Martha Bellcoff

Mom of 2 boys; wife; advocate for those who can't; cheerleader for youth; sports fanatic-the ones my boys play; the Mariners, Cowboys and Seahawks; & hoops!!

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@basedtradchadUS @patchdj @UsulHathReturnd @HackingButLegal THAT IS exactly what they are trying to get rid of!!!

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@owen_frasier I know Coach Sealy-Roberts and I’m sad she’s having to endure this…

[Battle Ground Womens Basketball @BGHS_GBball]

Come out and support the Tigers Women’s basketball team tonight!!

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@c_harmcity @RsIpsaLoquitur @SteveR129 @rebecca_fachner Why are you judging that there is only one purpose for them, when many different uses have been given? Did you sit in on that committee?

[Thomas 🦖 @AudacityofTrope]

So, I want to talk about the reasons I'm still in the Caitlin Clark for Rookie of the Year camp, without trying to unfairly disparaging Angel, who is having an incredible season herself.

One of the biggest reasons I'm pushing for Clark (outside of personal Iowa bias) is that several of the things Angel is known for have not translated to improvement for the team in those areas from last year, while most the things Clark does well has led to overall improvement in those areas for the Fever.

Angel's double-double streak is very impressive, but the streak is built largely on defensive rebounds and points and the Sky have been bad as a team in those areas. The Sky are 11th in the league in DReb% (same as last year), and dead last in the league at eFG% and TS% (significantly down from 3rd and 7th last year). The Sky are also last in At Rim FG%, which is where Angel is taking 70% of her shots, and only hitting 50%. She's taking another 20% of her shots in short-midrange, where she's shooting 19%, and she's shooting 25% from 3. Additionally, a full 20% of Reese's 2pt shot attempts have been blocked.

On the other hand, Clark's biggest strengths have translated to team improvement over last year. The Fever have seen their eFG% improve from 6th to 4th in the league, their TS% improve from 8th to 5th, their Assist Ratio improve from 11th to 6th, and their Pace improve from 11th to 7th.

They've dropped from 7th to 8th in rebounds, but their rebounding% is actually higher than it was last year. The Fever also take a higher % of their shots from 3, and make a higher % of them than they did last year. All this despite Clark being in somewhat of a shooting slump for a lot of the season. Her gravity and spacing have done as much to improve these things as her shooting, and I think that matters in this race.

The Fever's overall OffRating (probably tied with DefRating for the worst stat for measuring individual impact, alas) is lower than last year, but over the last 10 games it's significantly higher (from 101.8 to 104.9). The Sky also have a worse OffRating than last year, and that remains true even if you only count the last 10 games (from 101.3 to 99.1).

Even if you take into account Caitlin's turnovers, the Fever have actually improved their overall TO% from last year (from 18.7 to 18.5). She's absorbed a lot of the rest of the team's TO's due to her becoming the primary ball-handler, and obviously needs to improve in this area, but it hasn't hurt the team as a whole compared to last year.

As far as defense, Angel is a better defender, but Clark and she are virtually tied in steals per game (1.4 to 1.5) and Clark has doubled her up in blocks per game (0.4 to 0.8). Angel is a great high-post defender, but she's not a rim protector and has had games where she's gotten abused when forced to defend in the low post (like last night). However, she has more responsibility than Clark does on this end, and the Sky are a better defensive team than the Fever in DefRating, so I'll award a point to Angel.

I have to acknowledge the indisputable improvement the Sky have made in OReb%, and it is a massive step up for the Sky from last year (they went from 5th to 1st). This has helped their overall Reb% improve from 9th to 4th this year, and it's primarily due to Angel's incredible offensive rebounding ability (which is not simply a result of rebounding her own misses - only 22% of her offensive rebounds and 10% of her total rebounds are from her own misses).

That said, I think Clark has had a bigger positive impact on her team as a whole than Angel has up to this point. Obviously, neither one of them are entirely responsible for their whole team's stat differential from last year, but you'd want to see them not be an active detriment, and with Angel's shooting in particular, she has been.

Angel might be the best offensive rebounder I've ever seen, but I value Clark's overall impact more. I also take into account the way the rest of the league game plans for them - Caitlin may be the most heavily guarded player in the league right now. She's at the top of the league in blitzes faced, she gets picked up at 93 feet a lot, top locked, and face guarded for most of every game she plays.

And still, she's putting up 16, 6, and 7 on the year (enough to be an MVP candidate in previous years), has generated more points via shots and assists than any other player in the league, and is on pace to challenge the overall WNBA assist record. Not just the rookie record, the all-time one.

The RotY race has become a lot more competitive than I expected it would, and Angel is a great, viable candidate, but Caitlin's higher usage, greater level of responsibility and excellence under unprecedented defensive attention (and poor coaching) are enough to be my favorite at this point.

(Stats from https://t.co/Qe7PlAtHrs and https://t.co/DzBWEHojaM)

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@kaylamellis_ I would buy that for my grandkids and leave it at my house for them to use when they came over

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@OnlyKingChrist @KaeleyT A wife has every right to say no for sex and it’s not abuse. However, if you demand sex and don’t take her no for an answer that is sexual abuse.

[Alan Stein, Jr. @AlanSteinJr]

Not working hard is a choice.

[Alan Stein, Jr. @AlanSteinJr]

You should be thankful to have someone or a group of someone's that watch your every move and are on you every second of every day!

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@Burghbrawler703 @kyriemavs Aaliyah was called at least once if not twice earlier in the game for the same thing - why didn’t she learn before this critical moment? Why didn’t Paige wait for the screen to be set?

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@ABeducator @RexChapman You are 100% correct!!

[Scott Pranger @scottmpranger]

@Coach_KDini “Right call at the worst time.”

Does not change the fact that it was the right call.

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@GlenWorley4 @TweetsbyCoachP However it was called multiple times earlier in the game and at least once maybe twice against Edwards, so yes, it needs to be called at the end too.

[Coach Mac 🏀 @BballCoachMac]

Why Parents Must Stop Coaching From The Sidelines

https://t.co/RxS8dOW0vL

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@NickLemieux101 @ThomasG_EE @MarindaVannoy1 Washington state/Oregon (at least west side of the states) get very little snow every year, and when we do get snow everything shuts down because it’s an icy/slushy mess!! No, we don’t have the infrastructure to take care of the roads

[Battle Ground Womens Basketball @BGHS_GBball]

Calling all fireworks enthusiasts in Clark County, WA and surrounding areas!!!

[Micah Rice @col_mrice]

Non-League Girls Basketball: Battle Ground 37, Heritage 33.
Ava Robertson leads the Tigers with 12 points.
Baidee Goodwin scores 11 points to pace the Timberwolves.

[Battle Ground Womens Basketball @BGHS_GBball]

Game dayyyyyy!! Let’s goooo, Tigers!!! Away at Evergreen tonight JV1 5pm, Varsity @ 7!

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@360TMart Please add Yvette Rosales - Battle Ground, Girls Basketball - Tacoma Community college

[Martha Bellcoff @Mamabllz]

@SkyRobi60445224 @NateDavis26 @76coug @manley_tnt They are “supposed to” but don’t necessarily do, so it has to be on the horn not the numbers!