PAC 12 Preview: Colorado
Last Season: Colorado went 12-18 overall, and 2-16 in the conference. That’s just 7 wins in two years in league play.
The Coaches: Head Coach JR Payne will be in her 4th year at Colorado after two seasons at Santa Clara. Three years ago Payne led Santa Clara to its first winning season in 8 seasons and finished 23-9. JR, no periods, and real name Ali-Marie, is a graduate of St Mary’s where she played for now Oregon coach Kelly Graves. Her first coaching job was at age 23 for Graves when he started at Gonzaga.
Shandrika Lee is in her 4th season as an assistant at Colorado after coaching for Payne at Santa Clara. Lee is a graduate of Pepperdine and has coached at Oregon.
Toriano Towns is also in his 4th and also coached with Payne at Santa Clara. Towns coached at Gonzaga with Payne and later at Arizona where he was the Post coach for the great, late Polk.
Alex Earl is in her 4th year on the staff. Alex was an assistant with Payne three seasons ago at Santa Clara and played for years at ASU graduating in 2013. Alex was a HS teammate of JJ Hones on a team where all five starters player Division 1 basketball.
Losses:
Kennedy Leonard averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists
Alexis Robinson averaged 12 points and ,made twice as many threes as anyone else on the team.
Payton Crater averaged one point.
Mathilde Diop averaged one points.
Lost both starting guards, however all others who saw much playing time return.
Additions:
Charlotte Whittaker is a 6-4 Post from Australia who arrived at Colorado in January and will begin play this season. Whittaker averaged 14 points with the 18U in the Asian Championships.
Zuzanna Kulinska is a 5-11 Guard from Poland. Last season she played at a NY private HS averaging 24 points per game.
Jaylyn Sherrod, 5-8 Point Guard All State Alabama
Maura Singer 6-4 Post from CO, ranked # 123
Raanee Smith is a 6-2 Wing from Philadelphia
The Schedule: Wisconsin and Colorado State are their toughest non conference games. Colorado will play only one game each at the Washington schools and will host the Arizona schools.
The Team:
Mya Hollingshed is a 6-4 Jr Forward who averaged 11 points and 6 starting every game. Mya made 35 threes at 43%.
Quinessa Caylao-Do is a 5-8 Sr Guard who averaged 11 points while starting every game.
Annika Jank is a 6-3 Jr Post who averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds.
Sirena (Peanut) Tuitele is 6-1 Soph Forward who averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds.
Lesila Finau is 5-10 Soph Guard who averaged 3 points.
Emma Clarke is a 6-1 Frosh Guard from Australia who averaged 4 points in 16 minutes.
Kai Volcy is a 6-4 Soph Post who averaged 6 minutes per game
Aubrey Knight is a 5-8 Jr Guard who was injured and played just 3 games.
Frosh Whittaker and Kulinska should see action right away.
Predictions:
Despite their losses the Buffs have some good players back and only one is a Sr. Several frosh should contribute right away. Should be an improved team and young.
2020 Recruiting:
Allysa LaFontaine 6-0 Guard TX, not ranked
August 27, 2019
August 18, 2019
Pac 12 Previews: Arizona State University
Last Season: The Sun Devils were 22-11 and 10-7 in Pac 12 Play. They advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to Mississippi State.
The Coaching Staff:
Charli Turner Thorne returns for her 22th season as the Head Coach, and has taken the Sun Devils to the NCAAs 10 of her last 12 years of coaching. Charli sat out the 2012 season on a sabbatical.
Jackie Moore is in her 7th 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.
Angie Nelp is in her 3nd year coming from Rice.
Nikki Blue the former UCLA star has joined the staff as an assistant. Blue has Stanford connections having coached the past two years with Nicole Powell at Grand Canyon and then for three year prior for Coach McCall at Cal State Bakersfield.
Meg Saunders is a special assistant to Charli. This is Saunders 16th year on the staff after taking last season off.
The Losses:
Briann January is back full time in the WNBA, and not coaching at ASU.
Courtney Ekmark averaged 10 points the second leading scorer
Kianna Ibis averaged 14 points to lead the team and 6 rebounds.
Charnea Johnson-Chapman averaged 6 points and led the team at 7 rebounds per game.
Sophia Elenga averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds.
ASU lost 55% of their scoring and 55% of their rebounding.
The Additions:
Sydnei Caldwell, 5-9 Guard from New Jersey ranked 108
Eboni Walker, 5-11 Wing from Nevada, ranked # 44
Sara Bejedi, 5-7 Frosh Guard from Finland
Ja’Tavia Tapley, 6-3 Grad student transfer from USC.
The Schedule:
At Minnesota, at New Mexico and at home vs BYU, all three NCAA tournament teams last season. Also the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament which includes NCAA teams Auburn, Maine and Drake, plus Purdue. In league play ASU will visit Utah and Colorado and host Stanford and Cal for single games omly.
The Team:
Robbi Ryan is a 5-9 Sr Guard who averaged 7 points last season.
Reili Richardson is a 5-11 Sr Guard who averaged 5 points and 5 assists last season.
Jamie Ruden is a 6-2 Sr Forward who averaged 5 points per game.
Taya Hanson is a 5-10 Soph Guard from Canada. Hanson averaged 2 points.
Jamie Loera is a 5-9 Soph 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. Jamie averaged 3 points.
Iris Mbulito is a 6-1 Soph Wing from Spain, ranked as the # 2 foreign player. ASU recruited her with the competition being Pro ball in Europe. Iris averaged 4 points
Jayde Van Hyfte is a 6-1 Soph who averaged 2 points.
Kiara Russell is a 5-8 Sr Guard who averaged 3 points.
Bre’yanna Sanders is a 6-0 Jr Forward who played 8 games.
Eva Rubin is a 6-5 Sr Post who in 9 games.
Predictions:
Only two starters return and no one else who played over 13 minutes per game it looks like a down year for the Sun Devils. Of course there’s the Charli Turner-Thorne factor: she doesn’t coach down years. This team is very hard to predict. Coaching outstanding, players have a lot to prove. Several newcomers, Walker and Tapley should play quite a bit, Tapley being a very important addition. The need is for Richardson, Ruden and Ryan to have big Sr years.
2020 Recruiting:
Keeli Burton, 6-3 Post, WA, ranked # 78
Jaddan Simmons, 5-8 PG, WI
Sydney Erikstrup, 6-1 W, OR
Katelyn Levings, 6-3 F, OR, ranked # 48
Still recruiting Taylen Collins of OK 6-2
Last Season: The Sun Devils were 22-11 and 10-7 in Pac 12 Play. They advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to Mississippi State.
The Coaching Staff:
Charli Turner Thorne returns for her 22th season as the Head Coach, and has taken the Sun Devils to the NCAAs 10 of her last 12 years of coaching. Charli sat out the 2012 season on a sabbatical.
Jackie Moore is in her 7th 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.
Angie Nelp is in her 3nd year coming from Rice.
Nikki Blue the former UCLA star has joined the staff as an assistant. Blue has Stanford connections having coached the past two years with Nicole Powell at Grand Canyon and then for three year prior for Coach McCall at Cal State Bakersfield.
Meg Saunders is a special assistant to Charli. This is Saunders 16th year on the staff after taking last season off.
The Losses:
Briann January is back full time in the WNBA, and not coaching at ASU.
Courtney Ekmark averaged 10 points the second leading scorer
Kianna Ibis averaged 14 points to lead the team and 6 rebounds.
Charnea Johnson-Chapman averaged 6 points and led the team at 7 rebounds per game.
Sophia Elenga averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds.
ASU lost 55% of their scoring and 55% of their rebounding.
The Additions:
Sydnei Caldwell, 5-9 Guard from New Jersey ranked 108
Eboni Walker, 5-11 Wing from Nevada, ranked # 44
Sara Bejedi, 5-7 Frosh Guard from Finland
Ja’Tavia Tapley, 6-3 Grad student transfer from USC.
The Schedule:
At Minnesota, at New Mexico and at home vs BYU, all three NCAA tournament teams last season. Also the Florida Gulf Coast Tournament which includes NCAA teams Auburn, Maine and Drake, plus Purdue. In league play ASU will visit Utah and Colorado and host Stanford and Cal for single games omly.
The Team:
Robbi Ryan is a 5-9 Sr Guard who averaged 7 points last season.
Reili Richardson is a 5-11 Sr Guard who averaged 5 points and 5 assists last season.
Jamie Ruden is a 6-2 Sr Forward who averaged 5 points per game.
Taya Hanson is a 5-10 Soph Guard from Canada. Hanson averaged 2 points.
Jamie Loera is a 5-9 Soph 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. Jamie averaged 3 points.
Iris Mbulito is a 6-1 Soph Wing from Spain, ranked as the # 2 foreign player. ASU recruited her with the competition being Pro ball in Europe. Iris averaged 4 points
Jayde Van Hyfte is a 6-1 Soph who averaged 2 points.
Kiara Russell is a 5-8 Sr Guard who averaged 3 points.
Bre’yanna Sanders is a 6-0 Jr Forward who played 8 games.
Eva Rubin is a 6-5 Sr Post who in 9 games.
Predictions:
Only two starters return and no one else who played over 13 minutes per game it looks like a down year for the Sun Devils. Of course there’s the Charli Turner-Thorne factor: she doesn’t coach down years. This team is very hard to predict. Coaching outstanding, players have a lot to prove. Several newcomers, Walker and Tapley should play quite a bit, Tapley being a very important addition. The need is for Richardson, Ruden and Ryan to have big Sr years.
2020 Recruiting:
Keeli Burton, 6-3 Post, WA, ranked # 78
Jaddan Simmons, 5-8 PG, WI
Sydney Erikstrup, 6-1 W, OR
Katelyn Levings, 6-3 F, OR, ranked # 48
Still recruiting Taylen Collins of OK 6-2
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