ESPN’s Way Too Early Top 25
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 10:15 pm
The expectations start out very high for the Oklahoma Sooners Women's Basketball and 2nd year Coach Jennie Baranczyk for the 2022-2023 season.
With returning starters back at each position: Scott at C, Williams at F, Robertson at G, Kennedy at G and Tot at G and sixth-woman Vann (F-C) and part-time starters Llanusa at F and Washington at G the squad is well set with 8 players immediately contributing.
Of course we do not know the full state of Llanusa returning from her leg injury but she was walking very freely and moving well at the end of the season '3-momths' into her recovery with 5 months before the next school year begins.
The Sooners may lose a couple of players to transfer with Gregory already announced that she is transferring. I would not be surprised to see one more. Gregory was better during the last month of the season, but there was probably not going to be much more playing time for her next year than this year.
With four new freshman, 1 highly-rated 4-star 6'3" Forward/Center - Culliton, 1 versatile 6'3" Forward - Johnson, 1 5'9" shooting Guard from NY - Scott and 1 talented 5'8" Guard - Cooper joining the already deep squad, the Sooners have a great outlook for next season.
If Culliton (FR), Liz Scott (SR), Johnson (FR) and Emma Swoboda (SO) can provide improved play inside for the Sooners, they will be able to keep up or outplay other teams inside.
The Sooners will be very good up front a the 3 and 4 spots with the likes of Williams (5-SR), Robertson (5-SR), Llanusa (6-SR), Vann (JR), Johnson (FR) and Kennedy (SR) playing at high speed and defending well will be a challenge for any opposing team.
With Guards Tot (JR), Washington (SO), Perkins (SO), R Scott (FR) and Cooper (FR) roaming outside the Sooners they have great depth. I would not sleep on Perkins (SO) either maybe at a shooting guard role. She can shoot the ball well from 3-point land. She could be in the regular rotation for the Sooners and provide depth.
Who knows who may be picked up from the transfer portal also. I tough, big forward-center who can run the court would be just what the 'Coach' ordered perhaps.
Boomer Sooner!