2016 commit Kylee Shook says CARDS
Say "Hello!" to Kylee Shook, a 6'4" do-it-all for Mesa Ridge high school as a junior last year and the newest commit for the class of 2016. She said "Go Cards!" Tuesday night to Coach Walz...according to her dad Jerry during a Walz visit to the house.
She averaged nearly a triple-double for her school this season with 18.3 points, 14.9 rebounds and 8.1 blocks per game. According to reports, she and her dad were very impressed during their visit here for the UNC game with the campus, facilities, team and coaches. She's a excellent volleyball player as well and will give Walz good length and overall quickness as a possible "3" or "4" for the Cards. She was a member of the 2013-14 Mesa Ridge State Championship team as a sophomore but they were knocked out of this season's playoffs at the end of February.
She has also been selected to play in the 2015 "The Show"...an annual game in Denver that takes the top 40 high school gals and guys and creates (4) ten-player teams that compete in the Pepsi Center.
Our readers mention height as something they'd like to see more of on the Cardinal roster in future years. How's 6'4" work for you? A versatile 6'4" that, according to some, better not hang out too close to the Cardinal Volleyball domain over in the YUM practice arena on campus...Anne Kordes might kidnap and utilize her on her wide net front-line contingent. Thanks to Cardinal Couple reader and contest winner Doug Anderson for finding and sending a interview Ms. Shook did earlier this season...
KYLEE SHOOK TALKS HOOPS
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TAJA COLE ON A ROLL...
And...while we're on the subject of recruits...
Cole, a 5-foot-7 point guard who has committed Louisville, was named a McDonald’s All-American earlier this year and first-team All-Metro last year.
She scored a school-record 38 points against previously undefeated Highland Springs in the region semifinals. Her performance propelled the Skyhawks to the state tournament.
Cole is a member of the L.C. Bird leadership program and volunteers at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond. She maintains a B average.
paulie
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Great get for Walz. Wonder if she can really play the 3/4? How about Cox or McCoy at the 5?
ReplyDeleteTime will tell. Walz assigns according to need and strengths. Who would have ever though Dez Byrd would have become a ball handling point guard?
DeletePaulie
In the video she says she is 6'5, even better. Also says she hopes to be a Delle Donne type of player. Oh yeah, baby! I see Vails' freshman block record going out the window.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece and link to the interview. Seems like another great character kid that's ready to go to the next level. Has a Delle Donne / Breana Stewart type body and game profile. Tons of upside. Reconfirms the program's national reach. Hopefully she's a lock.
ReplyDeleteNot to burst anyone's bubble but Shook isn't in top 60 by Hoopgurlz. I don't know of many girls not in the top 60 who turn out that great. On the other hand, Taja Cole may be better than I thought.
DeleteHey Wade - If my parents and I would have listened to the "experts" opinion about my attitude and potential when I was a kid I'd probably would have ended up clearing tables or cutting grass somewhere.
DeleteThere are plenty of top 60 busts and plenty of high potential kids that didn't get "blessed" by the experts that ended up being great ballers. I'm ready to cut Shook tons of slack until she gets on campus and gets a chance to mix it up.
I agree tho that we've got a bunch of "recognized" kids coming in. Hopefully they live up to the hype.
I hear you but what player in the lasti 6 years for Louisville not rated in the top 60 turned out good? Jude? I think Jude hurt at point in just as many games as she helped. I cant think of anybody
DeleteYou probably know better than me as I've only been following WCBB for about four years. In my opinion the only real "sure thing" kids are top five...maybe even down to the top three each year. For everyone else it's a mixture of playing time, program, coaching, injuries and at some level the basketball gods as to how a high potential recruit works out.
DeleteThere is no doubt that lots of top 100 kids don't do too much at the university level. I guess for me, if a kid is good enough to be rated that high and also has a work ethic and is coachable they've got a chance to shine under a coach like Walz in a program like ours. Unfortunately I think too many top 100 kids don't do enough to develop their individual skills and game after they are in college and instead wait to be told what to do by the coaching staff.
Jude's kind of a unique case. She's had a fine senior season and as someone else on this blog mentioned previously she's probably one of those kids that is going to do amazing things with her life outside of WBB.
But on the pure history of our program you may be right.
I stand corrected as usual. Alex Harden of Wichita St (Sr this year) was not rated by Hoopgurlz and is one of THE BEST players in the country this year and far from a one year wonder. The same year Bria Smith was rated #8 by Hoopgurlz. Alex Harden is phenomenal. She almost carried her team to a win verse Tennessee this year.
Delete6'5" is better than 6'4". 3 is better than 2. With Walz, it's all about the numbers...
ReplyDeletePaulie
The talent train is rolling down the track for UofL WBB. Does anyone know how many Walz will take in for the 2016 class?
ReplyDeleteNext year's team will have 5 freshman, 5 sophomores, 2 juniors and 1 senior. With that senior graduting (Megan Deines) it would appear 12 players would be on the 2015-16 roster.
DeleteI think you probably meant that there would be 12 players on the 2016-17 roster. Way too early to engage, IMHO...in discussion of what the team will look like two years from now. But, carry on if you feel inclined.
DeletePaulie
Lack of playing time sometimes causes transfers. Anyone stand out to you on this roster Paulie that could fit in to a transfer scenario?
DeleteI won't comment on this for several reasons...first, we don't want to be the source of any rumor mongering or conspiracy speculation. Next, any type of discussion or situation like this are team issues, not fan issues. Finally, we have no basis or inside knowledge to promote any type of discussion about personnel changes or internal issues...so we won't go there.
DeleteTrust in your coaches. They are there every day.
Paulie
Well put, Paulie.
DeleteThree years ago this time, internet speculation was rampant that Sara Hammond would transfer. The rumor-mongers sort of missed on that one, didn't they?