Gophers 2018

thatjanelpick

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This is the first commitment in the class, right?
Raoul is reporting that Delaynie Byrne, a 6-2 forward from Colorado's Ralston Valley High School has committed. She has also tweeted it, and retweeted several other tweets about it, including Stollings' Boom tweet.
 


http://inside303.com/high-school-sp...colorado-high-school-girls-basketball-season/

From an article: "Five Observations from the Summer Colorado High School Basketball Season".

Delaynie Byrne’s ready to make it rain

After having to sit out last season due to transfer, Ralston Valley’s Delaynie Byrne is poised for a breakout campaign. Byrne averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds as a sophomore at Broomfield, and can play inside and outside for a Mustangs team that is young, yet talented. The senior has also turned plenty of heads lately on the club circuit with BC Denver Basketball, and she’ll look to her 2018 Elite teammate, senior point guard Samantha Van Sickle, to help her catalyze the Mustangs offensively.

“I’ve got five starters, with Delaynie leading the way. I’m trying to find the sixth, seventh and eighth players who will also help us out this year,” Ralston Valley coach Jeff Gomer said. “We’ll have to have those contributions off the bench, especially during league and tournament games.”
 





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http://www.walb.com/story/36695150/winning-is-the-culture-for-lady-jets-basketball


Expectations for season number 6 are sky high, but that's becoming the norm in Americus.

"It's the culture around here now," said Frey. "They're used to winning 25-30 games a year here so I think anything less than that isn't going to be acceptable. So there's a high standard and that's what we expect to do."

Frey has three starters returning including the heavily recruited sophomore post Houlfat Mahouchiza.

"I'm a sophomore so I have to show the example," said the Nice, France native who holds offers from several Division I schools. "The goals are the same, maybe bigger, they are bigger because we try to do something good, better than last year."
 

Any reports on the arrival of the LOIs for the early signing period?
 

Here's the first official signee:

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I think the only LOI not here is from JUCO transfer Houlfat Mahouchiza.
 

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/110817aac.html


Delaynie Byrne | 6-2 | F | Ralston Valley High School | Arvada, Colo.

Byrne, a forward, earned a No. 21 ranking from ESPN at her position. She has played for BC Denver’s Elite team on the AAU circuit throughout her high school career. Byrne will finish her prep career at Ralston Valley High School, where she sat out last season due to transfer rules. She averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Broomfield High School.


Stollings:
“Her size, skill package and versatility can impact a game in many different ways. She can score in the post and step out to the 3 with great accuracy. Delaynie’s ability to score and her high basketball IQ make her a great addition to our program.”

Geoff Golden, BC Denver Coach:
“Delaynie is a first-class kid. She has been a model of hard work, commitment and character throughout her high school career. As a player, her size and versatility on both ends of the court make her unique and a very difficult match-up for opponents. We could not be more excited for Delaynie and her decision to play for Coach Stollings and the University of Minnesota.”


Lesila Finau | 5-10 | G/F | Dublin High School |Dublin, Calif.

Finau, a senior guard/forward at Dublin High School, also played for the Cal Stars on the prestigious Nike EYBL circuit. Her team was the only one to go undefeated (10-0) during the 2017 girls’ EYBL regular season. Finau was ranked 67th at her position by ESPN. She has received All-East Bay Athletic League, all-metro and all-state recognition. As a junior at Dublin, Finau averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.4 steals per game.


Stollings:
“She is a multi-purpose guard that can create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. Her size, versatility and athleticism are going to be an asset for our program both offensively and defensively. Her best basketball is ahead of her and she can be as good as she wants to be at this level.”

Kareem Summerville, Dublin Coach:
“Minnesota is getting a hidden gem, hands down! Sila is incredibly competitive in the classroom and on the basketball court. She is extremely disciplined and has set very high goals for herself personally, academically and athletically. Minnesota was the perfect place to help her attain her goals with their tremendous academic support system, Coach M and her staff and cutting-edge facilities. Sila is without question one of the most all-around players I have ever coached. She can play multiple positions, her IQ is through the roof and she is all about one thing: winning. Coach M and her staff will be getting a player that wants to be the best and will give everything she has every time she steps on the floor. Go, Gophers!”


Jaidah Stewart | 5-9 | G | Kirkwood High School | Kirkwood, Mo.

Stewart was 28th at position by ESPN, and played her AAU basketball for the EYBL’s Missouri Phenom. She will close out her prep career at Kirkwood High School, last year’s Class 5 Missouri state championship team. Stewart previously compiled more than 1,500 points during her time at Webster Groves High School, eclipsing that mark in the last game of her junior season. Missouri high school coaches have selected Stewart to their all-state team the past two years. The all-conference and all-metro honoree averaged a team-high 18.6 points per game last season before scoring 26 in the Statesmen’s sectional game.

Stollings:
“She is a highly competitive and versatile guard who has proven her ability to impact the game on both ends of the court. Jaidah’s athleticism and ability to score will put her in a position to make an immediate contribution to our program.”

Travis Wallace, Missouri Phenom Nike Elite Coach:
“Some coaches are blessed to have good players. I had to the pleasure of coaching one of them in Jai. She is a very good basketball player and student, but she is an even better person. In all of my years of coaching Jai is by far the most humble, unselfish and coachable kids. She is the kid we refer to as a ‘go getter.’ Her versatility will allow Jai to have an immediate impact at Minnesota.
 


"21st in her position" is certainly a legit measure but remember when the Gophers were getting some
people who were more like "21st in her class?" (Actually, with Banham, higher than that?)
 

Gophers will go nowhere with Stollings as head coach. I hope i'm wrong but I don't see the Gophers making the NCAA's in Wagner's final season. Disappointing.
 

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/110917aaa.html

Houlfat "Happy" Mahouchiza, a 6-foot-1 forward/center from Marseille, France, has signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to join the University of Minnesota women's basketball team. The current sophomore at South Georgia Technical College will be eligible to compete for the Gophers starting in the 2018-19 season. She joins high schoolers Delaynie Byrne (Arvada, Colo.), Lesila Finau (Dublin, Calif.) and Jaidah Stewart (Kirkwood, Mo.) in the signing class.

Mahouchiza played in all 35 of South Georgia Tech's games as a freshman last season, starting 27. She averaged 6.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in helping the Lady Jets tie their best record ever (30-5) and advance to the NJCAA Sweet 16. Mahouchiza was selected to participate in in the NJCAA Women's Basketball Association Coaches All-Star Weekend as one of the nation's top 40 rising junior college sophomores.

What They're Saying

Mahouchiza:
"I'm really excited and happy. It was a hard decision--probably the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I really wanted to take my time, and I believe Minnesota is the right place for me as a person and as a player for my future."

Stollings:
"Houlfat is an experienced International performer who brings athleticism, work ethic and a gifted skill set. She is dynamic on and off the court and knows how to win. She can have a significant career as a Gopher."

James Frey, South Georgia Tech Coach:
"I'm excited for Houlfat and for the University of Minnesota. They are getting an extremely talented player and an even better person. Houlfat took this decision very seriously and it was difficult for her to tell the other schools recruiting her no. That's just the type of caring person she is. From a basketball stand point her best is yet to come. She has unlimited potential and is just starting to realize that."
 

Might as well bump this topic up in preparation for the concern about next year’s front line.
 



Mikayla Hayes (6-2 F, Brooklyn Park, MN) is transferring from Florida. Is that somebody Stollings would be interested in?
 


transfers

20 February interview:



Not sure about her. I really would prefer some more size inside.

On the transfer note,(can't say more for obvious reasons) have heard some stuff that some current Gopher players may be looking at transferring themselves. Could be an interesting and possibly surprising off season. Stay tuned as we should all know more within a couple weeks I'd venture.
 




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