2014/2015 STARTING 5?

[rvwsleep]

I think Stewie, Moriah, KML, Kiah & Banks will start right off in November, but once they get in January, Nurse or Ekmark will see a lot of playing time! I think Williams will need more time to make a complete recovery from 2 surgeries! Banks should be all-the-way back from her surgery so she will start early because of her speed and defense and her offense should be back to where it was before the injury! Some players need a full year+ to recover from an ACL! I do think Chong will add valuable time off the bench, she showed a lot at certain times during last season to become just a bench player!
I really think, as I mentioned on another post, that Kiah Stokes is going to really shine in this her senior year. She's going to be a monster in the post! There's so many "great athletes" on the roster that Geno can be creative with all sorts of lineups!

Agree with your starting 5. Unfortunately, I also agree that Williams will probably need more time to recover from her surgery. She had Jewell Loyd+ athletic ability.
I only hope she can make a full recovery. As far as Stokes is concerned, she will overpower the AAC. She will get 6-8 pts per game on just offensive rebounds in the AAC. It will be more interesting to see how she performs in the ooc schedule but I'm not worried there either. In the whole country, how many centers are better than Stokes ?

 

[diggerfoot]

This is an odd thought, and by making it I'm not conceding that I think Tuck will or should start, but if she does the player with the best all around guard skills between Stewart, KML and Tuck is Stewart. Certainly KML has the edge in FT and 3 point shooting percentages, though let's not forget Stewart's 3 point shooting in important situations (eg, 58% in the U19!, last year in the FF). I also think KML has the edge in offensive rebounding, but that's not a huge concern for a guard. Otherwise, Stewart has the edge in most guard-centric categories, which is no indictment to other players. Can you imagine the concern on the part of an opposing guard to learn that her assignment for much of the game will be Stewart? Might never happen, but the thought amuses me.

 

[JoePgh]

If your roster includes 8 players who can play the 1, 2, and 3 positions, and only 3 players who can play the 4 and 5, why on earth would you start all 3 of the bigs? Who would come off the bench when they need a rest? Or (unimaginably) get in foul trouble?

Keep in mind that Morgan will really be a sophomore next year, and will be coming off a knee injury. She should have 2 more years after next year when she can be a starter. I can't imagine that Kiah, as a senior who has been a major contributor this past year, will not start, or that Geno would not want her height in the starting lineup.

Starting lineup will be:

5: Kiah
4: Stewie
3: KML
2: TBD, but with Brianna and Saniya having the inside track
1: Moriah

I think that is what Geno will do, and it is what I think is best.

Certainly Kia Nurse and Courtney Ekmark will get significant minutes at the 2 and 3 positions respectively (probably 15-20 minutes in most games), and Kia may start by January if Brianna and Saniya aren't better than they have thus far shown. But the 2 will be their position to lose.

 

[MilfordHusky]

This is an odd thought, and by making it I'm not conceding that I think Tuck will or should start, but if she does the player with the best all around guard skills between Stewart, KML and Tuck is Stewart. Certainly KML has the edge in FT and 3 point shooting percentages, though let's not forget Stewart's 3 point shooting in important situations (eg, 58% in the U19!, last year in the FF). I also think KML has the edge in offensive rebounding, but that's not a huge concern for a guard. Otherwise, Stewart has the edge in most guard-centric categories, which is no indictment to other players. Can you imagine the concern on the part of an opposing guard to learn that her assignment for much of the game will be Stewart? Might never happen, but the thought amuses me.

Stewie can play the Magic Johnson role.

 

[earl the pearl]

Just read this thread and my hair hurts!

 

[AnotherVolFan]

Agree with your starting 5. Unfortunately, I also agree that Williams will probably need more time to recover from her surgery. She had Jewell Loyd+ athletic ability.
I only hope she can make a full recovery. As far as Stokes is concerned, she will overpower the AAC. She will get 6-8 pts per game on just offensive rebounds in the AAC. It will be more interesting to see how she performs in the ooc schedule but I'm not worried there either. In the whole country, how many centers are better than Stokes ?

Offensively.....Izzy Harrison
Defensively...................Elizabeth Williams can give her a run for her money....giving the advantage to Kiah due to height

 

[Kibitzer]

Offensively.....Izzy Harrison
Defensively....Elizabeth Williams can give her a run for her money....giving the advantage to Kiah due to height

This ain't football, where you have a platoon system. The way it works in wcbb is that Izzy must defend and Williams must gernerate offense. Our Kiah excels at both ends of the court. The only flaw in her game is that she neither shoots a lot nor scores a lot. Given the firepower provided by Stewie, Kaleena and Moriah (at least!), UConn is not dependent on Stokes to fill that role.

On a separate note, I am concerned that Rosemary's position is in jeopardy since so many Yarders have expressed profound medical judgments about the extent of injuries to Morgan and Gabby, including the length of rehab and the acceptable amount of PT their knees will tolerate. Shows how smart Boneyarders are.

As in "smart-ass."

 

[Kibitzer]

It seems to me that KML is being vastly underrated as a ballhandler. If Tuck comes back strong, she is too formidable and experienced a talent to come off the bench. Can you say Threepeat?

Concur. None of us really know how well or how soon Morgan will come back, but if she does, she starts.

And finishes.

The persistent suggestions that Kaleena can't handle a basketball are just plain silly. She's like Kiah -- when she gets her mitts on the ball, she owns it, and when she lets go, the trajectory is highly unerring. Injury free, she could be a 20-10 player (+ lots of rebounds and some assists). Only Stewie (and, when she returns in a year, DeShields) has a comparable combination of ability and versatility. (On edit: Maybe Loyd.)

So enough already! Fit her for her third NC ring and put her name on the wall.

 

[meyers7]

Just read this thread and my hair hurts!

Least you got hair to hurt.

 

[meyers7]

On a separate note, I am concerned that Rosemary's position is in jeopardy since so many Yarders have expressed profound medical judgments about the extent of injuries to Morgan and Gabby, including the length of rehab and the acceptable amount of PT their knees will tolerate. Shows how smart Boneyarders are.

As in "smart-ass."

Hey, I haven't said anything about Rosemary or rehab time. Don't drag me into this.

 

[Kibitzer]

Hey, I haven't said anything about Rosemary or rehab time. Don't drag me into this.

Be assured that I applied that term in a general sense, not with any specific Yarder in mind. (Surely you understand why I avoided "smart-Alec"!)

 

[msf22b]

I have absolutely no idea who is going to start.
I have absolutely no idea regarding the health of Morgan and Gabby for the coming season.

But I have a strong conviction that the 4 freshman will exceed expectations and that two or even more will be
available for prime time in short order and that if that number is three, then Geno will have fascinating options available.

 

[winlots]

Least you got hair to hurt.

M: with THAT revelation, you'll never get girls.

 

[meyers7]

M: with THAT revelation, you'll never get girls.

I'm way too old for girls. I'm almost too old for women.

 

[Kibitzer]

I'm way too old for girls. I'm almost too old for women.

You make me think of what some elderly gent once said:

"I'm not as good as I once was. But I am as good once as I ever was."​

 

[Geno-ista]

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

If Tuck hadn't been hurt, Kiah would have struggled to get her minutes. Just spelling Dolson and Stewie occasionally, and playing when the games were over. Not a knock on Kiah.

 

[Zorro]

When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, how many players does Geno use as his core rotation? Seven, eight at the max. (Sometimes only six.) And who does he have returning? Four inside players, and three guards. Five starters and two off the bench. While neither Saniya nor BB is a "true point guard", either of them can handle it for a stretch while MoJet gets a little breather. Unless Geno has given up on her completely, Banks will start and Saniya will be the third guard off the bench. Stewie, KML and Kiah will start and Morgan will get LOTS of playing time, God willing. While I am sure that all four frosh have tremendous potential (otherwise they wouldn't be here!), I don't think it is likely that, bar injury, any of them will play a signiicant role in the final battles. They will all get some pt in the first part of the season, but when it comes to crunch time, it will be the vets who know the system who will be out there winning number 10. I'm looking for both Kiah and BB to end their UConn careers in spectacular fashion, and Saniya to astound. The four frosh will just have to wait and watch and learn, which I don't think will either surprise or disappoint them. Be of good cheer, y'all.

 

[Geno-ista]

Early in the season when both KML and Morgan Tuck were injured Kiah stepped in and did a great job. I'm not sure UCONN would have beat Maryland without her. This year Kiah has been very steady and dependable. She has also turned into one of the best defensive players in the country. She is also a tremendous rebounder. I love Morgan and she is a great player when healthy, but it is my opinion that she would be more valuable coming off the bench.

Geno normally likes a shot of adrenaline coming off the bench. Not sure Tuck will be that person. But Tuck is the logical back up coming off injury. Kiah's playing time would have been limited this past season if not for her injury. Gabby or Saniya or Ekmark may be that offensive zinger that Geno likes as first sub in.

My starting 5
Pg-MoJeff
Sg-KML
Sf-Tuck (if healthy)
Pf-BS
C-Kiah S

I see this being a deep team for UCONN, thin in the post but the guard rotation will be something serious...especially if GabbyW is as good as I've seen and I wouldn't sleep on Nurse either....Achonwa's international experience was huge imo

Anothervolfan- think your right about depth and guard play. I don't see KML as shooting guard. I see Brianna Banks or Chong having first shot at that position. Then the freshman subbing in at will at the 2 and the 3!

 

[baggerbob]

Kia Nurse being a point guard, who can play the 2, brings something UConn didn't have last year after Kelly left, size at the guard position on defense.

 

[uconnfan68]

If Tuck hadn't been hurt, Kiah would have struggled to get her minutes. Just spelling Dolson and Stewie occasionally, and playing when the games were over. Not a knock on Kiah.

I guess it may have been a blessing for UConn that we did have those injuries. Imagine not knowing what a gem we have in Kiah Stokes? One of the top rebounders and shotblockers in the country, who is becoming a much better passer than given credit for.

 

[Geno-ista]

I guess it may have been a blessing for UConn that we did have those injuries. Imagine not knowing what a gem we have in Kiah Stokes? One of the top rebounders and shotblockers in the country, who is becoming a much better passer than given credit for.

I think we knew Kiah was an exceptional athlete and great at rebounding and blocking shots. And I hope she will work on her shooting a lot over the summer. I think she'll have a long pro career regardless of her offense. I love Kiah. Morgan was just light years ahead of her on the offensive end.

 

[Zorro]

There is nothing wrong with Kiah's shooting except that she doesn't do enough of it.

 

[hoophuskee]

IMO the starting 5 will be Kiah, Stewie, KML, Banks, and Mo Jeff.
I think like nearly all here Chong is right there - practically a toss-up with Banks. Whoever shines more in practices.

I don't think it will be the others for the following:
Tuck and Williams because of their prior injuries. While Tuck is better than Stokes and is the fourth best player on this team - to push her is like keeping your best player in the game late when you are up by 30. Our team will be great and we'll have a lot of blowouts. No need to push. And don't be surpisrsed to see KML play some pf when we are comfortably ahead late as well. I don't expect Gabby to start in addition to injury because of reasons cited in next para.

IMO Geno won't start the freshman because he doesn't like to (it doesn't mean he won't. Note I use the word "like.") and just as importantly he doesn't need to. There's been talk of he started Strother and Wolfe. Well back then we needed not only size but we lost a ton of scoring. We needed scoring back then too. This team doesn't need scoring at an initial glance nor do they need size at the wing or pg positions. And we have all heard Chris Dailey say often how freshmen don't know what it's like to practice hard. She has said that over and over. It's not to say a freshman can't "surprise" but we're just making predictions here. Odds are they won't.

We've seen Geno make a decision as to not start Maya even as she may very well have been their best player day one. That is a statement made by Geno. And not start Stewie - maybe Stewie was justifiable regarding level of play - or what was expected- and he had Caroline start (could have easily gone with Dolson, Stewie, KML . Faris and Hartley instead of Caroline.). "Listening" to what Geno has shown us with Maya (and maybe Stewie) and listening to what CD says - I seriously doubt a freshman in this class will start to begin the season.

 

[winlots]

I'm way too old for girls. I'm almost too old for women.

That doesn't leave you much. Am glad to take note of the "almost" in your declaration, though. Of course, you still do have a place in my heart, but I'm not sure that is of much help in your current predicament.

 

[Geno-ista]

There is nothing wrong with Kiah's shooting except that she doesn't do enough of it.

That is the biggest misconception IMO- she plays every day in practice like everyone else. Like Geno says - time is earned in practice. Mo Jef couldn't hit threes her freshman year. She shot 1500- 2000 daily over the summer at home. And now she buries her open looks.