JumpOffPlus.com College Tour: What We Learned @USCWBB – February 12, 2015

USC coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was a key piece to both the 1983 & 1984 NCAA titles as a player.  Brandon Clay / @BrandonClayPSB

cheap research papers USC coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was a key piece to both the 1983 & 1984 NCAA titles as a player.
Brandon Clay / @BrandonClayPSB

LOS ANGELES – USC coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke and her staff – Beth Burns, Taja Edwards and Jualeah Woods – are in the process of restoring the Women of Troy into a championship contender. Cooper-Dyke, who is one of the most storied players in school history, is looking to make her mark now as the leader of the program. We were on hand at the Galen Center for their matchup against PAC 12 conference foe, Colorado. Here are five takeaways from the visit:

By: @BrandonClayPSB

 

1) Seniors are asked to lead the way.

Both Kaneisha Horn of Birmingham, Ala., and Alexyz Vaioletama of Fountain Valley, Calif., were high school All-Americans. On this day, the seniors struggled with early foul trouble but made the second half their personal show leading Southern Cal to a big win in the process. Horn was 6-for-10 from the field finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Vaioletama contributed in a major way as essay for college applications well dropping 10 points on 3-for-5 from the field with seven rebounds. The Women of Troy need this type of nightly production down the stretch to have weekends like this one where they win both league games.

2) Jordan Adams and Bri Barrett are up next.

Like their senior teammates, both RS Soph. Guard Jordan Adams of Santa Ana, Calif., and Jr. Guard Brianna Barrett of Winnetka, Calif., were highly regarded as prep prospects. Coach Cooper-Dyke is already preparing them to lead from the front next year. On this day, the versatile Adams came through with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. Barrett, who is one of the team’s better on-ball defensive options, contributed six points to go with five rebounds and two steals.

3) McKenzie Calvert and Kristen Simon are two for the future.

The depth in this USC roster comes from the freshman. McKenzie Calvert of Schertz, Texas and Kristen Simon of Gardena, Calif., have both established themselves as PAC 12 caliber producers after posting noteworthy high school numbers the last four years. Calvert can play either guard position and child labor research paper logged 28 minutes in this one with six points and four rebounds. Simon is an interior option capable of making plays in the lane or in the pinch post. She finished with 13 points, three rebounds in 22 minutes of action in the victory.

4) First class facilities give USC a leg up.

From the practice facility and weight room located inside of the Galen Center to the McKay Student Athlete Center in the middle of campus, there is no shortage of resources for the Women of Troy. The combination of the two centers coupled with the apartment-style housing located across the street from Galen gives Cooper-Dyke and her staff as fine a recruiting tool as any available nationwide. With the 1984 NCAA National Championship title sitting inside the McKay lobby as a reminder of what Cooper-Dyke accomplished as a player, she has gone on record as saying that “she wants championship hardware back on the campus.” With facilities like the ones at her disposal, there is no reason to think that isn’t a realistic possibility.

5) It’s all about coaching the right players.

After college admission essay dyslexia listening to assistants Taja Edwards and Jualeah Woods talk about puzzle pieces coming together, it’s clear that the right players for Southern Cal will not always be the highest ranked. They added UConn transfer Sadie Edwards at the semester break. Edwards was a 2014 McDonald’s All-American. The Women of Troy also have ELITE 100 class of 2015 prospect Aliyah Mazyck of Charlotte, N.C., on the way to help handle the point guard position next year. In addition, they already have a verbal pledge from class of 2017 standout Ayanna Clark of Long Beach, Calif., as well.

 

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Brandon Clay Brandon Clay is the owner of the JumpOffPlus.com International Report, Peach State Basketball, Inc., and ProspectsNation.com. The JumpOffPlus.com is picked up by more than 200 colleges and universities nationwide. He serves as the Executive Camp Director for the Elite Basketball Academy Camps. He serves on the Naismith Trophy Men’s / Women’s College Player of the Year Academy and the HS Boys / Girls All-American Team Board of Selectors. Clay has been involved in the community since 2001. You can reach him at [email protected]