Professors can send out reminders about upcoming tests, project due dates, or any news that needs to be shared via Twitter. So for a Head Coach looking for a Director of Basketball Operations (DOBO), in todays world that would be par for the course.
Womens Bball transfers
- Thread starter Chescat
- Start date
According to PSN, JUCO transfer forward coming to Pitt - Rapuluchi Ayodele.
“Ayodele hails from Madrid, Spain and is Nigerian. She is a 6-foot-1 forward and will arrive to campus as a junior with two years of eligibility remaining.”
Played JUCO in Florida. Still no post player on the roster…
Go Pitt.
“Ayodele hails from Madrid, Spain and is Nigerian. She is a 6-foot-1 forward and will arrive to campus as a junior with two years of eligibility remaining.”
Played JUCO in Florida. Still no post player on the roster…
Go Pitt.
So far Verdi has filled
some needs. I have no
idea how good thy are.
Coming in to Pitt, he had
two forwards, Hutchesron
and King. He's added three
more forwards. They're all
in the 6'2", 6"1" range. So I
agree with your comment
about the need for a "post
player." It's a very big need.
We all saw the results of
playing inside with forwards.
The guard position now has
five players. The three we
retained are very young, but
they do have some experience.
The two Verdi is bringing in
will help, the other is a local
pg. Again, I have no idea how
good any of them are.
As I see it, one or two Bigs
is a definite need. At least
one experienced pg is also
a need.
Don’t we already have at least 3 PGs?
At this point, I guess Verdi has to go after anyone who’s available and who he thinks can play some.
Go Pitt.
At this point, I guess Verdi has to go after anyone who’s available and who he thinks can play some.
Go Pitt.
Two of the PG's seemingly
are Frosh. Of the other 3
guards they might be able
to be a PG and an off guard.
I know Washenitz can play
both. This new recruit
seems to be legit.
There's 5 forwards. They
need a Big. Two would be
even better. Verdi at this
point has to take talent
if it's there. I have no idea
if there's any legit Bigs
out there and available.
With the way that she shoots she can't play off the ball. At least not for a decent team. She either needs to shoot the ball a lot better or she needs to play the one.
Yeah, I here ya. She at
this time is not the
"go to" shooter. What
she does have, and IMO
showed as a true frosh,
was a decent floor game.
Her floor game is good
enough to play the off
guard spot.My guess is
she'll really work in the
off season on her shooting,
and in time (hopefully
soon), will improve her
shot.
I like what I see in her
attitude and work ethic.
Also given the number of
PG's we seemingly now
have, I have to believe
that the coaches see her
as a 2 and not a 1. She
probably sees the same
scenario. We'll see.
2023-24 Pitt Roster + eligibility (11 players)
Guards
Junior Mia Simpson: two years (Morton College (JUCO))
Junior Bella Perkins: two years (USC)
Sophomore Marley Washenitz: three years
Sophomore Aislin Malcolm: three years
First-year Aaryn Battle: four years (UMass)
First-year Jasmine Timmerson: four years
Forwards
Graduate Jala Jordan: one year (Seton Hall)
Senior Gabby Hutcherson: two years
Senior Liatu King: two years
Junior Rapuluchi Ayodele: two years (Eastern Florida State/Indian River State (JUCO))
First-year Lauren Rust: four years
Guards
Junior Mia Simpson: two years (Morton College (JUCO))
Junior Bella Perkins: two years (USC)
Sophomore Marley Washenitz: three years
Sophomore Aislin Malcolm: three years
First-year Aaryn Battle: four years (UMass)
First-year Jasmine Timmerson: four years
Forwards
Graduate Jala Jordan: one year (Seton Hall)
Senior Gabby Hutcherson: two years
Senior Liatu King: two years
Junior Rapuluchi Ayodele: two years (Eastern Florida State/Indian River State (JUCO))
First-year Lauren Rust: four years
The new coach has been able to add players to the four he inherited.
How well they jell will be interesting to see. The guards are young. As I
look at that group Battle looks to be the most talented (of course I
haven't seen her play) and only a frosh.. The forwards are exactly
that... forwards. All in the 6" - 6' 2" range. Again, haven't a clue about
the new ones, but they at least have experience. Problem is there's no
big. Maybe a late signee? I can't imagine there's talented bigs still available.
IMO Verdi did well putting this team together. Given the state of the
program, and the late date he was hired, it had to be difficult to get
players interested in Pitt.
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I was looking at Bella Perkins who might start with Aaryn Battle or Mia Simpson. Bella came off the bench at USC and she is a 5'9" guard who works best with the ball in her hands with the ability to work as a point guard. Simpson excelled playing JUCO ball, averaging 17.2 points per game last season as a sophomore, while leading the country with an incredible 71.2 shooting percentage!
Yes, those are good stats. It's hard to judge how they'll hold up against
ACC teams. What's also hard to judge at this point is...are any of these new
players ACC level in talent? My guess is Verdi is getting what he can get now,
and also build relationships for the "24" geaduating class. I don't know if there's
anyone on here who follows these young women in the off season the way a Vader
or Bballinsider or someone like that does with the men. First hand visuals would
be good if we had them. As for now, the best we have is how they did as a JUCO
or a lower level. We're obviously not getting transfers from UCONN, LSU, or S. Carolina.
If Verdi establishes a positive culture within the program, and develops these players
to work hard, hustle, and play to their potential. that would be a very good sign.
Finding and signing a BIG is a huge need. Verdi knows it, and I bet he's trying hard.
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It wasn't just a volleyball player, she was a very good basketball player who was very good in volleyball too!
I agree. I enjoyed watching Monica and was a big fan. So sad that she died so tragically and so young.
This is old school thinking in my opinion. In this day and age, a good coach should be able to get by with 6ft forwards that can rebound. I think teams can get by without a "BIG" on roster.
Other than South Carolina,UCONN, VT, and maybe Iowa, I can't identify a go to BIG on any other top teams. Angel Reese is a forward that I wouldn't neccesarily classify as a BIG.
Unless the big is a top player, often times they don't make a difference. It doesn't make any sense to get a big just for the sake of having a big, if they can't contribute.
If we could have put three 6'2 forwards who could rebound, had strength, and
had a clue of what to do inside, maybe...and that's a VERY big maybe.
All you need to do is turn on the tape and watch last year's games. We went
with forwards, and we had no bigs. None. We were destroyed inside both on
the offensive end and on D. Just about every ACC team had at least one
big and the mis match was obvious to anyoe who remotely knows Bball.
Now, if you want to skip the ACC schedue, and watch our pre league games
against mid level and lower teams, yes I mght agree with you there. ACC
is a different animal, and the bigs CAN play. Huge advantage for them.
Obviously I'm not pushing for a big just to get any big. A few years ago we
brought in a transfer big from Youngstown St. She was awful, couldn't play
at ACC level and by end of season didn't leave the bench. Someone who can
at least rebound aand defend would be a good start.
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I'd rather have a 6 footer who can play than a 6-5 who can't.
Remember it wasn't all that long ago that people bitched about Pitt lacking height and a tall center in a year that Notre Dame went to the Final Four playing a smaller team than Pitt did. It didn't matter that they weren't the tallest team around, because they had a bunch of women who could play.
Get good players. Then figure it out.
Remember it wasn't all that long ago that people bitched about Pitt lacking height and a tall center in a year that Notre Dame went to the Final Four playing a smaller team than Pitt did. It didn't matter that they weren't the tallest team around, because they had a bunch of women who could play.
Get good players. Then figure it out.
Absolutely. "Good players" is the key, and as I already posted, don't go after
a big just to get a big. The volleyball player mentioned in this thread was a big
who could play. She made a huge difference in the program. The last several yrs
we had a few who couldn't play.....Rita, Cynthia, and the Younstown St. transefer.
Rita did rebound, but she never was a force at 6'4". I remember the ND team you
mentioned, and yes we had Rita at 6'4," Right now we don't have players anywhere
near that ND team. A big who can play would make a big difference IMO, especially
in this league.
Pitt's failures probably had more to do with a lack of talent and coaching. I'm just saying.
Audrey Biggs, a 6-0 small forward from Kentucky, is the person the coach is referring to. She is a 2024 recruit.
Ha! Don't I wish. I have to admit that when I saw Verdi's original comment about her,
I thought we landed a real "Big." Of course that was before I saw her name was Bigg.
However, after reading info on her, she does look legit. She came back in record time
from an ACL injury, and still put up very good stats. Hopefully this is the start of
landing real talent from class of "24." He's done as well as could be expected for this
coming year, given the time frame and what was handed to him.
There is a real dead period going on for football and baskietball news. Football commitments are on hold for now. Men's basketball has still not filled the last position with a transfer portal backcourt person. Women's basketball is still sitting with a roster of 11. Is there any news on possible commitments for the last two transfer portal positions? We seem to have lost any momentum we had on the hiring of Tory Verdi. Is his staff finding that it is a very diffiult task to recruit to Pitt's women's basketball program or is the transfer portal devoid of the talent for bigs.
I imagine any decent “big” was spoken for before Coach Verdi could get involved. I thought he might bring a “big” from UMass, but that hasn’t happened - maybe not suitable for ACC competition…
BTW, as far as I know, the women’s BB roster can still go up to 15 players.
Go Pitt.
Why is there not regular coverage of Womens BB, aside from the obvious. Maybe just regular updates of recruiting progress? I would be happy with just 13 on roster at this point. I forgot about the 15 number.
Good question, but other than football and men's Bball there generally isn't a lot
of that kind of coverage in the first place. It's even hard to go on line and find info
on players, their status, recruiting etc. Major Major's comment about Bigs is
probably accurate. As far as Verdi's recruiting, we know he came VERY late to the
recruiting process for this coming year. He also had a sizeable number of Pitt
players transferring (as to be expected). That, on top of Pitt's awful Winn - Loss
record the last several year's made a bad situation even worse.
I've posted a number of times that IMO, Verdi has done a very good job adding to
the roster given what he inherited here. Of course 11 is still incomplete, but he's probably not going to hand out a scholarship to just anyone. Typically having 12 healthy, able bodies
is what a coach needs/wants in order to have meaninful practices. There's still time,
maybe something will appear. Here's a thought...a WALKON? I'm not even sure that
exists in women's Bball. In men's Bball, at a school like Pitt, it's easy to get a few.
In her one and only year playing basketball, she played in and started 31 games that season. Was the team's 2nd leading scorer (10.0) and 3rd leading rebounder (6.4). Her 83 blocks that season were the 2nd most in a single season in Pitt history. Finished the season ranking third in the ACC in blocks per game (2.7).
Has anyone heard what happened to Junior Mia Simpson the JuCo transfer? She's no longer listed on Pitt's website and Pitt now has 10 down from 11 eligible players!?
They found a center.
pittsburghpanthers.com
Women’s Basketball Signs Transfer Forward Ioanna Chatzileonti - Pitt Panthers #H2P
The University of Pittsburgh women's basketball team bolstered their front court with the signing of transfer forward Ioanna Chatzileonti, as announced by head coach
pittsburghpanthers.com
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