2024-2025 Opening practice availability from Storrs Central

[Centerstream]

Geno

 

[Centerstream]

Kaitlyn

 

[Centerstream]

Sarah

 

[Centerstream]

Paige

 

[RockyMTblue2]

So Geno is calling Paige a ball hog. Didn't somebody here create The Ball Hog Chick way back when? Time for a resurrection?

 

[Bone Dog]

Ok, I don't want to say "I told you so," but a 4:50 Paige says they play "positionless offense."

Also, at 5:10 she says Sarah can be like a big guard at times.

 

[NW-MW]

Sarah can let it fly so I am not surprised to hear that at all from Paige, but I am glad to hear that Sarah wouldn't define herself as that and sees herself as a forward.

 

[Boreifs]

If they are playing with only 10 right now, the obvious four posts would be Jana, Sara, Ice and Yanna. The obvious six guards would be Paige, Kaitlyn, Ash, KK, Q and Allie. Playing with four guards seems like a last resort to me.

 

[jdote33]

I think Sarah was unintentionally funny her whole interview. Her impressions of Storrs was funny. I feel like Kaitlyn is still getting comfortable with the media but I like all the comments about her from Geno. Definitely bummed about Caroline. Honestly, Geno's interview did temper my expectations on the team a bit. Not necessarily their ceiling but my expectation on some individuals. Others have wisely said, including GirlBoo that a lot of the roster is unproven, especially the front line.

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno's interview did temper my expectations on the team a bit.

It's funny but his remarks had the effect of heightening my expectations. He spoke less ironically than usual, more like the straight skinny today. When he said the team is not like March-ready, but October-ready, that was a sober, realistic statement. They're at the beginning of a long building process for a young group and he was quite upfront about it. My sense is Geno only speaks like this when he thinks he's got lightning in a bottle.

Of course, trying to read Geno's tone is harder than reading any tea leaves.

 

[Alydar]

No team with four 2nd year players plus a transfer and four 1st year players could be March-ready in October. He's got 14 players and 3 of them will be out early. So it's 11 players and 9 of them are new or have 1 year.
Strong talked about finding her role and Geno talked about roles. I think they will score from day one and that by March they will be playing March defense.

 

[Boreifs]

No team with four 2nd year players plus a transfer and four 1st year players could be March-ready in October. He's got 14 players and 3 of them will be out early. So it's 11 players and 9 of them are new or have 1 year.
Strong talked about finding her role and Geno talked about roles. I think they will score from day one and that by March they will be playing March defense.

Five second-year players; Ice and Yanna plus KK, Ash and Q.

 

[Jim]

Paige being more of a "ball hog" is a double-edged sword. I recall a time when Maya was asked to do something similar and while Maya was great, the team had a tendency to stand around and just watch Maya instead of continuing to move and run offense. While I hope Paige does up her offensive output, I don't want the other four players on the floor to become spectators. That is our (i.e., Boneyard denizens) job.

 

[Kaizen]

Geno would like to have more balls on Paige's hand. He fell not let Paige to have more balls in her hand last year.

Yes, I think Paige is the next Maya.

 

[Alydar]

I've been preaching for years that Bueckers should have the ball in her hands a lot more. circumstances forced Geno to change her role though. It's satisfying to see that Geno and Bueckers agree with me.

 

[DEpup]

That's fine if everyone buys into continuing to move in the half court offense instead of just standing and watching Paige.

 

[Majic Hands]

Paige being more of a "ball hog" is a double-edged sword. I recall a time when Maya was asked to do something similar and while Maya was great, the team had a tendency to stand around and just watch Maya instead of continuing to move and run offense. While I hope Paige does up her offensive output, I don't want the other four players on the floor to become spectators. That is our (i.e., Boneyard denizens) job.

Big reason “I” wanted Nika at the point to initiate the offense and Paige as 2-3.

Paige starting the offense there’s 4 player standing around watching to see what she’s going to do.
Nika starts the offense and everyone’s moving. The rocks passed to Paige. . . Everyone’s still moving! I know it was crazy. It’s like once the offense gets initiated no one’s Paige watching.

That’s how I saw it. That’s why I think Paige will be handling the ball a lot but not bringing it up & iniating the offense. I think with all the young players on this team it’s going to be just like Paige’s freshman year. 4 players watching.

I could be totally out of my mind on this but my recollection is that Paige really slowed the tempo when she brought the ball up. Where as Nika would be getting up court quickly.

NOTE: first paragraph. Four years ago I told the story about my daughter in junior high here in the BY.

Our daughters junior high teams point guard was probably the best player in the conference/league. Our daughter was simply a really good ball handler and passer.

The team was headed for a loosing season. The coach switched the best player to the 2. Moved our daughter to the point. They started winning games. The best player still got her points but there was a noticeable point production increase for the other players on team.

 

[The deacon]

Geno would like to have more balls on Paige's hand. He fell not let Paige to have more balls in her hand last year.

Yes, I think Paige is the next Maya.

Love Paige, but she's got a lot of catching up to do this season.

 

[oldhusky]

Big reason “I” wanted Nika at the point to initiate the offense and Paige as 2-3.

Paige starting the offense there’s 4 player standing around watching to see what she’s going to do.
Nika starts the offense and everyone’s moving. The rocks passed to Paige. . . Everyone’s still moving! I know it was crazy. It’s like once the offense gets initiated no one’s Paige watching.

That’s how I saw it. That’s why I think Paige will be handling the ball a lot but not bringing it up & iniating the offense. I think with all the young players on this team it’s going to be just like Paige’s freshman year. 4 players watching.

I could be totally out of my mind on this but my recollection is that Paige really slowed the tempo when she brought the ball up. Where as Nika would be getting up court quickly.

NOTE: first paragraph. Four years ago I told the story about my daughter in junior high here in the BY.

Our daughters junior high teams point guard was probably the best player in the conference/league. Our daughter was simply a really good ball handler and passer.

The team was headed for a loosing season. The coach switched the best player to the 2. Moved our daughter to the point. They started winning games. The best player still got her points but there was a noticeable point production increase for the other players on team.

Your point about Paige slowing the pace and Nika pushing it is accurate, and the analogy with your daughter is a good one too. IMO the main reason Nika was on the point last year was she was pretty much a one position player, at least offensively. She will never be very effective as a 2 or a 3. Paige could be the best player on the team 1-3 for sure and maybe even at the 4.

This year we have a little more versatility there with Kaitlin, who can play 1 or 2 effectively. KK may be more 1 than 2, but obviously she had to play off the ball most of last year. We want Paige to play heavy minutes so relieving her of bringing the ball up might make sense and allow KK and Kaitlin to push the pace. Once settled into a half-court offense if Paige wants to initiate she can, but she could still play off the ball if either KK or Kaitlin were in the game. Whatever works best IMO.

 

[sun]

I suspect there's going to be alot of transitioning throughout the season. For sure Paige will be more aggressive but there will be so many blowouts that there won't be an absolute need for her to be overly aggressive.
By the time the big games roll around, the opponents may think that she's going to be the player to key in on, but she'll outsmart them and become the playmaker making assists & dishing it out.
It's only a matter of time until the rest of the team gels and Azzi & other guards become more trustworthy to take some of the big shots.
Other players have always stated that Paige had told them that when she passes them the ball to shoot it & not to hesitate.
So of course that's unspoken during these early pressers.
Paige will be expected to take over the team, but I wouldn't expect her to be so selfish to take shots that are less likely to go in.
There will probably be a big difference in Paige's role in close games compared to blowouts.
So I don't believe that there will be any games where players are just standing around watching Paige score.
There's too many good players on the team for Geno to allow that to happen.
Everyone has a job to do whether they're scoring or not & they'll all need to be on their toes to receive the fabulous behind the back dish from Paige.
UConn is too fast of a run & gun moving team for anyone to just stand around & watch.
It's an insult to Geno to think that that will ever happen as long as the team has so many elite players that are healthy.
The players that understand it will play more PT than the players that don't get it.
I think that the plan is for Paige to be aggressive when they need her to be aggressive, and not to be as agressive when they don't need her to be as aggressive such as during blowouts or when she's too heavily guarded.
The reality is that the team will transition through stages depending on the strength of the opponent & the circumstances.
That way the whole team can gel together & mesh into a championship team largely under Paige's leadership.

 

[Bigboote]

I finally watched these. Best points to me: Yana is healthy and looks good. Jana, Ice, and Sarah are all handling the ball and passing well. Three big playmakers as Geno said.

Paige and Geno both said KK and Ash have improved in important ways.

 

[Cuango]

Starting to have a good feeling about Allie! I knew she was a good player/shooter but it’s looking like she could be pretty special! ! This team is just amazing! The talent on this roster is just incredible!