SEC Xtra: Diamond DeShields is 3rd departure from Lady Vol’s basketball team

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/GoVolsXtra/status/878437925310144513

Wes Rucker‏ @wesrucker247 Jun 23

Wes Rucker Retweeted GoVolsXtra

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

[psycHOGlogist]

If it weren't for the great signing class she has coming in, I think Warlick would be gone. That program is a mess, but because "It's Tennessee" it still gets blue-chip kids to look at it. I also think that the WBB media is trying VERY hard not to cover what's going on there. There are obvious issues.

[flippinhogmana]

If it weren't for the great signing class she has coming in, I think Warlick would be gone. That program is a mess, but because "It's Tennessee" it still gets blue-chip kids to look at it. I also think that the WBB media is trying VERY hard not to cover what's going on there. There are obvious issues.

I dont generally criticize coaches, its not my knee jerk reaction.  I was the same way when I was a city manager about previous city managers or city managers of other towns, it just gets a little close to home professionally to in essence elevate yourself or your opinions at the expense of someone walking in your shoes. 

That being said, if Warlick had the goods she would have been showing it long before now.  She effectively was the coach for the last two years of Summit's tenure, and she has had a couple of years since then to establish herself independent of that to show her mettle. She hasn't really shown much.  She reminds me so much of Susie Gardner.

I was surprised to see them rally the last half of the season this year and do as well as they did.  You can give credit to Warlick for that if you like, but I think it was more due to Diamond and the 6-6 center choosing to close out their tenures at Tenner the right way.  Those two especially started playing ball.  Time will tell.

[psycHOGlogist]

Their program has been constant soap opera since Holly took over. The current talking point is to blame Tea and Diamond -- who do indeed sound like prima donnas and bad teammates -- but the issue remains: Who recruited them? Who allowed the environment to fester? Who created the kind of environment when players videotaped a fight between their teammates and then posted it to social media?

Plus, if Tea Cooper were really so horrible, would Jolette Law leave Tenner for USC (where Cooper is transferring) and the prospect of coaching Cooper again?

The buck stops at the coach - it's her program, her mess, and her complete inability to get a handle on things.

Perhaps we will see addition by subtraction, but there's no evidence that Warlick has figured out what got her into this mess to begin with. Their backcourt this year is going to be freshmen, for the most part, and DeShields' departure puts a lot of pressure on Nared (the one who fought with Cooper) to shoulder the load. I'm not sure she is that caliber player (though she's clearly very talented).

Like you say: time will tell. But I will not be surprised if there's a new HC on Rocky Top next year.

[Dr. Starcs]

So what's going on there?

[psycHOGlogist]

The players can't stand one another to the point that they are -- reportedly -- scheduling fights with one another, filming them, and posting them to social media. Three starters have transferred or quit after the season. Despite a hugely talented roster, they could not play as a team last season and lost numerous games they "should" have won, and the coach was unable to do anything about it. She recruited players with absolutely no regard to team chemistry and was not willing to set limits on the shenanigans that were tearing the program apart.

Their top assistant also just left to go to SEC rival USC, which is where Cooper is transferring. Ouch.

At this point, they are hoping for "addition by subtraction," which could happen. But there is also a fair amount of plain old statistical subtraction happening. DeShields was their leading scorer, Middleton was their best 3 pt threat, and Cooper (who sat out last year injured) was going to be their PG this year (she started as a freshman). They have a very good signing class coming in, but they will have to play with a freshman PG and have almost no backcourt depth.

Kind of rocky times on Rocky Top, imo. (Still - LOTS of talent in the program with Russell and Nared and the freshmen).

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/DCTheState/status/879649565980463105

[nwahogfan1]

The players can't stand one another to the point that they are -- reportedly -- scheduling fights with one another, filming them, and posting them to social media. Three starters have transferred or quit after the season. Despite a hugely talented roster, they could not play as a team last season and lost numerous games they "should" have won, and the coach was unable to do anything about it. She recruited players with absolutely no regard to team chemistry and was not willing to set limits on the shenanigans that were tearing the program apart.

Their top assistant also just left to go to SEC rival USC, which is where Cooper is transferring. Ouch.

At this point, they are hoping for "addition by subtraction," which could happen. But there is also a fair amount of plain old statistical subtraction happening. DeShields was their leading scorer, Middleton was their best 3 pt threat, and Cooper (who sat out last year injured) was going to be their PG this year (she started as a freshman). They have a very good signing class coming in, but they will have to play with a freshman PG and have almost no backcourt depth.

Kind of rocky times on Rocky Top, imo. (Still - LOTS of talent in the program with Russell and Nared and the freshmen).

Apparently very talented group of transfers so you think we are in the mix to get any of these ladies to come here?

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/880091489732370432

[psycHOGlogist]

Apparently very talented group of transfers so you think we are in the mix to get any of these ladies to come here?

No. Cooper is going to be a Gamecock, and Middleton announced yesterday that she is going to Iowa State. DeShields will almost certainly be going to Europe to play professionally.

None of them was in a particularly high need position for us, fwiw (and I'm not sure you would want to take either Cooper or DeShields due to chemistry concerns, tbh).