[BillBradley]

Why does it feel to me that most everyone has forgotten that Stanford was in the F4 in 2022 and won it all in 2021.  It is still 2023, right?  Not like this was all ancient history.  I've made my position clear on the future of the sport and what it means for Stanford.  Still and all, even if things are not rosy and the team may not be as good next year as it might be if the transfers had not happened, the cupboard is not bare, good recruits are coming in next year, and the team is probably not going to suck.

I agree.  My current assessment is they should still be a Top 25 team, maybe even in the T11 to T15 range.

However, they will have to make do with a post triumvirate of 6'4 BRINK, 6'3 IRIAFEN and 6'3 DEMETRE,
with 6'2 AGARA getting some garbage minutes. BRINK/IRIAFEN with either of them at the low post,
BRINK/DEMETRE with BRINK at the low post, and IRIAFEN/DEMETRE with IRIAFEN at the low post.
DEMETRE's almost forgotten signature shot, her turnaround midrange jumper, should be
of good use here.

Then you have the SF/SG wing triumvirate of 6'0 JUMP, 6'2 BOSGANA and 6'2 freshman OGDEN.
At PG, it's pretty much LEPOLO, with HARRIEL and hopefully CLARDY as back-up.

I am excited to see what this team can do.  I agree with your rotations however I think Agara will see a decent amount of playing time.  She fits very nicely at the 4 with Brink or Iriafen at the post.  Agara is a physical rebounder/defender and that will be her primary role.  However, she is a pretty decent 3-point shooter so she should be available for catch and shoots if Brink/Iriafen are double teamed.

My rationale for why we could be a better offensive team than last year is more consistency and rhythm.  The lineups and roles will be more clear.  Groups of players will be more used to be playing with each other.  There won't be any more just give the ball to Jones at the end of the shot clock and hope she makes a miraculous shot.  Iriafen/Demetre/Bosgana are all juniors which is around the time role players allow themselves to become primary scorers instead of deferring to upperclassman.

I also agree. Could be a great season. Expectations will be low and that's freeing. I don't buy the whole "Tara can't coach anymore" argument.  Coaches can have seasons where they don't meet everyone's expectations. I don't know of any who haven't.  

This past season's team was more Haley's than Cam's. Cam will be the unquestionable leader next year and I always like teams where the leader is also the team's best player and a senior, along with being a hard worker. The team will get behind her. I look for Lepolo to score more and Demetre to be possibly our leading scorer. She can really put it in the hole and now she'll have to. Hope she can step up. Kiki is going to have a nice year. She's really foul prone though and it will be important for her to stay on the court. That said, we'll have the best rebounder in the conference hopefully playing 30+ minutes a game, so we should be able to go small in spurts if we need to. I'm a Bosgana fan, but I really don't trust her 3 point shot yet. I'd like to see her be more of a slasher/attacker and create for others and not just dance on the perimeter. 

On the down side, we are going to struggle defensively. I think that's the main reason why Bosgana didn't play much. Demetre can't stay with quicker players. Hannah has improved defensively but still not a strength.

[BillBradley]

Why does it feel to me that most everyone has forgotten that Stanford was in the F4 in 2022 and won it all in 2021.  It is still 2023, right?  Not like this was all ancient history.  I've made my position clear on the future of the sport and what it means for Stanford.  Still and all, even if things are not rosy and the team may not be as good next year as it might be if the transfers had not happened, the cupboard is not bare, good recruits are coming in next year, and the team is probably not going to suck.

I agree.  My current assessment is they should still be a Top 25 team, maybe even in the T11 to T15 range.

However, they will have to make do with a post triumvirate of 6'4 BRINK, 6'3 IRIAFEN and 6'3 DEMETRE,
with 6'2 AGARA getting some garbage minutes. BRINK/IRIAFEN with either of them at the low post,
BRINK/DEMETRE with BRINK at the low post, and IRIAFEN/DEMETRE with IRIAFEN at the low post.
DEMETRE's almost forgotten signature shot, her turnaround midrange jumper, should be
of good use here.

Then you have the SF/SG wing triumvirate of 6'0 JUMP, 6'2 BOSGANA and 6'2 freshman OGDEN.
At PG, it's pretty much LEPOLO, with HARRIEL and hopefully CLARDY as back-up.

I am excited to see what this team can do.  I agree with your rotations however I think Agara will see a decent amount of playing time.  She fits very nicely at the 4 with Brink or Iriafen at the post.  Agara is a physical rebounder/defender and that will be her primary role.  However, she is a pretty decent 3-point shooter so she should be available for catch and shoots if Brink/Iriafen are double teamed.

My rationale for why we could be a better offensive team than last year is more consistency and rhythm.  The lineups and roles will be more clear.  Groups of players will be more used to be playing with each other.  There won't be any more just give the ball to Jones at the end of the shot clock and hope she makes a miraculous shot.  Iriafen/Demetre/Bosgana are all juniors which is around the time role players allow themselves to become primary scorers instead of deferring to upperclassman.

I also agree. Could be a great season. Expectations will be low and that's freeing. I don't buy the whole "Tara can't coach anymore" argument.  Coaches can have seasons where they don't meet everyone's expectations. I don't know of any who haven't.  

This past season's team was more Haley's than Cam's. Cam will be the unquestionable leader next year and I always like teams where the leader is also the team's best player and a senior, along with being a hard worker. The team will get behind her. I look for Lepolo to score more and Demetre to be possibly our leading scorer. She can really put it in the hole and now she'll have to. Hope she can step up. Kiki is going to have a nice year. She's really foul prone though and it will be important for her to stay on the court. That said, we'll have the best rebounder in the conference hopefully playing 30+ minutes a game, so we should be able to go small in spurts if we need to. I'm a Bosgana fan, but I really don't trust her 3 point shot yet. I'd like to see her be more of a slasher/attacker and create for others and not just dance on the perimeter. 

On the down side, we are going to struggle defensively. I think that's the main reason why Bosgana didn't play much. Demetre can't stay with quicker players. Hannah has improved defensively but still not a strength.