11/27 Open Practice + Comments on Molly Bent

[JoePgh]

There was an open practice for season ticketholders this morning (Sunday), and Geno gave a quasi-press conference afterwards where he made his usual acerbic comments. His first comment was that what we just witnessed for two hours was one of the worst practices of the year, and he thought it was obvious that none of the players wanted to be there.

He had them running "suicides" quite a few times during the practice. (He said afterwards, without being asked, that this usually doesn't happen.) After three or four court-length back-and-forth sprints at full speed, he said, "Either you do it right the first time, or you'll do it until I get tired of blowing this whistle." I was reminded of "Miracle", the movie about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, where Herb Brooks (the coach) was depicted as doing almost exactly the same thing.

Honestly, I can't say that I observed a lack of effort or focus on the part of the other players, but I'm not at any other practices so I can't make any comparisons to "normal" practices.

His other ear-catching comment was that Molly, Kia, and Gabby were running full speed, and everyone else was jogging for the entire practice. (It should be noted that Crystal was present but did not practice. Geno said afterwards that she banged her head a few days ago on a screen -- was that a screen door or a screen on the court? Don't know -- and she was going through a concussion protocol. It's not clear whether she will play on Tuesday.)

With Crystal absent, it was clear to me (even before Geno's comment) that the three individuals mentioned above were running well ahead of everyone else on the team. On the initial sprints, Molly and Saniya were running step-for-step, but by the later sprints, Molly was a half-court-length ahead of Saniya. That difference in conditioning may become quite important if those two players find themselves competing for the role of third guard (first off the bench), assuming that Kia and Crystal soon become the starting backcourt.

I found myself focusing on Molly in the practice, and in particular on her physical skills. We all know that she is a brainy player who passed on Ivy League offers, that she hustles, and that she is very well conditioned. But I was one of many Boneyarders who thought that all of those virtues were necessary to compensate (not quite adequately) for athleticism and basketball ability that was below the average of her teammates. Having watched her play with her teammates for a couple of hours, I am no longer convinced of that. She certainly is no Gabby Williams, whose running and jumping are at another level entirely. She isn't as fast as Kia either, but I'm not sure she will get beat as a perimeter defender any more often than Kia. But I think that she can probably play almost as well as Saniya right now (not the same ball handling in traffic and probably not the same 3-point accuracy, but far better defense and far fewer mistakes). I would not be surprised if she is the third guard before very long.

Another interesting Geno comment in response to a question about why this year's team doesn't press more: he said that they would if they had more good players, but as it stands, if Lou or Napheesa gets tired or in foul trouble, there is no one coming off the bench who can be a serious offensive threat. He said that teams who press usually go seven or eight deep without too much of a dropoff, but on this team, there is a major dropoff in productivity after the top four players. He also said that the new officiating emphasis on calling touch fouls in the open court makes it riskier than it was in the past to use a full-court defense (compared to when Shea played, for example).

He didn't say it, but his comment makes me think that with the 14-carat roster that he will have next year, pressing will be the order of the day in many games.

 

[hoophuskee]

There was an open practice for season ticketholders this morning (Sunday), and Geno gave a quasi-press conference afterwards where he made his usual acerbic comments. His first comment was that what we just witnessed for two hours was one of the worst practices of the year, and he thought it was obvious that none of the players wanted to be there.

He had them running "suicides" quite a few times during the practice. (He said afterwards, without being asked, that this usually doesn't happen.) After three or four court-length back-and-forth sprints at full speed, he said, "Either you do it right the first time, or you'll do it until I get tired of blowing this whistle." I was reminded of "Miracle", the movie about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, where Herb Brooks (the coach) was depicted as doing almost exactly the same thing.

Honestly, I can't say that I observed a lack of effort or focus on the part of the other players, but I'm not at any other practices so I can't make any comparisons to "normal" practices.


Another interesting Geno comment in response to a question about why this year's team doesn't press more: he said that they would if they had more good players, but as it stands, if Lou or Napheesa gets tired or in foul trouble, there is no one coming off the bench who can be a serious offensive threat. He said that teams who press usually go seven or eight deep without too much of a dropoff, but on this team, there is a major dropoff in productivity after the top four players. He also said that the new officiating emphasis on calling touch fouls in the open court makes it riskier than it was in the past to use a full-court defense (compared to when Shea played, for example).

He didn't say it, but his comment makes me think that with the 14-carat roster that he will have next year, pressing will be the order of the day in many games.

The only problem with pressing is - you can't do it for 4 quarters vs most teams otherwise the score could be 130-40. When he has power teams he does press. But in 2nd half he pulls it when the game is virtually over in the 1st half. At some point you have to work on your half-court offense. Matter of fact, when his team is truly powerful, he often stops his team from fast-breaking at some point too. But I agree in 1st half he will press.

 

[bags27]

Thanks so much JoePgh. Whatever Molly does on the court, she will be a huge fan favorite, I'm sure, and Geno & Co. said that she will eventually play a big role: Uconn has "won championships with players like her" or some such comment when she signed.

 

[victor64]

Joe,

Thanks for the post.

1. How did Kyla look? Did she do all post work or did she play any wing?
2. With Danger out, did Molly play any point?
3. It is much discussed about Kia's shot. How did it look?
4. Was it a teaching practice or did they scrimmage a lot?

 

[Gus Mahler]

There was an open practice for season ticketholders this morning (Sunday), and Geno gave a quasi-press conference afterwards where he made his usual acerbic comments. His first comment was that what we just witnessed for two hours was one of the worst practices of the year, and he thought it was obvious that none of the players wanted to be there.

He had them running "suicides" quite a few times during the practice. (He said afterwards, without being asked, that this usually doesn't happen.) After three or four court-length back-and-forth sprints at full speed, he said, "Either you do it right the first time, or you'll do it until I get tired of blowing this whistle." I was reminded of "Miracle", the movie about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, where Herb Brooks (the coach) was depicted as doing almost exactly the same thing.

Honestly, I can't say that I observed a lack of effort or focus on the part of the other players, but I'm not at any other practices so I can't make any comparisons to "normal" practices.

His other ear-catching comment was that Molly, Kia, and Gabby were running full speed, and everyone else was jogging for the entire practice. (It should be noted that Crystal was present but did not practice. Geno said afterwards that she banged her head a few days ago on a screen -- was that a screen door or a screen on the court? Don't know -- and she was going through a concussion protocol. It's not clear whether she will play on Tuesday.)

With Crystal absent, it was clear to me (even before Geno's comment) that the three individuals mentioned above were running well ahead of everyone else on the team. On the initial sprints, Molly and Saniya were running step-for-step, but by the later sprints, Molly was a half-court-length ahead of Saniya. That difference in conditioning may become quite important if those two players find themselves competing for the role of third guard (first off the bench), assuming that Kia and Crystal soon become the starting backcourt.

I found myself focusing on Molly in the practice, and in particular on her physical skills. We all know that she is a brainy player who passed on Ivy League offers, that she hustles, and that she is very well conditioned. But I was one of many Boneyarders who thought that all of those virtues were necessary to compensate (not quite adequately) for athleticism and basketball ability that was below the average of her teammates. Having watched her play with her teammates for a couple of hours, I am no longer convinced of that. She certainly is no Gabby Williams, whose running and jumping are at another level entirely. She isn't as fast as Kia either, but I'm not sure she will get beat as a perimeter defender any more often than Kia. But I think that she can probably play almost as well as Saniya right now (not the same ball handling in traffic and probably not the same 3-point accuracy, but far better defense and far fewer mistakes). I would not be surprised if she is the third guard before very long.

Another interesting Geno comment in response to a question about why this year's team doesn't press more: he said that they would if they had more good players, but as it stands, if Lou or Napheesa gets tired or in foul trouble, there is no one coming off the bench who can be a serious offensive threat. He said that teams who press usually go seven or eight deep without too much of a dropoff, but on this team, there is a major dropoff in productivity after the top four players. He also said that the new officiating emphasis on calling touch fouls in the open court makes it riskier than it was in the past to use a full-court defense (compared to when Shea played, for example).

He didn't say it, but his comment makes me think that with the 14-carat roster that he will have next year, pressing will be the order of the day in many games.

Joe, thanks for sharing all this. It's always enjoyable to hear about the goings on at practice and about how young players are developing.

Regarding Molly: I've seen a few posts on this board discounting her athleticism. I don't buy it. She seems very athletic to me. I've said before here: she looks like she could run all day. She has quickly become a favorite to this fan.

A quick sidebar on Saniya: I can live with her being less well-conditioned given her travails with the IT Band thing. It may have hampered her summer workouts.

 

[BroadwayVa]

There was an open practice for season ticketholders this morning (Sunday), and Geno gave a quasi-press conference afterwards where he made his usual acerbic comments. His first comment was that what we just witnessed for two hours was one of the worst practices of the year, and he thought it was obvious that none of the players wanted to be there.

He had them running "suicides" quite a few times during the practice. (He said afterwards, without being asked, that this usually doesn't happen.) After three or four court-length back-and-forth sprints at full speed, he said, "Either you do it right the first time, or you'll do it until I get tired of blowing this whistle." I was reminded of "Miracle", the movie about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, where Herb Brooks (the coach) was depicted as doing almost exactly the same thing.

Honestly, I can't say that I observed a lack of effort or focus on the part of the other players, but I'm not at any other practices so I can't make any comparisons to "normal" practices.

His other ear-catching comment was that Molly, Kia, and Gabby were running full speed, and everyone else was jogging for the entire practice. (It should be noted that Crystal was present but did not practice. Geno said afterwards that she banged her head a few days ago on a screen -- was that a screen door or a screen on the court? Don't know -- and she was going through a concussion protocol. It's not clear whether she will play on Tuesday.)

With Crystal absent, it was clear to me (even before Geno's comment) that the three individuals mentioned above were running well ahead of everyone else on the team. On the initial sprints, Molly and Saniya were running step-for-step, but by the later sprints, Molly was a half-court-length ahead of Saniya. That difference in conditioning may become quite important if those two players find themselves competing for the role of third guard (first off the bench), assuming that Kia and Crystal soon become the starting backcourt.

I found myself focusing on Molly in the practice, and in particular on her physical skills. We all know that she is a brainy player who passed on Ivy League offers, that she hustles, and that she is very well conditioned. But I was one of many Boneyarders who thought that all of those virtues were necessary to compensate (not quite adequately) for athleticism and basketball ability that was below the average of her teammates. Having watched her play with her teammates for a couple of hours, I am no longer convinced of that. She certainly is no Gabby Williams, whose running and jumping are at another level entirely. She isn't as fast as Kia either, but I'm not sure she will get beat as a perimeter defender any more often than Kia. But I think that she can probably play almost as well as Saniya right now (not the same ball handling in traffic and probably not the same 3-point accuracy, but far better defense and far fewer mistakes). I would not be surprised if she is the third guard before very long.

Another interesting Geno comment in response to a question about why this year's team doesn't press more: he said that they would if they had more good players, but as it stands, if Lou or Napheesa gets tired or in foul trouble, there is no one coming off the bench who can be a serious offensive threat. He said that teams who press usually go seven or eight deep without too much of a dropoff, but on this team, there is a major dropoff in productivity after the top four players. He also said that the new officiating emphasis on calling touch fouls in the open court makes it riskier than it was in the past to use a full-court defense (compared to when Shea played, for example).

He didn't say it, but his comment makes me think that with the 14-carat roster that he will have next year, pressing will be the order of the day in many games.

Joe--Exceptional! Only thing better would to have been there. I appreciate especially the comment on Molly--hope Geno feels the say way.

 

[Carnac]

There was an open practice for season ticketholders this morning (Sunday), and Geno gave a quasi-press conference afterwards where he made his usual acerbic comments. His first comment was that what we just witnessed for two hours was one of the worst practices of the year, and he thought it was obvious that none of the players wanted to be there.

He had them running "suicides" quite a few times during the practice. (He said afterwards, without being asked, that this usually doesn't happen.) After three or four court-length back-and-forth sprints at full speed, he said, "Either you do it right the first time, or you'll do it until I get tired of blowing this whistle." I was reminded of "Miracle", the movie about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, where Herb Brooks (the coach) was depicted as doing almost exactly the same thing.

Honestly, I can't say that I observed a lack of effort or focus on the part of the other players, but I'm not at any other practices so I can't make any comparisons to "normal" practices.

His other ear-catching comment was that Molly, Kia, and Gabby were running full speed, and everyone else was jogging for the entire practice. (It should be noted that Crystal was present but did not practice. Geno said afterwards that she banged her head a few days ago on a screen -- was that a screen door or a screen on the court? Don't know -- and she was going through a concussion protocol. It's not clear whether she will play on Tuesday.)

With Crystal absent, it was clear to me (even before Geno's comment) that the three individuals mentioned above were running well ahead of everyone else on the team. On the initial sprints, Molly and Saniya were running step-for-step, but by the later sprints, Molly was a half-court-length ahead of Saniya. That difference in conditioning may become quite important if those two players find themselves competing for the role of third guard (first off the bench), assuming that Kia and Crystal soon become the starting backcourt.

I found myself focusing on Molly in the practice, and in particular on her physical skills. We all know that she is a brainy player who passed on Ivy League offers, that she hustles, and that she is very well conditioned. But I was one of many Boneyarders who thought that all of those virtues were necessary to compensate (not quite adequately) for athleticism and basketball ability that was below the average of her teammates. Having watched her play with her teammates for a couple of hours, I am no longer convinced of that. She certainly is no Gabby Williams, whose running and jumping are at another level entirely. She isn't as fast as Kia either, but I'm not sure she will get beat as a perimeter defender any more often than Kia. But I think that she can probably play almost as well as Saniya right now (not the same ball handling in traffic and probably not the same 3-point accuracy, but far better defense and far fewer mistakes). I would not be surprised if she is the third guard before very long.

Another interesting Geno comment in response to a question about why this year's team doesn't press more: he said that they would if they had more good players, but as it stands, if Lou or Napheesa gets tired or in foul trouble, there is no one coming off the bench who can be a serious offensive threat. He said that teams who press usually go seven or eight deep without too much of a dropoff, but on this team, there is a major dropoff in productivity after the top four players. He also said that the new officiating emphasis on calling touch fouls in the open court makes it riskier than it was in the past to use a full-court defense (compared to when Shea played, for example).

He didn't say it, but his comment makes me think that with the 14-carat roster that he will have next year, pressing will be the order of the day in many games.

Thanks Joe for this excellent report.

 

[NHFan]

Had been wondering if practices were open to the public as it would be enlightening to say the least. I have noticed Crystal running into screens several times and wondered if she was injured. She is so short that her head seems to connect with the screeners shoulders. Hopefully she will return soon as she will be needed against the upcoming schedule. As we now know these injuries can be very serious and linger. Godspeed Crystal!

 

[Huskee11]

Joe, that report is terrific.

You noted that you did not see any lack of focus or effort. I am in agreement, I was also there and was surprised by Geno`s comments to that effect at the end of practice, although to your point I also do not know what a "normal" practice looks or feels like. It shows the high standard that Geno sets for his players. It was interesting - Geno essentially complained to the fans who were virtually all sitting on one side of the court (the lower courtside sections on that side were filled, good turnout) about the lack of effort, while his players were standing behind him by about 25-30 feet, well within earshot and soaking it all in. So even though he was talking directly to us, he was REALLY talking, i.e., sending a message, to the players behind him. That`s our Geno!

I was also impressed by the entire way the practice unfolded. All of the players were at least 15 minutes early, some much earlier than that. The atmosphere among the players instantly changed when Geno walked in, even though he did not address the players at that point directly. Things just started happening. For anyone who has ever been part of an organization, sports-related or not (in other words, everyone), it was pretty remarkable. Everyone - players, coaches, men practice players, trainers, even a timekeeper - seems to know where they should be and what they should be doing at all times with minimal direction. It did not appear to me that Geno had to say a whole lot during the course of a two hour practice to get things across or to get things in motion, yet he was totally and completely in charge. High standards and expectations, and good habits ingrained through repetition.

There was actually no scrimmaging in this practice per se, just a lot of drills and running, mostly full court weave-type drills but some half-court drills as well, and suicides. They shot a lot of free throws, after running drills to get used to shooting them when tired. Didn`t seem like there was much individual instruction going on at this practice, either. After the brief layoff, maybe getting their legs back was first priority. (Or, maybe he was just mad.)

Agree with Joe (and Geno) that Kia, Gabby and Molly were really setting the pace. Not surprisingly, Kia came across throughout as a team leader. I did watch her shooting threes and she generally looked fine to me when she spots up with enough time to get feet set.

My first look at Stevens and Camara in action, they both look good. Stevens moves very well and appears capable of playing both inside and outside. She will probably end up playing a role similar to Stewie.

 

[JoePgh]

Joe,

Thanks for the post.

1. How did Kyla look? Did she do all post work or did she play any wing?
2. With Danger out, did Molly play any point?
3. It is much discussed about Kia's shot. How did it look?
4. Was it a teaching practice or did they scrimmage a lot?

Let me reply with my very subjective impressions on all of these subjects.

1. I didn't think Kyla looked very good. She looked like the next generation of Heather Buck to my untrained eyes. The varied offensive game that she showed in high school was not in evidence, and she was definitely a defensive liability. I don't think she has made a single jump shot yet this season (and it wasn't falling in yesterday's practice). She did work hard, to the best of her ability.

2. They didn't do any actual 5-on-5 scrimmaging. They would have needed the male practice players to do that, and only two of them were there (presumably the rest were returning from turkey). In the drills that were done on Sunday, everyone played every position. Most of the drills were 3-on-0 at a high pace, and there was a defensive drill of three players (different ones in succession) against the two male practice players. It seemed to me that the coaches were concentrating on recovering the conditioning that had been lost at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

3. I thought Kia's shot on Sunday looked very good. I think she is afflicted in games with the same unsettled nerves that hit KLS at this time last year, and I expect that the ultimate outcome will be similar.

4. No 5-on-5 scrimmaging -- see answer #2 above.

 

[bags27]

You noted that you did not see any lack of focus or effort. I am in agreement, I was also there and was surprised by Geno`s comments to that effect at the end of practice, although to your point I also do not know what a "normal" practice looks or feels like. It shows the high standard that Geno sets for his players. It was interesting - Geno essentially complained to the fans who were virtually all sitting on one side of the court (the lower courtside sections on that side were filled, good turnout) about the lack of effort, while his players were standing behind him by about 25-30 feet, well within earshot and soaking it all in. So even though he was talking directly to us, he was REALLY talking, i.e., sending a message, to the players behind him. That`s our Geno!.

Yup! That's our Geno: the guy who comes back from Thanksgiving break determined to get his players feeling like they can do a lot better, no matter how good they are. He was going to tell them that they were terrible and make them do those sprints even if it had been the best practice ever, especially since he had an audience.

 

[UcMiami]

Great reporting from all of you. Thanks.
I especially liked the impressions Huskee11 provided of the atmospheric change when Geno arrived. I can imagine that his office windows high above the practice floor a constant reminder of his presence, even when he isn't actually on the floor.

 

[Blakeon18]

I'll add my two cents to the excellent reports above. If they match...it is clear that we are all geniuses...if not...same conclusion...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

There was much energy throughout....there always is in practices I have observed. There is a ton of chatter from the players
constantly...encouragement abounds. The 10:00 a.m start was hardly ideal, I suspect...but these kids worked hard. If there was too much turkey in the prior days I didn't see much effect...though maybe on Geno's grouchiness? His vocal contributions tended to be quiet and to the point...you don't see his occasional sideline outbursts in games in practices....or at least the ones I have observed.

Molly Bent: she was working on treys and free throws when we came in. I have had the pleasure of watching Mel Thomas in similar situations. Molly would not beat Mel but she would get her attention....and I mean that as a huge compliment.
Her form is pure... the kid can shoot. When playing she also reminds me of Mel....full out/busting effort at all times.
I hope she gets significant PT off the bench. If our guards get in foul trouble against elite teams Molly will be needed to hold the
fort till Geno puts them back in. I absolutely think she is capable of this....just needs to get experience. I remember reading that one of the coaches [Marisa?] was watching some other player in AAU ball and wound up focusing on Molly....schollie offer to follow that. I can see why her eyes might fall on Molly. I just loved what I saw Sunday morn....she is one keeper!

Batouly Camara: looked good. Seems to have a nice face-up touch from 15' or so. Looks strong....runs the court well...about the same height as Collier....uhhh....Collier The Elder...not Collier The Younger. I have little doubt that she will be in the rotation as a complementary inside player next year.

Azura; smooth....smooooth! Takes a few steps to get herself going but once she does she runs the court very well for her size.

Katie had a wrap on two [?] fingers on her shooting hand....did she have that in her last game? Didn't seem to affect her.
In person....up close....Gabby's inside moves are just elegant.

 

[JoePgh]

Molly Bent: she was working on treys and free throws when we came in. I have had the pleasure of watching Mel Thomas in similar situations. Molly would not beat Mel but she would get her attention....and I mean that as a huge compliment.
Her form is pure... the kid can shoot. When playing she also reminds me of Mel....full out/busting effort at all times.

On a court-length sprint, I'm pretty sure that Molly would beat Mel by several steps. Mel was in Geno's "She is small, BUT she's slow!" category of guards (which includes Maria Conlon, about whom he originally made that comment). If you meant that Molly can eventually be as productive as Mel if she manages to get the same number of minutes, I agree with that.

However, Mel had the "good" fortune to be playing in the 2004-2008 era, which was the lowest point of UConn's fortunes since 1995. She got the minutes that she did largely because of the lack of competition from other teammates. (She did beat out Ketia Swanier and Lorin Dixon, both of whom were much more physically gifted.) Molly will not have the "luxury" of missing competition from teammates, especially starting next year, so she may never get Mel's minutes.

 

[Biff]

Katie had a wrap on two [?] fingers on her shooting hand....did she have that in her last game? Didn't seem to affect her.
.

Yes.

 

[Ozimoto]

Joe, thanks for sharing all this. It's always enjoyable to hear about the goings on at practice and about how young players are developing.

Regarding Molly: I've seen a few posts on this board discounting her athleticism. I don't buy it. She seems very athletic to me. I've said before here: she looks like she could run all day. She has quickly become a favorite to this fan.

A quick sidebar on Saniya: I can live with her being less well-conditioned given her travails with the IT Band thing. It may have hampered her summer workouts.

If I remember correctly, Molly was also a soccer player. Those kids can run all day. I have a son as an example.

 

[Kibitzer]

Molly Bent: she was working on treys and free throws when we came in. I have had the pleasure of watching Mel Thomas in similar situations. Molly would not beat Mel but she would get her attention....and I mean that as a huge compliment.

Batouly Camara: looked good. Seems to have a nice face-up touch from 15' or so. I have little doubt that she will be in the rotation as a complementary inside player next year.

Props to Blake for nailing two tricky homophones: compliment and complement.

Compliment is a gesture of praise or generosity.

"Geno paid her a compliment."
"I got a complimentary ticket in the mail"
​

A Complement (n.) is a full crew. To complement (v.) is to go well with another.

"Sue and Diana are complementary teammates."
"Lou's perimeter shooting complements Gabby's inside game."​

Unsure about which one to write? One grammarian suggests this prompt: "I give compliments." So if you are praising someone use the "i" version. I hope it works for you.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Molly should start over Nurse for tomorrow's game

 

[HGN]

Let me reply with my very subjective impressions on all of these subjects.

1. I didn't think Kyla looked very good. She looked like the next generation of Heather Buck to my untrained eyes. The varied offensive game that she showed in high school was not in evidence, and she was definitely a defensive liability. I don't think she has made a single jump shot yet this season (and it wasn't falling in yesterday's practice). She did work hard, to the best of her ability.

2. They didn't do any actual 5-on-5 scrimmaging. They would have needed the male practice players to do that, and only two of them were there (presumably the rest were returning from turkey). In the drills that were done on Sunday, everyone played every position. Most of the drills were 3-on-0 at a high pace, and there was a defensive drill of three players (different ones in succession) against the two male practice players. It seemed to me that the coaches were concentrating on recovering the conditioning that had been lost at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

3. I thought Kia's shot on Sunday looked very good. I think she is afflicted in games with the same unsettled nerves that hit KLS at this time last year, and I expect that the ultimate outcome will be similar.

4. No 5-on-5 scrimmaging -- see answer #2 above.

Joe , I think Kyla will come around. She's just a freshman with uncertainty's and just getting acclimated. Probably a little nerves too. And she has to find a role that both she and coaches agree with.

She's got the rest of this season and 3 years to go.........She'll be fine.

 

[RunItUp!]

There was an open practice for season ticketholders this morning (Sunday), and Geno gave a quasi-press conference afterwards where he made his usual acerbic comments. His first comment was that what we just witnessed for two hours was one of the worst practices of the year, and he thought it was obvious that none of the players wanted to be there.

He had them running "suicides" quite a few times during the practice. (He said afterwards, without being asked, that this usually doesn't happen.) After three or four court-length back-and-forth sprints at full speed, he said, "Either you do it right the first time, or you'll do it until I get tired of blowing this whistle." I was reminded of "Miracle", the movie about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team, where Herb Brooks (the coach) was depicted as doing almost exactly the same thing.

Honestly, I can't say that I observed a lack of effort or focus on the part of the other players, but I'm not at any other practices so I can't make any comparisons to "normal" practices.

His other ear-catching comment was that Molly, Kia, and Gabby were running full speed, and everyone else was jogging for the entire practice. (It should be noted that Crystal was present but did not practice. Geno said afterwards that she banged her head a few days ago on a screen -- was that a screen door or a screen on the court? Don't know -- and she was going through a concussion protocol. It's not clear whether she will play on Tuesday.)

With Crystal absent, it was clear to me (even before Geno's comment) that the three individuals mentioned above were running well ahead of everyone else on the team. On the initial sprints, Molly and Saniya were running step-for-step, but by the later sprints, Molly was a half-court-length ahead of Saniya. That difference in conditioning may become quite important if those two players find themselves competing for the role of third guard (first off the bench), assuming that Kia and Crystal soon become the starting backcourt.

I found myself focusing on Molly in the practice, and in particular on her physical skills. We all know that she is a brainy player who passed on Ivy League offers, that she hustles, and that she is very well conditioned. But I was one of many Boneyarders who thought that all of those virtues were necessary to compensate (not quite adequately) for athleticism and basketball ability that was below the average of her teammates. Having watched her play with her teammates for a couple of hours, I am no longer convinced of that. She certainly is no Gabby Williams, whose running and jumping are at another level entirely. She isn't as fast as Kia either, but I'm not sure she will get beat as a perimeter defender any more often than Kia. But I think that she can probably play almost as well as Saniya right now (not the same ball handling in traffic and probably not the same 3-point accuracy, but far better defense and far fewer mistakes). I would not be surprised if she is the third guard before very long.

Another interesting Geno comment in response to a question about why this year's team doesn't press more: he said that they would if they had more good players, but as it stands, if Lou or Napheesa gets tired or in foul trouble, there is no one coming off the bench who can be a serious offensive threat. He said that teams who press usually go seven or eight deep without too much of a dropoff, but on this team, there is a major dropoff in productivity after the top four players. He also said that the new officiating emphasis on calling touch fouls in the open coat urt makes it riskier than it was in the past to use a full-court defense (compared to when Shea played, for example).

He didn't say it, but his comment makes me think that with the 14-carat roster that he will have next year, pressing will be the order of the day in many games.

Molly should start over Nurse for tomorrow's game

Molly should start over Nurse for tomorrow's game

yes that is an excellent idea! I am sure she would not cry, bull her way through traffic, and make freshman mistakes. She is not a leader, stop trying to make her one so pick someone else who can lead - by efficient ACTIONS and maybe Molly might be the one. Imagine that how crazy I sound - nominating a freshman to lead!!! well is not everyone saying that this team needs to find itself - why? because no one is stepping up to lead!

 

[pacific 44]

Before this season is over Kia will be at or near the mvp of the team.Didn't Mojeff have a couple of years where her shot was less than spectacular and then from January on she was lights out from everywhere on the court?Kia plays "rip yer'head off and blank in the hole defense" every game every minute and is irreplaceable on this team.when her shot comes around it will be katie bar the door on the opponents and she could very well be considered for major post season accolades by national voters.

 

[CajunHusky]

Katie had a wrap on two [?] fingers on her shooting hand....did she have that in her last game? Didn't seem to affect her. In person....up close....Gabby's inside moves are just elegant.

She banged the finger pretty hard in the LSU game, I remember her stretching it out at the foul line when it happened ... she had the finger wrapped in the Dayton game.

 

[victor64]

I must be watching different games. Other than not making a lot of shots, she has played really well. Plus, I can think of very few shots that she took that were forced. It would be a huge mistake (even if the above poster was being sarcastic) to cut one second of Kia's time.

As for Kyla, I know she is a freshmen, four games in but her time to shine is this year. With 14 next year, she easily, at this point, gets lost in the shuffle. I saw the videos from HS. The kid can shoot. With great form. It has not shown up yet. Plus, she has to do better guarding the dribbler. Gene says it varies on how long it takes a kid to get it. Time is available for her this year. Hopefully the light comes on soon.

 

[cbraarj]

Watch the games in Kias freshman year. The best guard on the team offensively. Moriah started slow that year because she had Hartley and Doty with her for 2 years but then it was her team. Coming into the season after 2 NCs there was alittle added pressure but she persevered and voila the best point guard in the country by the end of the season. That was Mos JR. season. Now it is Kias time and she might be feeling that extra pressure in her Jr. season. She will settle down and be that player we know she is. She is more relaxed with Crystal playing next to her. How do you bench a player that has Not lost a game as a starter yet in her career at Uconn? You Dont.

 

[hoophuskee]

I must be watching different games. Other than not making a lot of shots, she has played really well. Plus, I can think of very few shots that she took that were forced. It would be a huge mistake (even if the above poster was being sarcastic) to cut one second of Kia's time.

As for Kyla, I know she is a freshmen, four games in but her time to shine is this year. With 14 next year, she easily, at this point, gets lost in the shuffle. I saw the videos from HS. The kid can shoot. With great form. It has not shown up yet. Plus, she has to do better guarding the dribbler. Gene says it varies on how long it takes a kid to get it. Time is available for her this year. Hopefully the light comes on soon.

I thought they were making jokes about Nurse? Making a joke as being "over-reactionary" to any mistake? They were being serious?