VAMike23
The Virginian
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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"When they guard you, you're guarded."
Gabby's performances this year have, IMO, put her on a very exalted defensive plane. Until now, Kelly was my gold standard alone but Gabby has managed to turn that ride into a two-seater. Mo was also very special, ditto Kiah Stokes, but in terms of pure defensive acumen it was still--for me--Kelly Faris and then everyone else. No more.
Gabby's vertical, her overall athleticism, and her desire have made her a rebounder nonpareil for UCONN, at least for her size. Lorin Dixon's vertical is the only one within shouting distance of Gabby's, at least in my 8 1/2 years of following the team. Kelly was also an excellent rebounder and leaper, just not at Gabby's level. Geno often said that Kelly was actually the best pure athlete on the team, a team that included Maya Moore. It shocks me to say that pound for pound, on a per-minute basis, Gabby is an even more effective rebounder than Maya, who was truly a rebounding machine at 6'0".
Kelly was also relentless, even by UCONN standards, on the defensive end. I still give her a slight nod (I said SLIGHT) over Gabby when it comes to shutting down a hot-shot guard on the perimeter and playing textbook individual defense. She was better at using her body to make life difficult for ball-handlers and shooters in a more classically-trained way (cue Geno and his famous chest bump with Kelly on the sideline, an acknowledgement of the sheer ridiculousness of Kelly's 'D'). She also was even better at moving her feet to keep guards in front of her, cutting off angles. But Gabby is just as relentless, which is saying something, and her foot speed is almost Kelly's equal. And her ability to alter or block your shot is way ahead of Kelly's. As far as getting steals, both grade out very highly - Kelly a little bit more by picking pockets, Gabby a little bit more by jumping lanes.
As Geno said last night, Gabby hallmark is that she is now the LT of the women's game---she can blow up whatever scheme you're trying to run. Kelly for all her gifts and grit was not able to disrupt the 'D' to the same degree. Yes she could demoralize you by taking away your team's leading scorer or boxing out a 6'4" PF/C or producing steals, but I have not seen a defensive one-woman wrecking crew quite like Gabby Williams. She is as stellar at help defense as she is one-on-one. It's like combining Kelly and Maya. Maya was a superb help defender; she could blow up the other team's defense, too. She played by instinct. Kelly was a superb one-on-one shutdown defender who played mostly by the book (but what a book) and could put your best player on Faris Island with no questions asked, collecting more than a few rebounds and steals as a side bonus. We switch a lot this year so there is not the same situation where one player gets "the Assignment" for the whole game, but regardless, Gabby excels at both help and individual 'D.'
Gabby Williams and Kelly Faris: Really, really, really good defenders.
Gabby's performances this year have, IMO, put her on a very exalted defensive plane. Until now, Kelly was my gold standard alone but Gabby has managed to turn that ride into a two-seater. Mo was also very special, ditto Kiah Stokes, but in terms of pure defensive acumen it was still--for me--Kelly Faris and then everyone else. No more.
Gabby's vertical, her overall athleticism, and her desire have made her a rebounder nonpareil for UCONN, at least for her size. Lorin Dixon's vertical is the only one within shouting distance of Gabby's, at least in my 8 1/2 years of following the team. Kelly was also an excellent rebounder and leaper, just not at Gabby's level. Geno often said that Kelly was actually the best pure athlete on the team, a team that included Maya Moore. It shocks me to say that pound for pound, on a per-minute basis, Gabby is an even more effective rebounder than Maya, who was truly a rebounding machine at 6'0".
Kelly was also relentless, even by UCONN standards, on the defensive end. I still give her a slight nod (I said SLIGHT) over Gabby when it comes to shutting down a hot-shot guard on the perimeter and playing textbook individual defense. She was better at using her body to make life difficult for ball-handlers and shooters in a more classically-trained way (cue Geno and his famous chest bump with Kelly on the sideline, an acknowledgement of the sheer ridiculousness of Kelly's 'D'). She also was even better at moving her feet to keep guards in front of her, cutting off angles. But Gabby is just as relentless, which is saying something, and her foot speed is almost Kelly's equal. And her ability to alter or block your shot is way ahead of Kelly's. As far as getting steals, both grade out very highly - Kelly a little bit more by picking pockets, Gabby a little bit more by jumping lanes.
As Geno said last night, Gabby hallmark is that she is now the LT of the women's game---she can blow up whatever scheme you're trying to run. Kelly for all her gifts and grit was not able to disrupt the 'D' to the same degree. Yes she could demoralize you by taking away your team's leading scorer or boxing out a 6'4" PF/C or producing steals, but I have not seen a defensive one-woman wrecking crew quite like Gabby Williams. She is as stellar at help defense as she is one-on-one. It's like combining Kelly and Maya. Maya was a superb help defender; she could blow up the other team's defense, too. She played by instinct. Kelly was a superb one-on-one shutdown defender who played mostly by the book (but what a book) and could put your best player on Faris Island with no questions asked, collecting more than a few rebounds and steals as a side bonus. We switch a lot this year so there is not the same situation where one player gets "the Assignment" for the whole game, but regardless, Gabby excels at both help and individual 'D.'
Gabby Williams and Kelly Faris: Really, really, really good defenders.
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