Shocks 50 - UTSA 36

[1972Shocker]

This game pretty easy to analyze. Alex Harden, Alex Harden and Alex Harden.

Alex scored 18 points on 8-10 from the field, 2-2 from the line, lead the team with 9 rebounds, lead the team with 3 assists and contributed 1 block and 1 steal.

Rest of the Shocks were 10-40 from the field including 0-4 from three. Molly O'brien was 0-3 from the field but she was consistent as all 3 shots were air balls. Jessica was a woeful 1-9 and Darice Fountaine an even more woeful 0-7.

Shocks lead 2-1 at the first media timeout, but then played a very good closing 16 minutes to take a commanding 29-11 lead at the half. In the 2nd half UTSA was the aggressor and they pulled to within 6 points at 38-32 with 9:00 minutes remaining. The Shocks finally got it going again as I think UTSA may have run out of gas a little at that point and, fortunately, that was as close as UTSA would get.

At this point I am not particularly positive about the Lady Shocks having what it takes to win a Valley title. We can play pretty good defense although UTSA guards were able to drive past our guards about anytime they wanted to. Again Alex, at 5-11 is perhaps our best perimeter defender.

While I don't expect Jessica to shoot 1-9 very often, this Shocker team does seem to be more than a little offensively challenged as a whole. To bad we can't meld Chynna's skills and Michelle's desire and intensity. Most of the time we are pretty much playing 4 on 5 or 3 on 5 on the offensive side of the ball. We just don't have enough offensive threats and when even one of our offensive threats does have an off day like Jessica did today it makes things very difficult.

[shoxlax]

I watched the game on Shockervision. This team reminds me of last years in that they just seem to disappear offensively for long stretches.

[1972Shocker]

It is pretty much last year's team. We lost Haleigh Lankster, Alicia Sanchez and Krystle Henderson from last year's team.

Alex Harden is a bigger, stronger version of Haleigh (and perhaps will prove to be better version if she keeps improving). Alicia and Krystle weren't big contributors in terms of scoring. Darice Fountaine is at least the equal of Alicia. Alex is better than Krystle when she runs the point. Michelle Price is back with her high energy and aggresiveness, but again while Michelle is the team's glue player, she is not someone who will get you many points on demand. The two freshman additions are both injured but I'm not sure they would be playing much anyway.

As far as I can tell we are using the same offense as last year. So, yes I think there will be those stretches where this team will find it difficult to score similar to what we have seen in recent years and I expect we will see a lot of zone defenses as well.

Shock had only 6 assists today and they turned the ball over 19 times (4 each by Jessica, Chynna & Molly). I'm sure Jody won't be satisfied with that.

The interesting thing is we scored 70 on the road at LSU, then 60 on the road against Arkansas State, then 50 today at home. Maybe today was just one of those days. At least it happened in a double-digit win.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

It is pretty much last year's team. We lost Haleigh Lankster, Alicia Sanchez and Krystle Henderson from last year's team.

Alex Harden is a bigger, stronger version of Haleigh (and perhaps will prove to be better version if she keeps improving). Alicia and Krystle weren't big contributors in terms of scoring. Darice Fountaine is at least the equal of Alicia. Alex is better than Krystle when she runs the point. Michelle Price is back with her high energy and aggresiveness, but again while Michelle is the team's glue player, she is not someone who will get you many points on demand. The two freshman additions are both injured but I'm not sure they would be playing much anyway.

As far as I can tell we are using the same offense as last year. So, yes I think there will be those stretches where this team will find it difficult to score similar to what we have seen in recent years and I expect we will see a lot of zone defenses as well.

Shock had only 6 assists today and they turned the ball over 19 times (4 each by Jessica, Chynna & Molly). I'm sure Jody won't be satisfied with that.

The interesting thing is we scored 70 on the road at LSU, then 60 on the road against Arkansas State, then 50 today at home. Maybe today was just one of those days. At least it happened in a double-digit win.

Not that I know anything, but I'm concerned. Michelle and Kelsey came off the bench with energy; Kelsey had two blocks, big O board 3 d boards. Bugg, probably a nice kid; B. Gordon Recruit, what does she do? Always play your best athletes. I see maybe 7 who can play. They can win the Valley if Jody does it right. I like that they play hard, but, there is no strategy, no subbing pattern, just go all out defense. Lewis-Kareem would have quit UCLA if he were benched for not shooting the correct shot or the correct defense. and yes, I know, this is not UCLA men. Same game.

[shoxlax]

I thought one of the freshman came with the reputation of being an immediate impact zone breaker. Are they both out for a long time?

[1972Shocker]

I thought one of the freshman came with the reputation of being an immediate impact zone breaker. Are they both out for a long time?

I think when Michaela Dapprich went out with her broken hand/wrist, not exactly sure the nature of her injury, it was said she would be out 4 to 6 weeks. That was about 4 weeks ago because she was out at the time of Shocker Madness. So she might be out a couple of more weeks. However, she has some ground to make up from missing so much time. My understanding is that Michaela is more of an inside player.

I am not quite sure what Alie Decker's injury is or how long she will be out. Alie has shown in the ability to knock down the occasional 3 ball in the exhibition game. Yet to be be determineed is how she will fare against the speed of D-1 competition.

However, I'm not depending on either of these young ladies being difference makers at this point in their careers.

Darice Fountaine has also shown the ability to hit the occassional three and she is certainly not bashful about shooting. If anything she may be a little bit too trigger happy and tends to rush some shots.

I think Alex Harden is capable of shooting the three ball but it is not a shot she seems to look for very often and with good reason. She can really get to the basket to score.

Jessica is also capable of hitting from behind the arc, although today it didn't matter much where she shot it from it just was not her day.

Chynna can also step and and hit the occassional three.

The problem is none of our players have shown that they are consistent, reliable three point shooters. Most of our zone busting will have to consist of breaking through the perimeter of the zone and hitting the soft spots inside the zone either through passes to the post or with dribble penetration.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

I thought one of the freshman came with the reputation of being an immediate impact zone breaker. Are they both out for a long time?

Ali has a knee injury and can shoot a bit, but won't against big "d" Michaela is a maybe 5-10 post player who won't be an impact player. We have 7-8 who can contribute. We don't have a Haleigh. Alex is not Haleigh. Haleigh could dominate anytime she was allowed to against any level. Alex is a nice player, but it will be at least one more year before she can do damage against a good team. We are 2-1; a nice start. I've said this before, defense is a great focus, but we must have an offensive strategy; we don't. Dribble, dribble, screen on the ball, burp up a shot. Mizzou is much better than LSU. Hopefully we bring our A game to Cancun.

[1972Shocker]

Ali has a knee injury and can shoot a bit, but won't against big "d" Michaela is a maybe 5-10 post player who won't be an impact player. We have 7-8 who can contribute. We don't have a Haleigh. Alex is not Haleigh. Haleigh could dominate anytime she was allowed to against any level. Alex is a nice player, but it will be at least one more year before she can do damage against a good team. We are 2-1; a nice start. I've said this before, defense is a great focus, but we must have an offensive strategy; we don't. Dribble, dribble, screen on the ball, burp up a shot. Mizzou is much better than LSU. Hopefully we bring our A game to Cancun.

Why do you say that Mizzou is much better than LSU? The coaches picked LSU to finish 7th and Mizzou to finish 12th in the SEC (tied with Alabama and ahead of only Ole Miss) and the media picked LSU 6th and Mizzou 13th in the SEC. LSU is a much bigger team than Mizzou. Size-wise the Shocks match up quite favorably with the Tigers. I'm not even sure Mizzou is the best team we will face in Cancun. I think Richmond may be better. I am looking at these teams now and will give my thoughts on what we face in Cancun later.

[1972Shocker]

Moved to Cancun Challenge thread.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

Why do you say that Mizzou is much better than LSU? The coaches picked LSU to finish 7th and Mizzou to finish 12th in the SEC (tied with Alabama and ahead of only Ole Miss) and the media picked LSU 6th and Mizzou 13th in the SEC. LSU is a much bigger team than Mizzou. Size-wise the Shocks match up quite favorably with the Tigers. I'm not even sure Mizzou is the best team we will face in Cancun. I think Richmond may be better. I am looking at these teams now and will give my thoughts on what we face in Cancun later.

Mizzou is 5-0 and yes I know they haven't played Stanford or Baylor. They will be nails.

[oldtimewomen's hoopcoach]

Mizzou is 5-0 and yes I know they haven't played Stanford or Baylor. They will be nails.

I should have said 3-0, but 5-0 with ex. games. I'll switch to Cancun Blog.

[1972Shocker]

Mizzou is 5-0 and yes I know they haven't played Stanford or Baylor. They will be nails.

Mizzou is 3-0. Exhibition games are not counted. Not only have they not played Stanford or Baylor they have not even played a team at the Shocker's level.

They have 3 home wins. Against St. Louis, Chicago State and Western Illinois. St. Louis is expected to finish 14th in the 16-team A-10 Conference and Chicago State and Western Illinois are perennial weak sisters. So their record so far does not give us much to go on.

However, I did not say Mizzou would not be a good opponent for the Shocks. You said Mizzou is much better than LSU. My question still stands.

Why do say that Mizzou is much better than LSU?

[1972Shocker]

We don't have a Haleigh. Alex is not Haleigh. Haleigh could dominate anytime she was allowed to against any level. Alex is a nice player, but it will be at least one more year before she can do damage against a good team.

Yeah, a little early to put Alex in the same class as Haleigh. However, I did look at their freshman stats just to see how those stacked up.

Haleigh's Freshmen Stats: 606 minutes, 168 pts, 68 rebounds, 7 blocked shots, 40 steals
Alex's Freshmen Stats: 618 minutes, 188 pts, 125 rebounds, 9 blocked shots, 39 steals

Pretty darn similar.

Haleigh really blossomed in her sophomore year and she had 3 very consistent solid years in her sophomore, junior and senior years. Time will tell if Alex can blossom into the same type of player, but the potential seems to be there.

Both are players I really enjoyed/enjoy watching.