RD tweet

[psycHOGlogist]

https://twitter.com/ArRecruitingGuy/status/858102807060254720

The GA Gatorade POY for 2016 was Jenna Staiti, and I'll bet my teeth that the other player is Destiny Slocum.

This is incredible - these players are the bluest of blue chippers.

A bit of background - Slocum was originally committed to CMN at UW before re-opening her recruitment. So, there's at least something there.

Both players left Maryland after their freshmen years and want to play nearer to home, which for Staiti is GA and for Slocum is Idaho.

Hmmm.... maybe that was just code for "I really don't like it at Maryland."

Wish the weather was going to be better.

[rolyat_2008]

Oh my. Sign them up

[psycHOGlogist]

The number 7 and 16 players in the country in 2016, per ESPNW.

[tophawg19]

please let 1 be a big player

[flippinhogmana]

please let 1 be a big player

Jenny Staiti is listed as 6-6. 

[psycHOGlogist]

She's a big, but she can also shoot some from outside. If I were her, I would certainly listen to Chantel Osahor's coach.

[Scott7703]

If mike gets these kinda girls the turn around will be a quick one:

[flippinhogmana]

She's a big, but she can also shoot some from outside. If I were her, I would certainly listen to Chantel Osahor's coach.

Early in the year she was starting for Maryland, but as time past she got less and less playing time.  How she was used might be a factor as to why she left.

[psycHOGlogist]

Well, on the one hand, she was playing behind Brionna Jones, so she was never going to be a starter as the season went on.

But I think you are right. I don't think she likes the idea of being nothing but a low post grinder. At least I've read some speculation to that effect.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Impressive.
Whether they come here or not, just getting attention like that from 5-star players right away is a feat.

[LadybackBBFan]

https://twitter.com/ArRecruitingGuy/status/858102807060254720

The GA Gatorade POY for 2016 was Jenna Staiti, and I'll bet my teeth that the other player is Destiny Slocum.

This is incredible - these players are the bluest of blue chippers.

A bit of background - Slocum was originally committed to CMN at UW before re-opening her recruitment. So, there's at least something there.

Both players left Maryland after their freshmen years and want to play nearer to home, which for Staiti is GA and for Slocum is Idaho.

Hmmm.... maybe that was just code for "I really don't like it at Maryland."

Wish the weather was going to be better.

Has anyone heard how these two visits went.  They would be huge additions!

[psycHOGlogist]

I heard the visits were wet! ;-)

Eager for information, as well. Neither has tweeted anything substantive since the visit started (but then, they didn't tweet about the visits beforehand, either).

Staiti did post this during her visit:

https://twitter.com/jenna_staiti/status/858868411128045572

And Slocum retweeted it. Putting on the mind-reading goggles (lol), that suggests to me it's a subtweet about their time at Maryland. Would view it as positive and an indication they had fun, but hardly a sign of anything.

[LadybackBBFan]

I noticed that Staiti is following Neighbors on Twitter, but Slocum is not.  Slocum is following coaches from Arizona, Arizona State and Louisville besides Maryland.  Do we know that she actually came?

[psycHOGlogist]

Yes, she was here. I noticed the same thing, but apparently it doesn't mean much in this case. Reading the twitter tea leaves is always a gamble, anyway.

[beringer62]

Any update on the last assistant coach?

[psycHOGlogist]

Nothing on the coach, but we did not do enough to get Slocum.

https://twitter.com/Raoul_000/status/859190101766791169

This was widely speculated about after her transfer -- that she'd end up on the west coast at either Oregon or OSU. Wish her well, and hope we can maybe still get Staiti.

Pretty cool that we could get them to visit, though, either way.

[Hogtied85]

Oh well you can't get them all better days are ahead

[Scott7703]

Missed on Staiti too. She is Jawga bound.

[psycHOGlogist]

Missed on Staiti too. She is Jawga bound.

Yup - close to home. Glad we could get her to visit.

[flippinhogmana]

Ms Thomas is a nice consolation prize and she gets to play this year!

[FineAsSwine]

Once CMN has a chance to get settled in here, I think we are going to get some very good players to sign the dotted line.  :razorback:

[flippinhogmana]

Once CMN has a chance to get settled in here, I think we are going to get some very good players to sign the dotted line.  :razorback:

I guess he is settled in then.  Thomas is a good player, but the transfer is a five star ranked 23 in the hoopgurlz ranking (about the equivalent of Aalayiah Willson (30) and Jordan Danberry (43)  Malica Monk was rated 62nd) even if we have to wait a year on her.

[Hogtied85]

I guess he is settled in then.  Thomas is a good player, but the transfer is a five star ranked 23 in the hoopgurlz ranking (about the equivalent of Aalayiah Willson (30) and Jordan Danberry (43)  Malica Monk was rated 62nd) even if we have to wait a year on her.

Player Development will be very important. I wonder how Coach Neighbors will manage all of this talent. Current team and future team???

Jalyn Mason
Bailey Zimmerman
Keryn Swenson

[psycHOGlogist]

You have to hope that he recruits over Zimmerman and Swenson, imo. Though they will be seniors by the time that any of his non-immediate-help recruits see the court. I think they will become role players. If you watched some of UW's games this past year (and I only saw a handful), they basically had Plum running the show, or occasionally their freshman PG, McDonald, and they would let those two create and then dish to posts for a layup or shooters for a 3. I think Swenson could fit nicely in that role. Zimmerman is just a balls-out hustle player. I liked her development from the first year, but she is a very inconsistent shooter still, and not really athletic enough to guard a lot of the slashing wings we will see in the SEC. She is great at scrapping for boards and being a nuisance. You'd have to think that her chance of playing would depend on her ability to find the right role and fit herself into Neighbors' defensive scheme.

I didn't mention Mason - I think she's good. I'm interested to see how she'll develop. She tried to do too much at times last year, but when she was connecting on her mid-range jumpers, she was good. She needs to be more consistent on defense, though.

[flippinhogmana]

they basically had Plum running the show, or occasionally their freshman PG, McDonald, and they would let those two create and then dish to posts for a layup or shooters for a 3. I think Swenson could fit nicely in that role. Zimmerman is just a balls-out hustle player. I liked her development from the first year, but she is a very inconsistent shooter still, and not really athletic enough to guard a lot of the slashing wings we will see in the SEC. She is great at scrapping for boards and being a nuisance. You'd have to think that her chance of playing would depend on her ability to find the right role and fit herself into Neighbors' defensive scheme.

I didn't mention Mason - I think she's good. I'm interested to see how she'll develop. She tried to do too much at times last year, but when she was connecting on her mid-range jumpers, she was good. She needs to be more consistent on defense, though. (stupid app wouldn't let be italicize this part of the above comment).

I didnt see them much either but it seemed pretty much like you describe it on offense.  On defense you aren't just a role player, you either carry your weight and more or not.  Some of W's role players stood out more in different ways on defense.  Collier was to a large degree just a hustle scorer on offense but her defense was a lot more important.  the girl who was the nations leading rebounder might not have been the best defender but she certainly went and got the ball when it went up if it didnt go in. I think Swenson could be a relentless rebounder.  I think Zimmer could contribute a lot on defense as well. 

I think Mason had a combination of a second half of the season freshman slump, combined with the fact that is when we face conference play.  I expect another year of maturity to help in both cases (not as much of a drop-off when she comes to the second half, conference at the end of the year and even better than last year at the start, depending of course on Cosper and Wilson, if they are both going on all cylinders it will relieve her a lot.  Both of those two weren't there at the start last year. 

[psycHOGlogist]

Osahor was a rebounding machine, but mostly because she was so good at sucking up space (and had long arms). She's supposedly only about 5'11"-6'0" (listed at 6'2", but isn't). She's also got a crazy high basketball IQ.

But there's no doubt that rebounding is basically about "want-to." I hope we can instill some of that. Zimmerman has it in spades.

[LadybackBBFan]

Some good comments.  Zimmerman needs to become stronger - too many ball are ripped away from her.

[LadybackBBFan]

If coach could develop Zimmerman, she could become comparable to Macy Morris of Kentucky - both have similar body types and athletic ability.