Love how the TV broadcast didn't even mention we were missing our starting center.
But it was noticeable around the basket, need her back asap!
But it was noticeable around the basket, need her back asap!
We Missed Toomey
- Thread starter HOFcoachRoy
- Start date
Thought Bofia played REALLY well in her minutes. Hopefully gets more throughout the year.
Thomas played near the end, 5 min total. The freshman Bofia actually got in before her and looked solid. OK is a really fast team with smaller post players, so this may have been somewhat situational.
Reniya Kelly played 33 min and had a decent game. Not exceptional, though she was matched mostly against a top national player. Kelly did not look hobbled. this game moved really, really fast and she was not the fastest player on the court, but she did not look slowed to me.
I totally agree. With Toomey out, Noelle needs to get more minutes. I would start her against SC along with Akot from the start of the game if Toomey is not ready. When Toomey comes back, Noelle should be the first one in to give Toomey a break at the 5 IMO.
Felt like we absolutely got dominated inside but not by their bigs (unless their freshman was playing the 4). Outside of Harpring everyone 1-4 got worked on the boards.
Then if you are going to play Hull she has to hit her 3s, because she doesn’t do anything else positive on the court right now.
Then if you are going to play Hull she has to hit her 3s, because she doesn’t do anything else positive on the court right now.
Noelle did not get worked on the boards when she came in. Her height, athleticism caused Oklahoma some problems. She was blocking, rebounding, and altering shots we she got in for those 7 minutes. She needs to play more. I would start her and Akot at the beginning of the SC game along with SB, Kate, and NB until Toomey gets back.
Wasn’t Bofia the 5 when she was in the game? If so, my point holds.
If Toomey can’t go I agree with the Bofia/Akot front court. I don’t know SC’s players this year.
Can we get away with Harpring, Brooks, Burrows, Akot, Bofia as the starters and first 5 minutes? With Kelly off the bench?
Starting in the 2nd qtr you could see OK strategy to get our small guards switched and under the basket. Then they would just body them out of the way and grab the rebound. We have to get more size and strength down there and I would start with Bofia. She has more mobility than BT and I think more potential to develop an offensive game. I still think BT can help. In the five minutes she was in they did not move her out and we were able to grab a few more rebounds. But you have to play them to develop them. Toomey may be where we end up but I just don’t think that is her natural game. She is just more comfortable playing a face up perimeter game. I hope we learned from this.
I do not remember but she only played 7 minutes in the third quarter. In seven minutes, she blocked a shot on the board, altered a few other shots, scored, and got a couple of offensive and defensive rebounds. She ran the floor very well, she is very athletic, and she is 6'4" tall. Everyone who watched the game agreed with me on this fact. We all agree that she needs to be playing more. When CT returns, Noelle will need to be one of the first ones off of the bench to give Toomey a break.
Got a feeling we'll be without Toomey for several games. Hope I'm wrong, but it brings up questions about roster construction and players who are taking roster spots but not trusted with playing time.
I can tell you who SC has. The have Chloe Kitts, Ashlyn Watkins, and Joyce Edwards starting. They have Tassa Johnson who started last year and either Jordan Lee or Akot Makeer. One of the last two is starting and the other one comes after the bench along with the freshman Oliviyah Edwards, who is tall and can dunk, Watkins can dunk, Adhel Tac. They are tall, long, and athletic. Tac is 6'5", Edwards, Watkins, and Edwards are all 6'3", and Kitts is 6'2". Akot is 6"1 as a guard, Jordan Lee is 6'0" as a guard, Johnson is also 6'0". As I stated before, we need some type of height in the game to help out on the boards. Noelle is the person who should start IMO.
Are you suggesting we cut our leading returning scorer and rebounder due to past injuries? Or cut her in the preseason when getting a new injury?
Who is not trusted with playing time? Positions are open for competition. there are winners and losers when you run a roster of 14 scholarship athletes.
The point is that if you decide not to bring in a center through the portal, you need to trust Blanca and Bofia. Play them. CBs decision to constantly play small is a problem. If she does that against SC, they will score 120 points. They have 5th and 6th post options that we could use.
I’m afraid that there is a line of thinking that run like Toomey’s return will solve everything. I am not so sure. As many times as she has been injured is banging down low going to work for her when I don’t even think that is her natural game? I hope I am wrong and we see a major uptick but I still think the best solution for the five is to try and develop Bofia and figure out a way to use BT’s size effectively.
I think Toomey will be better in the low post this year. Last year was her first of being totally focused of being a true low post player. This year she should be bigger, stronger and more experienced. Ciera and Noelle IMO should man the 5 spot. Give Blanca court time when possible to help develop her.
Kate PG, Sophie 2G, Nyla 3F, Achol 4F, Ciera 5C
GabbyPG, Reniya 2G, Hull3F, Taissa Noelle 5D
Spread the court with shooters, Give Kate the ball and let her shoot, drive and dish off to shooters and bigs cutting to the basket.
Kate with the court spread with shooters/Makers and a Pick and Roll screen would be almost impossible to keep from scoring or dishing to a shooter/maker.
Kate is basically just starting out for her college career. Give her a little leeway to adjust. She
is unreal talented but she cannot win the game without some help from teammates making baskets.
We cannot play small ball against top teams!
I plan to run up the layup stats and the unforced T/O's soon.
Kate PG, Sophie 2G, Nyla 3F, Achol 4F, Ciera 5C
GabbyPG, Reniya 2G, Hull3F, Taissa Noelle 5D
Spread the court with shooters, Give Kate the ball and let her shoot, drive and dish off to shooters and bigs cutting to the basket.
Kate with the court spread with shooters/Makers and a Pick and Roll screen would be almost impossible to keep from scoring or dishing to a shooter/maker.
Kate is basically just starting out for her college career. Give her a little leeway to adjust. She
is unreal talented but she cannot win the game without some help from teammates making baskets.
We cannot play small ball against top teams!
I plan to run up the layup stats and the unforced T/O's soon.
Agree that playing small did not work.
Akot played 23 min, Bofia 7, Thomas 5. At least one was in at all times except that disastrous 5 or so minutes in Q3. Toomey surely would have changed that equation overall.
I showed in a earlier thread that the portal options for true bigs was paltry this year, after Audi Crooks, who we could not afford. Akot, as a hybrid PF/C was one of the very top options. My bet is she will be the 2nd best player on the team this season. She had 11 pt, 8 rb, 3 stl, though Leelee Bell cooked her (and everyone else in light blue.)
Oklahoma had a pretty rare combination of size and speed. Toomey with Akot was probably our best chance at countering that.
I agree that UofSC has better talent than us, top to bottom. That is likely not going to be solved by better player usage though.
I assume the plan is to play Toomey as more of a stretch 4 on offense with Akot assuming post duties, while she will play the 5 on defense, though they will switch a bunch to where that is not too obvious.
Toomey is a 5. She was never going to have the lateral quickness to guard the 4 spot. She is our center.
We are going to have to hang on until she returns. But in the meantime let's develop Bofia.
Edited to agree with 3397 above. Toomey can stretch the floor on offense from the 5 position. Her and Akot are a good match at 4/5.
We are going to have to hang on until she returns. But in the meantime let's develop Bofia.
Edited to agree with 3397 above. Toomey can stretch the floor on offense from the 5 position. Her and Akot are a good match at 4/5.
Warning: No more insulting other posters.
Blanca is not a choice. If she could play, she would play. Has her ship sailed? She was talked all-world and a necessity per recruiting talkers. No. Not yet serviceable, can she ever be serviceable? She seems tall. The coach never says about much. <removed>
Last edited by a moderator:
Who do you identify as reliable "shooters". Are any Tar Heels proven as high % shooters? I have been disinterested for 2-3 decades re women's bb here at Carolina. Early Sylvia and a title was encouraging before it bacame not much more than helter-skelter. Sylvia seem not to adjust. Anyway. Remember the player that hit a game tying shot at the buzzer and then paraded around the perimeter of the court thinking it was a game winner? NO. I would like to see good bb. Not upper level high school bb. I enjoyed the final four last season; there were teams that could actually play. I do not care re professional women's bb. It is about so much that is whine city that has little to do with actually playing basketball. The women's game is still way behind on all levels? But there is the wishful talk. Good, you've hung in there.
One thing that is for sure is we cannot start TQ and RK against SC. They are too tall at every position, they are long and athletic. When have to have scoring coming out of the gate. We know that Dawn and her staff are going to put Kate and N. Brooks at the top of their scouting report. We means the other 3 starters must be able to score. TQ is too small and RK is too small. If TQ and RK are in the game, I guarantee whoever they are guard on the defensive end is going to take them down in the paint and abuse them. The same way Oklahoma did us.
I agree totally with you. Playing small ball will work depending on the team that you are playing, but if you are playing a team like SC or a team that has a lot of height at all five positions, then small ball is not going to work. CB and staff must develop Bofia by playing her more minutes. They must find a way to use BT's size effectively. When Toomey is ready to play, they must continue to do what we just said with BT and Bofia.
I agree totally with your assessment tarboy. You have to play Noelle more and develop BT. If CB and staff was not going to do that then they should have found someone in the portal.
I thought playing Akot and Bofia together against Oklahoma might have worked, but CB and staff did not do that. They did it against Maryland, and it appeared to have worked some.
They can also try Toomey at the four when she comes back and Bofia at the 5. That would definitely help with defensive rebounding.
The starting 5 for UofSC:
6-0 Johnson
6-0 Lee
6-1 Makeer
6-2 Kitts
6-3 Edwards
UNC:
5-7 Kelly
5-10 Harpring
6-1 Brooks
6-1 Queiroz
6-1 Achol
They certainly have more overall team height, though this year's team does not stand out as much as some. Like us, their height comes off the bench. The bigger issue is their athleticism. They just dominate.
Kelly does stand out in this game as a shorter, but who so you stat instead. She has played significantly better than 5-9 Clardy so far (is Clardy 100% yet?) White is not particularly tall at 5-10 either. But I don't think she is ready for starter minutes. Paly Brooks at the 2 and go big with Hull or Burrows inserted into the starting lineup?
My gut tells me to play your best players and do not try and reinvent the wheel to teh opponent. Kelly is still one of our best players. She is definitely a better defender than those other options as of right now.
I am more worried about the interior play, and rebounding. Harpring, Kelly, Brooks and White will do their part. I don't think we are starting Queiroz out of preference, it is situational to the opponent and the fact that 6-4 Toomey is out. I would expect to see even more Burrows and either Bofia or Thomas. I agree taht after one game, Bofia shows real promise.
If I was coaching it would be Harpring, White, Brooks, Akot, and Bofia. That group would match up athletically with SC.
It will probably be the same starters with the only exception possibly being Burrows for Q. Burrows and Akot would actually match up well with SC to start the game against Kitts and Edwards. The problem is they have four other post players coming off the bench that are very good.
It will probably be the same starters with the only exception possibly being Burrows for Q. Burrows and Akot would actually match up well with SC to start the game against Kitts and Edwards. The problem is they have four other post players coming off the bench that are very good.
Certainly not trying to be argumentative but perhaps additive but height alone is not the only attribute for rebounding. Strength and mass can be a big factor and USC for the most part will win that. I look at the men’s team and Keita is 7’1” but got two rebounds. Charles Barkley another different example. And yes, desire and effort are a big part also.
One of the things which Maryland did against SC was to press them, which they should have done more of earlier in the game. Their backcourt is rattle when they are pressured, defense and rebounding will be the keys to staying in the game without getting blown out.
I would go with SB at the 2 for this game. She is a veteran, she is taller, and she can shoot. She did hit some shots against Oklahoma. I do agree with you totally with you.
Yeah, but you have to consider that Keita just go to UNC 2 months ago. He is still learning on the fly as oppose to the other players who have been there since the beginning of the summer. Also, Keita does provide a rim protector presents and like Noelle he does alter shots. When does alter a shot that puts him out of position to be able to get the rebound because he is helping one of his teammates out who just got beat my their man. The same can be said about Noelle when she has to help out a teammate by blocking or altering a shot which will cause her to be out of position to get the defensive rebound.
Keita and Noelle are good for comparison. Both are early in their bb experience. Both might be capable of evolving/developing into signoficant players in their respective program. I see NOTHING to be critical of either this early in their progression. I only see the physicals and potential re development at this point. Silly to offer negatives now. Significant game potential for both. Each can become a very good center for their teams.Both may have the potential to be professional players in the future.. They each are just beginning their road re basketball. College competetion requires adjustment and reception of quality coaching. I trust the coaching for each. Keita has the language and culture adjustment need included in his process. I am very excited what both can bring to their team and in the classroom. Hope both develop into super Tar Heels all-around.
IMO we have MISSED Toomey since she enrolled. Short on production from whatever reasons for her three years when consideration of the discussed potential coming from HS. I know there were injuries. Unfortunately for sanity of fans, never been much out there re how and if those injuries have hampered her game. Expectations, sucketh. I expected a somewhat dominance from he game. Not yet, but maybe eventually? She is a good player. I just expected more; maybe all-conference 1st team? She could still step it up. Wish her the best, she could be our most important player.
C Toomey was injured and red shirted her freshman season. She played as a 4F her first year playing as a Tar Heel. I think her lack of lateral quickness on defense influenced her move to 5C last season her 3rd year academically and her 2nd year of playing basketball at UNC.
Ciera is now 6'5" and hopefully will become a great 5 who can play low post well and also step out and score from the arc.
We are all pulling for her to have a breakout season.
Ciera is now 6'5" and hopefully will become a great 5 who can play low post well and also step out and score from the arc.
We are all pulling for her to have a breakout season.
Latest
-
01
Inside Carolina Basketball Recruiting
What We're Hearing as UNC's Signing Period Approaches
-
02
Inside Carolina Basketball Recruiting
Carolina Basketball Enters Pivotal Recruiting Stretch
-
03
Rivals Basketball Recruiting
Early Signing Period Intel: Which top recruits are closing in on decisions and who will wait?
-
04
Inside Carolina Basketball
Ten Early-Season UNC Takeaways from Dewey: Figuring it Out
-
05
Inside Carolina Football Recruiting
OL Commit Hudson Ingalsbe Helps End 32-Year Playoff Drought, Plans UNC Return