2019/20 UConn Recruiting

[Golden Husky]

Horston is reportedly going to announce in July.

Jones was going to wait until the fall.

Thanks, Sluconn

 

[Sluconn Husky]

This season the 16-year-old Boston averaged 24.1 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 2 steals and 2.5 assists per game, and hit 66 percent of her field goals attempts, including 44 percent from beyond the three-point arc.

...

Boston recorded 23 double-doubles (double figures in points and rebounds) this past season and four of those games were triple-doubles.



A Center of Attention: Worcester Academy’s Aliyah Boston wins second straight Gatorade Player of the Year – This Week In Worcester

 

[mhshuskies]

That's what I'm saying. Since Gene Smith isn't changing the coach, there is not point for any top Ohio player to go to OSU if they want to leave elevated.

Or their parent needs a coaching job.

 

[Charliebball]

This season the 16-year-old Boston averaged 24.1 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 2 steals and 2.5 assists per game, and hit 66 percent of her field goals attempts, including 44 percent from beyond the three-point arc.

...

Boston recorded 23 double-doubles (double figures in points and rebounds) this past season and four of those games were triple-doubles.

She's playing against some pretty average high school competition for the most part but has proven herself in international play...........still needs work but what high school player doesn't

 

[Charliebball]

I know a lot can change but from this video and how close both are I think Fudd sadly is Notre Dames to lose. But like I said a lot can change .. these are young ladies with a lot to think about and a lot of choices to make down the road so who really knows. I personally think GENO goes after the players he truly knows he can get and not wait for the recruiting games.. we don’t want to end up paying the price in the end... UCONN needs to reload if they want to stay in contention for years to come.

as somebody said earlier in one of the threads what happens if Brunelle ends up being a part time bench player..............will Fudd and Bueckers be put off by that?

Also like you said, a lot can happen in a couple of years, those two will develop plenty of other friendships with players going to other schools and both seem savvy enough not to commit to any school until they are 100% certain of their decision..................if we see that UConn still is recruiting them in the coming months then they must think there's reason to do so....

 

[CocoHusky]

as somebody said earlier in one of the threads what happens if Brunelle ends up being a part time bench player....will Fudd and Bueckers be put off by that?

Also like you said, a lot can happen in a couple of years, those two will develop plenty of other friendships with players going to other schools and both seem savvy enough not to commit to any school until they are 100% certain of their decision...if we see that UConn still is recruiting them in the coming months then they must think there's reason to do so....

It would be astounding if Brunelle is sitting on the bench for ND even as a Freshmen because that would mean that Mikayla Vaughn (Junior ) or Danielle Patterson (Junior) or Danielle Cosgrove (Sophomore) would be the ones keeping her on the bench. It's only 15 months until Brunelle steps on the ND campus but the team will be far different and have only 1 player (Young) of significance remaining from the 2018 National Championship. Paige is 27 months away from stepping onto the ND campus and Azzi is 39 months away-IF they choose to go that route.

 

[Dillon77]

It would be astounding if Brunelle is sitting on the bench for ND even as a Freshmen because that would mean that Mikayla Vaughn (Junior ) or Danielle Patterson (Junior) or Danielle Cosgrove (Sophomore) would be the ones keeping her on the bench. It's only 15 months until Brunelle steps on the ND campus but the team will be far different and have only 1 player (Young) of significance remaining from the 2018 National Championship. Paige is 27 months away from stepping onto the ND campus and Azzi is 39 months away-IF they choose to go that route.

Share your sentiments, Coco (sorry, Charlie), with one modification: it probably wouldn't be Mik Vaughn keeping Sam on the bench, given that MV is very much a low post, based on what I've seen to this point. The Danielles (Patterson and Cosgrove) look to be playing somewhat similar positions as Sam. Opportunities will abound on the ND team in 2019.

Fully expect Ms. Brunelle to be firmly in the mix and on the floor.

(On a somewhat related but different note, it will be interesting to see the effect of Jordan Nixon's arrival on Danielle Patterson's game. The two played very well together at Mary Louis Academy. I know it's high school vs. college, but sometimes players just connect.)

 

[Charliebball]

Share your sentiments, Coco (sorry, Charlie), with one modification: it probably wouldn't be Mik Vaughn keeping Sam on the bench, given that MV is very much a low post, based on what I've seen to this point. The Danielles (Patterson and Cosgrove) look to be playing somewhat similar positions as Sam. Opportunities will abound on the ND team in 2019.
Fully expect Ms. Brunelle to be firmly in the mix.

I think the op's feeling was SB was not quite as good as advertised and thus would be having a bit more difficulty then expected..........as we've seen at UConn............highly ranked players out of high school don't always see the court as much as anticipated and I would assume MM like Geno, doesn't start players based on their initial rankings...........

 

[Charliebball]

this actually brings up an interesting question to be answered after next season...................coming out of high school who is the more accomplished player, Sam Brunelle or Megan Walker?

 

[oldude]

She's playing against some pretty average high school competition for the most part but has proven herself in international play......still needs work but what high school player doesn't

Many, if not most of the top girls HS players are playing against some pretty average HS competition (i.e. Brunelle). It is only during AAU and international competition that everyone can get a true gauge of how a player measures up against top competition. With that said, I’m a little surprised that there weren’t more comments regarding Brunelle’s 5 pt output vs the Canadian National team while Horston was dropping 27.

 

[CocoHusky]

I think the op's feeling was SB was not quite as good as advertised and thus would be having a bit more difficulty then expected.....as we've seen at UConn..highly ranked players out of high school don't always see the court as much as anticipated and I would assume MM like Geno, doesn't start players based on their initial rankings......

this actually brings up an interesting question to be answered after next season....coming out of high school who is the more accomplished player, Sam Brunelle or Megan Walker?

The high school accomplishments are somewhat irrelevant. What is far more significant was that Megan Walker was playing behind 3 established college All-American players KLS, Napheesa & Gabby at her position as a freshmen at UCONN. Azura Stevens a legit national player of the year candidate could not crack the UCONN starting lineup. Even if Megan were a guard she would have been trying to displace a 4 year UCONN starter and the eventual National Defensive player of the year in Kia Nurse. Don't see any such obstacles for Brunelle's unless the ND recruiting pickups significantly at the forward position.

 

[CocoHusky]

Many, if not most of the top girls HS players are playing against some pretty average HS competition (i.e. Brunelle). It is only during AAU and international competition that everyone can get a true gauge of how a player measures up against top competition. With that said, I’m a little surprised that there weren’t more comments regarding Brunelle’s 5 pt output vs the Canadian National team while Horston was dropping 27.

I think @Charliebball had the most measure take on this even below.

I don't love these all-star type games....lot's of ugly basketball..Horston certainly showed her stuff

This was not a USA basketball event, not that USA basketball events are perfect but the caching is "usually" better than these All-star type events. In this game for example Zia Cooke ( who is supposed to be a PG) shot the ball the first 7 times she touched it. There were also 15 kinds on the US rosters a few of which I had never heard off.

 

[oldude]

I think @Charliebball had the most measure take on this even below.

This was not a USA basketball event, not that USA basketball events are perfect but the caching is "usually" better than these All-star type events. In this game for example Zia Cooke ( who is supposed to be a PG) shot the ball the first 7 times she touched it.

No doubt that all star games are an imperfect measuring stick to gauge relative player ability. But sometimes, individual players can rise above the sometimes free-wheeling and occasionally sloppy play that characterizes such competition to truly distinguish themselves, as CW did in the most recent McD AA game. Last year in the McD AA, MW had her moments, but was not a dominant factor in the game.

The US-Canada all star game was hardly a thing of beauty. Horston clearly rose above the crowd while the #1 ranked player in the class did not. When viewed in light of SB’s less than stellar performances in the Under 17 world championships and the difficulty she had vs a talented freshman when her HS team bowed out of the state quarterfinals, one has to wonder if a pattern isn’t emerging here.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The high school accomplishments are somewhat irrelevant. What is far more significant was that Megan Walker was playing behind 3 established college All-American players KLS, Napheesa & Gabby at her position as a freshmen at UCONN. Azura Stevens a legit national player of the year candidate could not crack the UCONN starting lineup. Even if Megan were a guard she would have been trying to displace a 4 year UCONN starter and the eventual National Defensive player of the year in Kia Nurse. Don't see any such obstacles for Brunelle's unless the ND recruiting pickups significantly at the forward position.

Meg was 7th in the rotation, and there were 6 top-10 (mostly top-6) draft choices ahead of her. That explains a lot relative to past freshmen and next year’s frosh. Megan Walker can play the game.

In terms of high school accomplishments, it’s hard to say because it’s a team game, but Sam’s team was knocked out in the Virginia quarter-finals, when she was slowed by a freshman defender. In contrast, Megan’s Monacan team won 3 straight Virginia championships (in a larger size class, I believe). She scored something like her team’s last 15 points to capture the narrow win as a senior. Geno gave her a hard time, saying if she had played like that all game, no 4th quarter heroics would have been needed. Meg’s efforts were much like those of Kaleena, who outscored the entire Berkeley team in the second half in the California finals.

 

[CocoHusky]

No doubt that all star games are an imperfect measuring stick to gauge relative player ability. But sometimes, individual players can rise above the sometimes free-wheeling and occasionally sloppy play that characterizes such competition to truly distinguish themselves, as CW did in the most recent McD AA game. Last year in the McD AA, MW had her moments, but was not a dominant factor in the game. The US-Canada all star game was hardly a thing of beauty. Horston clearly rose above the crowd while the #1 ranked player in the class did not. When viewed in light of SB’s less than stellar performances in the Under 17 world championships and the difficulty she had vs a talented freshman when her HS team bowed out of the state quarterfinals, one has to wonder if a pattern isn’t emerging here.

Overall what I'm pointing out is the inaccuracy (danger!) of a single point evaluation. For example Samantha may have performed poorly at USA basketball last summer but Haley Jones & Rickea Jackson did not make that team. Which is worse, making the team and performing poorly or not making the team at all?

 

[Dillon77]

I think the op's feeling was SB was not quite as good as advertised and thus would be having a bit more difficulty then expected.....as we've seen at UConn..highly ranked players out of high school don't always see the court as much as anticipated and I would assume MM like Geno, doesn't start players based on their initial rankings......

The high school accomplishments are somewhat irrelevant. What is far more significant was that Megan Walker was playing behind 3 established college All-American players KLS, Napheesa & Gabby at her position as a freshmen at UCONN. Azura Stevens a legit national player of the year candidate could not crack the UCONN starting lineup. Even if Megan were a guard she would have been trying to displace a 4 year UCONN starter and the eventual National Defensive player of the year in Kia Nurse. Don't see any such obstacles for Brunelle's unless the ND recruiting pickups significantly at the forward position.

Sometimes, timing and circumstances are everything: If Sam Brunelle was an incoming freshman this year, she sure might have trouble getting a lot of playing time with Jess Shepard moving to the high post and Brianna Turner down low.

However, in 2019, circumstances change dramatically and Sam Brunelle, Anaya Peoples and whomever (else?) will constitute the class of 2019 all will have ample opportunity to duke it out with the Class of 2018 (K. Gilbert, J. Nixon, A. Prohaska and D. Cosgrove) for playing time. As Coco pointed out, only Jackie Young will be around from the primary 2018 NC six, so MM will have a chance to rejigger the motion offense in a way to get the best players on the floor to join Ms. Young. I'd bet one of those ND Big Mac's that Mikayla Vaughn is at the low post for rebounding and defensive purposes. Outside of that, game's open.

And once they're on campus, these are the players MM presumably wanted enough to have there, so rankings are irrelevant in the mix (save for the reasons that might've helped the player achieve them. Then again, some folks slip under the radar....).

That will be a fun year to observe.....

 

[oldude]

Meg was 7th in the rotation, and there were 6 top-10 (mostly top-6) draft choices ahead of her. That explains a lot relative to past freshmen and next year’s frosh. Megan Walker can play the game.

In terms of high school accomplishments, it’s hard to say because it’s a team game, but Sam’s team was knocked out in the Virginia quarter-finals, when she was slowed by a freshman defender. In contrast, Megan’s Monacan team won 3 straight Virginia championships (in a larger size class, I believe). She scored something like her team’s last 15 points to capture the narrow win as a senior. Geno gave her a hard time, saying if she had played like that all game, no 4th quarter heroics would have been needed. Meg’s efforts were much like those of Kaleena, who outscored the entire Berkeley team in the second half in the California finals.

There are 6 HS classes in VA. MW was part of 3 straight championships in Class 4 with her Monacan HS teammates. Brunelle’s William Monroe team plays in Class 3, one class smaller. As you point out, Monroe lost to Hopewell in the Class 3 quarterfinals. Hopewell lost their next game in the Class 3 semifinals.

 

[oldude]

Overall what I'm pointing out is the inaccuracy (danger!) of a single point evaluation. For example Samantha may have performed poorly at USA basketball last summer but Haley Jones & Rickea Jackson did not make that team. Which is worse, making the team and performing poorly or not making the team at all?

I think anyone would prefer making the team than not, but here’s another question to ponder. Brunelle appears to have a well developed basketball skill set and a high basketball IQ. At a school like ND, MM will certainly do everything possible to put her in a position to succeed.

But if you’re recruiting HS players from the Class of 2019, and you’ve already got a pretty good feeling that you’ve got 2 big, talented front court players coming in (Boston & Amihere), so you’re looking for a 2/3 type player, do you go after the most developed basketball player (Brunelle) or the better athlete with a bigger upside (Jones or Horston)?

 

[DEpup]

this actually brings up an interesting question to be answered after next season....coming out of high school who is the more accomplished player, Sam Brunelle or Megan Walker?

MW. I still don't understand the Brunelle fascination on this board. Every time I have seen her play, it has been uninspiring.

 

[donalddoowop]

MW. I still don't understand the Brunelle fascination on this board. Every time I have seen her play, it has been uninspiring.

What about her play does not impress you? I'm asking because I have not seen her play except on mix tapes. Also, you are not the only one unimpressed by her overall game. Further, are there any 2019 front court players that you have seen who are Uconn type of players?

 

[CocoHusky]

I think anyone would prefer making the team than not, but here’s another question to ponder. Brunelle appears to have a well developed basketball skill set and a high basketball IQ. At a school like ND, MM will certainly do everything possible to put her in a position to succeed.
But if you’re recruiting HS players from the Class of 2019, and you’ve already got a pretty good feeling that you’ve got 2 big, talented front court players coming in (Boston & Amihere), so you’re looking for a 2/3 type player, do you go after the most developed basketball player (Brunelle) or the better athlete with a bigger upside (Jones or Horston)?

For me personally and I can't believe I'm saying this because it agrees with @Charliebball, if Brunelle wanted to come to UCONN I would accept her at UCONN and still continue to pursue other players EVEN if those players played the same position. A bird in the hand ......

 

[MilfordHusky]

MW. I still don't understand the Brunelle fascination on this board. Every time I have seen her play, it has been uninspiring.

Sam has size, a nice shot, and a #1 ranking. Many of us have to look closely to see flaws in her game, but they are there. She’s still very good.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think anyone would prefer making the team than not, but here’s another question to ponder. Brunelle appears to have a well developed basketball skill set and a high basketball IQ. At a school like ND, MM will certainly do everything possible to put her in a position to succeed.

But if you’re recruiting HS players from the Class of 2019, and you’ve already got a pretty good feeling that you’ve got 2 big, talented front court players coming in (Boston & Amihere), so you’re looking for a 2/3 type player, do you go after the most developed basketball player (Brunelle) or the better athlete with a bigger upside (Jones or Horston)?

Brunelle may have been the more developed player last summer, when Sam made Team USA and Haley did not, but I’m not sure who is more developed as of today. Mitty had a great season, and Haley Jones was the driving force behind that success. One of the coaches doing a home visit told Haley there was “no one like [her] in America.” While I don’t know who it was, that sure sounds like Geno-speak to me.

 

[Alydar]

I'll start by saying that I read a lot of "sour grapes" in many of the posts about SB since she verballed. I haven't seen her live and I don't put much stock in "highlight videos". My impressions of her came watching a few of the U16 games last summer. It was plain that she entered those games as the feature player on the team. Players looked to get her the ball and when she got it she looked to shoot. Everything about her offense was impressive with the exception of her shooting accuracy. At that point in time she was reported to be a strong UConn lean on this board. No one here seemed concerned with her mediocre shooting. Myself? I was too busy watching Bueckers and Fudd, who didn't start but both of whom looked to be very efficient scorers. That has continued to be my opinion.

SB didn't become the No 1 recruit in her class because she has flaws. She is tall, moves well and generally has all the skills and polish that point towards a successful college career. Other than her shooting (and that's a big other) she reminds me of KLS as a high schooler. Tall but more comfortable away from the physical play in the block. Looks like she will thrive in Notre Dame's "offense first" system.

And to those who assume that Bueckers and Fudd will follow their friend I offer the example of KLS and her sisters. SB will be a junior when Bueckers is a freshman and a senior when Fudd enters college. Friendships today are often long-distance. When I was at UConn a phone call to South Bend cost about $2.00 a minute. Today a video chat is free.

 

[Dillon77]

I'll start by saying that I read a lot of "sour grapes" in many of the posts about SB since she verballed. I haven't seen her live and I don't put much stock in "highlight videos". My impressions of her came watching a few of the U16 games last summer. It was plain that she entered those games as the feature player on the team. Players looked to get her the ball and when she got it she looked to shoot. Everything about her offense was impressive with the exception of her shooting accuracy. At that point in time she was reported to be a strong UConn lean on this board. No one here seemed concerned with her mediocre shooting. Myself? I was too busy watching Bueckers and Fudd, who didn't start but both of whom looked to be very efficient scorers. That has continued to be my opinion.

SB didn't become the No 1 recruit in her class because she has flaws. She is tall, moves well and generally has all the skills and polish that point towards a successful college career. Other than her shooting (and that's a big other) she reminds me of KLS as a high schooler. Tall but more comfortable away from the physical play in the block. Looks like she will thrive in Notre Dame's "offense first" system.

And to those who assume that Bueckers and Fudd will follow their friend I offer the example of KLS and her sisters. SB will be a junior when Bueckers is a freshman and a senior when Fudd enters college. Friendships today are often long-distance. When I was at UConn a phone call to South Bend cost about $2.00 a minute. Today a video chat is free.

Good post. Only nit: SB (Class of 2019) is only a year older than Bueckers (Class of 2020). Video chat and a walk among the best girls' dorms at ND are still free.
(I'll be out there this weekend for my youngest daughter's graduation so I'll triple check!)