Pan Am USA Vs Cuba 1:30 PM Link

[HuskyFan1125]

Hmmmm. I guess that's subjective. I have watched all the Pan Am games and U19. Have yet to watch a WNBA game this season

 

[Huskies Rule]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

That's not accurate. They didn't outscore them over 2 exhibitions. Also, the U19 team was already practicing for a few days when the Pan Am team arrived in Colorado. I'm not sure how the U19 team would do playing 4 games in 4 days against grown women.

But to your overall point, yes, the Pan Am team could use some better scoring guards.

The U19 team won the first scrimmage 74-68 and then the next night lost to the Pan Ams squad 73-70.


That's 144-138 in points for the U19 team.

The Pan-Am team has about five players on it that really don't belong. Maybe that's a result of the WUG team taking some of them.

 

[UConnCat]

Isnt the girl from Villanova a PG? Coyer?

Don't know but you're not suggesting she should have played, are you?

 

[lne001]

Coates had a refrigerator leaning on her all game. Glad she was able to dig deep and show up when she was needed.

That is why you hustle down the court, to get easy layups. Some of the Cuban posts were hauling double-wides behind them. If Coates is thwarted on offense her reaction is to pout for a second, then decide to start running. Often put her behind everyone on the play. Also, other than a couple bursts earlier in the second half she didn't hit the on switch till the last minute. Cutting it very close.

You should understand that when I first saw her as a freshman I was in awe of her athletic basketball body. Expected great things. I hate to be wrong, so I'm a bit bitter. I wish her the best.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Don't know how USA cameback to win this game. Just outlasted Cuba who had their two key players have to sit for a while in foul trouble. Don't know what was said to Coates she came alive in the 3rd quarter with her rebounding and hustle plays. While the USA Guards won the game, USA doesn't win if Coates didn't come alive with her effort late in 3rd quarter.

She probably just didn't want to lose.

 

[UConnCat]

The U19 team won the first scrimmage 74-68 and then the next night lost to the Pan Ams squad 73-70.


That's 144-138 in points for the U19 team.

The Pan-Am team has about five players on it that really don't belong. Maybe that's a result of the WUG team taking some of them.

I thought you meant the U19 team won both scrimmages. Doesn't matter, the U19 team would have lost already at this tournament.

I agree on the make-up of the Pan Am team. I don't understand why one point guard plays virtually every minute. Unnecessary.

 

[lne001]

I have an interesting question for the forum?

The Pan Am games are most senior national teams. Why doesn't the U.S. use the players that don't make the national team but try out. I think age and experience are big factors in this game

Pan Am games are not really that important to the USA Basketball other than as a great means to develop and evaluate young players.

 

[Wbbfan1]

USA could augment the Pan Am team with experienced players who were the last cuts of the WNBA. Guess they don't, because these players wouldn't make any future SR Teams. Not sure how it would go over, if USA picked 3 or 4 players that are playing in the WNBA who are competing for a Sr Team position. Would the players accept the invite at the cost of dollars and would WNBA teams allow it. WNBA players have left their WNBA team to play for Sr Teams of other countries.

 

[Nuyoika]

I'm not understand why everyone is calling this a great comeback? USA lost 1 of the 4 quarters. Given the score one would think the teams virtually played evenly. Maybe some of us are looking at this game with NCAA glasses on. You certainly cannot hold international ball to that kind of standard. I mean have you guys seen some of the calls made here? Call it what it is... A slugfest. Who ever makes enough shots and has enough physically functional players by game 5 wins it all. This isn't UConn WBB, stop expecting something beautiful out there. This is a whole different world out there ladies and gents.

 

[ReadR00ster]

That is why you hustle down the court, to get easy layups. Some of the Cuban posts were hauling double-wides behind them. If Coates is thwarted on offense her reaction is to pout for a second, then decide to start running. Often put her behind everyone on the play. Also, other than a couple bursts earlier in the second half she didn't hit the on switch till the last minute. Cutting it very close.

You should understand that when I first saw her as a freshman I was in awe of her athletic basketball body. Expected great things. I hate to be wrong, so I'm a bit bitter. I wish her the best.

She get's up and down floor better than a lot girls smaller than her. She isn't a machine, she is a human being and playing as many minutes as she has and having these shoving battles on both sides of the floor with these big heavy old women since she is the only one that CAN bang with them is very tiring.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I thought you meant the U19 team won both scrimmages. Doesn't matter, the U19 team would have lost already at this tournament.

I'm not saying that the U19 team would've had a better chance, but that it goes to show that this US Pan-Am team isn't all that strong. Tuck and Mitchell would make an enormous difference. And yes, a PG to give them minutes behind Jefferson too. Plum is a scorer and out of her league in this tourney. Caroline Coyer might be more of a product of Harry Perretta's system than anything else.

 

[lne001]

I agree on the make-up of the Pan Am team. I don't understand why one point guard plays virtually every minute. Unnecessary.

Moriah was the only player on the team who could handle backcourt pressure and do anything with the offense. Take her out and Brazil, Puerto Rico and Cuba eat our lunch. She was also the only player who could make her own shot (Breanna on occasion).

 

[lne001]

She get's up and down floor better than a lot girls smaller than her. She isn't a machine, she is a human being and playing as many minutes as she has and having these shoving battles on both sides of the floor with these big heavy old women since she is the only one that CAN bang with them is very tiring.

Granted she can run faster than Reymer, if she is motivated. Alaina is 6' 4", 210 pounds - both which qualify as big and heavy in my book, and she's younger and more athletic than the Cuban posts. Short sprints are not kind to older bodies. I also think Mavunga, Reimer and Stewart would quarrel with your assessment of their efforts underneath, especially in the first half.

 

[hoophuskee]

I'm not understand why everyone is calling this a great comeback? USA lost 1 of the 4 quarters. Given the score one would think the teams virtually played evenly. Maybe some of us are looking at this game with NCAA glasses on. You certainly cannot hold international ball to that kind of standard. I mean have you guys seen some of the calls made here? Call it what it is... A slugfest. Who ever makes enough shots and has enough physically functional players by game 5 wins it all. This isn't UConn WBB, stop expecting something beautiful out there. This is a whole different world out there ladies and gents.

I thought it was a great comeback. They were down by 11 and it seemed every time they would tie Cuba would score. Plus we haven't been in finals since 2007, and now we're there. I'm not so sure this team should be winning. Unless I hear different - it appears this was a great comeback and great win.

 

[SCGamecock]

Coates had a refrigerator leaning on her all game. Glad she was able to dig deep and show up when she was needed. Also, I have never seen her drive the basketball before. That was impressive.

YES! That was awesome. My mouth dropped when she took it in for the layup. I've never seen her drive the ball like that.

With that said, Coates had a pretty rough day and a forgettable first half. She looked flat footed and slow at times. Her body language (not just hers in reality) was telling. Thankfully she was able to turn it on for the team in 2nd half.

I understand the heavy criticism of Coates, her play the last few games have been great for this team. You want those high expectations. But if I'm being honest, it's obvious fatigue was a major factor today for everybody not named Moriah Jefferson... and even then, Jefferson and Stewart probably missed more 3's today than they've missed ALL last season for UCONN.. and there were some pretty bad turnovers by everybody as well.

Tiffany Mitchell is really missing.. This team could use another guard capable of taking over a game. But ah well, what can ya do...

Linnae Harper was HUGE in the 4th.. big steals, hustle plays and huge free throws. I love to see a player relishing in the moment. She's my player of the game.

 

[UConnCat]

Early in the 2nd half Cuba led by 14 points. That qualifies as a comeback in my book.

 

[UcMiami]

Would love to see Niya Johnson or Lindsey Allen or Brown on this team and any somewhat athletic post player out there - Coates Reimer and Mavunga are both big and slow - having another player able to come out on screens would be huge.

 

[cordarone]

WNBA players have left their WNBA team to play for Sr Teams of other countries.

Case in point being Achonwa, who'll be missing four games with the Fever for this tournament and more next month for the FIBA Americas. Kinda surprising Indiana is letting her off for that length of time.

If the WNBA wasn't ongoing, I think USA BB would consider letting pros try out for this team. They already do for the men's team - five players on the Pan Am roster are pros. Granted, they're NBDL level pros, but still...

 

[UcMiami]

Case in point being Achonwa, who'll be missing four games with the Fever for this tournament and more next month for the FIBA Americas. Kinda surprising Indiana is letting her off for that length of time.

If the WNBA wasn't ongoing, I think USA BB would consider letting pros try out for this team. They already do for the men's team - five players on the Pan Am roster are pros. Granted, they're NBDL level pros, but still...

Canada is trying to qualify for the Olympics - no way Natalie was staying with her WNBA team for this preparation match. Same with another 'Americas' foreign players in the WNBA.

 

[UConnCat]

YES! That was awesome. My mouth dropped when she took it in for the layup. I've never seen her drive the ball like that.

With that said, Coates had a pretty rough day and a forgettable first half. She looked flat footed and slow at times. Her body language (not just hers in reality) was telling. Thankfully she was able to turn it on for the team in 2nd half.

I understand the heavy criticism of Coates, her play the last few games have been great for this team. You want those high expectations. But if I'm being honest, it's obvious fatigue was a major factor today for everybody not named Moriah Jefferson... and even then, Jefferson and Stewart probably missed more 3's today than they've missed ALL last season for UCONN.. and there were some pretty bad turnovers by everybody as well.

Tiffany Mitchell is really missing.. This team could use another guard capable of taking over a game. But ah well, what can ya do...

Linnae Harper was HUGE in the 4th.. big steals, hustle plays and huge free throws. I love to see a player relishing in the moment. She's my player of the game.

Coates was terrific in the 2nd half. She wasn't the only US player who played flat-footed in the first half.

Stewie made 4/5 three-pointers last night but the shot wasn't there today probably because of weary legs. I understand shooters need to keep shooting but I would have like to have seen more high-low with Stewart and Coates.

Moriah made some poor decisions in the second half and I'm sure she knows that. She isn't going to get rest so she just needs to be tougher and not let fatigue affect her game like that. This is a great learning experience for these young players. They have to dig down and find another gear.

 

[Huskies Rule]

The balance of this team's roster is very questionable. Some of that couldn't be helped (Mitchell's injury), but the team could really have used another good point guard so that Moriah didn't have to shoulder everything - surely there was one to be found somewhere in all of college-land?

-Absolutely! A Lexie Brown/Lindsay Allen/Niya Johnson type would have spelled Moriah nicely- the kid play heroic minutes despite her obvious fatigue. But it's understandable that the selection committee went with just Moriah and Tiffany; they could not have anticipated Mitchell's injury.

-Playing 4 games in 4 days with only 7 players is killer. I don't mean to be mean, but Brunner and Coyer cannot compete at this level. I question their selection. Courtney Williams and Kelsey Plum are nice collegiate players but they struggled big time in the few minutes they got, committing lots of turnovers and making terrible decisions with the ball. Mitchell's injury was the biggest blow. With her healthy, USA is an enormously better team.

-The Pan Am person who made this 5 games in 5 days schedule is a big........

 

[UcMiami]

Anyone know what is up with Williams - she went from starting to getting 0.34 minutes today! I though yesterday she looked a little peeved at not starting.

 

[SCGamecock]

What time is the championship game?

 

[UConnCat]

What time is the championship game?

8:45 pm EDT tomorrow night.

 

[ReadR00ster]

Granted she can run faster than Reymer, if she is motivated. Alaina is 6' 4", 210 pounds - both which qualify as big and heavy in my book, and she's younger and more athletic than the Cuban posts. Short sprints are not kind to older bodies. I also think Mavunga, Reimer and Stewart would quarrel with your assessment of their efforts underneath, especially in the first half.

Coates is the only one big ENOUGH to bang with the Brazilian and Cuba bigs from what I have seen. And even for her it's not easy. Yet she is faster than Reimer and Mavunga. She's not slow, you want slow, see Elam Ibiam.