2016 UConn commitment: Molly Bent [merged thread]

[CocoHusky]

Coco - I certainly think Nurse is a potential 'superstar' - her freshman year was far better than Jefferson's, and compares favorably with JenR, Bria, Rene, Tiffany, and even DT. She shot twos and threes better than all of them, had comparable assists to the best of them with a lot fewer turnovers, rebounded and played defense extremely well in comparison. And Dangerfield is coming in with a very high reputation. I would add Lou to the mix for SG as Geno and others have mentioned her in that regard. While Chong has had some problems in her first two years she has also had some bright moments - if she puts it together she can be very effective and Eckmark before injury was the first freshman off the bench. Still not sure where Williams fits but her being used defensively if not offensively as a guard is also an option.
And while Uconn has been interested in your list of other guards, I haven't seen a lot of indication that they are likely to come - Geno particularly likes recruits who really want to come to Uconn. The fact he has offered and accepted a commitment from Bent, might suggest that the interest from and in the guards on you list is not very strong. There are not a lot of players that Geno pursues late into the process - perhaps understanding that a player who isn't sure Uconn is the right choice, may not be firmly committed to the Uconn process should they eventual decide to come.

UcMiami Nurse has superstar potential no doubt. I'm still scratching my head about the signing and quite frankly it does not have to make sense to me just to Geno and Staff- As many posters have correctly pointed out. Consider the timeline 5 weeks ago the staff saw Bent play at Deep South Classic. Wednesday she visits campus and commits on Friday. Even Kia Nurse who got on UCONN's radar relatively late took more than 5 weeks and there was definitely a second look of Nurse by the staff outside the country if I remember correctly. Consider the competition for her services best basketball program among the offers Bent was holding was Princeton. No offers from schools of the stature of UCONN WBB even academic ones like Duke or Stanford. Consider what we have not heard, when UCONN's interest in a player drops to no interest there is usually a "leak" to some member of the horde stating UCONN is no longer interested in player XYZ. Taylor Rooks was the last player of note than I can remember.

 

[Zorro]

The only thing that concerns me is that Molly is only "really, really" happy to join the Huskies. As all BY vets know, four reallys are necessary to indicate maximum enthusiasm, three reallys are equal to "somewhat" and only two reallys somewhat tepid. But, being new, perhaps she does not yet know the code.

 

[Bgillon]

UcMiami no disagreements with your post just a slightly different point of view based on the SG position and the other candidates that were under consideration. The coaching staff envisions a role and sees something in every player- even our walkons have a role to play. Stewie and MoJeff will graduate together and leave big holes in the UCONN team. For the SG position Chong, Eckmark, Bent, Nurse are the candidates. At the PG position Nurse, Dangerfield, Chong, &Bent??? are the options. I will probably get crucified for saying this but all the candidates are role players (non-superstars as you call them) IMO. Dangerfield has the potential to be special but not as a Freshmen.
So from among the candidates for both the PG and the SG position two candidates will have to step up to keep the team in NC contention IMO.

Nurse is a super star in the making without a doubt. She will be an All American before her senior season. She just led her Canadian National Team in minutes played, points, and assists while the team went 4-2 in European play.

 

[CocoHusky]

Here's hoping that Tabor comes out this way to play a game next season...maybe at Loomis or Suffield?
I would love to see her play. Hmm...Loomis has an annual mid-December event with quite a few
New England prep schools there. I do know a basketball-related soul there....I 'll see if the field is already complete.

 

[JavaMan]

John Altavilla ‏@jaltavilla 10 minutes ago
Recruiting source says UConn's Molly Bent would be a four-year starter for every team in the @American_WBB conference @molly_bent
_________________________

I'm assuming that this source meant every team in the AAC other than UConn. Because if UConn was included, s/he could have said for every D-1 team in the country.

 

[CocoHusky]

Nurse is a super star in the making without a doubt. She will be an All American before her senior season. She just led her Canadian National Team in minutes played, points, and assists while the team went 4-2 in European play.

Nurse is a super star in the making without a doubt -No disagreement here! She will be an All American before her senior season-Possible but not guaranteed. Write off next season her Sophomore year MoJeff, Mitchell OSU, Mitchell SC are all still in uniform and Diamond Deshields returns to uniform. For her Junior year Mitchell OSU and DD will still be in Uniform and thrown in still competition from Allen-ND Plumb-Washington and Alexis Jones-Baylor two season removed from ACL and Nurse will still face stiff competition to AA status.

 

[tjhusky]

She is #11

Love the way she plays D. Great footwork and vision. Great awareness of spacing on O.

 

[Kibitzer]

Let's tone down the "in depth" analysis for a moment and, instead, rely on a transposed variation of Bill Russell's very basic measure of talent potential in a recruit:

"Can she play?"​

If the answer is a resounding "Yes!," (UConn standards), sign her up.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I saw one USA girls under 18 Group game from day 1. Chou looked sorta lost. In 5 games she has 18 points. 'Course, if you are on a team with O"GUN"bowale your touches are limited. Can't believe I said that.

 

[JavaMan]

John Altavilla ‏@jaltavilla 37 minutes ago
Source describes UConn's @molly_best as "smart, quick and fundamentally sound." The Huskies had been interested in her since April.

 

[Gus Mahler]

If Molly turns out to be a good 3-point shooter, instead of a dagger we can call it a hatchet.

 

[Bonpland]

To some extent it is true of all teams, but UCONN has produced a number of players like, (as UCMiami has pointed out), Kelly, Stef, Maria, and possibly in the future Chong, that were not chased down by all the power programs, and yet went on to become AA's or important contibutors to NC's here at UCONN.

We've also had players that excited us, only to have minimal impact on the program (I'm still lamenting Nicole Wolf's career here. Her four year highlight was her very first game), and ones who arrived heralded as being sure fire multi-year AA'S who did not rise that far (Charde).

If Geno (and Shea) think that Molly is UCONN material then I'm going to assume that she is going to have a role in the team's future success. Back to this year's many transfers, a big name that leaves, or can't adjust to the UCONN way of doing things is of no benefit to the program.

 

[earl the pearl]

Welcome to UConn Molly, I wish you well!

 

[rwdinsalem]

Kelly Faris 2.0!!!

 

[hjoerring]

As we all know Chong was not ranked very high, but looking past her defensive lapses she is an excellent player. Perhaps I should say that Div 1 schools were not knocking her door down. If Dawn (USC) and Shea were there checking Molly/players out , count me as one with a lot of trust in those 2 coaches/guards. The best foods are usually not where the flashy lights are- those are the tourist restaurants. Go where the locals go. If you know that she is good why wait for the others to catch-up, or for the paid services to tell you what they think. I suspect a kid like Molly would rather use her time being at home and reading a good book, rather then the excessive travelling involveed in being this year model.

 

[johnnyc]

Love the way she plays D. Great footwork and vision.

Betcha that is what the coaches saw. Geno is always lamenting how players are not taught how to defend properly.

 

[CocoHusky]

As we all know Chong was not ranked very high, but looking past her defensive lapses she is an excellent player. Perhaps I should say that Div 1 schools were not knocking her door down. If Dawn (USC) and Shea were there checking Molly/players out , count me as one with a lot of trust in those 2 coaches/guards. The best foods are usually not where the flashy lights are- those are the tourist restaurants. Go where the locals go. If you know that she is good why wait for the others to catch-up, or for the paid services to tell you what they think. I suspect a kid like Molly would rather use her time being at home and reading a good book, rather then the excessive travelling involveed in being this year model.

I think you may be underestimating how accomplished Chong was as a High school player beyond the points she was USA basketball invitee for her age group team and a Parade all American. Chong had an offer from Duke. Deep South Classic where Dawn and UCONN staff saw Molly is in Atlanta-so much for staying at home and reading a good book. Best Mexican food I have ever had was off the back of bicycle in the backwoods surrounding Cancun-So I'm all for going off the beaten path. Molly will be a Husky-Enough for me to love her unconditional forever. Let's move on to getting a post signed in the 2016 class to sustain the good times.

 

[UConnCat]

Molly must have things that Geno likes: personality, intelligence, toughness, basketball skills. She could be another Maria Conlon. Maria had a pretty nice career.

Among non-Huskies, I'm thinking (hoping) Courtney Vandersloot. She was a pg who was not highly recruited but has all the qualities you mention.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Among non-Huskies, I'm thinking (hoping) Courtney Vandersloot. She was a pg who was not highly recruited but has all the qualities you mention.

Sloot is a pretty good player who helped Gonzaga reap a lot of success. Molly doesn't look like an Alpha superstar, but she may just be a very solid complementary piece. She'll be playing with Crystal, Lou, Napheesa, Kia, Gabby, Natalie, et al. All she needs to do is fill her role admirably.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Betcha that is what the coaches saw. Geno is always lamenting how players are not taught how to defend properly.

I'm sure that Geno loved her defensive stance. That was a sticking point for his team early last season.

 

[AnotherVolFan]

Who is Molly Bent????

 

[UConnCat]

Who is Molly Bent????

What are you saying with this post?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I'm sure that Geno loved her defensive stance. That was a sticking point for his team early last season.

Darn near a Sumo squat. Poster child for the proper defensive stance. Yes, post-Stanford loss Geno was all over the team's lack thereof.

 

[hoophuskee]

For the SG position Chong, Eckmark, Bent, Nurse are the candidates. At the PG position Nurse, Dangerfield, Chong, &Bent??? are the options. I will probably get crucified for saying this but all the candidates are role players (non-superstars as you call them) IMO. Dangerfield has the potential to be special but not as a Freshmen.
So from among the candidates for both the PG and the SG position two candidates will have to step up to keep the team in NC contention IMO.

1-- You really consider Nurse 'a role player" when 2016 rolls around? Wow. Was Dennis Johnson a role player for Boston Celts too? Wow- you're tough. But then I read on another post of yours you are saying she'll be an eventual all-american. She'll be BOTH an a/a and a role player?
2-- Who would be our backup pg if either Danergfield or Chong gets hurt? We'd have to put Nurse there right? Isn't Nurse's best position a sg?
3-- In 2016 why don't you think KLS can play the sg? Couldn't players such as Collier or Gabby guard sg's if the sg is very quick?
4--- On another post you said this move has you scratching your head. Why? Beyond this year we are sort of set at the 2,3 and 4 positions. aren't we? This player adds depth to the pg position and doesn't appear to be just a pg. If anything unusual happens with Chong or Dangerfield what do we have at backup pg? Then after Chong goes, she'll give us depth. How many elite pg's are going to want to come to UCONN once we have Dangerfield?

 

[Tonyc]

Let me say something. Fans once again are coming to conclusions without seeing anything. Geno Shea and Dawn were looking at Molly. She's gotta have a lot of talent and great qualities for them to take any time to watch her. No she isn't ranked in the polls at the top. Either is Danielle Patterson but Patterson is very talented with huge up side. Shes getting offers from everyone. What makes some of you doubt Geno and Shea? I like what Im hearing about Molly. I like what Im hearing a lot. As Kib mentioned shes got game and that's all that matters. Im glad the videos were taken down because my fear would be that fans would come to conclusions based on them and many of the fans opinions would be negative. The only measure we need to know to evaluate Molly is she has a big heart and you cant measure the heart of a champion because you cant see whats inside a champions heart.