WBB: 2014-15 Post Season Honors

[1972Shocker]

Missouri Valley Conference specialty awards for Player, Newcomer, Freshman, Defensive Player and Sixth Player of the Year will be announced, in addition to the

league’s Coach of the Year, at an awards ceremony in between Games 1 and 2 of the MVC Tournament on Thursday, March 12, at The Family Arena in St. Charles, MO. That would be around 6:30 this evening assuming no overtime in Game 1.

I am probably reading too much into the photo on the MVC press release announcing the All-Conference teams but my guess is the players shown were the Top 5 vote getters in All-Conference balloting. From left to right Alex Harden - WSU, Lizzy Wendell - Drake, Jamillah Bonner - WSU, Dyana Pierre - SIU and Sara Dickey, Evansville. Assuming that is the case, which it may or may not be, you wonder if the order they are listed from left to right is of any significance. Let's hope so.

It could be that the Valley is just getting my hopes up only to crush them tonight. Actually, I am feeling pretty good about Alex.

[The Mad Hatter]

The photo appears to be the 5 players who are repeat 1st team all conference, which the press release I saw made specific note of.

[1972Shocker]

Missouri Valley@MVCsports · 4m 4 minutes ago #MVCWBB Jackie Stiles Player of the Year: Alex Harden of @GoShockersWBB. pic.twitter.com/YVedewdGO5


By the Towel of Tarkanian the Valley got it right this year.

[1972Shocker]

GoShockers retweeted Missouri Valley @MVCSports: · 13m 13 minutes ago
#MVCWBB Defensive Player of the Year: Jamillah Bonner of @GoShockersWBB pic.twitter.com/N5EofX2EXO

[1972Shocker]

Missouri Valley@MVCsports · 5m 5 minutes ago #MVCWBB Coach of the Year: Jody Adams of @GoShockersWBB. pic.twitter.com/XUPRiOu9Zo

[1972Shocker]

Congratulations to Coach Adams, Alex and Jamillah for the very well deserved and very hard earned honors.

I would say the Valley voters got it right this year (although I am still miffed about last year's POY results but this year will help).

[tgcshock]

The Wichita Eagle article pointed out something I had not given any thought to which is that a Shocker has won the Defensive Player of the Year award for four consecutive seasons: Lankster, Harden (twice) and now Bonner. That kind of defensive continuity should encourage us as we look forward to next year. I'm not sure that the Shocks can repeat as MVC regular season champions next year but with the consistent emphasis on defense, I don't think the bottom will fall out either. I'd be surprised if we finished lower than fourth next year. Defense not only wins championships; having a defensive mindset also helps a less experienced team be more competitive than one that relies on offense first.

[1972Shocker]

The Wichita Eagle article pointed out something I had not given any thought to which is that a Shocker has won the Defensive Player of the Year award for four consecutive seasons: Lankster, Harden (twice) and now Bonner. That kind of defensive continuity should encourage us as we look forward to next year. I'm not sure that the Shocks can repeat as MVC regular season champions next year but with the consistent emphasis on defense, I don't think the bottom will fall out either. I'd be surprised if we finished lower than fourth next year. Defense not only wins championships; having a defensive mindset also helps a less experienced team be more competitive than one that relies on offense first.

Drake, MSU, SIU and maybe UNI if their two bigs come back from season ending knee injuries reasonably healthy next year will probably be picked to finish above the Shockers. The Shocks should be able to stay ahead of INS (who loses 7 seniors) EVN, BU, LOY, ILS. So I predict we will be picked to finish 5th.

You are right about defense but we lose the core of this year's defense in Alex, Jamillah and Kelsey. The 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards walking out the door plus a long, active and pretty quick 6-2 player who was very effective on the point of some of your zone packages. Defenders like these 3 ladies don't grow on trees.

[tgcshock]

Drake, MSU, SIU and maybe UNI if their two bigs come back from season ending knee injuries reasonably healthy next year will probably be picked to finish above the Shockers. The Shocks should be able to stay ahead of INS (who loses 7 seniors) EVN, BU, LOY, ILS. So I predict we will be picked to finish 5th.

You are right about defense but we lose the core of this year's defense in Alex, Jamillah and Kelsey. The 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards walking out the door plus a long, active and pretty quick 6-2 player who was very effective on the point of some of your zone packages. Defenders like these 3 ladies don't grow on trees.

I agree that we will be picked to finish 5th. Still will be surprised if we finish lower than fourth. You can see what coaching and championship experience did for UNI this year. After the injuries, they were not the fourth best team by talent or experience but the coaching and tradition kept them in the top four. Don't expect anything less from us.

[1972Shocker]

I agree that we will be picked to finish 5th. Still will be surprised if we finish lower than fourth. You can see what coaching and championship experience did for UNI this year. After the injuries, they were not the fourth best team by talent or experience but the coaching and tradition kept them in the top four. Don't expect anything less from us.

I hope you're right. I just don't know. Remember we are losing a player many folks believe is the best female basketball player in school history. We are losing perhaps the hottest running motor we have ever had in school history in Jamillah, and we are losing the player that Jody calls her glue player in Kelsey. Not only is there outstanding departing after this year but also tremendous leadership and pretty much all our leadership which may be just as important as the talent.

We have a couple of decent players coming back next year in Michaela and Alie but Michaela is an undersized post player and Alie is pretty much one a one dimensional player. The kind of players you need but IMHO probably not the kind of players you can expect to fill the void being left by the 3 seniors. We have one reserve who started contributing a bit late in the season in Jaleesa Chapel. Other than that next year is pretty much a blank slate and while I like the two transfers and the 3 incoming freshman you just have no way of knowing how they will perform. Yes, coaching is important but you still have to have the Ginnies and the Jills to avoid taking a spill.

[1972Shocker]

Kelsey Jacobs named to I-AAA scholar athlete team. This includes players from the 99 D-1 teams that do not sponsor football teams. Still a very nice honor and recognition for a very fine young lady. Congratulations Kelsey.

http://www.goshockers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7500&ATCLID=210029688