Mitchell Fr
Khamil Pierre Fr
Justine Pissott Soph
Aga Makurat Fr
Bailey Gilmore Fr
Ryanne Allen Soph

I think we have a lot of experience and talent and depth at all positions which will greatly improve our performance offensively and defensely. With a much bigger and stronger frontcourt, our rebounding (a weakness last season) will certainly see improvement.

I am looking forward to a season that will begin a new era of success in the SEC and the NCAA!

[VandyJim]

I like the breakdown above Dorefan. I don't see Madison Greene ever playing small forward though with the size we have added. Perhaps she finds her way to a shooting guard at times. And I doubt Cambridge will play any forward either. We just have too much size now.
Looking at the roster the way Dorefan lays it out, I do have q couple of observations. First, how does Bella see any minutes? The players Ralph has brought in are so skilled, the two returning injured players are better, and Greene has such a promising upside how will Ralph keep her on the bench? I worry about our three freshman bigs. Pierre and Mitchell are ready to contribute now, while Gilmore (the most athletic) may need time to get SEC ready. If any of these three does not see the time she thinks she deserves, will she transfer? This class is so good and so varied with their skill sets, I just hope they all stay. Washington will occupy one big spot, but who else?
This roster composition has such interchangeability; I cannot wait to see how Ralph figures it out. My fingers are crossed that these 5 freshman all stay. They are a special group.

[Ndorefin]

I can envision JC, Moore ,Pissott, Makurat/Allen and Washington being our starting 5. That leaves us with a very strong bench with Oliver, Greene, Makurat/Allen, Pierre and Mitchell. It’s been a long time since we’ve had this much depth and talent! Not to mention the experience of LaChance and Brown and the potential of Gilmore! The starters are going to have to work extremely hard everyday to keep their spot!

[VandyJim]

Ralph certainly has the depth to vary her starters. The lineup you mentioned would be 4 guards and 1 post. I like it. Ralph could also go with three guards, Washington, and another freshman post against bigger schools like SC and the Bayou Brats. I'm honestly at the point where I just want to get this season going and see Ralph's creativity with her players, the integration of the experienced portal players with the team, the incoming freshman and how they fare, and the healthy status of JC and Moore. Anchor down! Lets FG!!

[DoreFan49]

I am going to suggest this as a possible strategy for this team with a deep bench.

Two full teams that might look like this.

Team #1

Jordan C 1
Iyana Moore 2
Ryanne Allen 3
Aga Makurat 4
Sasha Washington 5

Team #2

Jordan O or Bella Lachance 1
Jada Brown 2
Justine Pissott or Jordan O 3
Khamil Pierre or Justine Pissott 4
Aiyana Mitchell 5

This could result in some very competitive intrateam scrimmages which can help to prepare them for games and to keep everyone motivated and satisfied with the playing time in practice and in games.

[VandyJim]

I'd be surprised if Ralph used this strategy, but it got me thinking about the old days at UNC when Dean Smith had his "Blue Team" -- I think around the time of Phil Ford. The Blue team came in (5 subs) with the sole mission of wreaking havoc for 3-4 minutes. And it worked.
I do agree that Ralph's practices are going to be super competitive and more meaningful with all this talent. Minutes will be earned, simply not given. That's a delight for a coach. Healthy competition produces positive results.
I just hope players like Gilmore and perhaps even Jayda Brown don't leave because their minutes are not huge.
7-10 years ago it was not uncommon for coaches to recruit players and clearly say to them that they need to get acclimated to being a college athlete, getting bigger and stronger, and understanding a coach's system -- and all that could take a year or two. But the portal has changed all that. Kids get impatient and a little disgruntled and simply leave.
Ralph has 7 incoming players and I hope she finds a way to keep them all because this group is excellent.

[DoreFan49]

I'd be surprised if Ralph used this strategy, but it got me thinking about the old days at UNC when Dean Smith had his "Blue Team" -- I think around the time of Phil Ford. The Blue team came in (5 subs) with the sole mission of wreaking havoc for 3-4 minutes. And it worked.
I do agree that Ralph's practices are going to be super competitive and more meaningful with all this talent. Minutes will be earned, simply not given. That's a delight for a coach. Healthy competition produces positive results.
I just hope players like Gilmore and perhaps even Jayda Brown don't leave because their minutes are not huge.
7-10 years ago it was not uncommon for coaches to recruit players and clearly say to them that they need to get acclimated to being a college athlete, getting bigger and stronger, and understanding a coach's system -- and all that could take a year or two. But the portal has changed all that. Kids get impatient and a little disgruntled and simply leave.
Ralph has 7 incoming players and I hope she finds a way to keep them all because this group is excellent.

I was not thinking about using the Dean Smith "Blue Team" strategy, but a strategy for intense competitive practices so that will make for more game ready players available.

Last year, we played thru the entire grueling SEC season with only 7 or 8 game ready players available. Our starters ended up playing many more minutes than the opposition's starters resulting in offensive droughts for us and offensive feasts for the competition resulting in insurmountable leads for the opposition. I remember Shea discussing this issue many times in her press conferences. For example, in the South Carolina game, our starters averaged 29 minutes and the Gamecock starters averaged 19 minutes.

This strategy of having two competitive teams at all practices would likely result in a dynamic starting lineup that for any given game, we have more players ready to start and to provide quality minutes whenever they are needed (for giving the players rest and or for substitutions in times of illness or injury).

Coach Shea Ralph and staff will be the decision makers about how they conduct practice and coach during games and who will start and who will come in off the bench. My only point is that they have many more options with these 13 talented players than they had last year with only 7 or 8 players.

I am looking forward to an exciting season!!! Cant wait!!