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Post by ajm on Nov 3, 2019 0:01:55 GMT -5
Kerri/Brooke are guaranteed to improve in Olympic points race. If they beat Germany in the finals, the 600 points will be their 5th best finish counting toward their best 12. Either way they’ll increase their lead over all the American teams chasing them.
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Post by swim4life107 on Nov 3, 2019 2:03:14 GMT -5
This is the first time I've gotten to watch Kerri/Brooke on a HQ stream in a hot minute. A few thoughts:
1) Kerri looks completely shredded. This might be the best shape I've seen her in. Ever. I'd be hard pressed to think of many all-time great athletes who were still this dynamic of an athlete so late into their career. 2) Brooke is obviously limited as a player, but she is not garbage. She is very crafty and sneaky, and can give top players trouble when she's utilized properly. When they try to sit back and have Brooke side-out, they will get rolled by top teams everytime. I think she had 1 clean kill the first 1.5 games. Her down the line shots are complete money when she's on. Australia was clueless on how to deal with them. 3) When Kerri can open up plays on 2, it allows Brooke to be more effective on side outs and on defense. In other words, when they play the best teams, a lot has to be going right at the same time for it to work. 1 slight hitch and they can look so amateur in a hurry. When it all works, it's beautiful to watch. 4) Kerri is still by far the best big in the game. She completely neutered Clancy. She won virtually every battle at net. Blocked Australia into oblivion. Australia even surrendered a few key errors because they were scared of Kerri's block. Did Clancy even get 1 block? They seem to matchup well against the 1 big/1 small style teams. 5) That first game was nowhere near as close as the scoreline suggested. They could have been completely slaughtered if not for Kerri carrying the team. Brooke was a complete no-show until she got hot midway through the 2nd game. 6) I still think Kerri can do a better job setting Brooke. Brooke could have gotten a half a dozen more easy kills if those sets weren't so mediocre. She also can do a better job finding ways to go on 2. They waited way too long in the first set to get in that groove.
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Post by guest2 on Nov 3, 2019 2:50:02 GMT -5
I think the 4-5 times Kerri blocked her in the first set got in her head. She seemed much less aggressive after that. It funny in the first I was thinking how great it was she could stay aggressive after Kerri dominated her but definitely seemed to wear on both her and Mariafe as the match went on. Also some awesome drop and digs from Kerri. Not sure why Clancy's jump serve, which was dominant in the first 10 pts of game 1, sort of deserted her. Nice to see her back though Agree on the jump serve. She was bombing away in the first set, then couldn’t seem to make an impact after that. Kerri really looks to be in peak form, which is pretty incredible given her age and how much she’s played this year. Hitting, blocking, and digging. I think the wind affected Clancy’s passing and Mariafe’s hand setting enough so that their side out game got out of rhythm. Did we ever find out which one was injured? I thought it was Clancy but not sure if that was just a guess
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Post by guest2 on Nov 3, 2019 3:32:47 GMT -5
This is the first time I've gotten to watch Kerri/Brooke on a HQ stream in a hot minute. A few thoughts: 6) I still think Kerri can do a better job setting Brooke. Brooke could have gotten a half a dozen more easy kills if those sets weren't so mediocre. She also can do a better job finding ways to go on 2. They waited way too long in the first set to get in that groove. I agree with most of your other points and this one as well, I think Kerri/Brooke are actually a little mismatched as partners. In part its because no player on tour is more in need of a great set every time than Brooke, its one reason she and Summer were good together, and its also because their best skills (digging hard hit balls and blocking big swings) are only partially complimentary. A player who was much faster, but didnt handle bullets as well as Brooke would make for a more formidable defensive team - and they are already pretty great on defense. In terms of how good Brooke is, I am a fan of hers, but in pretty much every match I have seen where they have played top half of the draw teams, she has been the worst player on the court. Her sideout percentage is so poor and her other skills arent good enough to make up for it. She is average or below average at everything other than offense - where she may be the worst main draw player - and defense, where she is probably top 10-20 but is nowhere near the best in the world because she isnt very fast. Watching them lose to Borger/Sude after being up 2 late in game 2, and seeing how easily they gave up a 6-1 lead earlier in Game 3 reminded me how frustrating they can be to watch. I almost wish Stocsen would break out and win 3 straight events and put qualifying out of reach so Kerri and one of the Saras could team up and really contend. Every Brooke/Kerri match is about whether Kerri is great enough to win despite Brooke.
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Post by guest2 on Nov 3, 2019 3:56:07 GMT -5
I wonder if Borger/Sude didnt win because, though an inferior team, they are more adaptable than Clancy/Mariafe, who really just seem to play their game and win or lose with it, thus allowing Kerri to pile up blocks and force Clancy into hitting closer and closer to Brooke until she started popping balls up as well and Aus also made errors.
Borger was moving all around, receiving on both sides etc. when they had problems siding out and they seemed to avoid too many of the long point runs Brooke/Kerri depend on.
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Post by ajm on Nov 3, 2019 8:52:16 GMT -5
The Gold medal match seems to be blocked right now on copyright grounds. Hopefully they’ll fix that soon.
Kerri/Brooke handled Sude/Borger fairly easily the first three times they played so I’m curious what happened this time.
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Post by guest2 on Nov 3, 2019 9:24:18 GMT -5
The Gold medal match seems to be blocked right now on copyright grounds. Hopefully they’ll fix that soon. Kerri/Brooke handled Sude/Borger fairly easily the first three times they played so I’m curious what happened this time. Borger/Sude played a little better, made some quick switches in game 2, moving Karla around some. Kerri wasnt as good as she was in the semi and Brooke was a little off her game in both matches. As swim4life107 mentioned against Aus in the first game Brooke was so out of sorts that an all time performance by Kerri didnt even get them that close.
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Post by Wahinevball1234 on Nov 3, 2019 11:19:21 GMT -5
This is the first time I've gotten to watch Kerri/Brooke on a HQ stream in a hot minute. A few thoughts: 6) I still think Kerri can do a better job setting Brooke. Brooke could have gotten a half a dozen more easy kills if those sets weren't so mediocre. She also can do a better job finding ways to go on 2. They waited way too long in the first set to get in that groove. I agree with most of your other points and this one as well, I think Kerri/Brooke are actually a little mismatched as partners. In part its because no player on tour is more in need of a great set every time than Brooke, its one reason she and Summer were good together, and its also because their best skills (digging hard hit balls and blocking big swings) are only partially complimentary. A player who was much faster, but didnt handle bullets as well as Brooke would make for a more formidable defensive team - and they are already pretty great on defense. In terms of how good Brooke is, I am a fan of hers, but in pretty much every match I have seen where they have played top half of the draw teams, she has been the worst player on the court. Her sideout percentage is so poor and her other skills arent good enough to make up for it. She is average or below average at everything other than offense - where she may be the worst main draw player - and defense, where she is probably top 10-20 but is nowhere near the best in the world because she isnt very fast. Watching them lose to Borger/Sude after being up 2 late in game 2, and seeing how easily they gave up a 6-1 lead earlier in Game 3 reminded me how frustrating they can be to watch. I almost wish Stocsen would break out and win 3 straight events and put qualifying out of reach so Kerri and one of the Saras could team up and really contend. Every Brooke/Kerri match is about whether Kerri is great enough to win despite Brooke. I totally agree with this statement. In retrospect, I think Summer/Brooke and Kerri/Sara would have been better for all parties involved, but whatever. You live and you learn. Also, I think Brooke is getting a little too much crap for the finals match. In the first game Kerri gave up several points off of receiving errors and hitting errors. Brooke got served two or three times and sides out every time when she got a good set. Kerri isn’t setting at an elite level in my opinion. She’s gotta try to figure out how to give Brooke some better opportunities to score.
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Post by dunninla3 on Nov 3, 2019 11:28:38 GMT -5
Haven't watched the final, but in the semifinal -- I agree, KWJ is by far the best big in the women's game. Cat like reflexes. Brooke gave her a few option passes off the serve that were coming quite fast and Kerri handled them with ease. On top of that at least three times I saw her pull off the net, and Clancy thought... I'll just hit it as hard as I can right at Kerri... and Kerri gatored or somehow got those up so that Brooke could set her.
Clancy and Mariafe were pretty rusty. I don't think KWJ/BS beat them when they are back in shape. I certainly don't think Kerri blocks Clancy something like six times.
Whoever said Brooke was a little off in those games, well, sad to say, that's the new normal.
I hope A-Team is in good form in Tokyo cuz KWJ/BS, Slaes, 2S and Stocsen have almost no chance of medaling. On the other hand, I think KWJ with any of Hughes, Sponcil, Flint or Stockman would run the table. What a shame for USA Olympic hopes the whole P1440 BS that has separate out best big from everyone else other than Brooke.
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Post by itssteve on Nov 3, 2019 14:22:24 GMT -5
The only upgrade for KWJ would be April. Sara, Sarah and Emily all have the same problems. They are gun slinger. The do have impressive hits with good angles but they get blocked straight down. Then on defense they are all fast but far to often the run the wrong way or at full speed so they can’t change directions.
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Post by dunninla3 on Nov 3, 2019 15:44:54 GMT -5
^ Kerri would disagree with you. She had a wish list, and Brooke was way down it.
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Post by guest2 on Nov 3, 2019 16:47:26 GMT -5
Haven't watched the final, but in the semifinal -- I agree, KWJ is by far the best big in the women's game. Cat like reflexes. Brooke gave her a few option passes off the serve that were coming quite fast and Kerri handled them with ease. On top of that at least three times I saw her pull off the net, and Clancy thought... I'll just hit it as hard as I can right at Kerri... and Kerri gatored or somehow got those up so that Brooke could set her. No blocker has ever dropped and dug as well as Kerri
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Post by itssteve on Nov 3, 2019 19:25:51 GMT -5
^ Kerri would disagree with you. She had a wish list, and Brooke was way down it. You seem to be all knowing. What was kerris wish list. Was there a phone call from Sarah to Kerri about playing 3 months ago once summer got hurt?
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Post by guest2 on Nov 3, 2019 19:53:37 GMT -5
The only upgrade for KWJ would be April. Sara, Sarah and Emily all have the same problems. They are gun slinger. The do have impressive hits with good angles but they get blocked straight down. Then on defense they are all fast but far to often the run the wrong way or at full speed so they can’t change directions. The same problems as each other but not the same problems as Brooke. Emily and Hughes are much better offensive players than Brooke, its not even close. Sponcil is a better offensive player, although she is very inconsistent. As an example, in Game 1 against Australia Brooke was served 18 times. 13 times, Australia either scored or dug Brooke and failed to put away their swing. 13 of 18 times. Thats 72% and these weren't generally pinball chances. They were easy controlled digs. Three times Kerri two-balled good passes for kills Brooke had 2 clean sideouts. She put away 11% of the serves she received. 11%. Im sure the others have had games like that, but Brooke has them constantly.
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Post by dunninla3 on Nov 3, 2019 20:21:27 GMT -5
^ Kerri would disagree with you. She had a wish list, and Brooke was way down it. You seem to be all knowing. Why, thank you for noticing.
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