HAILEY VAN LITH

[kicker22]

Something I've been wondering about.
Sure, Iowa's success is massively due to Clark. But Clark can't do Clark things without the rest of the team. They're proving that a team with flexibility and dynamics can beat a highly skilled, bigger, stronger team that relies almost solely on the paint on both ends of the court. If women's basketball was 5 quarters, Indiana would have downed SC.

There's clearly different styles of play between some of the conferences. Just wondering if we see more of it? I would think long term for sure, if the Clark Effect on these young girls seeking autographs and wanting to wear 22 in their youth league continues. If it does, we could be in for a treat in a few years with some wildly entertaining basketball.

But do we see more of it sooner?

Agree with you that while Clark gets the recognition (and rightfully so) the team is 100% behind her and have bought into it. I read an article the other day talking about how Clark carries her teammates, but I think they've made a great deal of personal sacrifices to accept supporting roles and feel that statement is an absolute farce as I think this roster has a ton of talent.

 

[CP87]

If I had to take my pick (only with rather limited knowledge of only teams that are still left, and basically the Big 10 teams I paid more attention to)....
That would be my pick. But, anywhere she goes it's sorta the same problem. If you're going to a good program with either recent hotness (SC/USC/LSU) or a program with a fairly recent history of success (SC/LSU/USC/Stanford/Notre Dame)....

You're going into a program that is already 'built' for next year. The groundwork is laid. Those schools, don't sit around like Iowa wondering "What are we gonna do for the post when Czinano leaves? Hopefully we get something in the portal." We know Coach Bluder wasn't sitting around idle with her fingers crossed. She was at work. She was at work the year before getting Stuelke to sign.

They sit around going "No worries, when Johnson and Reese leave, we got x,y, and z ready to go. They already looked great off the bench this year. But, even they might be challenged by ________, that 4 star from ______ High School who signed last spring."

Now, maybe someone is looking for a player exactly like Van Lith who would fit right into their system. But, my guess is it's likely not one of the above teams. More like a Nebraska/Iowa/etc. But even those teams then, have to shift gears. And you've only got a couple of months to make that happen.

USC is an upstart, though. This was their first sweet 16 in 30 years. They have a good freshman class this year, and a good one coming in, but this year's team was built on grad transfers and JuJu. Another grad transfer like HVL would help bridge the gap to the incoming talent, their system would better fit her skillset than LSU's, and she would be west coast.

 

[dagdaj]

USC is an upstart, though. This was their first sweet 16 in 30 years. They have a good freshman class this year, and a good one coming in, but this year's team was built on grad transfers and JuJu. Another grad transfer like HVL would help bridge the gap to the incoming talent, their system would better fit her skillset than LSU's, and she would be west coast.

I just reread what I wrote.
Sometimes me not so smart and can't type good.

I think I was originally just agreeing with you. I started my reply with "That would be my pick"....to your post about USC.....and then added a bunch of confusing nonsense before and after it. Because USC was my first thought when I heard she was moving on. UCONN already has a superstar. LSU is out. Iowa seems unlikely. I know nothing about NC State. I just don't think SC is in play. They want to risk ticking off a 4-5 star recruit they've already thrown some NIL money at to come to SC to make room for someone who didn't fit in a somewhat similar style of play? That's all the final 4 teams out.

USC would be very attractive to any player who wants to win a national championship. I've watched exactly one of their games. So, I'm just going on a 10,000 foot view here. I would assume, just like you, that not having been in the mix of late that they are the team with the most upside that *might* have room for her.

But it's also USC. They tick me off. They're athletics just seem to find a way every couple years to go from sorta "meh" status to champions for a couple years. Then right back to "meh" for a couple years. You got all that money. All that weather. All that west coast LA shit. And you can't hang with AlaFloribamiana? What's wrong with them? Maybe it's the traffic.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Her efforts to defend CC were not at all impressive. I expect Althoffer to take over the point and do well at it. Losing three starters including CC will take some time to deal with. The new recruit from California will probably be able to back up Althoffer or play the other guard. I don't see Van Lith as a need for Iowa. It would sure be great to get someone taller who can play the 5 spot. A defender like Gabbie would be great too. Our bench probably has what we need except for the height. And we have done pretty well even without matching the height we have faced in the last two years.

Affolter at point??? You really think so?

 

[Grady]

If Van Lith ever had vision of getting drafted into the WNBA, those hopes went out the window for any scout watching her try to guard Clark Monday night. Clark literally needed just one big step to get by her...EVERY time. You may say "Well, Clark is unguardable". Yes and no. There were plenty of other players in the tourney who had the foot speed to keep Clark from getting past them. Van Lith just looked slow and uncapable of doing anything to seriously impact a game filled with high-level players. She looked like a star at UConn; with LSU and Iowa players on the court, she looked like a mid-major player.

 

[Fryowa]

She looked like a star at UConn; with LSU and Iowa players on the court, she looked like a mid-major player.

Louisville?

 

[HawkPowerlifter]

I watched an interview where HLV actually defended CC on the "cant see me" gesture. She said media perpetuated it and ran with it. She advised that it wasn't directed at her and at the Iowa's strength coach. HLV even advised she even texted CC to clarify it.

I think we as fans can have bias. It's natural to be a homer. I also think different coaching and different programs allow for players to behave or act in a certain way. Call it culture or etc.

I think the big difference between LSU and Iowa was the culture obviously. The big debate on social media was if LSU was justly or unjustly labelled as villians or dirty debutantes.

I don't have much pity for them in the aspect when Angel Reese and LSU beat Iowa last year and specifically Reese taunted CC, Clark took it and was gracious in her loss. No excuses. Unlike Reese where she played the victim.

As for HLV, it's intriguing but I don't see her coming to Iowa, and honestly not sure she fits into the culture.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

It's wild how many Iowa fans seem to want her... I'll pass. 2 big reasons. One being I don't think she'd be a culture fit for Bluder and she's all about that. It pretty much starts and stops there. Secondly she's not that good... I'm not about adding a player who's trending down that used to be good. I'm just not. They will have better options then her if they choose to look. Iowa is in no position now to have to settle for someone they can be picky and should be.

 

[CP87]

It's wild how many Iowa fans seem to want her... I'll pass. 2 big reasons. One being I don't think she'd be a culture fit for Bluder and she's all about that. It pretty much starts and stops there. Secondly she's not that good... I'm not about adding a player who's trending down that used to be good. I'm just not. They will have better options then her if they choose to look. Iowa is in no position now to have to settle for someone they can be picky and should be.

I think it would be silly to suggest she isn't a better all around player than Taylor McCabe or Kylie Feurbach. But that still doesn't mean she is a good fit. McCabe isn't as good, but she has an elite skill (3pt shooting), and sometimes one elite skill fit into a team context is more important than all-around ability. HVL is better than Marshall, too, but Marshall is much more important to this team than HVL ever could have been.

If HVL was elite at running a team and distributing, I would be all about bringing her on-board. If she was an elite shooter, I would be all about it. But when she was at her best at Louisville, she was a high-volume, low- to medium-efficiency scorer who did a lot of her work in the mid-range. That just doesn't really fit into what Iowa wants to do.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Something I've been wondering about.
Sure, Iowa's success is massively due to Clark. But Clark can't do Clark things without the rest of the team. They're proving that a team with flexibility and dynamics can beat a highly skilled, bigger, stronger team that relies almost solely on the paint on both ends of the court. If women's basketball was 5 quarters, Indiana would have downed SC.

There's clearly different styles of play between some of the conferences. Just wondering if we see more of it? I would think long term for sure, if the Clark Effect on these young girls seeking autographs and wanting to wear 22 in their youth league continues. If it does, we could be in for a treat in a few years with some wildly entertaining basketball.

But do we see more of it sooner?

That 5 star gal from California we just landed was clearly influenced by Clark and Iowa's style of play. Sounds she is a similar type of outside gunner and passer.

This has been said by lots of pundits, but not many coaches would have let CC be as free in her shooting as she is. Bluder is unique in that regard. That will attract certain type of player that wants to play that style of play.

 

[Will C]

I see a couple of players who could be a Clark. One will be a starter next year - Altoffer and one who will be a Freshman. Getting a five star guard is a great step for Iowa Bball. Will one or two come off the bench and surprise as well? Our best shooter is on the bench now and could start next year. I would bet her three point percentage is better than CC's.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

For what it is worth. Just a dumb article though.

MSN

 

[Will C]

I have to apologize to Alt. I must learn to spell her name properly and it is all on me to get that done. I will get it right and tape it to my monitor until I learn to be better. She is way too good to suffer this.

 

[CP87]

I have to apologize to Alt. I must learn to spell her name properly and it is all on me to get that done. I will get it right and tape it to my monitor until I learn to be better. She is way too good to suffer this.

Just think of the t-shirts...Sydney AF-folter.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I think it would be silly to suggest she isn't a better all around player than Taylor McCabe or Kylie Feurbach. But that still doesn't mean she is a good fit. McCabe isn't as good, but she has an elite skill (3pt shooting), and sometimes one elite skill fit into a team context is more important than all-around ability. HVL is better than Marshall, too, but Marshall is much more important to this team than HVL ever could have been.

If HVL was elite at running a team and distributing, I would be all about bringing her on-board. If she was an elite shooter, I would be all about it. But when she was at her best at Louisville, she was a high-volume, low- to medium-efficiency scorer who did a lot of her work in the mid-range. That just doesn't really fit into what Iowa wants to do.

Yeah it'd be about her role and what would it look like? What would she be a happy camper to do? I don't see it working... If she wanted to have been a Hawk and backup Gabbie and Molly she shoulda done it last yr. I don't think she's a good enough player to bring in as a 1 yr rental.

Then flip it to from her view. Does she want to be the big name coming in to replace Clark? I can't see her wanting to wear those shoes either. I mean look how she didn't handle the pressure in that game as it was. So I bet she's not exactly gung ho about coming to Iowa anyway either. She'll have other options I'm sure

 

[dagdaj]

That 5 star gal from California we just landed was clearly influenced by Clark and Iowa's style of play. Sounds she is a similar type of outside gunner and passer.

This has been said by lots of pundits, but not many coaches would have let CC be as free in her shooting as she is. Bluder is unique in that regard. That will attract certain type of player that wants to play that style of play.

I wonder how many times Coach Bluder pulled a Coach Brown from Major League... and said "Nice shot, Clark. Don't ever *!#%ing do it again." before she just shrugged and let her go.

 

[Grady]

Louisville?

Yeah, my bad.
I watched Van Lith on the tube quite a bit this year, and every game (except 1) I came away very unimpressed. She's not quick enough to get into the lane like Clark, she's not as good of a 3 pt shooter as McCabe. Agreed, not a good fit for Iowa's style.

 

[Bordone]

Sure, she could be trying for a higher draft pick, but she's already a first rounder.

Is she though? She went to LSU to learn the PG position and looked like a weak link in most of the games I saw her play. I don't see her being accurate to be a starting sg or have the ball handling passing or defensive skills to be a starting pg. Is she really going to be drafted in the first round when she's never going to be more than an off the bench combo guard playing 7-8 min a game.