Pac 12 Preview: Arizona
Last Season: Arizona was 6-24 overall and 2-16 in Pac 12 play, under Head Coach Adia Barnes.
The Coaches: Adia Barnes is the all time leading scorer at Arizona and is in her 3nd year the Head Coach. Barnes had been at Washington as an assistant the past four years as the Huskies came from the 2nd division of the Pac 12 to the NCAA Final Four. Barnes played professionally for 12 years including for 4 WNBA Teams.
Salvo Coppa, or Mr Barnes is a 3rd year assistant. Coppa is from Italy and has extensive overseas coaching experience and several years in the US.
Morgan Valley is in her 3nd year after coming from the U of Washington. Morgan played at UConn and before Washington was an assistant at Virginia Tech.
April Phillips has joined the staff coming from LMU where she was Associate Head Coach. Of course Stanford fans will remember her playing vs Jeanette’s 4.4 vs Xavier.
Losses:
Starting with a huge loss incoming recruit Valeria Trucco, 6-4 Post from Italy # 3 European player, however a 5 star on another recruiting site. She signed a Pro Contract to play in Europe. A last minute loss, and due to her father being very ill.
Sunny Smallwood spent two years as the Associate Head Coach. She is now an Assistant at Montana State. Smallwood was the Associate Head Coach the two seasons at Boise State. She has coached at Cal, one year but the recruiting year of Hampton, Walker and Gray-Lawson. She also coached 9 years at Nebraska and another 11 years at Washington.
Sammy Fatkin who scored 2 points per game as a Frosh transferred to Montana.
Bria Rice who played only 6 games is gone.
Kat Wright graduated after averaging 7 points and started all games as a Forward spot
Jalea Bennett graduated after starting every game and was the leading score at 14 points and also averaged 4 rebounds.
Additions:
Aarion McDonald is 5-7 Redshirt Soph Guard who transferred from Washington where she started and was the teams’ 3rd leading scorer. In Washington’s post season run Aarion averaged 14 points per game. She sat out this past season. Ranked # 42 out of HS.
Tee Tee Starks is a 5-9 Guard who transferred from Iowa State where she started about half their games last season. Starks is a redshirt Soph who sat out last season. Ranked # 38 out of HS.
Dominique McBryde is a 6-2 Redshirt Jr Forward who transferred from Purdue where she averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds this past season. McBryde sat out last season as a transfer. Ranked # 45 out of HS.
That’s three transfers who sat out last season but practiced with the team and will contribute, even start from Day 1. All were ranked top 50 out of HS.
Catherine Reese, 6-3 PF a Frosh from Texas ranked # 31
Semaj Smith 6-5 Post from So Cal ranked # 48
Shelyse Smith, Wing from Washington ranked # 102
Bryce Nixon a 5-10 Point Guard from Arizona ranked # 128.
Now that’s’ four newcomers to the team all ranked in the top 50 out of HS. What a change in talent from past years.
The Schedule:
The non conference schedule is going to be pretty easy, maybe ending with a solid winning record entering conference play depending on health and the Frosh paying well early. I’m sure the schedule is because so many new players.
The Wildcats play USC and UCLA only at home and Washington and Washington State only on the road.
The Team:
Destiny Graham is a 6-3 Sr Post from Eastside Prep in East Palo Alto. Graham averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds per game last season.
Lucia Alonso is a 5-7 Jr Guard who started every game last season averaging 8 points and 3 assists. She also hit 43 threes at 39%.
Marlee Kyles is a 5-7 Soph Guard who averaged 8 points last season
Sam Thomas is a 6-0 Soph Forward who averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds.
Kiana Berkhoff (formally Chew) is a 6-3 Soph post. Chew is from Germany but played HS basketball in Florida. She barely played last season
Predictions:
Seven new players, five of whom should contribute quite a bit immediately. Add the four returnees who played a lot last season and it appears that Branes will be turning this program around. Not first division maybe but I think vastly improved.
2019 Recruiting:
Birna Benonysdottir is a 4 star 6-5 Post from Iceland.
August 29, 2018
August 22, 2018
Pac 12 Previews: Arizona State University
Last Season: The Sun Devils were 22-13 and 10-8 in Pac 12 Play.
The Coaching Staff:
Charli Turner Thorne returns for her 21th season as the Head Coach, and has taken the Sun Devils to the NCAAs 9 of her last 11 years of coaching. Charli sat out the 2012 season on a sabbatical.
Jackie Moore is in her 6th year as an Assistant at ASU and is now the Associate Head Coach. She has been an assistant at Miami of Florida, Boston College and Nevada.
Former ASU great and current WNBA All Star Briann January joined the Staff last season.
Angie Nelp is in her 2nd year coming from Rice.
Meg Saunders is back as special assistant to Charli. This is Saunders 15th year on the staff after taking last season off.
The Losses:
Sabrina Haines only played 9 games before being injured last season but averaged 10 points per game. Sabrina has transferred to Kentucky.
The Additions:
Taya Hanson is a 5-10 Frosh Guard from Canada. Hanson is ranked as the # 18 foreign player. She has been on Canadian National Youth teams the past 4 years.
Jamie Loera is a 5-9 Frosh Point Guard from Washington. Both sisters played D 1 basketball and did her Mom. Jamie was the Point Guard on the Stanford Hull twins Travel team.
Iris Mbulito is a 6-1 Frosh Wing from Spain, ranked as the # 2 foreign player. ASU recruited her with the competition being Pro ball in Europe. Iris was a recent star of the World 20U tournament.
Jayde Van Hyfte is a 6-1 Frosh Forward from Illinois.
The Schedule:
ASU plays Baylor in Ft Defiance AZ. This location is on a Native American Reservation. ASU plays Louisville in a tournament. These are the only tough non- conference games. ASU plays at Washington and Washington State and hosts USC and UCLA. They play home and away the other Pac 12 teams.
The Team:
Courtney Ekmark is a 6-0, 5th year Sr Guard who transferred from UConn and in her first season at ASU averaged 10 points and 4 rebounds. Courtney made 58 threes at 37%. However and this is unheard of, Courtney is in her 2nd year in ASU’s Law School.
Robbi Ryan is a 5-9 Jr Guard who averaged 10 points last season.
Kianna Ibis is a 6-1 Sr Forward who averaged 13 points and 5 rebounds last year.
Reili Richardson is a 5-11 Jr Guard who averaged 6 points and 5 assists last season.
Charnea Johnson-Chapman is a 6-4 Sr Post who averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds last season.
Jamie Ruden is a 6-2 Jr Forward who averaged 9 points per game.
Kiara Russell is a 5-8 Jr Guard who averaged 5 points.
Sophia Elenga is a 6-1 Sr Forward/ Post from France. Sophia averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game.
That’s 8 players who played a solid role including five who started either all or almost all games last season. Add Frosh Hanson and Mbulito and ten deep, the way CTT likes to rotate.
Bre’yanna Sanders is a 6-0 Forward who played 8 minutes per games.
Eva Rubin is a 6-5 Jr Post who played just 56 minutes in 13 games.
Predictions:
This is a very good making the NCAA team who will battle for a 4-6 position in the Pac 12. The Sun Devils lost only one player and she played just 9 games. They played tough defense last year allowing just 58 points per game.
2019 Recruiting:
Sydnei Caldwell, 5-9 Guard from New Jersey ranked 109
Eboni Walker, 5-11 Wing from Nevada, ranked # 110
Last Season: The Sun Devils were 22-13 and 10-8 in Pac 12 Play.
The Coaching Staff:
Charli Turner Thorne returns for her 21th season as the Head Coach, and has taken the Sun Devils to the NCAAs 9 of her last 11 years of coaching. Charli sat out the 2012 season on a sabbatical.
Jackie Moore is in her 6th year as an Assistant at ASU and is now the Associate Head Coach. She has been an assistant at Miami of Florida, Boston College and Nevada.
Former ASU great and current WNBA All Star Briann January joined the Staff last season.
Angie Nelp is in her 2nd year coming from Rice.
Meg Saunders is back as special assistant to Charli. This is Saunders 15th year on the staff after taking last season off.
The Losses:
Sabrina Haines only played 9 games before being injured last season but averaged 10 points per game. Sabrina has transferred to Kentucky.
The Additions:
Taya Hanson is a 5-10 Frosh Guard from Canada. Hanson is ranked as the # 18 foreign player. She has been on Canadian National Youth teams the past 4 years.
Jamie Loera is a 5-9 Frosh Point Guard from Washington. Both sisters played D 1 basketball and did her Mom. Jamie was the Point Guard on the Stanford Hull twins Travel team.
Iris Mbulito is a 6-1 Frosh Wing from Spain, ranked as the # 2 foreign player. ASU recruited her with the competition being Pro ball in Europe. Iris was a recent star of the World 20U tournament.
Jayde Van Hyfte is a 6-1 Frosh Forward from Illinois.
The Schedule:
ASU plays Baylor in Ft Defiance AZ. This location is on a Native American Reservation. ASU plays Louisville in a tournament. These are the only tough non- conference games. ASU plays at Washington and Washington State and hosts USC and UCLA. They play home and away the other Pac 12 teams.
The Team:
Courtney Ekmark is a 6-0, 5th year Sr Guard who transferred from UConn and in her first season at ASU averaged 10 points and 4 rebounds. Courtney made 58 threes at 37%. However and this is unheard of, Courtney is in her 2nd year in ASU’s Law School.
Robbi Ryan is a 5-9 Jr Guard who averaged 10 points last season.
Kianna Ibis is a 6-1 Sr Forward who averaged 13 points and 5 rebounds last year.
Reili Richardson is a 5-11 Jr Guard who averaged 6 points and 5 assists last season.
Charnea Johnson-Chapman is a 6-4 Sr Post who averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds last season.
Jamie Ruden is a 6-2 Jr Forward who averaged 9 points per game.
Kiara Russell is a 5-8 Jr Guard who averaged 5 points.
Sophia Elenga is a 6-1 Sr Forward/ Post from France. Sophia averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game.
That’s 8 players who played a solid role including five who started either all or almost all games last season. Add Frosh Hanson and Mbulito and ten deep, the way CTT likes to rotate.
Bre’yanna Sanders is a 6-0 Forward who played 8 minutes per games.
Eva Rubin is a 6-5 Jr Post who played just 56 minutes in 13 games.
Predictions:
This is a very good making the NCAA team who will battle for a 4-6 position in the Pac 12. The Sun Devils lost only one player and she played just 9 games. They played tough defense last year allowing just 58 points per game.
2019 Recruiting:
Sydnei Caldwell, 5-9 Guard from New Jersey ranked 109
Eboni Walker, 5-11 Wing from Nevada, ranked # 110
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