Hannah Stuelke

If she's prepared herself for the W as she should have she should make all B1G.

We'll see how she's developed her shots from deep in the off-season. That's the key I'll be looking for.
 
Zstatman said:
If she's prepared herself for the W as she should have she should make all B1G.

We'll see how she's developed her shots from deep in the off-season. That's the key I'll be looking for.
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I agree, and disagree. I don't think her future is ever going to involve shooting from deep. I would hope she averages less than 1 3FGA per game this year.

But I do think she has a potential future in the W, and I think it is playing just like she did for the national team this past summer. She was a critical piece for that team off the bench, in particular as a defender, rebounder, and opportunistic scorer.

I think she is all-B1G if she can defend and rebound her ass off, and then she can be a hyper-efficient and varied offensive threat. I would love to see her become more proficient with jumpers from the elbow and the short-corner, but what I really want to see is her being able to make great decisions with the ball. She made progress on this last year, but she still struggled at times to make the right read at game speed (she was quite good at this on the National team, which was critical because the guards were kind of black holes). If she can attack mismatches in the post (against smaller players) and on the elbow/wing (against slower players), and then be able to make the quick pass on the move when defenses collapse, she will be an absolute menace to opponents. And you know she will continue to get her easy buckets on runouts and ORB.

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I think her All-B1G season gets her back up around 14 pts/game and 60% shooting, but it also includes her rebounds per game at 9+, her assts per game at 3+, and her TO per game < 2.
 
I would agree that Hannah isn't a natural shooter, she has to work really hard at it.

If I had her talent and size, I'd be working really hard at it.
 
Zstatman said:
I would agree that Hannah isn't a natural shooter, she has to work really hard at it.

If I had her talent and size, I'd be working really hard at it.
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I heard Clyde Hart (legendary Baylor T&F coach) speak at an Iowa T&F Coaches Clinic years ago. He was talking about developing 400m sprinters, discussing how generally they are either 200/400 athletes or 400/800 athletes. He mentioned that coaches always think they should try to bring up the "weak" spot of these athletes...have the 400/800 guys work on speed, and the 200/400 guys work on endurance. He stresses the exact opposite. Train people for their strengths. If the 200/400 guys responded well to longer training, they would probably be 800 runners. If the 400/800 guys responded well to speed work, they would probably already be sprinters.

That has always stuck with me, and I think it applies well beyond the scope of T&F. I think athletes (or people, in general) can spend so much time focusing on trying to improve their weak areas that they diminish what makes them great in the first place.

Hannah has been a great B1G player because of the work she has done in the paint. I would much rather her spend time trying to get even better at that, as opposed to trying to become something I don't think she will ever be...a stretch 4. If she can be more decisive around the rim, become more crafty in finishing under/over/around defenders, and become a surer ball-handler who can take a dribble and still have the control and werewithal to zip a pass out to an open shooter, she becomes the best version of herself.
 
CP87 said:
I agree, and disagree. I don't think her future is ever going to involve shooting from deep. I would hope she averages less than 1 3FGA per game this year.

But I do think she has a potential future in the W, and I think it is playing just like she did for the national team this past summer. She was a critical piece for that team off the bench, in particular as a defender, rebounder, and opportunistic scorer.

I think she is all-B1G if she can defend and rebound her ass off, and then she can be a hyper-efficient and varied offensive threat. I would love to see her become more proficient with jumpers from the elbow and the short-corner, but what I really want to see is her being able to make great decisions with the ball. She made progress on this last year, but she still struggled at times to make the right read at game speed (she was quite good at this on the National team, which was critical because the guards were kind of black holes). If she can attack mismatches in the post (against smaller players) and on the elbow/wing (against slower players), and then be able to make the quick pass on the move when defenses collapse, she will be an absolute menace to opponents. And you know she will continue to get her easy buckets on runouts and ORB.

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I think her All-B1G season gets her back up around 14 pts/game and 60% shooting, but it also includes her rebounds per game at 9+, her assts per game at 3+, and her TO per game < 2.
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Yeah last yr being looked at as a main leader on the team she did ok. Not great not fantastic or anything but she did ok. Many hoped she woulda taken a leap . But her FG% took a hit even though her attempts were pretty much the same. If that's not a direct effect of CC serving her up for layups I don't know what is.

Her game seems to rely a lot of her natural athleticism. She doesn't have post moves per say she turns over the same way every time and plays bully ball to get where she wants. Or they get her the ball at the FT line and she fakes left dribbles right to the hoop. Her jumper hasn't improved much at all form wise or results wise. I don't see her FT % or outside shot improving until her form changes. She can't be consistent shooting like that.

I think I'd read she was 2/17 from 3 last yr... What I'm afraid of for her is that she's going to want to shoot more of them this yr to have a resume for the WNBA. But that would likely hurt the team cause I don't expect her to magically improve her jumper significantly since last yr. It's taken Megan Gustafson yrs now to get to where she has with her shot. It's not an easy thing to do when mechanically you're all messed up.

I'm hopeful that if she hasn't improved her jumper that she plays within herself and doesn't try to do too much. Get back to playing like she did her soph yr. Play efficient play fast and stay out of early foul trouble. Don't try to put a Wnba resume together and play team ball. They have a good young talented team with a mix of leadership on it. She doesn't have to shoulder too big of a load.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Yeah last yr being looked at as a main leader on the team she did ok. Not great not fantastic or anything but she did ok. Many hoped she woulda taken a leap . But her FG% took a hit even though her attempts were pretty much the same. If that's not a direct effect of CC serving her up for layups I don't know what is.

Her game seems to rely a lot of her natural athleticism. She doesn't have post moves per say she turns over the same way every time and plays bully ball to get where she wants. Or they get her the ball at the FT line and she fakes left dribbles right to the hoop. Her jumper hasn't improved much at all form wise or results wise. I don't see her FT % or outside shot improving until her form changes. She can't be consistent shooting like that.

I think I'd read she was 2/17 from 3 last yr... What I'm afraid of for her is that she's going to want to shoot more of them this yr to have a resume for the WNBA. But that would likely hurt the team cause I don't expect her to magically improve her jumper significantly since last yr. It's taken Megan Gustafson yrs now to get to where she has with her shot. It's not an easy thing to do when mechanically you're all messed up.

I'm hopeful that if she hasn't improved her jumper that she plays within herself and doesn't try to do too much. Get back to playing like she did her soph yr. Play efficient play fast and stay out of early foul trouble. Don't try to put a Wnba resume together and play team ball. They have a good young talented team with a mix of leadership on it. She doesn't have to shoulder too big of a load.
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Remember at the beginning of last season they had her playing on the perimeter a lot. Not only did she struggle with her shot, she didn’t have a handle, which led to a bunch of turnovers…turnovers that came at crucial moments in games.
 
Hannah reminds me of Naz Hillmon from Michigan. Naz didn't have perimeter skills either but has showed a huge improvement in the pros playing for the Atlanta Dream. Naz had to changer her game in the WNBA because she was only 6ft 2. I'm hopeful Hannah can follow in Naz's foot steps. If Jan is going to force Hannah into being a 4 only it's a big mistake.
 
Hannah is poised for a stellar senior season.

She is 247 rebounds away from cracking the Top 10 all-time Hawk rebound leaders. I'd prognosticate she does this and finished in the 5--10 slot in this category.

She is 606 points from cracking the Top 10 scoring list. My sense is this will be much tougher to accomplish, not that she can't do it but this team, IMO, will be a well-balanced scouring team and they won't need Hannah to score a great number of points to be a great team. If she does make it she will have had a great last season at Iowa. I hope she makes it.

My summary is that there are lots of athletic 6'4"-6'5" gals in the W now so Hannah won't have a size advantage . If she's going to do well it will be because, in my mind, she has the heart of a warrior.
 
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judzeehawk said:
Hannah reminds me of Naz Hillmon from Michigan. Naz didn't have perimeter skills either but has showed a huge improvement in the pros playing for the Atlanta Dream. Naz had to changer her game in the WNBA because she was only 6ft 2. I'm hopeful Hannah can follow in Naz's foot steps. If Jan is going to force Hannah into being a 4 only it's a big mistake.
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I like the Hillmon comparison. I also look at someone like Aneesah Morrow, an uber athletic, under-sized post without perimeter skills who is very effective. She has better handles than Stuelke, and is a crafty finisher; but Stuelke is a better defender and a better passer.
 
trj said:
Remember at the beginning of last season they had her playing on the perimeter a lot. Not only did she struggle with her shot, she didn’t have a handle, which led to a bunch of turnovers…turnovers that came at crucial moments in games.
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Yeah she has tunnel vision and seems to make predetermined plays instead of reading the defense when it comes to dribbling and passing she just hasn't improved much at it. To me she kinda is who she is so it's on the coaches to not put too much on her.

Use her like we did her first 2 yrs as a complimentary piece where she'd run the floor in transition and get the ball to her where she likes it so she can primarily catch and finish. Having guards and ball handlers that can set her up makes that easier. If this preseason 1st team BIG stuff goes to her head and she thinks she needs they need to play through her every possession that could become problematic.

Nobody would enjoy seeing her expand her game more then me. I just hope if she hasn't that it doesn't become a problem.
 
Last year I felt they could've given Hannah more time as a stretch 4 to get the experience but they needed her inside presence.

O'Grady and Heiden were the inside presence last year. Ava wasn't really getting that many minutes in conference play until coming on down the stretch. They needed Hannah inside to compete better.

This year there has been some talk that Heiden and Hays might play at the same time but more likely they man the 5 between them. So, Hannah will still be needed inside but if she can step out and make an occasional 3 all the better.
 
CP87 said:
I agree, and disagree. I don't think her future is ever going to involve shooting from deep. I would hope she averages less than 1 3FGA per game this year.

I think she is all-B1G if she can defend and rebound her ass off, and then she can be a hyper-efficient and varied offensive threat. I would love to see her become more proficient with jumpers from the elbow and the short-corner, but what I really want to see is her being able to make great decisions with the ball...If she can attack mismatches in the post (against smaller players) and on the elbow/wing (against slower players), and then be able to make the quick pass on the move when defenses collapse, she will be an absolute menace to opponents.

I think her All-B1G season gets her back up around 14 pts/game and 60% shooting, but it also includes her rebounds per game at 9+, her assts per game at 3+, and her TO per game < 2.
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Checking in on my hopes for The Incredible Stuelke's season:

She is averaging less than 1 3FGA per game (0.3), and she is actually averaging fewer 3FGA than last year (0.5). This is good, as she only shot 12% from 3 last year, and is at 22% this year. Every 3FGA is a win for the defense.

She is not back up to 60% like her first 2 years, but she improved from 50% last year up to 54.4%.

I was hoping for 14 pts/game, she is at 13.9 pts/game. Second on the team behind Heiden (17.6 pts/game).

I was hoping for 9 reb/game, she is at 8.7 (leads the team).

I was hoping for 3 asst/game, and she is at 2.9 asst/game (up from 2.2, last year). Her TOs are down below 2 (1.9), after being at 2.3 last year.

Defense is hard to quantify, but she is having the best season of her career according to advanced defensive metrics from Sports Reference. But by the eye-test, she has been a defensive monster all season. She can guard across positions (wing through 5), and she typically takes on the opponent's best front court player. She had some problems early with foul trouble, but she has cleaned that up. She also brings energy and communication on the defensive end that is generally lacking due to the youth on this team (especially important once McCabe went out).
I think she is an All-B1G player (2nd team?), and the Hawks would be in a world of hurt without her. I think she will get a chance to play pro. Hopefully the FT thing comes along!
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Well done! Had she been less "team oriented" she may have vaulted to 1st team, but we would rather have her feeding Ava. To be honest, her court smarts, passing and assist ability is what will get her drafted as much as her offensive skillset.

Congrats to Ava and Chit-Chat for their honors as well.
 
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