Elizabeth Balogun:
Number: 4
Height: 6’1
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
Hometown: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Recruiting Rankings:
- 5* Guard
- Ranked 19th player in the class of 2017 (ESPNW Hoopgurlz)
- 17th Ranked Player (Prospects Nation)
- Accolades:
- All-USA Tennessee Player Of The Year
- McDonald’s All-American in 2017
- Played in The Jordan Brand Classic
- 2018-19 ACC Freshman Of The Year
As a highly touted freshman at Georgia Tech, Balogun started in all 30 games and averaged almost 15ppg.
Coach Walz: “It’s not like she’s scoring 20 points a night, but you have to respect her ability to shoot the 3, to pull up jump shot, her length. There’s a lot she does intangibly that we benefit from with her back.”
“We’re trying to expand her game. That’s one thing we talked about when we recruited her when she decided to transfer was trying to get her game to a point where it’s a little bit more well-rounded. Don’t just be known as a shooter. I want her to be known as a scorer.”
Breakdown: Elizabeth Balogun is arguably the most gifted player talent-wise on the Louisville roster. In terms of pure raw talent, Balogun has the biggest upside on the roster as well. Balogun is an explosive player with great range on her jumper. She is an athletic perimeter threat, with a quick first step and an improved pull-up jump shot. Balogun is considered a big guard and has a WNBA frame, a frame that she uses to punish smaller guards in the post. Balogun has the potential to be an offensive and defensive mismatch for any team. Balogun plays the game with great anticipation, she uses her long arms and speed to disrupt passing lanes and block shots. Balogun is a much improved defensive rebounder and a willing passer on the fast break. Balogun’s versatility is key for her own future success as well as the team’s success.
My Take: Some of you may wonder why I left Balogun for the last spotlight and the answer is quite simple, for as valuable as Dana Evans is; Balogun is just as important. Sure Batman is great, but Batman with Robin were feared and unbeatable. Elizabeth Balogun has to step up and be the Robin to Dana Evan’s Batman if Louisville is going to seriously challenge for the program’s first NCAA title. Angel McCoughtry had Candyce Bingham, Shoni Schimmel had Asia Taylor, Antonita Slaughter, Bria Smith and a host of different players on any given night, and of course Asia Durr had Myisha Hines-Allen as her Robin and each of those combinations made deep runs in the tournament. She has to be more assertive and consistent on both ends of the floor. Last year when Balogun missed a shot or turned the ball over, she sometimes let that affect the way she played defense and that can’t happen this year. In all honesty, Balogun is a mismatch and a matchup problem for about 98% of the teams in Division 1.
