Allisha Gray to South Carolina

[Carnac]

Like Nationwide says in their commercials .... "sometimes life comes at you fast"

Once a kid decides to transfer, they are already 90% sure where they want to go. They perform their "due diligence" before they make their announcement.

Tweet from David Clonniger South Carolina Beat Reporter

Quite a day for Dawn Staley. New contract, and her third ACC transfer -- North Carolina's Allisha Gray is coming to Columbia.


South Carolina is now loaded for the Future. Presuming no transfers from South Carolina have to consider them the favorites for National Championship in 2016/2017 Season.

What a great year for Dawn and her program. She's not even fishing, and they're jumping into the boat anyway. When was the last time you saw anything like this?

 

[jsloanjr]

As long as Geno is coaching UCONN, this team will be doing just fine...........

 

[Gate81]

what if Mavunga goes to Notre Dame which is near home? SC out of scholarships, plz say she won't fall for the Duke line (since they now need ABG anyone but guards), and Hatchell probably won't let her go to TN who would love to have her join DD and Russell.

 

[Tonyc]

UConn is beating top teams by 20+ pts. So Stewie and MoJeff graduate and Lou and Collier come in with Butler. So you tell me how an opponent can make up those 20+ pts against UConns defense when UConn is adding the above 3? First of all those teams will be coaching and playing against Geno . Geno has the better talent and by far the better team a team that plays and functions as a team. Folks I know your excited but chances are you not beating UConn.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

what if Mavunga goes to Notre Dame which is near home? SC out of scholarships, plz say she won't fall for the Duke line (since they now need ABG anyone but guards), and Hatchell probably won't let her go to TN who would love to have her join DD and Russell.

Both ND and Louisville are in the ACC. It's unlikely she is allowed to go to another ACC school.

 

[triaddukefan]

Both ND and Louisville are in the ACC. It's unlikely she is allowed to go to another ACC school.

I dont get why some posters think that Mavunga would end up at either of those two schools. I guess they must think they are still in the Big East

 

[johnnyc]

It's just dangerous to predict the results of hypothetical games that may occur in 2017.

What's dangerous about it?

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I dont get why some posters think that Mavunga would end up at either of those two schools. I guess they must think they are still in the Big East

Just not used to those two being in the ACC I guess

 

[kat0189]

I forgot about Louisville being in the ACC, lol. And it seems reasonable that Hatchell does not let Mavunga transfer within the conference. However, I think it would be tricky to justify preventing her from going to Tennessee. And, recall that Stephanie Mavunga and Mercedes Russell were very good friends. For some reason, I want to say they even knew each other when they were younger, before the USA basketball connection, despite one hailing from Oregon and the other from Indiana. It's been a while since they were first recruited out of HS so I'm hazy on the details but I do recall some ink on their friendship.

Anyhoo, I haven't read this thread too closely in its entirety, and I did see one of the press releases mention Alicia Gray will sit out 15-16, but are we sure she won't be able to play right away given the controversy at UNC (as was speculated elsewhere)? If Gray plays right away that sure makes next season a whole lot more interesting. They still have Mitchell for next season, but otherwise it seems logical that a South Carolina natty will come post-Brenna Stewart/MoJeff.

That said, nothing is set in stone. My remaining questions would be if little Cuevas can run the team as PG. (I could see her being their "Shannon Bobbit," but I could also see her being inconsistent and limited by her size). Furthermore, Coates is a thoroughbred, but only 2 more years of her. Will Jatarie White develop into a legit successor to Coates, as all the HS accolades indicate she should? Jury is still out on her based on year #1, due to injuries IIRC.

 

[UConnCat]

Anyhoo, I haven't read this thread too closely in its entirety, and I did see one of the press releases mention Alicia Gray will sit out 15-16, but are we sure she won't be able to play right away given the controversy at UNC (as was speculated elsewhere)? If Gray plays right away that sure makes next season a whole lot more interesting. They still have Mitchell for next season, but otherwise it seems logical that a South Carolina natty will come post-Brenna Stewart/MoJeff.

I suppose the players could seek a waiver from the NCAA which would likely be ruled upon before the NCAA is even close to ruling on the overall investigation in to UNC's alleged rules violations. Typically, transfers are granted waivers by the NCAA as part of a ruling that includes a post-season ban for a program. A waiver request now could not be granted on those grounds since the NCAA is not even close to a final decision on UNC's alleged violations. So, I'm not sure what the grounds would be at this point for seeking a waiver. Gray mentioned concern over the stigma now attached to a UNC degree. Might the NCAA consider that sufficient grounds? I doubt it.

The NCAA has a history of moving slowly on investigations like this so it could be sometime in 2016 before a final ruling is issued.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Anything is possible.. As we're learning this off season, players transfer for a myriad of reasons. She only has one PG ahead of her, it's not like SC is drowning in point guards (if that's what your insinuating).. If she's afraid of competing with 1 other player then maybe it's best she leaves. Just like Colley could leave before then, it's also likely SC would've brought in another PG behind her..

Colley might beat out Cuevas if Cuevas doesn't get more organized with her play. Point guard is still looking like the weak link of the team. Davis and Gray are good over-sized combo-guards, but you still need a good PG to run the offense smoothly and that is why it hasn't looked so smooth a lot of the time. You think, "Okay their coach is Dawn Staley so they should be good at PG" but it has not been the case since back when they had Ieasha Walker.

 

[ReadR00ster]

what if Mavunga goes to Notre Dame which is near home? SC out of scholarships, plz say she won't fall for the Duke line (since they now need ABG anyone but guards), and Hatchell probably won't let her go to TN who would love to have her join DD and Russell.

I think teams like Kentucky and Ohio State and Louisville should be licking their chops. Seems like she wants to go to SC but they are full now and no rumor of any spot opening up.

 

[triaddukefan]

I think teams like Kentucky and Ohio State and Louisville should be licking their chops. Seems like she wants to go to SC but they are full now and no rumor of any spot opening up.

Not Louisville.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Not Louisville.

I keep typing that but I guess not everyone reads all the posts :-/

 

[Alydar]

Colley might beat out Cuevas if Cuevas doesn't get more organized with her play. Point guard is still looking like the weak link of the team. Davis and Gray are good over-sized combo-guards, but you still need a good PG to run the offense smoothly and that is why it hasn't looked so smooth a lot of the time. You think, "Okay their coach is Dawn Staley so they should be good at PG" but it has not been the case since back when they had Ieasha Walker.

I don't think pg will be as much of a weak link as you.

While Cuevas certainly needs to improve, if I was a coach I'd rather have a super quick freshman pg who plays a little out of control than one who is a step slower and plays tentatively. If I remember, Jefferson often played only in high gear as a freshmen. ( MJ in 2013 64 as 49 TO's) ( BC in 2015 64 as 60 TO's) And MJ was passing to better scorers so I would expect her to have many more assists. Cuevas had 3 less min/game.

 

[ReadR00ster]

I don't think pg will be as much of a weak link as you.

While Cuevas certainly needs to improve, if I was a coach I'd rather have a super quick freshman pg who plays a little out of control than one who is a step slower and plays tentatively. If I remember, Jefferson often played only in high gear as a freshmen. ( MJ in 2013 64 as 49 TO's) ( BC in 2015 64 as 60 TO's) And MJ was passing to better scorers so I would expect her to have many more assists. Cuevas had 3 less min/game.

Cuevas has so far turned over more than that, 64 and 60. In my personal opinion, she isn't a little bit out of control she is a lot of out of control. And she is super streaky. Time will tell, but from what I have seen Cuevas needs A LOT of work on, not just cutting down turnovers, but playing team basketball. She is a playground player and it shows. She uses her quickness mostly to get herself shots but is not very good at creating opportunities for her teammates. Honestly Jefferson could do it all two years later with big improvement her sophomore year. So I think Dawn has her work cut out with her. And I am going to have see it to believe it with her no matter how touching her story is.

 

[ReadR00ster]

In a span of 2 years, SC is losing Ibiam, Dozier, Tiffany Mitchell, Tina Roy, Welch, Sessions, and Olivia Gaines. That's a lot of production lost and it has to be made up somewhere.

We'll be instantly better off without Ibiam and Dozier in the starting line up. Not that they aren't good players, but their slowness is not ideal. Imobvioh should make up for the loss of Welch.

 

[ReadR00ster]

I keep typing that but I guess not everyone reads all the posts :-/

Nah, I just keep forgetting about ND and Louisville being in the ACC and Maryland in the B1G. It's going to take awhile for my mind to purge them from their old affiliations.

 

[triaddukefan]

Nah, I just keep forgetting about ND and Louisville being in the ACC and Maryland in the B1G. It's going to take awhile for my mind to purge them from their old affiliations.

you do know that South Carolina is in the SEC now dont you ?

 

[Nuyoika]

UConn is beating top teams by 20+ pts. So Stewie and MoJeff graduate and Lou and Collier come in with Butler. So you tell me how an opponent can make up those 20+ pts against UConns defense when UConn is adding the above 3? First of all those teams will be coaching and playing against Geno . Geno has the better talent and by far the better team a team that plays and functions as a team. Folks I know your excited but chances are you not beating UConn.

Agreed. I think SCar will improve as they will have more options on offense but their defense will be trash. They will out talent the SEC and run all over the teams there and make a splash around the country depending on what their OOC schedule looks like but once they meet UConn it'll be the same old same. The Huskies will deliver their patented good ol' fashion beat down.

 

[ReadR00ster]

you do know that South Carolina is in the SEC now dont you ?

I know my SEC, yup. SEC fan living in his SEC world. Just the way they are down here.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Agreed. I think SCar will improve as they will have more options on offense but their defense will be trash. They will out talent the SEC and run all over the teams there and make a splash around the country depending on what their OOC schedule looks like but once they meet UConn it'll be the same old same. The Huskies will deliver their patented good ol' fashion beat down.

There is no reason to think SC defense won't be better than last year's and they were one of the best defenses in the country. SC will be a much better team than last year, of that I have no doubt. Should be a fun game in Columbia.

 

[meyers7]

There is no reason to think SC defense won't be better than last year's and they were one of the best defenses in the country. SC will be a much better team than last year, of that I have no doubt. Should be a fun game in Columbia.

Why would you think that?

 

[Nuyoika]

There is no reason to think SC defense won't be better than last year's and they were one of the best defenses in the country. SC will be a much better team than last year, of that I have no doubt. Should be a fun game in Columbia.

I just don't see it. For me they never really passed the eye test. They had to claw their way through a lot of games, which I suppose is exciting for some.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Why would you think that?

No more Ibiam eating up minutes will allow Wilson to beast out. Imovbioh is an upgrade over Welch. And a year more experience for everyone. Also Gray might be able to play right away depending what is decided with the UNC situation. Also working on the outside shooting will be a focus. We should be much better defensively, rebounding, shooting, on the foul line and in transition.