steelsd
Sophomore Member
Posts: 173 
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Post by steelsd on Jun 24, 2022 10:21:29 GMT -6
This is, I believe, the player to watch in this class. Can the Yotes get the win over SDSU, Creighton AND Nebraska? Claire Sheppard , 6'-1" SG Flandreau HS SD Attack offers: Feb - SDSU and USD August - Montana State, Colorado State, Creighton October - Nebraska Has verballed SDSU. It is very likely that Claire being on the same 16U team as other '24 SDSU commits Mahli Abdouch, Emilee Fox, and Katie Vasecka helped SDSU land her. Similar to your '23 class of Broughton, Klosterbuer, and Kieffer playing together. It certainly can't hurt the continuity when these players come in already having experience playing together. But overall it's really good to see the Dakota schools loading up on local talent. |
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Post by kiyoat on Jun 24, 2022 10:37:26 GMT -6
Dang. AJ's fiendish plan to get them all worked....  Could be why we pulled the trigger on the Maggie Taylor offer. |
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Post by hoopsmom on Jun 24, 2022 11:16:04 GMT -6
A couple thoughts:
First, we don’t have much space for class of 24. We only have three seniors leaving this year, and with the addition of our two transfers that we just got, we only have two open spots. We have three commits for 23 already, with a couple more offers out there for both 23 and 24.
Second, I’m not sure it’s great to have four players stay together from AAU to college. Yes, they know each other, but are they going to be willing to change their style to fit into what the coach wants them to do? I know that there are some players who specifically wait and see where their teammates are committing before they commit. This was definitely the case between McKeever and Sara Jacobsen. Because they both played the same position, they knew that only one of them would get the playing time.
Third, if we want to grow and improve against bigger conferences, we need to compete for higher ranked recruits. To be successful, we need to make sure that we are not seen as “just a bunch of South Dakota kids”. Not that it’s bad to be from South Dakota, but we want all recruits to feel welcome.
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steelsd
Sophomore Member
Posts: 173
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Post by steelsd on Jun 24, 2022 11:23:39 GMT -6
Dang. AJ's fiendish plan to get them all worked.... Could be why we pulled the trigger on the Maggie Taylor offer. Yes it did! Now here’s hoping they don’t miss their oh-so-important scheduled weekly calls with AJ. |
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Post by kiyoat on Jun 24, 2022 15:15:07 GMT -6
A couple thoughts: First, we don’t have much space for class of 24. We only have three seniors leaving this year, and with the addition of our two transfers that we just got, we only have two open spots. We have three commits for 23 already, with a couple more offers out there for both 23 and 24. Second, I’m not sure it’s great to have four players stay together from AAU to college. Yes, they know each other, but are they going to be willing to change their style to fit into what the coach wants them to do? I know that there are some players who specifically wait and see where their teammates are committing before they commit. This was definitely the case between McKeever and Sara Jacobsen. Because they both played the same position, they knew that only one of them would get the playing time. Third, if we want to grow and improve against bigger conferences, we need to compete for higher ranked recruits. To be successful, we need to make sure that we are not seen as “just a bunch of South Dakota kids”. Not that it’s bad to be from South Dakota, but we want all recruits to feel welcome. true. That is a tight class. I'm not sure how USD will have scholarships available, other than to keep playing under the scholarship limit, or asking existing players that don't pan out to transfer. Second: IDK. I mean, we are doing the same thing in the 2023 class. I wouldn't think it's a bad thing. Especially when the AAU team is at a high level. I would think it was amazing if we could get three girls from a North Tartan EYBL team. Locally, SD Attack seems to be where the best girls are playing. We want the best local girls. Period. Third: I don't think our recruiting strategy (Or AJ's for that matter) is to ONLY get local kids at the expense of more talented regional players. We both want our cake and eat it too. You aren't going to see either team with "just a bunch of SD kids". However, there is value in getting some of the best SD and local region kids on YOUR roster instead of THEIR roster: Fan Support. You get a roster that has no local kids on it for a couple of years, and see what happens to the fan base. South Dakotans DO care about women's basketball more than many other places, but they also want to root for their own. Macy Miller, Ciara Duffy, Chloe Lamb, Mayah Selland, etc. Hometown heroes fill stadiums. AJ knows that. Dawn knew that. And I'm not talking about "token" athletes. These are legit Division-1 difference-makers. Maybe you have a point, that both schools are looking for the next Chloe or Mayah, and will miss on a couple of kids in the hunt. Who knows? Competition between the two for resources has been cranked up to 11. |
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Post by yotewannabe on Jun 24, 2022 16:39:05 GMT -6
A couple thoughts: First, we don’t have much space for class of 24. We only have three seniors leaving this year, and with the addition of our two transfers that we just got, we only have two open spots. We have three commits for 23 already, with a couple more offers out there for both 23 and 24. Second, I’m not sure it’s great to have four players stay together from AAU to college. Yes, they know each other, but are they going to be willing to change their style to fit into what the coach wants them to do? I know that there are some players who specifically wait and see where their teammates are committing before they commit. This was definitely the case between McKeever and Sara Jacobsen. Because they both played the same position, they knew that only one of them would get the playing time. Third, if we want to grow and improve against bigger conferences, we need to compete for higher ranked recruits. To be successful, we need to make sure that we are not seen as “just a bunch of South Dakota kids”. Not that it’s bad to be from South Dakota, but we want all recruits to feel welcome. I had similar thoughts on your second point; that is a lot of SD girls in a two year grouping. I was also surprised as I feel that some of those girls are identical players for the same spot. Chalked it up to the friendship from AAU, going with majority, not wanting to be left out. Regardless it speaks highly for SD girls basketball regardless of where they go to play college ball. But at the end of the day the way these coaches put these teams together and the culture they build, it doesn’t seem to matter where you came from the bonds are just as tight. |
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Post by fightsd on Jun 27, 2022 7:02:19 GMT -6
A couple thoughts: First, we don’t have much space for class of 24. We only have three seniors leaving this year, and with the addition of our two transfers that we just got, we only have two open spots. We have three commits for 23 already, with a couple more offers out there for both 23 and 24. Second, I’m not sure it’s great to have four players stay together from AAU to college. Yes, they know each other, but are they going to be willing to change their style to fit into what the coach wants them to do? I know that there are some players who specifically wait and see where their teammates are committing before they commit. This was definitely the case between McKeever and Sara Jacobsen. Because they both played the same position, they knew that only one of them would get the playing time. Third, if we want to grow and improve against bigger conferences, we need to compete for higher ranked recruits. To be successful, we need to make sure that we are not seen as “just a bunch of South Dakota kids”. Not that it’s bad to be from South Dakota, but we want all recruits to feel welcome. true. That is a tight class. I'm not sure how USD will have scholarships available, other than to keep playing under the scholarship limit, or asking existing players that don't pan out to transfer. Second: IDK. I mean, we are doing the same thing in the 2023 class. I wouldn't think it's a bad thing. Especially when the AAU team is at a high level. I would think it was amazing if we could get three girls from a North Tartan EYBL team. Locally, SD Attack seems to be where the best girls are playing. We want the best local girls. Period. Third: I don't think our recruiting strategy (Or AJ's for that matter) is to ONLY get local kids at the expense of more talented regional players. We both want our cake and eat it too. You aren't going to see either team with "just a bunch of SD kids". However, there is value in getting some of the best SD and local region kids on YOUR roster instead of THEIR roster: Fan Support. You get a roster that has no local kids on it for a couple of years, and see what happens to the fan base. South Dakotans DO care about women's basketball more than many other places, but they also want to root for their own. Macy Miller, Ciara Duffy, Chloe Lamb, Mayah Selland, etc. Hometown heroes fill stadiums. AJ knows that. Dawn knew that. And I'm not talking about "token" athletes. These are legit Division-1 difference-makers. Maybe you have a point, that both schools are looking for the next Chloe or Mayah, and will miss on a couple of kids in the hunt. Who knows? Competition between the two for resources has been cranked up to 11. I disagree that fan enthusiasm would drop off if we didn't have high level SD kids on the roster. I look back to the WNIT year with Seekamp, Stewart, etc. The only local kid making much an impact was Heumiller if I remember right, and she wasn't really the marquee player on that team. Success breeds fan support at a much greater level than where players are from. |
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Post by Yotes on Jun 27, 2022 8:34:16 GMT -6
Agreed. There is always going to be a group of people interested in what homegrown players do. I don't think it's very many people though and what they bring to the fanbase is likely fleeting. Anyone potentially interested in following USD is going to be much more attracted to wins rather than seeing players from places they know.
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Post by Men's League Waterboy on Jun 27, 2022 10:56:46 GMT -6
Three of the five starters on the WNIT team were South Dakota kids. Winning hearts and imaginations of your local kids is absolutely huge in college sports.
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Post by Men's League Waterboy on Jun 27, 2022 11:10:26 GMT -6
I saw half the damn Black Hills in the stands at those last two WNIT games thanks to the Gusso, McCloud and Duffy families. The idea that local connections don't play a role in program enthusiasm is a wild one.
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Post by sdyotefan on Jun 27, 2022 12:32:34 GMT -6
I love seeing SD kids make Coyote rosters but they have to be the most qualified and we have proven there are some great ones but also some from MN, IA, FL, NE, ND, Australia etc too!!
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Post by kiyoat on Jun 27, 2022 15:16:28 GMT -6
I mean, it doesn't have to be an either/or kinda thing. I think both USD and SDSU have done a good job in the past at mixing local and regional rosters with a few international kids (although I can't remember the last time AJ had an international kid). The Jacks used to have the upper hand going head-to-head for a touted recruit, but these days it seems like a 50/50 deal. Aside from AJ's long tenure, and the D-1 head start, both programs now have similar accomplishments, fan support and national standing. Soon the Jacks will also have a similarly great facility to the SCSC. An escalating war.
The big question is which kids will pan out and which won't. And which will transfer up/down. The transfer option is becoming a bigger thing, in both men's and women's BB.
It's been a fun rivalry, and with these next few classes, things are not slowing down. I'm here for it.
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Post by kiyoat on Jun 27, 2022 15:29:40 GMT -6
It would be fun to do a mash-up video with all the accomplishments that have been mirrored between the two programs, even going back to the end of the NCC days, with both teams appearing in D-II national championships. It could have the song from this old Gatorade commercial with Mia Hamm and MJ:
The song is from a 1946 musical "Annie Get Your Gun" by Irving Berlin. This is a remixed version with a drum track. Just a thought...
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Post by kiyoat on Jul 5, 2022 10:56:19 GMT -6
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Post by kiyoat on Jul 7, 2022 15:32:09 GMT -6
...and three follows for "KJ"
Kaylynn "KJ" Janes, 6'-0" Wing
Incarnate Word Academy, St. Louis, MO
Phee Elite AAU
twitter.com/kaylynnjanes_34
www.hudl.com/profile/15382263/Kaylynn-Janes
Offers:
2021
July - St. Louis, Kansas City, Illinois, Lipscomb, Illinois State
Sept - Drake
2022
July - Cal Poly
Oct - Southern Indiana
Nov - Cleveland St
2023
Jan - Lindenwood, SIUe
Feb - UNI
Apr - Evansville
She was offered previously by Kayla and Ty at Drake and STL.*May 22 2023 update: my thoughts are that those offers in 2021 might not still be active, as her recent offers are less desirable? UNI is the best recent offer she has, so I'm surprised she hasn't taken it. That's a legit mid-major. * May 22 2023 update: just a few hours after I posted this, she committed to UNI |
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