19 yr olds have a lot of energy, it was almost like they were trying out... The PanAm games had vets who are use to posting up and banging on picks and position. Almost like watching HS vs College vs Pros... different styles
I think part of the issue with the U19 team was the no-shows. If Durr and Lou had been available I think they would have gotten a lot of minutes and would have shot well from outside - hard to fault a coach with playing to their strength when the outside shooting was missing.
Sometimes the BODY of work means more than just one game, albeit the championship game. Maybe without Pheese, the USA doesn't get to play for the championship and A'ja isn't playing against Russia! Throughout the tournament, Pheese was exceptional! It seems that A'ja had an exceptional championship game but does that suggest she should have been the MVP???? It's not like Pheese was chopped liver in the championship game, coming up with a double double!
Steven's isnt a big ?
Agree with your analysis, just drawing a different conclusion. It is close so I picking the team with the best player which is clearly Stewie in both of our opinions.
I'm not sure a choice of Stewart, Collier, Wilson and Stevens was an option. I like it, but I believe this was to pick a threesome from two sets of players. But I suppose Wilson could play GUARD!
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This is what happens when you let the same guy who decided to turn off the AC just before the Russia vs USA game, also pick the MVP. Bad decisions...USA's U-19 team wore down the Ruskies and took home the Gold Medal & A'ja Wilson was chosen MVP after scoring 30 points for the game & 128 for the tournament. For many UConn fans, the clear MVP was Napheesa Collier..!!
If the highest scorer is the MVP, then the trophy should go to Spain's Angela Salvadores, who scored 129 points to Wilson's 128. Salvadores is the high volume shooter who may or may not attend Duke. She had the misfortune of playing the USA 3 times in the past two weeks and shot an anemic 12-43 (28%). But heck, she scored 129 points in Russia and that seems to be all that counts.
1. Wilson (6'5") was out rebounded by Collier (6'1") 65 to 59. Take away all the offensive rebounds Wilson got from her own missed shots and it would have been far worse.
2. Wilson had 22 turnovers in just 7 games. New flash A'ja, you are NOT a point guard. You're not even a 2 guard. In sharp contrast, Napheesa had only 8 turnovers and CAN play the 2 guard.
3. Wilson took 103 shots and missed 52 of them. That's 49% on shots taken mostly from 3 feet from the basket. Collier shot 58.1% from inside the 3 pt arc. No contest.
4. Wilson is tall and gets fouled a lot. She missed 20 free throws and made only 56% from the charity stripe. Of course, Collier shot 80% from the free throw line.
5. Collier led the team in minutes played, steals, offensive rebounds, field goal %, free throw % and +/- efficiency. But Wilson scored more points. I guess that is what counts...
6. To be fair, Wilson also had more assists (16-14) and more blocked shots (8-5). And she scored 30 points in the final..!! Of course, she took 33 combines shots and free throws to do that...And the two big Ruskies she was helping cover scored 27 points.
7. Speaking of scoring points... Collier finished 2nd with 89 points on just 82 combined shots (72) and free throws (10).
8. Napheesa didn't score 30 pts in the final, but she did score 24 pts in the semi-final. Against the Russians, Collier had a double-double (10 pts & 10 rebounds), 3 assists and 6 steals.
9. Coach Staley decided to play Collier 169 minutes in this tournament. That was the most minutes of ANY player, including A'ja Wilson. Some people think you play the best player the most minutes. I do.
10. Wilson is a very good player, and no doubt the 2nd best player at the tournament.
I make no pretense at being unbiased when it comes to UConn players, but IMO Napheesa Collier was the MVP of the U-19 team that won the Gold in Russia.
Go Napheesa..!!
Go Huskies..!!
That means we have 1A and 1B in which ever order you choose, and I'm just fine with that!
Maybe "incoming" freshman.
Then why did Stewart get MOP in NC game with 8 points.Moriah should have received it.Staley won MOP in 1991 because she was the best player on the floor.Tennessee won the championship.
I have no idea what you are talking about. What I/We were talking about is the FIBA U19 Championship game form July 2015 and the FIBA U17 game from July 2014. Neither of which had anything to do with how the NCAA determines the MOP.
They had Geno as a asst. for Donovan before he became the HC and IMO Dawn will be next in line when he steps down.
Collier should have won the MVP and just like Moriah they played great in all phases of their game.Wilson scored 30 and I will give her that but MVP no way.Nobody should get MVP just because they score the most points.That was my POINT.
And clearly you missed mine. "Nobody should get MVP just because they score the most points." = your opinion. Salvadores & Wilson scored the most points and were named MVPs in consecutive years= verifiable fact.
MVP/MOP should be given to the player who was beyond instrumental in getting their team to be victorious--whether that team wins it all or not. My MVP/MOP for the NCAA was Jefferson, for the Pan Am games--Nurse (runner up Jefferson), U19 Collier with Dangerfield runner up. It's not ONE game--it's how they contributed in most games (even a player who as a single bad game).
