WBB Offseason

[Lord Elrond]

Ok, I’ll call it, Billiken WBB season is over. They came into this game #196 in NET, lost by 30 to GM (which is no disgrace, they were #45 in NET going into this game after all), but it’s not going to move you up in rankings, or impress the selection committee. Maybe they sneak in on the strength of being reigning WNIT Champs, but I doubt it.

Next year looks like a rebuilding year. 5 of the 14 players on the roster are out of eligibility: Mya Glanton, Kennedy Calhoun, Bri Johns, Nafa Haidara, and Peyton Kennedy.

This could have been even worse, but for the court ruling that playing in Juco doesn’t count for eligibility. Without that, Tierra Simon and Marcavia Shavers would have been out of eligibility since they played 2 Juco years. Brooklyn Gray only played 1 Juco year. Now, all 3 have 2 more years of eligibility.

I should add that there were 8 Billiken women who were honored on senior night, including Tierra Simon, Marcavia Shavers, and Isabell Tillett. Being eligible is not anything Simon or Shavers were even contemplating at the time of the senior night, because it wasn’t possible. Do they want to come back or not? Does Isabell Tillett want to play another year, or get on with her future coaching career? They could now come back but will they?

Still, a lot of minutes from this year will not be back for next year.  Right now, assuming everyone on the team comes back, there are 9 returning players, 5 with more than one years experience and 4 freshmen back for next year:

Brooklyn Gray, Tierra Simon, Marcavia Shavers, Isabell Tillett, Marilena Triantafylli (she didn’t play a single minute, can she get a retroactive redshirt year?), Hannah Wallace, Shun Anumele, Mia Bergstrom, Rita Nazario. Add on 3 committed incoming freshmen: Zhykera Brown, Alyssa Koerkenmeier, Jasaiyah Wallace.

So we need 2-3 more players from either additional freshmen, Juco players (who come in with 4 years of eligibility) or the portal. I say 2-3 because even though you can have 15 scholarship players, we chose to play with only 14 this year. With the experience we lost, it’s hard to see it as anything but a rebuilding year.  You may need 3 more potentially from the portal to replace Simon, Shavers, and Tillett, and that makes it even more of a rebuilding year.
 

Right now I would pencil for the starters: Gray, Simon, Shavers, Wallace, Koerkenmeier. This had some obvious flaws, primarily because you’re asking Hannah Wallace to be the starting point guard. Other potential starting point guards are Isabell Tillett and Rita Nazario, or maybe Zhykera Brown (who is a combo guard). On the other hand, Simon and Shavers alongside the 6’6” Koerkenmeier would give you an intimidating inside presence. But freshmen need to learn. The good side of this is everyone has more than 1 year of eligibility, so that’s why I say a rebuilding year is coming, aiming more for this group to jell next year. Obviously anyone you get in the portal will change this. I would go for an experienced point guard and good 3pt shooters to target in the portal.

Not that Coach Tillett listens to me, of course.

[billikenbill]

I think Shavers and Simon only have one additional year of eligibility based on the Pavia ruling. I don’t think Gray gets an extra year since she won’t be out of eligibility after this season. Both Shavers and Simon went through Sr. Day so it’ll be interesting to see if they use the extra year and if so, use it at SLU.

Triantifylli is eligible for a redshirt since she didn’t see any action this year. Also, if Isabel Tillett is the starting PG next year then the program is in massive trouble. Not sure she would start at a D3 program.

[Lord Elrond]

24 minutes ago, billikenbill said:

I think Shavers and Simon only have one additional year of eligibility based on the Pavia ruling. I don’t think Gray gets an extra year since she won’t be out of eligibility after this season. Both Shavers and Simon went through Sr. Day so it’ll be interesting to see if they use the extra year and if so, use it at SLU.

Triantifylli is eligible for a redshirt since she didn’t see any action this year. Also, if Isabel Tillett is the starting PG next year then the program is in massive trouble. Not sure she would start at a D3 program.

Tillett is not an offensive threat at all. She did get 5 assists against GM in 16 minutes, and lead the team in that this game, so maybe she suitable for depth, but I agree, not a starter.  If Simon and Shavers don’t come back, the rebuilding year gets even tougher.

[White Pelican]

I'm not worried about that possibility. Her coach is smarter than that.

[thetorch]

The 3 recruits Tillet has coming in will be nice players.  Next year's team though will have 20+ losses.

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

32 minutes ago, thetorch said:

The 3 recruits Tillet has coming in will be nice players.  Next year's team though will have 20+ losses.

I disagree with that, we've been surprised all 3 years.

[Lord Elrond]

Tillett has shown she likes to schedule the toughest possible non-conference schedule. If she does that again, it could get pretty ugly real quick. Maybe next year dial it back.

[thetorch]

5 hours ago, Lord Elrond said:

Tillett has shown she likes to schedule the toughest possible non-conference schedule. If she does that again, it could get pretty ugly real quick. Maybe next year dial it back.

With the talent level she has returning a tough schedule like that could easily get her fired.  I don't think the administration is going to accept sub 10 wins from the Womens program anymore.

No doubt Tillet has some in game coaching chops, and she performs in the postseason.  She hasn't recruited well enough the last two years for her teams to get to the postseason going forward though.

[JettFlight5]

1 hour ago, thetorch said:

With the talent level she has returning a tough schedule like that could easily get her fired.  I don't think the administration is going to accept sub 10 wins from the Womens program anymore.

No doubt Tillet has some in game coaching chops, and she performs in the postseason.  She hasn't recruited well enough the last two years for her teams to get to the postseason going forward though.

Would they pull the trigger? They were pretty patient with Travis Ford.

[okay]

Tillet isn't going anywhere. winning two consecutive championships, one at the national level is going to buy her a lotta years here. I think she is a fantastic coach for us. If anything I could see her getting poached by an underperforming P5 program 

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

1 hour ago, okay said:

Tillet isn't going anywhere. winning two consecutive championships, one at the national level is going to buy her a lotta years here. I think she is a fantastic coach for us. If anything I could see her getting poached by an underperforming P5 program 

Yep, getting to the NCAA her first year and accomplishing something no other women's coach has ever done followed by winning the WNIT (even if it's unfairly the equivalent of the CBI now) bought her at least 3 bad seasons and probably 5 total. The team won't be bad all of those years. Poaching is definitely a bigger concern.

[billikenfan05]

I have questions about Tilletts ability to see talent and also some nepotism. Isabel playing 8 minutes a game and getting 15 minutes vs GMU while Peyton Kennedy played 18 in the A10 tournament is malpractice. I don’t wanna hear about injuries. The yo-yoing of Peyton’s playing time this season has been ridiculous. 

[billikenfan05]

5 minutes ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said:

Yep, getting to the NCAA her first year and accomplishing something no other women's coach has ever done followed by winning the WNIT (even if it's unfairly the equivalent of the CBI now) bought her at least 3 bad seasons and probably 5 total. The team won't be bad all of those years. Poaching is definitely a bigger concern.

I would be overjoyed if she got poached. Pay day! 

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

13 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

Isabel playing 8 minutes a game

She didn't play hardly at all the last two years. I'm thinking it's because it's her last year? But also doesn't she have another year of eligibility? But then again, it's also Bri Johns last year and she played maybe a grand total of 20 minutes all year.

 

Edit: Bri Johns has somehow averaged 8 minutes a game this season.

Edited March 8 by BrettJollyComedyHour
Bri Johns actual stats.

[billikenbill]

1 hour ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said:

Tillett was quoted as saying she hopes Isabel comes back next year. I could see it as a GA, but not as a player. She literally has no game.

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

1 minute ago, billikenbill said:

Tillett was quoted as saying Isabel comes back next year. I could see it as a GA, but not as a player. She literally has no game.

Yeah she has a career point total of like 17 over 3 seasons. There's no reason to play her as much as she's been playing.

[thetorch]

Her early success has bought her some time.  The underlying area there is those teams got hot in the postseason.  They weren't really good teams.

Tillett didn't turn that on court success into recruiting success.  I think she is still recruiting a level below where she needs to.  This incoming Freshman class has promise certainly, Wallace should have the most impact year one, but there are no stars in that class, no difference makers.  Her lack of recruits are catching up to her.  Next years team will have the least amount of talent right now since Shimmy was here.  The roster as it stands will be very hard to finish in the top ten in the A10.  Thinking she will get an impact transfer is fools gold.

[Lord Elrond]

If we are going to improve, we must shoot better than we did this year. How bad was it? BAD

The average NCAA team shot FG% of 41.17%, 3Pt% of 31.33%. (Those are what the 172nd ranked teams in each category did, which puts them ranked in the middle of all teams).  How did we compare?

Our FG% as a team was 38.82%, which puts us as #255 out of 353 teams.  In other words, we did worse than 72.23% of all D1 teams, I grade that as a solid D.

Our 3Pt% as a team was 25.54%, which puts us as #333 out of 353 teams. In other words, we did worse than 94.33% of all D1 teams, I grade that as a solid F, borderline F-.

We need to improve in both categories, or we don’t get better. 
 

What I think we need to do to improve:

1- Convince Tierra Simon and Marcavia Shavers to stay and use that extra eligibility they now get as Juco transfers.  Simon shot 43.9% from the field, and 39.6% from 3pt (in addition to getting 285 rebounds). Shavers shot 49.1% from the field, and while 0-0 from 3pt, at least she knew her limitations (in addition to getting 117 rebounds).  Can you do better in the women’s portal? Probably not. And while people criticize Isabell Tillet for lack of offense, she did shot 44.44% (4-9), so her shooting did not hurt us overall. Didn’t help.  Didn’t really matter with such few attempts. 

2- Get the most out of what you have.  Brooklyn Gray shot 41.7 from the field, but only 20.3% from 3pt. If she can improve from 3 great.  Until then, move closer and don’t shoot the 3 unless the clock is about to expire and there’s no time to pass.  Mia Bergstrom started out shooting great, after getting 7 made 3pt shots against Norfolk State 10 games into the season, she was up in the mid-40’s somewhere, competing for the best 3pt% in the A10, and listed in the top 50 shooters in D1. Then the bottom fell out on her. She finished 41-140, 29.3% from 3. (Still the 2nd best on the team after Simon percentage wise).   Figure out what the problem was and get it fixed no matter what, if that means getting an assistant who specializes in getting players to make 3pt shots, do it. (I’m not actually sure that there are assistant coaches like that, but this team could use one if there is).  Don’t kid yourself, you probably are not going to find someone with more potential in the women’s portal and convince that person to come here.  Shun’teria Anumele took the most FG attempts of anyone on the team, 342. She also had the worst FG% of anyone on the team, 31.9%. (Technically Nafa Haidara was 1-4, 25%, and Rita Nazario was 0-3 for 0%, but they really didn’t play too much did they?) The person on your team who takes the most field goal attempts CANNOT be the worst percentage shooter on the team.  CANNOT.  Yes I see the potential in her, but the results have to be better. Hannah Wallace shot 36.0% from the field, not bad but could be better, but only 1-9 from 3pt range. With her defense that’s fine, but there is room to improve the scoring.  The rest of the returning players (Rita Nazario, Marilena Tryantafylli) really didn’t play all that much, so we don’t really know what they can do.  Nazario looks quick enough and a skilled enough ball handler to play point, but she hasn’t done it. Tryantafylli looks tall (6’5”), but didn’t play a minute. She was good enough to get a scholarship from Syracuse out of high school in Greece, that’s all I know on her.

3- Hit the portal. Incoming freshmen look good, but they are going to be freshmen, and there aren’t enough of them to replace the numbers we lost. Hit the portal hard.

That’s all I got on this for now.

[billikenbill]

Bergstrom is the definition of a catch and shoot shooter. She seems to have no ball skills at all. Even worse, she isn’t good at the catch and shoot part. She doesn’t square up, never uses a triple threat stance, is no threat to put it on the floor, and shoots off balance. She also shoots not in the rhythym of the offense, just launches from the hip, and no one is ready to rebound. 
After that crazy start, she brought nothing to the table.

Anumele has talent and athletic ability but has no concept of team play. She either bull rushes the lane for a forced shot, tries to pivot and turns it over, and is another one who shoots not in the rhythym of the offense. She has good shot mechanics so if she’d slow down, pass the ball once in a while, and not force shots, she could easily become a 15-16 pt/game scorer.

Wallace is an elite athlete and defender. She can beat people off the dribble but for some reason cannot finish. Her shooting percentage inside 5’ has to be in the 20s. That’s hard to understand. She has a nice touch with FTs and good enough mechanics that she ought to at least be a threat out to 15-16’. Her development will be very interesting to watch next year as she has, as Hubie Brown would say, “Tremendous upside potential.”

Simon and Shavers are good role players and Gray a decent scorer and we need all three back. Problem is if those three are your primary frontcourt players, you’re not talented enough or big enough to challenge the top of the league.

[kmbilliken]

5 hours ago, okay said:

Tillet isn't going anywhere. winning two consecutive championships, one at the national level is going to buy her a lotta years here. I think she is a fantastic coach for us. If anything I could see her getting poached by an underperforming P5 program 

I totally disagree. Lisa Stone was a much better coach and recruiter. Tillett did two big things and that should allow her to finish her contract, but if she can’t put together a winning season in the next two years she should not be offered a new contract.

[Lord Elrond]

23 minutes ago, kmbilliken said:

I totally disagree. Lisa Stone was a much better coach and recruiter. Tillett did two big things and that should allow her to finish her contract, but if she can’t put together a winning season in the next two years she should not be offered a new contract.

Lisa Stone never got results. Of the 5 banners hanging in Chaifetz for the women’s team, 3 of them are only because of Tillett’s teams in the time she’s been here: WNIT championship banner, A10 Conference Tournament banner, NCAA Tournament appearance banner.  Tiller’s team has part of the WNIT appearance banner, as does Lisa Stone. The A10 Regular Season Championship banner for 2016 is for Stone’s teams.  Lisa Stone was here much longer, but never took us to the places Rebecca Tillett has. 

[billikenfan05]

35 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

Lisa Stone never got results. Of the 5 banners hanging in Chaifetz for the women’s team, 3 of them are only because of Tillett’s teams in the time she’s been here: WNIT championship banner, A10 Conference Tournament banner, NCAA Tournament appearance banner.  Tiller’s team has part of the WNIT appearance banner, as does Lisa Stone. The A10 Regular Season Championship banner for 2016 is for Stone’s teams.  Lisa Stone was here much longer, but never took us to the places Rebecca Tillett has. 

She was fired but she put up really good regular seasons and had us in the NIT a handful of times. Her firing was surprising. I don’t believe Tillett will get SLU back to the NCAA Tournament and probably not into the WBIT, at least not from what I’ve seen from her recruiting. A lot of that NCAA Tournament teams was Stone’s recruits. The WNIT, while cool and fun, was essentially the CBI. 

[Lord Elrond]

7 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

She was fired but she put up really good regular seasons and had us in the NIT a handful of times. Her firing was surprising. I don’t believe Tillett will get SLU back to the NCAA Tournament and probably not into the WBIT, at least not from what I’ve seen from her recruiting. A lot of that NCAA Tournament teams was Stone’s recruits. The WNIT, while cool and fun, was essentially the CBI. 

Lisa Stone wasn’t fired from what I understand, her contract expired and it wasn’t renewed is my understanding. Semantics, I guess.

I will point out that Rebecca Tillett did get to the NCAA at Longwood with players she recruited, and she even won an NCAA game there with them. So she is capable of recruiting players who can take a program to the NCAA.  Her recruiting got off to a bad start at SLU. She was hired a bit late, and wasn’t able to bring in any new freshmen the first year here, so it was all Longwood transfers and holdover players.  Tillett went out and got 3 Juco players for her first class, and they’ve been good for the team. Wallace, Bergman and Anumele were the first real freshman recruiting class she brought in. I like the potential in all of them, but they all need work on some areas of their game.  Next year recruits seem good too, but we need numbers to fill in.  I’m not sure how many good freshman coming in this fall are uncommitted at this point, some will fall out as coaches move around. I’ve been surprised they haven’t found a Juco to come in, with the new ruling they are basically freshmen with additional seasoning. Of course, they also represent the high school players who weren’t selected right out of high school for some reason. 

[billikenfan05]

4 hours ago, Lord Elrond said:

Lisa Stone wasn’t fired from what I understand, her contract expired and it wasn’t renewed is my understanding. Semantics, I guess.

I will point out that Rebecca Tillett did get to the NCAA at Longwood with players she recruited, and she even won an NCAA game there with them. So she is capable of recruiting players who can take a program to the NCAA.  Her recruiting got off to a bad start at SLU. She was hired a bit late, and wasn’t able to bring in any new freshmen the first year here, so it was all Longwood transfers and holdover players.  Tillett went out and got 3 Juco players for her first class, and they’ve been good for the team. Wallace, Bergman and Anumele were the first real freshman recruiting class she brought in. I like the potential in all of them, but they all need work on some areas of their game.  Next year recruits seem good too, but we need numbers to fill in.  I’m not sure how many good freshman coming in this fall are uncommitted at this point, some will fall out as coaches move around. I’ve been surprised they haven’t found a Juco to come in, with the new ruling they are basically freshmen with additional seasoning. Of course, they also represent the high school players who weren’t selected right out of high school for some reason. 

Did she win a play in game or a regular game. Rumblings are the culture isn’t as empowering as it’s made out to be. I’m concerned about the younger Tillett being on staff next year. The word toxic comes to mind. 

[thetorch]

Can anyone explain why peyton kennedy went from an all timer to meh in a few months? Was her injury way worse? Why was a pre season all conference pick and one of the best scorers in program history yo yoed in the rotation all season?