2021 Caroline Ducharme to UConn

[Kevinmac]

I agree with you that the comparison between Caroline and Lou is appropriate. But I have to disagree on her game being better. Lou played against far superior competition in CA than Caroline does in MA. This point is nullified by all of the pros in all of the HOFs who came from small colleges and so-called inferior competition. However, she played for theNew York City Exodus in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League, regarded as the top competition for up and coming prospects. Poffenbarger played against DuCharme among others in this league. Saylor Poffenbarge on commit Caroline Ducharme: "She's versatile and really competitive. She won't back down. I've played against her (in AAU). She's always moving, always thinking, always ready for the next thing. I'm so excited that I'll be playing with her"

She was the CA POY as a junior, as well as a senior. At this point in her career Lou had already made several USA basketball teams, winning the U-16 Americas, U-17 World Championship & the national 3x3 championship. I grant you her Mater Dei High School's PR was outstanding. Basketball writers tend to go to big time schools and I doubt if they have seen enough games to rank more than 25 girls. Geno has said as much. and more as in his opinion is more important. KLS' PR machine is not doing as well in the WNBA where results matter (See Collier and Nurse and all the people who down played their skills and contributions relative to KLS), Not you!

In addition, Lou was more accomplished with her left hand and, at 6’3”, was one of the best passers I’ve ever seen in HS. I don't know about the passing part. At the 3-pt. line where she parked, she was like a Kevin McHale, a black hole. Admittedly DuCharme's left hand is a concern but I believe KLS' left hand was developed at UCONN.

Lou is a special player with toughness with grit that gifted passing ability and shoots flawlessly and so gifted at 6'3". Stands alone on this comparison.

 

[oldude]

I agree with you that the comparison between Caroline and Lou is appropriate. But I have to disagree on her game being better. Lou played against far superior competition in CA than Caroline does in MA. This point is nullified by all of the pros in all of the HOFs who came from small colleges and so-called inferior competition. However, she played for theNew York City Exodus in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League, regarded as the top competition for up and coming prospects. Poffenbarger played against DuCharme among others in this league. Saylor Poffenbarge on commit Caroline Ducharme: "She's versatile and really competitive. She won't back down. I've played against her (in AAU). She's always moving, always thinking, always ready for the next thing. I'm so excited that I'll be playing with her"

She was the CA POY as a junior, as well as a senior. At this point in her career Lou had already made several USA basketball teams, winning the U-16 Americas, U-17 World Championship & the national 3x3 championship. I grant you her Mater Dei High School's PR was outstanding. Basketball writers tend to go to big time schools and I doubt if they have seen enough games to rank more than 25 girls. Geno has said as much. and more as in his opinion is more important. KLS' PR machine is not doing as well in the WNBA where results matter (See Collier and Nurse and all the people who down played their skills and contributions relative to KLS), Not you!

In addition, Lou was more accomplished with her left hand and, at 6’3”, was one of the best passers I’ve ever seen in HS. I don't know about the passing part. At the 3-pt. line where she parked, she was like a Kevin McHale, a black hole. Admittedly DuCharme's left hand is a concern but I believe KLS' left hand was developed at UCONN.

Mater Dei PR? WNBA? You’re adding some extraneous points. I’m just talking about basketball ability. I’ve seen film of Lou in the CA state championships against really good teams as a soph and jr and her game was exceptionally advanced for her age. Despite that, as good as Mater Dei was, they never won a CA state championship during Lou’s time there.

Don’t get me wrong. Caroline is very good, and she was dominating in the recent state championship game. But one of the things that stood out to me in watching the highlights from the MA state championship game was just how overmatched the opposing team was. I haven’t seen any film of Caroline with her AAU team, but presumably that would have been after her sophomore year, following her injury, so I’m not sure how effective she would have been at that time.

If Caroline proves to be as good as Lou, every Husky fan will be ecstatic, myself included. I just think it’s a little premature to make that claim at the present time.

 

[pvdoggy]

I agree with you that the comparison between Caroline and Lou is appropriate. But I have to disagree on her game being better. Lou played against far superior competition in CA than Caroline does in MA. She was the CA POY as a junior, as well as a senior.

At this point in her career Lou had already made several USA basketball teams, winning the U-16 Americas, U-17 World Championship & the national 3x3 championship. In addition, Lou was more accomplished with her left hand and, at 6’3”, was one of the best passers I’ve ever seen in HS.

People seems to like shiny newer toy

 

[DefenseBB]

How is stating the obvious helpful? The KLS comparison works. Tall guard with 3-pt range. The other two? DuCharme, in my opinion, at this point in her basketball life, has a better all around game than did KLS at the same point in her development except possiblly for 3-pt % and being at least one inch shorter. But since high school 3-pt stats are hard to locate; we won't definitively know. So I can question your opinion but I can't say your opinion is wrong. So compare away and don't worry about what is said because it is just their opinion. However, as you and I both know; only our opinions are correct! Even when they are diametrically opposed!

Wait, what? By the end of her Junior Year, KLS had already been on a few USA National teams and was the #1 prospect and top 2 prospects across all rating agencies. So no, Caroline Ducharme is not better at the same age. That does not mean Caroline Ducharme is not a great player and I love your exuberance, but please be a tad more realistic.

 

[CocoHusky]

Wait, what? By the end of her Junior Year, KLS had already been on a few USA National teams and was the #1 prospect and top 2 prospects across all rating agencies. So no, Caroline Ducharme is not better at the same age. That does not mean Caroline Ducharme is not a great player and I love your exuberance, but please be a tad more realistic.

Caroline Ducharme also had 2 major injuries ACL and rotator cuff surgery prior to her junior year of HS. Caroline actually had a remarkable showing at USA basketball in summer of 2018 and would have likely make the team if not for that bulky brace she was playing with.

 

[DefenseBB]

Caroline Ducharme also had 2 major injuries ACL and rotator cuff surgery prior to her junior year of HS. Caroline actually had a remarkable showing at USA basketball in summer of 2018 and would have likely make the team if not for that bulky brace she was playing with.

Coco, my comment is not that Caroline is not a very, very good player, just that she is not considered one of the top 2 players in her class by all the rating agencies which KLS was. Whether Caroline Ducharme would have been the one of the lead players on a USA team is also in question the way KLS and Asia Durr were. Again Caroline Ducharme shows great promise but to say she has a better all-around game than KLS at this stage in their careers is not correct.

 

[Cornell Lt]

Comparing one player against another player is like fools gold. Does it really matter if player "A" is projected by someone to be better/higher level than player "B". There are so many variables as to what makes a player successful. Team chemistry, team needs, injuries, role a player has on the team and so on

Ducharme. looks like a solid player and a team first kinda player. If she stays healthy I'm confident that Geno will find multiple ways to utilize her strengths to help the program

 

[jabstep]

In today's game, you need shooters. Last year UConn team lived and died with the 3 point shot. You could also say that in the past 3 years we lived by the 3 point shot. Against bigger teams, Phee was controlled in the paint and had to start to move outside. A movement offense is dependant on keeping the floor open for cutting and movement. The future team will have Anna, Paige, Saylor, Bundy, and Caroline now as 3 point shooters. It will open the lane for Liv, Amari, Abrey, Mir, and Alliyah. The question is when teams play us man to man which players can breakdown their defender and score or dish to the three-point shooters. Geno will figure it out and I can't wait to watch.

 

[pvdoggy]

In today's game, you need shooters. Last year UConn team lived and died with the 3 point shot. You could also say that in the past 3 years we lived by the 3 point shot. Against bigger teams, Phee was controlled in the paint and had to start to move outside. A movement offense is dependant on keeping the floor open for cutting and movement. The future team will have Anna, Paige, Saylor, Bundy, and Caroline now as 3 point shooters. It will open the lane for Liv, Amari, Abrey, Mir, and Alliyah. The question is when teams play us man to man which players can breakdown their defender and score or dish to the three-point shooters. Geno will figure it out and I can't wait to watch.

Who is Bundy?

 

[CocoHusky]

Coco, my comment is not that Caroline is not a very, very good player, just that she is not considered one of the top 2 players in her class by all the rating agencies which KLS was. Whether Caroline Ducharme would have been the one of the lead players on a USA team is also in question the way KLS and Asia Durr were. Again Caroline Ducharme shows great promise but to say she has a better all-around game than KLS at this stage in their careers is not correct.

I agree with all of this. My point was limited to your point about KLS making multiple USA basketball teams and Caroline not making any-Caroline was injured.

 

[donalddoowop]

Wait, what? By the end of her Junior Year, KLS had already been on a few USA National teams and was the #1 prospect and top 2 prospects across all rating agencies. So no, Caroline Ducharme is not better at the same age. That does not mean Caroline Ducharme is not a great player and I love your exuberance, but please be a tad more realistic.

That is not necessarily a good way to compare players. Is the class that Ducharme is in stronger than the one KLS was in. Where would KLS be ranked in the 2021 class based on her high school performance. Would she be as highly ranked in the 2021 class? I don't know but I am asking.

 

[CocoHusky]

In today's game, you need shooters. Last year UConn team lived and died with the 3 point shot. You could also say that in the past 3 years we lived by the 3 point shot. Against bigger teams, Phee was controlled in the paint and had to start to move outside. A movement offense is dependant on keeping the floor open for cutting and movement. The future team will have Anna, Paige, Saylor, Bundy, and Caroline now as 3 point shooters. It will open the lane for Liv, Amari, Abrey, Mir, and Alliyah. The question is when teams play us man to man which players can breakdown their defender and score or dish to the three-point shooters. Geno will figure it out and I can't wait to watch.

Just a slightly different perspective. UCONN has had adequate shooters (KLS, Christyn, Crystal, Megan) for the past 2 seasons. What UCONN has not had is 1) A post presence that is capable of getting you easy baskets 2) A reliable perimeter defender capable of creating live ball turnovers to ignite the transition game.
Without those two key piece there is two much pressure put on the 1/2 court offense to flawlessly execute almost every time down the court. Geno will optimize this team as he's done all the others. Give Geno those two pieces and optimize will mean 12, 13, ..

 

[CocoHusky]

That is not necessarily a good way to compare players. Is the class that Ducharme is in stronger than the one KLS was in. Where would KLS be ranked in the 2021 class based on her high school performance. Would she be as highly ranked in the 2021 class? I don't know but I am asking.

That's a damn good question. My answer would be yes-KLS would be ranked ahead of Paige if KLS were in the 2020 class because KLS is 4 inches taller. Conversely if Paige were in the 2015 class I think she would still be behind KLS and exactly where Asia Durr was ranked at #2.

 

[DefenseBB]

That is not necessarily a good way to compare players. Is the class that Ducharme is in stronger than the one KLS was in. Where would KLS be ranked in the 2021 class based on her high school performance. Would she be as highly ranked in the 2021 class? I don't know but I am asking.

Well, we know for a fact that the 2015 Class was outstanding when compared to the WBCA teams and appearance that group made on All-Conference Teams over the 16 years that HoopGurls/Prospect Nation had ranked. What we don't know is how well this 2020 group will do when all is said and done. But based on my observations, I would say the 2021 Class is not better than that class, close maybe. Perhaps more knowledgeable recruiting experts like @Sluconn Husky or @Dillon77 could opine.

Again, my retort was to @SVCBeercats who was saying he thought Caroline Ducharme's game was better than KLS at this stage and I am just noting that I don't agree. I do agree she is very good and has been limited by injuries so we have as yet to see potential. I don't think it was or is fair to compare Caroline Ducharme to a proven and consensus Top 2 player in her class (#1 by HG, #2 by PN). None of the rating agencies have ever had her that high on their radar. Maybe she will burst like a supernova this year but she still has Fudd, Miles, Rivers and DeBerry in the top 5.

 

[JoePgh]

Just a slightly different perspective. UCONN has had adequate shooters (KLS, Christyn, Crystal, Megan) for the past 2 seasons. What UCONN has not had is 1) A post presence that is capable of getting you easy baskets 2) A reliable perimeter defender capable of creating live ball turnovers to ignite the transition game.
Without those two key piece there is two much pressure put on the 1/2 court offense to flawlessly execute almost every time down the court. Geno will optimize this team as he's done all the others. Give Geno those two pieces and optimize will mean 12, 13, ..

Whom do you see as fulfilling those two roles in the upcoming season? Wouldn't ONO be the obvious candidate for #1 and Aubrey the most likely candidate for #2? Are you only saying that they will both be more effective in 2021 than they were in 2020?

Is any of the newcomers (five freshmen plus Evina) likely to be better than Olivia and Aubrey in these roles? At this point, I see no reason to expect that.

 

[jabstep]

Who is Bundy?

Excuse my mistake. I meant Brady.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Who is Bundy?

 

[Alydar]

I agree with you that the comparison between Caroline and Lou is appropriate. But I have to disagree on her game being better. Lou played against far superior competition in CA than Caroline does in MA. This point is nullified by all of the pros in all of the HOFs who came from small colleges and so-called inferior competition. However, she played for theNew York City Exodus in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League, regarded as the top competition for up and coming prospects. Poffenbarger played against DuCharme among others in this league. Saylor Poffenbarge on commit Caroline Ducharme: "She's versatile and really competitive. She won't back down. I've played against her (in AAU). She's always moving, always thinking, always ready for the next thing. I'm so excited that I'll be playing with her"

She was the CA POY as a junior, as well as a senior. At this point in her career Lou had already made several USA basketball teams, winning the U-16 Americas, U-17 World Championship & the national 3x3 championship. I grant you her Mater Dei High School's PR was outstanding. Basketball writers tend to go to big time schools and I doubt if they have seen enough games to rank more than 25 girls. Geno has said as much. and more as in his opinion is more important. KLS' PR machine is not doing as well in the WNBA where results matter (See Collier and Nurse and all the people who down played their skills and contributions relative to KLS), Not you!

In addition, Lou was more accomplished with her left hand and, at 6’3”, was one of the best passers I’ve ever seen in HS. I don't know about the passing part. At the 3-pt. line where she parked, she was like a Kevin McHale, a black hole. Admittedly DuCharme's left hand is a concern but I believe KLS' left hand was developed at UCONN.

If Ducharme can make a layup on her first try she'll be miles ahead of KLS, who was much more likely to make a 3 than a layup. KLS may have been 6'3" but she played more like 5'10" inside.
As for the "private school league", that same league produced Boston.

 

[Papa33]

As for the "private school league", that same league produced Boston.

I've seen this reference to "the private school league" several times, and it's not really an accurate title. NEPSAC is an association of about 170 private schools from all over New England, including a few from the Hudson River valley in New York State. I know that because of a 34-year stint at one of those schools (from Connecticut). I coached girls basketbal, acted as an Athletic Director, and for awhile was on the board that oversaw the annual basketball tournament for girls. There were several tournament divisions; my school made it to the "large school" (AA at that time) finals three times, won it in 1983. Most of the large schools' better players went on to Division II, and some of those were very successful. Example: that '83 team had a 6'2" center who led the nation in rebounding at her Division II college. One of our girls was a starter for James Madison and did have a brief stay in the WNBA. But a UConn-level player was not visible during my years, even at the larger schools who sought and used post-graduate players.
BTW, the team we beat in '83, if I recall correctly, was Nobles.

 

[eebmg]

View attachment 52850

Could do worse. 6 throwing TD's for POLK high in the Championship.

 

[HopJim]

If Ducharme can make a layup on her first try she'll be miles ahead of KLS, who was much more likely to make a 3 than a layup. KLS may have been 6'3" but she played more like 5'10" inside.
As for the "private school league", that same league produced Boston.

From what I have seen of Ducharme, she is aggressively looking for any shot, 3 pointer or layup. Good passer, fearless in her drives and able to not only take contact, but initiate it as well.

 

[Crossover]

Just a slightly different perspective. UCONN has had adequate shooters (KLS, Christyn, Crystal, Megan) for the past 2 seasons. What UCONN has not had is 1) A post presence that is capable of getting you easy baskets 2) A reliable perimeter defender capable of creating live ball turnovers to ignite the transition game.
Without those two key piece there is two much pressure put on the 1/2 court offense to flawlessly execute almost every time down the court. Geno will optimize this team as he's done all the others. Give Geno those two pieces and optimize will mean 12, 13, ..

I seem to recall that Napheesa Collier was "a post presence capable of getting easy baskets".

 

[JonathanXIV]

If Ducharme can make a layup on her first try she'll be miles ahead of KLS, who was much more likely to make a 3 than a layup. KLS may have been 6'3" but she played more like 5'10" inside.
As for the "private school league", that same league produced Boston.

Come on, that's a little harsh. I remember KLS being a helluva lot better than you describe.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Even better than KML?

How many people were better than KML in UConn history? I'm assuming that most people would think that KML is in the top three, for sure, so why would you ask if she would be better when the poster only said "one of the best"? I think it sounded like an unfair question beause it seemed like if she wasn't better than KML, she wouldn't qualify as one of the best Huskies ever.

 

[Alydar]

Come on, that's a little harsh. I remember KLS being a helluva lot better than you describe.

Our memories differ.