2014/2015 STARTING 5?

[JoePgh]

Is it superfluous to point out that it will all depend on what happens on practice?

There are a few precedents (not many) for a freshman winning a job from a returning upperclassman. The biggest one I can remember is that Renee Montgomery won the starting PG spot from Ketia Swanier and started from Day 1 of her freshman year. Also, didn't Nicole Wolff win a starting position over Maria Conlon in her freshman year, which she held until she was injured? And I believe Caroline Doty had upperclass competition (although her main competition was from her roommate, Tiffany Hayes) when she was the Day 1 starter in her freshman year.

But I agree that the general pattern is for freshmen to wait their turn. So unless some freshman really shines in practice, I would expect Brianna or Saniya to start at the 2 position. The other 4 positions appear to be locks. I agree that Morgan, even if she is athletically back to 100%, will come off the bench for most of next year, both to avoid overstressing her knee and because she is the only backup to Kiah and Stewie at the 4 and 5 positions. Geno will want to keep her healthy through 2017 and for her WNBA career after that.

As I've said previously, I will not be at all surprised if a decision is made for Gabby to redshirt in 2014-15 to allow her knee to heal completely. Her game is so dependent on running and jumping that it would risk a career-ending injury if she played at even slightly less than 100% of full health.

I do think that Kia Nurse and Courtney Ekmark will get 15-20 minutes per game, and that Kia may win the starting 2 position by January or so. Courtney will probably be the main backup to KML at the 3. I am guessing that Sadie Edwards will have a "learning year", similar to Saniya this year. But if she is outstanding in the month between October 15 and the first game, that could change completely.

 

[wbfree]

Nurse

Has anyone seen Nurse play? It's tough to have an opinion on someone without watching them play. Someone will emerge from Ekmark, Edwards, Banks,
Chong, and Nurse. Possibly Williams. That's a pretty talented group to choose from, and practices should be interesting.

 

[WesternPaFan]

Has anyone seen Gabby Williams play...She will make all forget about Aja the Great...Can dunk,fast as lightening when she turns on the burners...Needs coaching!!!!Wait till you see her...Can check out Reed vs Reno on U-Tube...Her number No.1.

 

[Robert Wordell]

Is it superfluous to point out that it will all depend on what happens on practice?

There are a few precedents (not many) for a freshman winning a job from a returning upperclassman. The biggest one I can remember is that Renee Montgomery won the starting PG spot from Ketia Swanier and started from Day 1 of her freshman year. Also, didn't Nicole Wolff win a starting position over Maria Conlon in her freshman year, which she held until she was injured? And I believe Caroline Doty had upperclass competition (although her main competition was from her roommate, Tiffany Hayes) when she was the Day 1 starter in her freshman year.

But I agree that the general pattern is for freshmen to wait their turn. So unless some freshman really shines in practice, I would expect Brianna or Saniya to start at the 2 position. The other 4 positions appear to be locks. I agree that Morgan, even if she is athletically back to 100%, will come off the bench for most of next year, both to avoid overstressing her knee and because she is the only backup to Kiah and Stewie at the 4 and 5 positions. Geno will want to keep her healthy through 2017 and for her WNBA career after that.

As I've said previously, I will not be at all surprised if a decision is made for Gabby to redshirt in 2014-15 to allow her knee to heal completely. Her game is so dependent on running and jumping that it would risk a career-ending injury if she played at even slightly less than 100% of full health.

I do think that Kia Nurse and Courtney Ekmark will get 15-20 minutes per game, and that Kia may win the starting 2 position by January or so. Courtney will probably be the main backup to KML at the 3. I am guessing that Sadie Edwards will have a "learning year", similar to Saniya this year. But if she is outstanding in the month between October 15 and the first game, that could change completely.

 

[Robert Wordell]

Joe,
I also recall Page Sauer lost her two year starting role as a Junior after making MVP of Big East tournament. She was a casualty of TASS group coming to UCONN.

 

[semper]

What is really interesting to me is that we have more depth and potential talent (esp. if Tuck comes roaring back) than we have had in several years. If we don't have more serious injuries (fingers crossed) then lines ups will depend on mixing and matching perhaps more than Geno has had the luxury to effect in recent years. And then it won't just be about who starts. Equally interesting will be how many minutes per position, in the mix and matching after the starting five start switching around. And then, as we all know, how people do in practice will be the golden determinant, as always. Minutes are earned. But it's wonderful to have so many potential earners.

 

[Kibitzer]

Has anyone seen Nurse play?

Has anyone seen Gabby Williams play?

Has anybody (except Geno and his staff) seen all of these players play? Even one or two? Or are we seriously comparing their skills (in high school) to one another or to returning players?

Having got that out of the way, the "who starts" depends on Morgan Tuck. If she is ready she will start with KML, Stewie, Moriah and Kiah. If not, someone else will join those four in the starting lineup. Geno will favor Banks or Chong early in the season. He will adjust as needed once the season gets underway.

In the interest of full disclosure, I confess to not yet seeing any of these incoming freshmen play. Therefore, it is impossible for me to evaluate them.

 

[Icebear]

Geno doesn't start freshmen unless he absolutely has to, or unless they're an All-Universe talent.

Taurasi, Moore, and Stewart all started their freshmen year on the bench.

 

[xHunt3r]

Taurasi, Moore, and Stewart all started their freshmen year on the bench.

To add to that KML lead the team in scoring as a freshman while playing 28 minutes a game... started 1 game. It's highly unlikely any of the freshman get to start next year.

 

[Suebird10fan]

The correct answer is ... no duck*ing idea. It could be almost any of the other scholarship players, although one has to acknowledge Icebear's point about Geno's tendency not to start freshmen. Bottom line though this is almost impossible to predict. As the Fed likes to say, the answer will be data (gathered at practices this fall) dependent.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Having got that out of the way, the "who starts" depends on Morgan Tuck. If she is ready she will start with KML, Stewie, Moriah and Kiah.

Zero percent chance that the starting lineup has KML at the 2. That's way not enough ballhandling, and way too crowded in the paint.

Tuck will come off the bench this year and get significant minutes, dependent somewhat on how Kiah performs. We may be a tad undersized with Stewie/Tuck at the 4/5 when Kiah sits, but that shouldn't be a huge problem.

 

[Kibitzer]

Zero percent chance that the starting lineup has KML at the 2. That's way not enough ballhandling, and way too crowded in the paint.

Only here, on this Boneyard, would I learn of Kaleena's inadequacies as a ballhandler.

 

[dtbtbtb]

It's possible that Geno will start Tuck over Kiah and have Kiah as the 6th person

 

[connboy77]

It's possible that Geno will start Tuck over Kiah and have Kiah as the 6th person

That is not going to happen and besides Kiah has earned the right to start!

 

[Tenspro2002]

Only here, on this Boneyard, would I learn of Kaleena's inadequacies as a ballhandler.

I should be more clear. It's not that KML is a weak ballhandler. It's that by having her at the 2, you're taking a ballhandler off the floor and inserting another post player (which we don't need).

 

[Shenandoah]

All I know is, Geno will have his most challenging year coaching, yet! As everyone knows, you never know what you will get from freshmen. To have 4 that you are counting on pretty heavily to fill substantial minutes, combined with questions as to whether Kiah will develop an offensive game over the summer, AND will Morgan Tuck be back at full strength, is going to interesting to say the least. His job (which he does better than anyone in WCBB) is to find out, and put the players on the floor that are "on" that night. It will be both fun, nerve racking and ultimately exhilarating! Remember Kiah Stokes said "We're not done, yet"!!!

 

[doggydaddy]

It would help if a poster would state whether it's who they would start or if it's who Geno would start.

With two returning guards to join Jefferson in Banks and Chong, there is no reason for Geno to start a freshman in the backcourt. And he has shown that he needs a reason (injury, etc.) to do that.

 

[Aluminny69]

Taurasi, Moore, and Stewart all started their freshmen year on the bench.

Why do I have to keep reminding Bone yarders that both Ann Strother AND Nicole Wolff started their very first game. Ann started every game her freshman year ( except senior night) and Nicole started until she was injured. Granted four starting seniors had left, but there were returnees ( e.g. Ashley Battle and Maria Conlon) who could have started. So, do not dismiss freshmen.

 

[Orangutan]

As an outsider, I thought the obvious answer was Chong. For whatever that's worth.

 

[Icebear]

Why do I have to keep reminding Bone yarders that both Ann Strother AND Nicole Wolff started their very first game. Ann started every game her freshman year ( except senior night) and Nicole started until she was injured. Granted four starting seniors had left, but there were returnees ( e.g. Ashley Battle and Maria Conlon) who could have started. So, do not dismiss freshmen.

And they needed to neither Battle or Conlon fit the need for size.

 

[Aluminny69]

And they needed to neither Battle or Conlon fit the need for size.

Well, after Wolff was injured, Conlon started for the rest of the season. Battle was first off the bench, won defensive player of the year in the Big East, I believe...

 

[Icebear]

Well, after Wolff was injured, Conlon started for the rest of the season. Battle was first off the bench, won defensive player of the year in the Big East, I believe...

Exactly. Was Battle's DPY the next year? Both Wolff and Strother were bringing much needed needed size.

 

[WesternPaFan]

At 2,Gabby Williams,She is ND Loyd but better!!Of course she must be healthy.

 

[winlots]

That is not going to happen and besides Kiah has earned the right to start!

CONN: wouldn't be TOO sure about that "not going to happen." Also, I'd be interested in how you think Kiah "has earned the right to start,".....and in how you would contrast her "earning" to that of Tuck? Primarily seniority or some other dimensions? I'm not "anti-Kiah" at all and hope she has a fantastic senior year, for the team, for us as fans, and for herself.....but hard for me to think of someone else on the current squad who has been perceived, by staff and fans, as having under-achieved as dramatically in terms of performance and effort as Kiah. Guess that is why I'm curious about your use of the term "earned" and how you look at that.

 

[doggydaddy]

CONN: wouldn't be TOO sure about that "not going to happen." Also, I'd be interested in how you think Kiah "has earned the right to start,".....and in how you would contrast her "earning" to that of Tuck? Primarily seniority or some other dimensions? I'm not "anti-Kiah" at all and hope she has a fantastic senior year, for the team, for us as fans, and for herself.....but hard for me to think of someone else on the current squad who has been perceived, by staff and fans, as having under-achieved as dramatically in terms of performance and effort as Kiah. Guess that is why I'm curious about your use of the term "earned" and how you look at that.

I think the underachieving rap is long gone. She gave Geno and the team exactly what they needed from her.

I think based on that, she will get every opportunity to be the starting center.