***WBB: CYCLONE 2023 Recruiting Thread***

[ICCYFAN]

Holliday 58 Fairfield 47 Bristow with 21 and 14 rebounds.

Bristow’s Holliday High School only lost three games all year on their way to a 3A State Championship. They lost to:
Glen Rose (39-2) - upset in 4a State Tournament;
Lipan (35-2) - won Texas 2a State Tournament;
Lubbock Cooper (31-7) - lost Texas 5a State Championship game

That’s a pretty impressive season and Holliday had never appeared in the state tournament before - I’m really excited to see what Jalynn brings to ISU!

 

[BoxsterCy]

Bristow’s Holliday High School only lost three games all year on their way to a 3A State Championship. They lost to:
Glen Rose (39-2) - upset in 4a State Tournament;
Lipan (35-2) - won Texas 2a State Tournament;
Lubbock Cooper (31-7) - lost Texas 5a State Championship game

That’s a pretty impressive season and Holliday had never appeared in the state tournament before - I’m really excited to see what Jalynn brings to ISU!

Texas 3A is middle of the pack size but at least they played some top schools. She played only her senior year in 3A, her other three years were at another school that was 5A so she actually moved down a couple of classes so it's not like she played most of her HS career versus smaller school teams.

 

[Cyclad]

She's usually pretty good at keeping the ball high where the guards can't get it.

I said it before - you better play a 2-3 zone if she is going to play. I think she will really struggle to guard anybody in this league, and forget any switches. Pretty stationary player.
Might be OK if you let people come to her.

 

[Bipolarcy]

Crooks leans into what works for her. Almost every player coming out of high school is going to have flaws, especially players that were able to physically dominate their competition. There is so much "Ya, but" regarding Audi it baffles me. She's a fantastic prospect. It's as simple as that. Her offer list supports this. Is she a blue-chipper, can't miss stud that will dominate at the college level? Probably not, but if she was she would be going elsewhere as Stanford, UConn, LSU, etc would have been all over her. That doesn't mean she doesn't have the potential to be an outstanding player - and if she does pull it all together - look out!

Bill clearly has a plan for her and I hope she flourishes in whatever role that may be. Give me a prospect with her attributes any day of the week. She is an ELITE inside scorer. She locks down real estate and will hold up against when other teams get physical inside (a huge weakness of our women's team historically.)

The future looks bright for this team going forward and I'm pumped Audi will play a role in it.

You had me until this part. I look forward to the day when we can praise an incoming recruit without denigrating the school she's coming to. I mean, look, we did get a McDonald's all-American in this class and another girl in addition to Crooks who was just named MVP of her school's class at the Texas state basketball tournament. We're not exactly a nobody in the women's basketball world.

 

[mred]

Pretty stationary player.

It's clear her role in high school is to conserve energy and not foul so she can be in the court nearly 100% of the time. That will not be the case in college and was not the case in AAU.

 

[ICCYFAN]

It's clear her role in high school is to conserve energy and not foul so she can be in the court nearly 100% of the time. That will not be the case in college and was not the case in AAU.

Preface: you are, and have been for some time, one of the best contributors on the women’s board. I am always grateful for the information you provide and interested in your “takes”!

Serious question: Have you seen Audi play against top post prospects in AAU ball, and even more specific, physical posts with similar builds and possibly even more height?

Question is obviously open to anybody who’s seen her play club ball.

 

[mred]

Serious question: Have you seen Audi play against top post prospects in AAU ball, and even more specific, physical posts with similar builds and possibly even more height?

Question is obviously open to anybody who’s seen her play club ball.

I've only seen AAU highlights which she looks good in, but obviously that's the point of highlight videos. But I've also seen her rankings (made by people who primarily watch AAU) and her offer list (from coaches who put a lot of weight on AAU performance). I've also seen her be quite agile and quick when she needs to be.

My point that I've been harping on over and over is that people shouldn't judge her on perceived shortcomings in high school when it's clear that, as the cog that makes her team unbeatable, her #1 job on the court is to stay on the court. That means conserving energy when possible and staying out of foul trouble. Will she be a great defender in college? No idea. But her job in high school was to keep people away from the basket and stay out of foul trouble. That doesn't mean it's the only thing she's capable of doing.

 

[acoustimac]

Crooks leans into what works for her. Almost every player coming out of high school is going to have flaws, especially players that were able to physically dominate their competition. There is so much "Ya, but" regarding Audi it baffles me. She's a fantastic prospect. It's as simple as that. Her offer list supports this. Is she a blue-chipper, can't miss stud that will dominate at the college level? Probably not, but if she was she would be going elsewhere as Stanford, UConn, LSU, etc would have been all over her. That doesn't mean she doesn't have the potential to be an outstanding player - and if she does pull it all together - look out!

Bill clearly has a plan for her and I hope she flourishes in whatever role that may be. Give me a prospect with her attributes any day of the week. She is an ELITE inside scorer. She locks down real estate and will hold up against when other teams get physical inside (a huge weakness of our women's team historically.)

The future looks bright for this team going forward and I'm pumped Audi will play a role in it.

I agree with you. She is smart, works hard and has some real talent. You can’t teach size…but the fine skills can really be developed.

 

[acoustimac]

It's clear her role in high school is to conserve energy and not foul so she can be in the court nearly 100% of the time. That will not be the case in college and was not the case in AAU.

People forget how big schools were that produced players like Hallie Christopherson, Angie Welle and Megan Taylor. Angie had a pedigree similar to Crooks. Played at a small Catholic school. That one turned out pretty well.

 

[ICCYFAN]

A couple quick thoughts:

1) A few of you are going full-on Don Quixote here, jousting with windmills. I haven’t read a single negative Crooks comment, yet some feel the need to defend her.

2) Posts are hard to project at the next level - Nina Smith was 6’4 and Gatorade National Player of the Year. I would hope some of you remember her story.

3) Audi has size but lacks elite height. Ayoka Lee has a formidable body and is 6’6. Has Audi faced size and / or height, and how did she fare?

I’m convinced Audi will be a benefit to the ISU program, just of the opinion expectations should be tempered.

 

[Allikat]

I know it is off topic but as long as we are talking about big high school girls tourney players, I had the chance to watch the 4A final. Becca Aagard is only a sophomore, but she blocked about everything. If she develops even a modest mid-range jumper, she is going to be very good at the next level.

 

[CloneSt8]

Positives: Smile can light up Hilton. She’s very strong - girls were bouncing off her and she lifted one off the ground on a joint rebound. Those hands - she captures everything near her!

Possible Negatives: Those simple flipped entry passes aren’t going to work in college against better athletes. She had a few shots blocked by small 1A high school girls from behind. She doesn’t play much defense - opponent was getting free looks from 8’ and Audi didn’t even try to close out.

I think she’s going to be a fine Cyclone - just not certain it’ll be immediate.

Have you watched Czinano at Iowa? She is also 6'-3" with great hands and scores pretty well.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

Crooks leans into what works for her. Almost every player coming out of high school is going to have flaws, especially players that were able to physically dominate their competition. There is so much "Ya, but" regarding Audi it baffles me. She's a fantastic prospect. It's as simple as that. Her offer list supports this. Is she a blue-chipper, can't miss stud that will dominate at the college level? Probably not, but if she was she would be going elsewhere as Stanford, UConn, LSU, etc would have been all over her. That doesn't mean she doesn't have the potential to be an outstanding player - and if she does pull it all together - look out!

Bill clearly has a plan for her and I hope she flourishes in whatever role that may be. Give me a prospect with her attributes any day of the week. She is an ELITE inside scorer. She locks down real estate and will hold up against when other teams get physical inside (a huge weakness of our women's team historically.)

The future looks bright for this team going forward and I'm pumped Audi will play a role in it.

You say every player coming out of high school is going to have flaws yet are baffled by people who are saying "ya but"?

 

[StClone]

Joyce is going to Truman State, not Drake. I wonder how many assists she had. She put that ball on a dime to Crooks.

Thanks! She visited Iowa State and there of images of her in the uniform (typical fare in recruiting). They parted ways and then someone posted in response to my post that she was going to Drake. Glad she found a home at Truman State with which I have no familiarity.

 

[Bipolarcy]

A couple quick thoughts:

1) A few of you are going full-on Don Quixote here, jousting with windmills. I haven’t read a single negative Crooks comment, yet some feel the need to defend her.

2) Posts are hard to project at the next level - Nina Smith was 6’4 and Gatorade National Player of the Year. I would hope some of you remember her story.

3) Audi has size but lacks elite height. Ayoka Lee has a formidable body and is 6’6. Has Audi faced size and / or height, and how did she fare?

I’m convinced Audi will be a benefit to the ISU program, just of the opinion expectations should be tempered.

Seriously? There are people doubting whether she can play in the Big 12 in this thread. A lot of back handed compliments. "She's great, but ...."

 

[mred]

Derby plays the state quarterfinal 6pm Thursday.

https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Basketball/Brackets/Girls/6A.pdf

Video by paid subscription: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/associations/kshsaa

 

[mred]

 

[mred]

Derby plays in the semis tomorrow at 8pm

 

[mred]

Derby plays in the semis tomorrow at 8pm

Derby lost tonight, so the GBB season is officially over for all ISU signees and verbals.

EDIT: I'm wrong. Kansas has a third-place game in its tournaments, so Derby plays one more game tomorrow at 2pm.

 

[mred]

Derby plays one more game tomorrow at 2pm.