CB: BLANCA THOMAS FULLY CLEARED

[Carolina151]

This deserves its own thread!

 

[2forheels]

Great news!

 

[Viking131]

Great news! Welcome back Blanca.

 

[tarboy]

Wonderful for Blanca and the team. And for me, I have missed seeing her play.

 

[6string]

Happy Holidays!

 

[uman1]

Hopefully she can remain healthy for the remainder of the season.

 

[SeaPinesHeel]

This deserves its own thread!

and in all caps lol

 

[FBIKen]

I hope that Blanca can get fully healthy. We need her to get healthy enough to play 25-30 minutes. If she can't get healthy we will need throw some big money at a center at the end of the year.

 

[tarboy]

I think I would give T Henderson more time at the 4.
She is very athletic and talented.
I doubt BT will get to full speed 20 min per game this season.

 

[uman1]

I hope that Blanca can get fully healthy. We need her to get healthy enough to play 25-30 minutes. If she can't get healthy we will need throw some big money at a center at the end of the year.

Competition is really strong for the few really good center transfers with one of the perennial powers usually getting those. Perhaps a red shirt year is in store if things flare back up over the next few games.

 

[3397char]

No reason to believe that BT is facing some sort of career-ending injury nor something that will affect her next season.

Personally, I believe that the emergence of Toomey as a viable center has drastically decreased the need for a portal center. And we have Noelle coming in. If we can create a rotation that uses Toomey at 4 and Thomas at 5 next season that could increase slightly the need for a backup, especially if Noelle is more of a project. But that is more of a "want" than a "need."

With that said, if we have the resources and interest then we should obviously upgrade any position that we can through the portal. Considering we missed on landing Bjorn I assume we do have some money to spend.


In regards to a BT redshirt, she has no automatic right to redshirt if she stopped playing right now. It is not like FB where you can play 4 games and still redshirt regardless of reason. She would have to stop playing, and then apply for redshirt after the season is over. Assuming she stops playing, basically immediately (we are already at game 11 and she has played in 3) and can demonstrate a clear medical need to stop playing, she should get awarded a redshirt, but not a sure thing.

 

[tarboy]

I agree with most of what you said. I think Taliyah might be a star at the 4 next season JMO.
Not ruling her out this season.

 

[Jriv23]

Noelle is not coming in as a project like someone posted. She is the number one player coming out of the state of Arizona. That means she can play. BT was not the number one player coming out of the state of NC her senior year. Noelle is going to break toughness, defensive rebounding, quickness to the 5 position next year. She can score around the basket with both hands. Her offensive game is coming and that is what UNC is going to help her get better at. With that being said, she is not coming in as a project. Another poster said it best by comparing her to Brendan Haywood. His blocking ability and defensive ability was already there coming in. His offensive ability needed more work.

 

[3397char]

I think Bafia looks raw when I watch her video. And her ranking #52 is analogous to players like Zubich and Queiroz who are/were not in the rotation as freshmen.

everyone is different, we shall see.

but her upside given her mix of size, strength and athleticism is off the charts.

 

[tarboy]

Coach CB says Bofia fits the bill for what we need..
I think she does look a little raw but has great size and is very athletic for a 6'5 young women.
Bofia also seems to me to have good feet which allows her to move quickly.

 

[Jriv23]

Well, A lot of you posters said that TH would not see any time on the court this year or a little bit of time this year. I told yall that IN, RK, and NH stated that TH would surprise a lot of people and would see a lot of time on the court. I think the same thing could be said about Bofia. Her footwork, speed, size, and athleticism will help her see some time on the court next year. BT timing, rhythm, conditioning, is off right now because she has not played in awhile. Hopefully, these things will come back to BT each time she is able to play moving forward.

 

[kystroup]

evidently not ready to play in an acc game

 

[3397char]

Well, A lot of you posters said that TH would not see any time on the court this year or a little bit of time this year. I told yall that IN, RK, and NH stated that TH would surprise a lot of people and would see a lot of time on the court. I think the same thing could be said about Bofia. Her footwork, speed, size, and athleticism will help her see some time on the court next year. BT timing, rhythm, conditioning, is off right now because she has not played in awhile. Hopefully, these things will come back to BT each time she is able to play moving forward.

I do not recall anyone saying that TH would not see any time. But I don't think anyone put her in their starting lineup. The question was: would she beat out Toomey, Brooks, Queiroz, Hull and Zubich for time behind Harris and Nivar for minutes at the 3 and 4? It ended up Toomey is basically full time at the 5 so she left the equation. And as of today, TH looks really high in that pecking order for the 6th woman position.

We never know who will still be on the team next year, but the question is similar for Bofia: will she play over a healthy Thomas or a surging Toomey at the 5 next year? And can she beat out Henderson (and Queiroz) for what is left in a rotation of bigs? My guess right now is no. Now if the roster changes, or someone gets injured that equation can change drastically.

 

[Jriv23]

Yes, a some posters did say that on the other board. Just like I said that our FT shooting will need to get better especially when we play tougher competition and someone stated that FT's did matter. Oh well, the proof is in the pudding from last night's game because FT's did matter at the end. If we would have made our FT's the game would have been over and overtime would have never happened. This lost stings because we let them off of the hook. Just like in field hockey. We had NW beat and we did not finish them off. Same result, both of our teams lost.

 

[Jriv23]

Just like last year with our men's teams. The conference is down and there are not that many quad 1 wins available; therefore, you have to win them we you can. Right now, we are 0-3 against Quad 1 teams. This will be important when selection Sunday comes around.

 

[tarboy]

I have said it before that Taliyah needs more time. Maybe 20 to 25 min per ACC game.

I think Taliyah, Ciera and Nyla H should make up our rotation at the 4 and 5.

If Blanca or Taissa get 100% they can earn time with their play.

Our 3 biggest potential stars are Toomey, Henderson and Brooks.

Coach CB needs to push them to reach their potential this season.

We all need to hope Reniya can find her shooting motion and good health soon.

 

[Jriv23]

Yes tarboy, you did say that TH needs more playing time, and someone tried to shoot you down by saying that it takes freshmen awhile to adjust. Your comments are on point. I totally agree with you.

 

[1stGenerationHeel]

Was BT dressed for the Louisville game?

 

[kjcooper]

Have to admit that FT % has always been an issue, even last season. Have been a CB fan since she arrived, but she did make some questionable decision in regards to the final minute of the game. Nivar should not have been in the game in the final minutes, Louisville due to scouting reports knew she was the weakest percentage wise FT shooter. It was mention that Kelly should not have passed the ball to her, which was a disaster waiting to happen.
Even though there were lot of issues, turnovers and shooting they were still in the game at the end before OT. Hopefully, CB and the staff will learn from the mistakes made in this game, and use it as a referendum going forward.

 

[uman1]

Well, A lot of you posters said that TH would not see any time on the court this year or a little bit of time this year. I told yall that IN, RK, and NH stated that TH would surprise a lot of people and would see a lot of time on the court. I think the same thing could be said about Bofia. Her footwork, speed, size, and athleticism will help her see some time on the court next year. BT timing, rhythm, conditioning, is off right now because she has not played in awhile. Hopefully, these things will come back to BT each time she is able to play moving forward.

I did question her offensive skills based on the high school film I watched. She is a much better than I expected offensively. Plus, she is athletic, physical, and competitive. I definitely underestimated her.

 

[tarboy]

Was BT dressed for the Louisville game?

The announcers said all 14 players were dressed out and available.