Basketball stars meet in the 'Ville

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Jenny reviews Elite Skills Camp


-Stephanie Norman promoted to associate coach


( It's Wednesday and Jenny holds court here at Cardinal Couple. She gives us her take on the Elite Skills Camp last week. Did you know you can follow her on Twitter? 
Find her at @uoflwomynfan for updates on the Cards. 
Cardinal Couple is there, too at @Cardinalcouple.)  

Last Thursday there was plenty of heat and star power in Cardinal Arena attending the Elite Skills Camp hosted by Coach Jeff Walz and the University of Louisville.  “Stars galore” as Paul noted after his write up last Thursday.

On the day, no stars were bigger than Mercedes Russell.  As the #1 recruit in the nation, you would expect nothing less.  The kid can flat out play.   Having followed her over the course of the last year and half watching videos and reading scout reports it was nice to see her in live action.  She did not disappoint. 

During the skills sections of the camp she was able to replicate post moves being taught immediately.   She looked fluid with the ball, driving to the basket; she also was hitting 12-15 footers consistently.  Most impressive on the day, though, was game time play under the basket.  Often with two or three defenders on her, she made it look so easy.  Around the rim, she was unstoppable.  Very impressive!  Defensively, she blocked, easily, 7-9 shots.   I quit counting.  What I did not see consistently, though, was speed getting up and down the court.  At first I was a little unimpressed in that regard.  No worries Cardinal Fans, I saw at least one moment where Russell obviously kicked it in to another gear, running down court, seemingly getting beaten by a driving Becca Greenwell.  The switch seemed automatic, and she accelerated into another gear.  What I surmised from this experience is that as good as I thought Russell was on the day, I am not even sure we saw her at full tilt.   I saw a flash of a higher gear, and by day's end, I felt certain she was in low gear with so much more she could give, in real game time environment. 


Cardinal Fans, this is one very special player.  We know from media reports we are in the race to land Russell.  We also know Tennessee and North Carolina are right there with us.  I look for an official visit from Russell back to the ‘Ville in the fall before she makes her final college choice before the high school season starts.  Coach Jeff Walz and the women’s basketball program are ready to make history with this recruit.  Let’s all hope we are the University she feels best fits her needs.    

Becca Greenwell and Makayla Epps were also in attendance.  Both looked strong and consistent.  Having covered them here in the past, I am not going to give them much time here than to say they are impressive and top notch recruits.   Epps sat out most of the last hour of the clinic with ice on her knee.  Whatever the nagging knee issue, I hope she is able to get it cleared up. 

There were several campers that stood out to me, and caught my eye.  Below is a list of those kids and what I liked about them.

2014

Mychal Johnson is a point guard out of West Virginia.  I was excited to see her because I have been following scouting reports on her and all indicators are she is an elite player in this class.   Currently Hoopgurlz ranks her #21 in the class of 2014.   Johnson showed great ball handling skills.  I was also impressed with the use of her slender frame to get to the basket and finish a play.  She consistently used her body... bumping inside and finishing plays.   According to a tweet from her father, Scott Johnson, also a coach with her AAU Club West Virginia Thunder, Johnson left the clinic with a scholarship offer from Coach Walz.  Keep your eye out for Mychal Johnson Cardinal Fans, as she is another elite prospect with an offer. 

Erica Moore out of Mount Vernon , IN was by far my favoriteplayer of the day!  With a strong, muscular, athletic frame, this forward got it done all over the court.  She was banging it up inside, ripping down rebounds, going rim to rim on a fast break consistently finishing, as well as starting the fast break and having great down court vision and making the pass.  During the skills portion of the clinic she was hitting 12-15 ft. shots and dropping back to hit the three.  She is a threat all over the court.  I was highly, highly impressed.  I loved watching this kid play ball!  Keep your eye out for this player.  I am not sure if Louisville is involved with her recruiting, but it is my hope that we are.   Moore was my MVP for the day and I can not say enough about how she impressed me on the day.  


Cardinal faithful, you heard her name here first, at Cardinal Couple.     

2015

Alexis Robinson, a guard out of Ashland, KY, was impressive with the ball.  She had great athleticism and was very quick.   With her speed and excellent ball handling this youngster still has plenty of time to further her already good game.  One of several players from the AAU club of West Virginia Thunder, Scott Johnson also confirmed that she left camp with an offer to play at Louisville.  Cardinal Fans, this is another in-state kid that Coach Walz is going after.  Keep her on your radar.  She is young and has a long recruiting process ahead of her. 

Nora Kiesler is a local player out of Assumption high school.  Upwards of 6-5/6-6 this post player has the potential to be a very good player.  She was at the camp several weeks ago, and honestly, she stood out more this go round, even with greater competition on the court alongside her.  She found herself in match ups with Mercedes Russell on several occasions.  She did not back down.  She has work ahead of her to develop her game, but as a sophomore she has time to get stronger and in better shape.  If she keeps improving her game she is going to be a force in the paint. 

2016

Nicole Ekhomu is a point guard just heading in to high school out of Bolingbrook, Il.  She is a powerful, athletic ball handler who played beyond her young years, with the competition on the court.  She was steady with the ball, quick, and very dangerous on the fast break.   According to scouting reports on-line she is a fearless defender, though I did not see a lot of that on this particular day.  Her athleticism stood out the most.  According to a tweet from Bret McCormick of All Stars Girls Report, Ekhomu already holds an offer from Louisville prior to this camp.  (I was not aware of this going in to the day). 

There were over 50 kids at this camp.  These kids played hard for 4 long hours.  I was impressed with their efforts on the day. The age ranges were from a rising 6^th grader to the best in the class of rising seniors. The kids played hard and appeared to get the most out of their time with the program. From all appearances it was a great day with a wealth of talent on the court. 


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"Wanna start a website, dear? Yeah...
why not?" 

Cardinal Couple passes ahuge milestone today!   Today’s column is the 1000^th post covering women’s athletics at U of L.  Congratulations to Paul and Sonja for maintaining a website that devotes most of its entirety to women’s athletics.  Cardinal fans we are very, very lucky to have the Couple!   With so much of women’s athletics not covered at all, to the “lucky” teams who get back page coverage in the Sports section with a mention in a small paragraph, Cardinal Couple is devoted to keeping the Cardinal faithful abreast of all women’s sports at U of L.  Thank you, Paul and Sonja for your devotion, and for allowing me to share my passion of women’s basketball with your readership.   My glass is raised in cheer, for another 1000 posts with greater readership along the way!  


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(Editor's Note)


We appreciate the kind words, Jenny. Hard to believe that on a snowy day in January of 2010, we left the safety and comfort of writing for other sites and started C.C. We've seen it grow from a tiny tot to a full-fledged, man-child that is read all around the world. Over 2500 hits a day and getting bigger each month. 


We pledge to you, our readers, to continue and try to present this humble website as the fan voice for UofL women's sports. We are also grateful to have the talents of Jenny, Sandra, David and Mark writing for us. We couldn't ask for any better.


Last but not least, we thank you...the reader. Without you, none of this would have been possible. Keep sending those e-mails, comments and suggestions. You are as much of CARDINAL COUPLE as any of us...and we appreciate and cherish you! 


--Paul and Sonja


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Coach Norman is the only remaining
coach for Jeff Walz's original staff
at Louisville. (Besides Jeff...)

Congratulations to UofL WBB coach Stephanie Norman on being promoted to associate coach level! Coach "Steph" has put in the hours and helped build the program to it's current level of success. 


Couldn't help but notice the hard work and teaching she was providing to the players during the Elite Skills camp last Thursday. 

Seems like time has flown by since the announcement that a young assistant from Maryland would be leading the Cards in the 2007-08 season. Stephanie is the only assistant (now associate) left from that original staff...Michelle Clark-Heard now the head coach at WKU and Bethann Ord the head coach at Weber State. 


With her valuable assistance, the Cardinal recruiting classes have been in the top ten since she arrived here and we are confident that isn't going to change.


Enjoy the fourth of July, readers and also the freedoms that come with being in a country where independence is a reality and not a dream. 
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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Stars galore at Cardinal Elite Camp Clinic

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Action, competition and talent the order of the day in Cardinal Arena on Thursday.


It may have reached the 100 degree mark in Louisville Thursday afternoon, but it wasn't as nearly as hot as the all-star group of players on display at the Jeff Walz Cardinal Elite Camp Clinic in Cardinal Arena. 

Despite having hip surgery Wednesday, Asia Taylor was
on hand to run the score clock. 

Talented high school girls basketball players from all over the nation were on hand for the four hour event. One didn't have to look too far to see the best and the brightest in action. Whether it was Mercedes Russell banging under the paint, Makayla Epps lofting that sweet mid-range jumper, Rebecca Greenwell taking one to the hoop with skill and grace or Erica Moore making head-shaking play after brilliant play...the stars were out early Thursday afternoon before an appreciative crowd of around 150.

A brief hydration break before another drill

After a brief overview of NCAA rules, regulations and guidelines by assistant WBB coach Cam Newbauer for the campers, Teena Murray took over and took the players through a series of dynamic stretching exercises. Also there to lead and spur them on was the UofL WBB squad..the vocal encouragement from Mo, Sara, Sherrone and the rest of the Lady Cards filling the gym. 


The campers then separated into four smaller groups 

Working on the mid-range jumper

for skills practice on essentials such as jump shots, transition basketball, layups, 5 player weaves and trans-post passing. Almost two hours went by as the Cardinal coaches, players and camp staff worked with the groups on shooting, defense, rebounding and breakdown moves according to position. 


When 3:00 p.m. rolled around, it was time for the first of two thirty-minute scrimmages. The players were divided into two red and two white squads and competed for fifteen minutes against each squad of the opposite jersey color. 


This is where it got really fun and competitive. 

UofL WBB Freshman Megan Deines takes in the action

With so much talent and skill level competing, it's really hard to pick out who performed the best...but the four members of the CARDINAL COUPLE staff present were sold on the efforts of Makayla Epps (Marion County), Katie Collier (Webb School), Raven Merriweather (Sacred Heart), Maci Morris (Bell County) Jasmine Lumpkin (Joliet) and Lauren White (Edwardsville) as "ones to watch" when it came to guard play. Also keep an eye out down the road for 6th grader Casey Collins (Katie's younger sister) who went toe-to-toe with the bigger, older guards and never backed down. 


CARDINAL COUPLE's Jenny O'Bryan will have a future article about who she thought was impressive and her thoughts on the afternoon. Don't miss it! 

Front liners that impressed would have to include the names of #1 ranked 2013 recruit Mercedes Russell (Springfield), Erica Moore (Mount Vernon), Nora Kiesler (Assumption), Logan Powell (Marion County) and Taylor Robinson (Ladue Horton Watkins). 


Then...there was Becca Greenwell. The senior-to-be at Owensboro Catholic showed no ill effects from her knee surgery. A quick crossover move, silky-smooth jumper and all-over-the-court awareness made her my personal choice as MVP of the first round of scrimmages. Some players just "have it". She's one of them. 

CARDINAL COUPLE'S Sonja and Sandy react to the
aggressive post play.  

After the scrimmage, the groups broke up into guards and forward/centers. These drills were fun to watch...Coach "Sam" had her guards doing a lot of push ups whenever I looked at that end of the court...I was concentrating on the battles that the bigs were displaying underneath the basket.

One to watch in future years is 6'6" center Nancy Mulkey out of Texas. Still a bit thin and just a freshman, but goes to the hoop with aggression and has a nice outside shot. Keep an eye on Logan and Kendyl Powell out of Marion County, too. Definitely not afraid to mix it up underneath and both hit the boards well.

Stretching it out the Teena Murray way...

Free throws and 3-point drills followed before the second and final 30-minute scrimmage of the afternoon. I dedicated this one to Mercedes Russell watching, who Louisville really wants to land.


I can see why. 

A.J. flashes that beautiful smile before going out to
teach the campers. (Take it easy on Jude, A.J!)

She positions well on the offensive sets and her height and agility allows her easy access to close in shots and put-backs. Teamed with Epps and Morris, they played with the precision of a squad that had been together for years. One writers dream: To see these three in Cardinal Red and Black against Big East opponents. Epps has a "lights out" jumper and Morris runs the point with the skill of a college senior. 


It was fun to watch these three compete against Becca Greenwell's squad for 15 minutes. You could tell that neither squad wanted to lose this scrimmage. Add Greenwell to this writer's wish-list to see in a Cardinal jersey. Her skill set is light-years beyond her age.

Free throws: a very important factor in any game

It was also good to see the Lady Cards out there working with the campers and teaching. Sara Hammond is a natural coach and it was fun watching her work the sidelines during the scrimmages. All the Cards seemed to be enjoying themselves and after the scrimmage they engaged the campers in conversation and a lot of laughter and fun filled the court. Mo Reid is brimming with confidence and authority this summer...can't help but think she's on the cusp of a sensational season. All of the Lady Cards went out of their way to encourage, teach, demonstrate and reinforce the things that are essential and important on the court. You can tell this bunch really likes each other and brief, casual chats with Cortnee Walton and Megan Deines indicated that they are fitting in just fine with the group and enjoying being Lady Cards. Although freshmen aren't allowed to work camps, they both seemed to enjoy watching the action and are ready to join in next year. 

Nora Kiesler (middle left) is a rising star for Assumption.

The four hours seemed to fly by. 


As Sonja and I walked to the car in the blazing heat after the camp, we talked about the massive amounts of talent we had just witnessed. A short chat with Rebecca Greenwell after the camp confirmed that she had a great time and that Louisville is still among the top schools she is looking at. Mercedes Russell grinned broadly when asked about the camp and saw it as a "great afternoon of fun and learning." Makayla Epps thought she had an "OK" camp and assured us that the ice wrapped around her knee was nothing to worry about...just a standard post-practice procedure. 

We had a wonderful time with the CARDINAL COUPLE staff writers in attendance Thursday afternoon and enjoyed meeting the CARDINAL COUPLE readers who came up to us and introduced themselves as the afternoon went on. If anyone had a better time at the camp than us, it was probably the actual participants...who got in a great four-hour workout Thursday afternoon in Cardinal Arena. 


Our thanks and appreciation to the coaches, staff and players who were gracious, entertaining and so much fun to watch and be around. 


This is Cardinal basketball, ladies and gentlemen...and you will not find a better product, philosophy and way of doing things out there...in our book.   


--Paul Sykes






  

Friday Cardinal Couple -- Campers learn "the Cardinal way" at Walz Camp

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Walz BBall camp teaches attendees "next level" skills. 


(Normally we would run a reader-submitted article this Friday but wanted to get this report on the Jeff Walz Elite Skills Camp to you A.S.A.P. WE do have a great reader article for you Saturday.) 


The 50 attendees at Jeff Walz's 2012 women's basketball Elite Clinic skills camp on Thursday, June 14th. got the word early.

Bria Smith on her way to teach the campers "next level" skills. 

"We're here to teach you what we teach our players. Focus and concentration. Every thing we do on the court, we do for each other." Walz told the group as they split up into individual drills to work on ball-handling, shooting, rebounding and passing skills. 

Shooting and dribbling were two of the many
areas covered and taught by the UofL staff and players.

Hustle, teamwork and close-up instruction were the order of the day. UofL WBB assistant coaches "Cam", "Sam"  and "Steph" were working non-stop with the players on drills and skills that are a part of the UofL daily practice routine. The Lady Cards were out there in force as well....Shoni and Bria demonstrating passing techniques, Asia and Shawnta working with front-liners on blocking out and interior passing styles...Sara, Sherrone...the whole team and staff teaching the campers the efforts, emotions and positive aspects of what it takes to play on "the next level" Even current UofL women's basketball radio analyst and former WNBA star Adrienne Johnson was teaching, dishing and coaching.   


The girls were eager and attentive learners. Whether it was "5-on-5-on-5" drills or free throw shooting, the campers were competitive and worked non-stop during the four hour camp. 

Morgan Turner prepares to run a drill.

I had the pleasure of sitting next to the grandparents of Meade County sophomore wing Morgan Turner for most of the afternoon. They were impressed with the way the camp was run and watched with excitement and interest as their grand-daughter shot, dribbled, played defense and battled on the boards. 


(She's going to be one to watch down the road. Remember the name.)  


Also there with me was CARDINAL COUPLE columnist Jenny O'Bryan. Although all the girls were hard-working and quite skilled at what they were doing....several stood out and caught our eye. 

Kiesler has a effective outside jumper in addition to
her paint skills. 

-- Ayanna Edwards travelled from Sacramento, CA for the camp. She's got the post skills to be a force for some lucky college program (yes...Louisville has already offered) and "Shaq" reminded me of a young Danielle Adams. She spent considerable time with the staff and Cardinal "bigs" working on interior moves. Look out for her...soft shot and a paint monster. She'll be a junior this fall. 


-- Nora Kiesler is a local player and a double threat for Assumption H.S. in hoops and volleyball. WE were impressed with her shooting and ability to mix it up on the boards. She's just a sophomore next year and you'll be hearing her name quite often the next three seasons. 


-- Morgan Turner will be a force for Meade County (KY) high school for the next three years as well. A wing that has a smooth outside shot and passes well...the colleges will be lining up for her services and she should be one of the elite in the 2015 recruiting class. 


-- Sabrina Haines travelled from Arizona for the camp. They may eventually put her picture next to Webster's Dictionary listing for "smooth". The soon-to-be sophomore has all the skills. Keep her name on your list of those to watch.


These are just four of the many participants that were turning heads and drawing praise from those of us watching. 

Cardinal front-liners discuss strategy before a drill

The four-hour time frame obviously isn't enough to rate and rank all the players but a conservative estimate is that at least half of the 50 campers in attendance will be at Division I programs down the road. 


One opinion, of course...but the group of young ladies on the hardwood at Cardinal Arena on Thursday afternoon truly fit the description "elite". 


Taking it all in with a watchful eye, encouraging advice and his usual wit and style was Coach Walz. 


"What will impress me in this drill and what I'm looking for is how well you do without the ball." Walz tells a group one moment. "Skill development is a year round process" Walz preaches to the next group. He constantly observes, suggests and teaches. 


Few do it better. 

The competition was intense under the rim

If you'd like to be a spectator at the next Elite Skills Camp, circle Thursday, June 28th. on your calender. More high-level talent will pound the Cardinal Arena hardwood and Mercedes Russell, the #1 prospect in the 2013 recruiting class, will be in attendance. Coach Walz would love to have 500 fans in attendance. Is it in you, Cardinal WBB fans? I guarantee you, you'll be entertained, impressed and amazed at the skill sets you'll see. 


For this Thursday, though...the talent level was truly elite and CARDINAL COUPLE will keep a close eye on the progress and careers of the young ladies today who displayed their abilities. We appreciate the chance to watch, observe and report on a group of girls that will be thrilling fans and frustrating opposing coaches for the next several years. 

"We like to get up and down the court here at Louisville" Coach Stephanie Norman informed the campers early in the activities. 


They believe, Coach Steph, they believe...and they did


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Photo by Charlie Springer - UofL Card Game
www.uoflcardgame.com 

Get well soon wishes to Louisville guard Tia Gibbs who recently underwent successful hip operation surgery. She's confident she'll be back in the full swing of things by the time fall practice rolls around. 


Heal well and completely #25. Gotta have those Butler Bears representing! 

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