DWBB 2020-21 Season

[DU82]

Time to start a new thread for the upcoming season and retire the old one.

As Chris mentioned in the old thread, we have a grad transfer from Cal just committed, Sara Anastasieska. She is a 5’11” guard from Sydney, Australia, and started 25 games for Cal last season.

Here’s her instagram page with the announcement.
https://www.instagram.com/saranastasieska/

[Kedsy]

Is Olivia Pollerd a 20-21 freshman or a 21-22 freshman?

[DU82]

Is Olivia Pollerd a 20-21 freshman or a 21-22 freshman?

21-22. Is looking forward to playing with Miela Goodchild, who will be a senior during Olivia's freshman season.

[CameronBornAndBred]

There's not much to talk about other than our new coach, and no sense in starting a new thread.
Just tossing out the note that Leaonna Odom started her WNBA career today, coming off the bench with 9 points in 28 minutes in a loss for the NY Liberty. Those 28 minutes were tied for third most on the team.

https://www.espn.com/wnba/boxscore?gameId=401230733

[du_bb1]

Very impressive cadre for assistants for Kara. Lots of head coaching experience for someone new to college coaching ranks to lean upon.
Great recruiting experience, looking forward to a couple of years to get going, then, hopefully, gangbusters.

[CamrnCrz1974]

CaptureTDD - 1.jpg

** Duke made Kiki Rice’s final list of 11 schools.
*** Duke made KK Bransford’s final list of 12 schools.
**** Duke made Aaliyah Gayles’ final list of 10 schools.
## Holds Duke scholarship offer

CaptureTDD - 2.jpg

# Acacia Hayes missed most of the 2019-20 season with an ACL injury in her right knee, which explains why she has not been ranked in the recruiting rating services’ preliminary rankings.
* Hayes has two older sisters -- Anastasia and Aislynn -- who play for MTSU (Anastasia transferred from Tennessee) and one older sister -- Alasia -- who plays for Notre Dame.

[heyman25]

https://goduke.com/news/2020/9/23/ha...ll-roster.aspx
Lafayette transfer 5'10
Jim Sumner commented good practice player addition

[Phredd3]

https://goduke.com/news/2020/9/23/ha...ll-roster.aspx
Lafayette transfer 5'10
Jim Sumner commented good practice player addition

Just to clarify a rule, does the transfer sit-out not apply to walk-ons? That would make sense, but I just don't know the rule. It sounded like she just got to Duke this year.

[chrishoke]

Coach Lawson has nabbed her first recruit - 2022 guard Emma Koabel from Canada. Welcome Emma.

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...ng-emma-koabel

"Emma Koabel, "one of the best [Class of 2022] players in Canada", announced her commitment to the Blue Devils on Instagram Friday afternoon. The 5-foot-10 guard is part of the Niagara Prep Basketball program and was also a member of Canada’s 2018 Jr. NBA World Championships team."

"Koabel’s Niagara Prep profile notes her superior basketball IQ and versatility in the backcourt as two of her greatest strengths. In the classroom, Koabel has earned a “4.0 GPA with a 96 percent Academic Average.”"

[CameronBornAndBred]

Coach Lawson has nabbed her first recruit - 2022 guard Emma Koabel from Canada. Welcome Emma.

https://www.dukechronicle.com/articl...ng-emma-koabel

"Emma Koabel, "one of the best [Class of 2022] players in Canada", announced her commitment to the Blue Devils on Instagram Friday afternoon. The 5-foot-10 guard is part of the Niagara Prep Basketball program and was also a member of Canada’s 2018 Jr. NBA World Championships team."

"Koabel’s Niagara Prep profile notes her superior basketball IQ and versatility in the backcourt as two of her greatest strengths. In the classroom, Koabel has earned a “4.0 GPA with a 96 percent Academic Average.”"

Looks like Coach Lawson is off to a good start. The last Canadian playing in Cameron worked out pretty well.

[chrishoke]

Coach Lawson has a commitment for 2021 - Lee Volker is a three star guard from Virginia.

https://twitter.com/LJVolker_01/stat...50727143927808

[jimsumner]

First day of formal practice

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...basketball-acc

[uh_no]

First day of formal practice

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...basketball-acc

work hard to make reads and finish the way we want them do.

On the offensive end we don’t want to turn it over.

Well at the worst, she knows the right things to say to appease DBR!!!

I think the most interesting part to me was

She says she’s looked at film from last season but is relying more on what she’s seeing in person.

“That’s really more indicative of what they can or can’t do because sometimes a system can dictate what they’re allowed to do in it and maybe they’re allowed to do more or maybe they can’t do more until you get them on the court.”

This sounds like she doesn't necessarily feel like prior systems were putting players in places to best use their talents.

Do we have any tentative dates yet like we do for the men?

[CamrnCrz1974]

Dan Olson’s (Collegiate Girls Basketball Report) Evaluations of Lee Volker (2021)

July 2018
Agile guard with versatility in the back court; scores off the dribble, executes in system setting; brings offensive game to the arc.

June 2019
Agile guard moves off the ball, delivers in half-court game; rise on jumper in mid-range game to the arc; finishes plays in transition; plays with savvy, basketball IQ.

December 2019
Confident guard manufactures shots, drains mid-range jump shots with consistency; executes in half-court game, drives and finishes to the rim; handles in transition game, distributes; a stock-riser in the class of 2021.


Who's Next: Top 10 DMV high school girls basketball players on the rise
Chad Ricardo and Josh Morgan-Green (NBC Sports Washington)
July 21, 2020
Lee Volker epitomizes what it means to be a floor general. The Panther is a natural-born leader who helps push herself and her teammates to heights of success. Volker displays an ability to score the ball in a myriad of ways -- whether showing off her midrange game or finishing at the rack, she finds a means to put the ball in the hoop.
Link: https://www.nbcsports.com/washington...l-players-rise


Virginia All-State Girls Basketball Team presented by Suddenlink
Clay Kallam (MaxPreps)
March 25, 2020
Like Alston, Volker had to earn every point and rebound, as PVI played by far the most difficult schedule in the state. So perhaps Volker's 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game don't dazzle as much, but opponents know her impact on the outcome of a game transcended her numbers.
Link: https://www.maxpreps.com/news/mLm6ul...uddenlink-.htm


Honors and Accolades: Lee Volker (2021)

• 2020 VISAA Division I Player-of-the-Year
• 2020 Washington Post 2nd-team All-Metro
• 2020 WCAC Co-Player-of-the-Year
• 2020 Virginia All-State Girls Basketball Team presented by Suddenlink (MaxPreps)
• 2020 Who's Next: Top 10 DMV high school girls basketball players on the rise (NBC Sports Washington)

[JasonEvans]

Who's Next: Top 10 DMV high school girls basketball players on the rise

DMV???

[CamrnCrz1974]

Capture - DBR - 1.jpg

** While espnW does not list Aneesah Morrow in the top 100 players overall, the site ranks her 18th at her position (forward).

[CamrnCrz1974]

Capture - DBR - 2.jpg
Capture - DBR - 3.jpg

[JasonEvans]

Capture - DBR - 1.jpg

** While espnW does not list Aneesah Morrow in the top 100 players overall, the site ranks her 18th at her position (forward).

So, it would appear the presence of a dynamic new coach in Durham won't begin paying recruiting dividends until 2022... not surprising, I suppose.

[Phredd3]

So, it would appear the presence of a dynamic new coach in Durham won't begin paying recruiting dividends until 2022... not surprising, I suppose.

Keep in mind that it's a pretty tough sell when a) you're new to college coaching, b) you're late into the recruiting game, and c) you can't actually invite any recruits to campus to show them the facilities and give them a close-up sense of the culture you're building. So many disadvantages this year. Even so, we already have a transfer for this season, and with extended eligibility and possible transfers next year, I'm confident she can show what she can do and convince some 2022 recruits that this place is worth a commit.

[miramar]

So, it would appear the presence of a dynamic new coach in Durham won't begin paying recruiting dividends until 2022... not surprising, I suppose.

Unfortunately so. According to HoopGurlz, only two players in the top 50 are uncommitted, which includes #1 Azzi Fudd out of DC, who apparently is down to UCLA and UConn. So maybe there is only one player available.

http://www.espn.com/high-school/girl...s/_/class/2021

As expected, Duke does not have one of the top 25 recruiting classes, but to add insult to injury five ACC teams are in the top 15.

http://www.espn.com/high-school/girl...s/_/class/2021