Kyla Irwin highlights

[HuskyNan]

This has been posted previously, but newer posters may not have seen it. Keep in mind this is from the 2014-2015 season. A coach's kid, Kyla has a lot of versatility to her game.

 

[Sonny44]

Highlight films only show the good stuff. She seems to have all the skills. I hope she has the athleticism, stamina and the passion to excel on this next level.

 

[JordyG]

I just don't see how Kyla can fail to be a very good player for UConn. I think BY-ers will be surprised at her shot making and her defense grit, drive and competitive spirit.

 

[huskyd]

Just what the doctor ordered: a 6'2" rock solid player with great court vision, a beautiful arcing jumper, a quick release. Morgan redux? Time will tell. Next year looks as if UConn will go three guards (Lou, Kia, Crystal) or three forwards (Gabby, Napheesa, Kyla). Geno should have fun mixing and matching these six. Fruitless as it is to say, if we'd gotten Aja Wilson, we'd be looking at 6 NC in a row (and Aja would already have two). W/out a true big or Stewart able to take on that responsibility, the team will have to maximize its assets to continue the streak. It will be exciting; I can't wait.

 

[huskyd]

Just what the doctor ordered, a 6'2" forward with a solid body, beautiful arcing shot, quick release, great court vision. Morgan redux? Time will tell. Geno should have fun next year mixing a three forward (Gabby, Napheesa, Kyla) or a three guard (Kia, Lou, Crystal) line-up. Our Achilles' heel will be the lack of a true center or someone such as Stewart who can take on the responsibility of one. I look forward to what the Maestro can manage; in fact, I can't wait.

 

[WiseOne]

Wow...I'm convinced that Kyla is going to be something special. #HiddenTreasure

 

[Kaizen]

She can shoot 3 that we definitely need.....

 

[chrissaran]

Natalie Butler will be the big we need, and then you will have to take your foot out of your mouth, huskyd.

 

[Crossover]

She can shoot 3 that we definitely need.....

I like the fact that after hitting a bucket she immediately turns and runs up court.

 

[NHFan]

Compared to recent UConn women's tape this mix appears to be in slow motion I hope she has additional gears to develop. Has anyone seen previous Tuck high school tape to compare apples to apples?

 

[Mdoggie]

Any good film on Bent?

 

[HuskiesU]

She can shoot 3 that we definitely need.....

LouConn Nurse Chong and Dangerfield will be our best 3 point shooters so adding another player who can knock down the 3 will be what we need along with her skills set. She looks like a smart basketball player who's willing to give it her all.
I can't wait to see these #NewHuskies

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Natalie Butler will be the big we need, and then you will have to take your foot out of your mouth, huskyd.

Chrissaran- - - -I agree! I really think Natalie with a fresh "Do Over" being healthy right out of the gate will be the Big Girl we heard from the players and coaches last Sept. & Oct. Quick feet, soft hands, runs the court well, can rebound with the best of them!
She'll work out this off season to regain that touch!

PG Nurse / Saniya / Crystal Dangerfield
SG KLS / Nurse
SF Gabby / KLS
PF Collier / Collier
C Butler / Butler

 

[huskeynut]

OK - I'm about to upset some posters but be that as it may be. Its in the spirit of a good discussion.

A few points:
1. Geno likes versatile players - ones who can play more than one position.
2. UCONN offense is the "motion" offense, or whatever you want to call it, that relies on players continually moving.
3. Defense always plays at the top of Geno's requirements for playing time.
4. I'm a Butler supporter.

There is no gaureentee that Natalie will start next year or that her game will improve, but I do hope so. But she can only play the 5 position. She has shown she can hit the 15 footer and that opens up the baseline. But as many hope, she is not Dolson nor will she ever be.

Geno has stated he looks for players who can play multiple positions. It gives him more flexibility and matchup options. In this Geno is way ahead of his peers in X's and O's. Look at Morgan, Stewie, Lou - they could all go inside and shoot the 3. Nightmare matchups for any opponent.

Some worry that we will not be able to rebound against "bigger" foes. Rebounding is matter of desire, position and being able to read the shot from release to the rim. Gabby is 5'11" and can rebound against taller players - yea I know - she has an unbelievable verticle leap. Morgan was a good rebounder and by her own admission, couldn't jump.

Irwin fits the mold of what Geno is looking for. She can play inside and yet step out and drop the 3. She can drive to the rim, handle the ball and shoot a pull up jumper. Looks like she has good foot work, nice release on her shot and the ability to defend the basket. And CD and Marrissa will be coaching her extensively!

We do not absolutely need a big (5) to win. Look at the 2002 team. There was no 5 on that team. But it wouldn't hurt!

So, next year should be extremely exciting to see this team come together and start another run to the final four.

 

[malevocalist#]

Some of the most important factors that have destroyed kids transformation from high school to college is Nerves & Lack Of Confidence In Their Abilities To Maintain Excellence & Consistency.

This kid has the tools to be a good defender & shooter at Uconn. If she can establish her confidence and maintain it at the next level she will do just fine. I pray she does. She definitely have the tools.

And looking through the eyes of geno at the moment. I see what's already there, and down the road what she can become under the best coaching staff in the game.

She will be motivated. She will be pushed...Release The Crackens

 

[Kevin G]

Love love her outside shot. Can def stretch the defense at 6'2 shooting the 3 ball. I think her speed is the only concern for me. UCONN plays at a very fast pace

 

[UcMiami]

Huskeynut - yes, Butler is not Dolson, but as I said in another thread, they have very similar games with similar strengths and weaknesses. Geno adapts his offense and defense to who he has, and he did not have Butler for two months at the start of the year, so whatever they were working on in initial practices to play to her strengths got shelved and really never got reintegrated when she returned mid-season - the team had moved on. Butler entering a game replacing Dolson would have looked a lot better than her replacing either Tuck or Stewart. When Dolson was the starter, you never saw Uconn switch on all screens because Dolson couldn't defend at the perimeter, and you never had Dolson on offense running motion and hunting shots on the perimeter because she couldn't do that either. If Butler starts next year which is very possible , the offense will look similar to 2013 with post play moving between the low post and the high post. If she doesn't start but is healthy from day one, you will see her much more integrated into the offense and defense with set variations for when she is on the court and when she is off.

 

[bags27]

Huskeynut - yes, Butler is not Dolson, but as I said in another thread, they have very similar games with similar strengths and weaknesses. Geno adapts his offense and defense to who he has, and he did not have Butler for two months at the start of the year, so whatever they were working on in initial practices to play to her strengths got shelved and really never got reintegrated when she returned mid-season - the team had moved on.

This. And also, Geno recognized that putting anyone underneath (including Napheesa) hurt Stewie's game as it had evolved by then. Stewie and Tuck were more than enough in the lane.

Kyla will be great, but expectations for a freshman need to be realistic. It's a very complicated system, she's away from home (and from her coaching parents) for the first time. A steep learning curve.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

The thing to remember is Geno & staff recruit the total person/player. The coaches are after intelligent, athletic, nice, self-confident, the will to be the best they can be, type of people so they can be broken down and rebuilt without egos getting involved!
I have stated before Chong, Butler, & Ekmark will work in this off-season as hard as possible to regain the touch/level of performance they were at previously and all 3 will return to campus at the top of their game!
The new girls will come to campus early to blend in with their new team mates and start learning the UCONN Way of playing BB!
After a learning period about meshing their games and psych they will be a tough team to beat!
Don't doubt they make the FF!

 

[HuskyNan]

The thing to remember is Geno & staff recruit the total person/player. The coaches are after intelligent, athletic, nice, self-confident, the will to be the best they can be, type of people so they can be broken down and rebuilt without egos getting involved!

In defense of other coaches - they try to bring in the same types of players. The myth that Geno is the only one to recruit "nice" girls should be put to rest.

 

[TitleTown]

Compared to recent UConn women's tape this mix appears to be in slow motion I hope she has additional gears to develop. Has anyone seen previous Tuck high school tape to compare apples to apples?

Irwin may prove to be a good player but the Morgan Tuck comparisons are a huge reach! Tuck was the consensus #1 player in the country(ahead of Stewart and Jefferson) until she hurt her knee. Tuck was as polished a player as I have ever seen at the high school and college level. Her footwork and arsenal of post moves are second to none and allowed her to score in many different ways.

 

[NHFan]

Irwin may prove to be a good player but the Morgan Tuck comparisons are a huge reach! Tuck was the consensus #1 player in the country(ahead of Stewart and Jefferson) until she hurt her knee. Tuck was as polished a player as I have ever seen at the high school and college level. Her footwork and arsenal of post moves are second to none and allowed her to score in many different ways.

I wasn't attempting to compare Tuck to Irwin. I was just curious whether Morgan looked that much slower in her HS tape then she is now(bad knee and all).

 

[JoePgh]

In defense of other coaches - they try to bring in the same types of players. The myth that Geno is the only one to recruit "nice" girls should be put to rest.

He is not the only one that tries to do that, but he is one of the very few (Muffitt being another) who is in a strong enough position that he can afford to turn away talented players who are not unselfish and team-oriented.

I took note of the comment by Stewie's father in the last couple of weeks -- how many teams could she have played on with other very talented players where there wouldn't be some animosity / jealousy about the fact that Stewie was getting all the attention and all the ink? The fact that Morgan, Moriah, Kia, KLS, and Napheesa (despite their impressive talents) weren't at all jealous of Stewie but were happy to have her on their team so that they could win an NC, says a lot about "the content of their character" but also about Geno's ability to choose attract such players and turn away other talented players who don't fit that mold.

Having said that, he did recruit Diamond Deshields. We all should thank her for having turned down his offer!

 

[Gus Mahler]

I took note of the comment by Stewie's father in the last couple of weeks -- how many teams could she have played on with other very talented players where there wouldn't be some animosity / jealousy about the fact that Stewie was getting all the attention and all the ink? The fact that Morgan, Moriah, Kia, KLS, and Napheesa

If I were ambitious I would start a thread on how well Moriah has evidently handled the Breanna situation. Takes a mighty big person. . . .

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

In defense of other coaches - they try to bring in the same types of players. The myth that Geno is the only one to recruit "nice" girls should be put to rest.

HuskyNan- - -I get your point but Geno does MORE with his recruitment of players than most of the other coaches combined!
His staff's "checklist" has repeatedly brought in girls that exceed where they were in HS by the time they graduate.
Doris Burke has said, "Geno makes good players great and great players exceptional!"
Brenda Frese makes me sick when she constantly whines how Geno gets the best players and that's why he wins, when in reality she signs as many HS AA as Geno does and she has 1 championship (that Jeff Walz gave her) and Geno has 11 championships!