VT win acc, 2 Aussies
Portland in wcc final tomorrow, 6 Aussies, 1 kiwi
WSU win pac 12, 2 Aussies, 1 kiwi

Well done!

My bad, 7 Aussies, 2 kiwis portland.

The pipeline of Australians to Portland is really quite impressive.

Amoore has a great jumpshot, just has to get a bit more consistent. She'll be in that logjam for Opals point guard positions eventually.

On another note, I read that Juffermans intends to play college ball. Curious where she's going to end up.

2023/2024 signed

Laditan - California
Condron - UC San Diego
Ohara - George Mason
Foy - Long Beach State
Crawshaw - Long Beach State
Petrie - Nebraska
Ananiev - Portland
Hanson - Sacramento State
Vlahov - St Marys
Wawszkowicz - San Diego
Kay - Southern Utah
Burrows - Syracuse
Griffiths - Xavier


Not alot compared previous seasons.
Usually between 20-30.

That Portland team contains Keeley Frawley, daughter of the late Danny (Spud) who was a Ballarat boy.

07 girls already have alot of offers from big schools.
The 04/05/06 offers well down on previous years.

How do you know that? I know one 06 girl who has had three offers so far from power 5 and mid major schools and she is still talking to a number more div 1 colleges. Not every offer is publicized.

Less scholarships available this year as compared to 2020 or earlier.

Because they told me.

Others

Henderson - Columbia
Peacock - Hawaii
Donovan - Davidson

I think the pathway is changing now because of NBL1. Lots making the decision to stay home. Also lots of others choosing junior college.

Be interesting to see who can get a wnbl contract straight up from now on, Borlase, Puoch and Loughridge this past season. Which 05 next season could get a contract?, so many seniors in college are coming home.
Clark maybe the only one if Juffermans is ncaa bound. Probably see her in Perth I reckon.

Utah win PAC 12, 2 Aussies. Palmer starting PG and Kelsey Rees. Both doing well, potentially whole team returning next year.

Portland gets to the NCAA tournament by upsetting Gonzaga 64-60 in the WCC tournament final. Alex Fowler has a big game, scoring 15 points in the second half after a scoreless first half including making a key three point play to put Portland ahead in the last minute of the game.

Good to see lots of Aussies in the tourney.

Georgia Amore has improved significantly since joining VT, it's good to see a kid with such a good attitude and a fun game doing so well. She will be an Opal pretty soon I expect, she has a great set of skills and clearly has the mental strength step up in pressure games.

Asian cup or commonwealth games, doubtful Olympics or WC.

Yeah, I think Amoore's shooting would need to improve substantially for her to make a major tournament Opals team. She’ll be in the large group of fringe Opals point guards for the next decade or so.

Eye test and stats suggest she's already a pretty good shooter, she's shooting mid 30's from 3 on volume and only a small % would be open catch and shoot. I agree she was streaky pre going to VT, doesn't seem to be the case anymore though. She already has a bigger toolbox that Reid and Rocci and she's a lot quicker than Heal. I expect she will prove her doubters wrong, and pretty quickly.

Agree with SP, she'll be that 3rd option as pg or on the fringe for a decade.


In contention now and next few years
Whitcomb 88 CG
Lavey 93
Mangakahia 95
Wallace 96 CG
Reid 96
Rocci 98
Heal 01
Shelley 00
Amoore 01
Scanlon 01
Melbourne 02 CG

Coming through, best pg by yob
Deeble 03
Loughridge 04
Burrows 05
Deas 06
Hall 07
08, find out next month...
09, find out next year…

I very much enjoy watching her play, but her size will become more of a factor the higher she climbs in the basketball world.
If you're good enough in other areas then size is not everything. Becky Hammon had a hell of a career and she's the same height, so it's not impossible.

could you put what state they are from with the future signings please ? some of those surnames are common across states.

Coachgirl , Washington state won the pac 12 from 7th place, utah were 2nd in regular season ttable, both still will make the tournament.

Lulu Laditan - California
Felicity Henderson - Columbia
Erin Condron - UC San Diego
Katelyn Donovan - Davidson
Amy Ohara - George Mason
Jade Peacock - Hawaii
Emily Foy - Long Beach State
Jada Crawshaw - Long Beach State
Jessica Petrie - Nebraska
Dyani Ananiev - Portland
Summah Hanson - Sacramento State
Ruby Vlahov - St Marys
Mila Wawszkowicz - San Diego
Charli Kay - Southern Utah
Sophie Burrows - Syracuse
Holly Griffiths - Xavier

Here's a good article on Amoore. Her love for Aussie Rules makes me wonder if the AFLW is going to target her in the future.

https://roanoke.com/sports/college/va_tech/choosing-basketball-pays-off-for-aussie-georgia-amoore-of-virginia-tech/article_37159a54-bd27-11ed-981a-773dedd7fbdc.html

The Afl target women 1-2 years before they return from college.

re: Amoore's shooting, I should have said her general scoring efficiency needs to be better for her to be an Opal. She's a solid three point shooter, but her 2 point percentage is subpar and career sub-40% field goal in college isn't that good if you have international aspirations. She'll be fine in the WNBL regardless but if she wants to play at a level above that, she will need to finish better inside the arc.

I agree her stats suggest she is not very efficient from 2, but she also takes a lot of late shot clock iso shots. The eye test suggests she is a good mid range shooter and finisher at the basket, she is also a good decision maker when she drives. It will be interesting to see how she progresses but I think she has gone well past Heal, Shelley and Scanlon who were better as juniors (not in the College sense).

And Portland is out, sadly

Xxxx, I think you should wait for Amoore to be in the wnbl. WNBL is way above ACC level.

Let it fly, Goergia.
19 3PA in today's 2nd round win over SDS. 21p (7/23 FG, 7/19 3P), 3r, 3a, 1s, 2 to.

Just a prediction Weedy, you never know how they will go at a higher level till they get the opportunity.

26 triples across her last 5 games - all ACC / NCAA Tournament games under the microscope.

I remember her from her VJBL days, very skilled, struggled with outside shooting at that time but it seems those days are gone :) I was always intrigued why she was never offered a spot at the AIS but these things get sorted by themselves. Well done!!!

Probably because Coe selectors suck. I believe they had Shelley and Scanlon at Coe at that time.

9 of the 13 current Coe girls should be with other nbl1 teams by now, makes no sense that 04 and 05 kids remain at Coe and in the east conference, especially when they are not being selected for jnr n.t. The program should already have 10 or so players made up of 06 or 07 kids.

Maybe her improvement curve has been sharper because she didn't go to the COE, rather than despite it!

More than likely.

You got it, xxxx

Why is there always snipes at the CoE?

Many are the threads which have been written on this topic, bballfan

Current scholarships
Harvey 06
Gray 05
Deas 06
Bobongie 06
Clark 05
Shiels 06
Bird 06
Hanson 05
Petrie 05
Juffermans 05
Gordon 04
Metcalfe 06
Portlock 06


How many of these players should make the u19N.T at this years WC?
-4/13 imo

How many of these 06 players above will play for u19N.T at the WC in 2025?
-4/7 imo

How many of these players will play wnbl?
-6/13 imo

How many of these players will one day become senior opals?
-4/13 imo


If this is the best development program in the country (which it no longer is) you'd think atleast 75% or 12 out of the 16 they roughly bring in over 3 years would be filling up the n.t spots, playing in bigger ncaa conferences, wnbl teams climbin over each other to get pen to paper and players getting early opals buzz. It ain’t happening... They go into the program not as good as others, they come out of the program still not as good as others.
Only 3 of the above have gotten noticeably better over 3 years, Juffermans, Petrie and Clark and 1 over 2 years, Shiels. The theory over practise ratio is out of whack, no elite trainers in the entire facility, just good communicators. Kids from hoop city, ausa hoops etc etc with just a few months of extra training overtake kids that have been at the Coe for 3 years. A change is needed.

The whole concept of the COE is archaic, the idea of having the best athletes and best coaches all working together is great in theory. But even in theory it relies of choosing the best athletes and attracting the best coaches. Neither of which they have achieved or are ever likely to achieve in practice.

If you are picking kids at 15 and 16 the strike rate will always be poor, they are too young and so much changes between that age and 20. They can't get the best coaches because they are inferior jobs in both status and, I assume, remuneration to NBL and WNBL jobs, let alone overseas jobs. Good private trainers can also make a lot more money working for themselves than the COE could possibly pay. This isn't even taking into account the -ve impact on some kids of being removed from their families and friends.

Yes one of the big issues, kids at that age should not be away from friends or family long term. That's why I previously suggested an u19 npp/spp team within every nbl1 conference. Scrap the Coe, more coaches, actual trainers, access to personal s&c and nutrition programs and most importantly, majority of the players living at home.

That would be a good idea, as long as the kids weren't punished if they chose to play NBL1 with their own club instead. Ideally they should be playing and training with senior players, but anything that promotes opportunities for more kids and exposes them to better coaching would be a step forward.

The issue with playing for the local nbl1 club is that they get such little gametime. Very rare you get starters under 19. Funneling the nbl1 npp/spp training through hoop city, ausa hoops, the basketball lab, sa/wa equivalent against older players fills some of the senior exp void they may lose if they don't go local route.

Great thoughts above, esp the conference or state-level programs which allow players to stay at home.

Or do we follow the Euro idea that it's mostly the clubs that provide the training environment as part of a (guaranteed) pathway into the senior team?

Sadly, I think BA has too much invested (politically and financially) in keeping the existing set-up in place for a long time. As long as Oz continues to do well at international junior levels, BA won’t feel the need to change anything.

Agree, great points. Wonder when it will change?

I think that's where your idea is a good one. If the local clubs don't want to play them, they can go play for the SDP (or whatever name) team, they should be able to play for the club if they are going to get on the court and want to stay there though.

I think you are correct Hoopie, shutting down or reducing the role of the COE would mean a number of coaches and administrators at the national level would lose their jobs, and an admission that BA has wasted a lot of money. Its a pity because long term it would probably mean more jobs in the sport as well as better outcomes in terms of talent development.

Change the Coe to a coaching / position specific 3-4 day camp facility

Eg

January
1-Coaching u16
2-Coaching u18
3-Coaching u20
4-Coaching Senior

February
1-Men + Women u16 Center
2-Men + Women u18 Center
3-Men + Women u20 Center
4-Men + Women Senior Center

March
National player camp for major jnr/Snr tournaments mid year

April
1-Men + Women u16 Power Forward
2-Men + Women u18 Power Forward
3-Men + Women u20 Power Forward
4-Men + Women Senior Power Forward

May
1-Men + Women u16 Small Forward
2-Men + Women u18 Small Forward
3-Men + Women u20 Small Forward
4-Men + Women Senior Small Forward

June
Trainers discussion / techniques / drills

July
1-Men + Women u16 Shooting Guard
2-Men + Women u18 Shooting Guard
3-Men + Women u20 Shooting Guard
4-Men + Women Senior Shooting Guard

August
1-Men + Women u16 Point Guard
2-Men + Women u18 Point Guard
3-Men + Women u20 Point Guard
4-Men + Women Senior Point Guard

September
Players association discussion between nbl/wnbl seasons

October
National player camp for late year and following early year qualifiers

November
Referees conference / training

December
Management / streamlining / implementing / future proofing / infrastructure / promotion

That's far too sensible!

Such a great idea, Weedy.

Love it

Disagree with the positional aspect of it but agree with the monthly structure.

This would likely cost BA more flying in all those kids each month then housing 24 athletes.

It's better use of the facility that is not used for most of the day.

Aussie Brett punched in the head in NIT after the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuzrstabQzo

Is #35 an athlete?

Just heard of an athlete declining a COE scholarship as they have already received numerous Div 1 scholarship offers.

Many already have offers.

Sucks that in the streaming age we still have to wait until tonight to watch some S16 action.
Amoore leading all scorers. VT with a comfortable lead atm.

A career high, a win, and her profile just went national. Love to see it!!

Sucks that in the streaming age we still have to wait until tonight to watch some S16 action.

^ I mean if I'm unable to watch something live then my only option is to wait for whatever scraps ESPN decides to put on Foxtel 12 hours later

I just watch it on u.s sports channels through reddit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1U23XD_wnU

^ I mean if I'm unable to watch something live then my only option is to wait for whatever scraps ESPN decides to put on Foxtel 12 hours later

Cheers Weedy. I'm waiting for the local ESPN version anyway, but good to know that versions exist on YT as a backup option.

Interesting link although I have no idea how one hour plus "highlights" are able to stay up.

https://twitter.com/Raoul_000/status/1638893309669306372?s=20

Interesting to see paige price has entered into transfer portal, highly rated aussie jnr, #2 behind #1 Swain that class. A (6'1 SF) that went to Indiana for 1 season, returned home to play aflw/nbl1, injured mostly, currently playing for SWM in the north and now looking at heading back to college with 3 years of eligibility left. Would be a good pickup for VT(with Dunn, forme jnr teammate) or Aussie town(portland) I reckon. Has to get fitness back though. As we saw with Mangakahia, takes time.

She's off to the Final 4!

If they can stop reese from dominating the boards and shoot well, they can beat lsu.

On the otherside, Clark would have to go full flamethrower to beat the entire sc roster.

Well done Georgia Amoore. As for coverage here, local ESPN/Kayo only showed 5/8 sweet sixteen games. Very disappointing. Couldn't find a way to watch any of the WNIT games either